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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
bob@dr-bob.orgShown: posts 1 to 14 of 14. This is the beginning of the thread.
Posted by mair on April 3, 2004, at 14:53:11
...I'm still sort of shaking. I got a call from a neighbor, I hadn't even met yet telling me my dog, Murphy, had fallen through the ice in his pond. My husband and I rushed down there and it was pretty awful because Murph had his front paws clutching the ice but he wasn't strong enough to pull himself up, and everything my neighbors and we tried, couldn't break up the ice enough to provide him with a channel to get out. He started using up way too much energy trying to keep himself afloat and was crying alot. A policeman came, and tried to lasso him to pull him out but was pretty much unable to do much. Two fire trucks showed up and seemed to take an awfully long time working their way down to the pond. Murphy was really struggling at this point and both my husband and I were clearly contemplating going into the water and breaking through the ice to get him. Finally one of the fireman was able to use a long ladder to break up the ice and the rest of us were able to coax him to swim to the edge - in just enough time because I didn't think he could go much longer. He was in some pretty frigid water for about 15 minutes - we spent alot of time towelling him off and now just finished drying him off with hair dryers. He's making quite a name for himself with the local police - I just got a warning mailed to me because he was caught chasing cows. He's a big sweet golden retriever who is not terrifically bright but hopefully bright enough now to stay away from spring ice. (dream on)
We're just so relieved and as frightening as it was, I think it was good for me to forget for awhile how miserable I've been.
Mair
Posted by Fallen4myT on April 3, 2004, at 17:54:26
In reply to I almost just lost my dog, posted by mair on April 3, 2004, at 14:53:11
Mair I am sooo glad it worked out fine and he is OK I would have paniced AFTER I hit that water...I am a huge golden retriever fan.,,,what a happy ending. Maybe a privacy fence in part of your yard would keep him safe from ponds and cows tempting him to run agog? :D
Posted by fayeroe on April 3, 2004, at 18:42:10
In reply to Re: I almost just lost my dog » mair, posted by Fallen4myT on April 3, 2004, at 17:54:26
> Mair I am sooo glad it worked out fine and he is OK I would have paniced AFTER I hit that water...I am a huge golden retriever fan.,,,what a happy ending. Maybe a privacy fence in part of your yard would keep him safe from ponds and cows tempting him to run agog? :D
I too am glad that you got him back safely.....I think that a privacy fence might be a good idea so he won't be tempted to roam and be lost to you again........xoxoxo
Posted by noa on April 3, 2004, at 19:42:11
In reply to I almost just lost my dog, posted by mair on April 3, 2004, at 14:53:11
WOW, how frightening! I am so glad he got out ok.
Posted by mair on April 3, 2004, at 19:55:27
In reply to Re: I almost just lost my dog, posted by fayeroe on April 3, 2004, at 18:42:10
yes, the fence would be a good idea, but we've been pretty resistant. My neighborhood didn't really used to be a neighborhood, just a dead end dirt road with a few houses fairly far apart. I liked not having to fence in or tie up my dog. There are several new houses now and more traffic both from cars and from runners and mountain bikers who happen by and my dog does sometimes follow them to places where he shouldn't. And as is always the case while some people in the neighborhood love having him take walks with them, others of the newer neighbors don't like the fact that he's not restrained and their dogs are. So we'll probably have to bite the bullet.
Several days ago a couple of state game wardens stopped by to tell me that my dog had been suspected of being a dog who chased deer. I'm pretty sure he doesn't do that because we get alot of deer in my back yard and he stares at them, but seems to be afraid of them. The game wardens told me that they had taken a picture of my dog and circulated it to the people who saw deer being harrassed and they had all been able to confirm that Murphy wasn't the offending dog. However, the idea of Murphy now being a dog with a police mug shot and rap sheet was eerie.
Murphy is fine now that he's dried off and warmed up. I, on the other hand, cringe every time I think of him in deep water, clutching the ice.
Mair
Posted by fayeroe on April 3, 2004, at 20:01:17
In reply to Re: I almost just lost my dog, posted by mair on April 3, 2004, at 19:55:27
I don't know how you kept from going in the water after him! Just the thought of him being so scared and running out of energy......I'm so glad that you have him home safe....the fence is probably the best way to go....game wardens, in my area, are pretty hard-nosed about deer herds...and I can tell you from my experience that one of my dogs always acted totally innocent in front of me and then she and another dog attacked a sheep one day.....I've never believed since then that they won't attack something or chase it if the opportunity comes along and momma ain't looking!!!!
Posted by Fallen4myT on April 3, 2004, at 20:28:34
In reply to Re: I almost just lost my dog, posted by mair on April 3, 2004, at 19:55:27
HAHAHA the thought of a dog with a MUG SHOT made me smile..way cute....Please get a fence for all your sake....it cost is more than we had and hubby had to put it up all by himself...we only did a area from end to end back of our house but its safer for the dog and all cause we have coyote and well cars etc....plus I am a worry wart and want my furkids close by..not wandering or stolen and all...
Posted by gardenergirl on April 3, 2004, at 21:08:50
In reply to I almost just lost my dog, posted by mair on April 3, 2004, at 14:53:11
Oh, I'm so glad he was able to get out. I can't imagine how helpless and scared you must have felt. Thank God for the neighbor calling and for the fire department. It sounds like you are taking good care of him now, the poor dog. I hope he bounces back just fine from this. And you too!
(((Mair and Murphy)))
gg
Posted by Dinah on April 3, 2004, at 21:14:58
In reply to I almost just lost my dog, posted by mair on April 3, 2004, at 14:53:11
Thank heavens everything turned out ok! I'm so glad for the Murphy and your family. It's nice that everyone got together and worked to get him out.
Posted by All Done on April 4, 2004, at 3:07:41
In reply to I almost just lost my dog, posted by mair on April 3, 2004, at 14:53:11
Whew! I got nervous reading your post. What an experience. I'm so glad he was saved and that he had you and your husband to warm him up afterwards.
BTW, I just love the name Murphy :).
Posted by fallsfall on April 4, 2004, at 10:34:05
In reply to I almost just lost my dog, posted by mair on April 3, 2004, at 14:53:11
How terrifying! I'm so glad your neighbors saw him and that he got out OK. Has he warmed up yet? I'm cold just thinking about him.
Posted by noa on April 4, 2004, at 10:39:01
In reply to Re: I almost just lost my dog, posted by mair on April 3, 2004, at 19:55:27
Ah, sounds like the old suburban sprawl has caught up to your neck of the woods, eh? There's a whole new culture developing in your neighborhood.
Whether your dog was the deer chaser or not, it sounds like you might be better off with the fence so they don't immediately suspect your dog when something happens.
Posted by shar on April 4, 2004, at 14:43:06
In reply to I almost just lost my dog, posted by mair on April 3, 2004, at 14:53:11
Mair,
How terrifying! I'm so glad to hear Murphy is ok. Thank god for you and your WH and your neighbors and the fire fighters and everyone that pulled together to save him.I'm very happy for you,
Shar
Posted by mair on April 4, 2004, at 15:48:41
In reply to Re: I almost just lost my dog » mair, posted by shar on April 4, 2004, at 14:43:06
I'm happy to report that Murphy has recovered nicely and up to familiar tricks. Last night my teenage daughter had about 10 kids over to watch videos and hang out in a finished room in our basement. Murphy kept sneaking down there every chance he could get. After all, there were alot of pizza crust remnants, and more importantly, everytime he managed to crash the party, my daughter would try to lure him back up the stairs with an array of dog biscuits and rawhide chews. As with many goldens, he's absurdly food driven.
He shows no ill effects from his ordeal. I, on the other hand, seem to have this indelible snapshot of what he looked like when he started to realize he was losing the grip he had on the ice and wasn't going to be able to hold on much longer.
Thanks for all of your kind words.
Mair
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