- Joined
- Dec 15, 2008
- Messages
- 2,012
Almost lost my old lab Spot 9 yrs ago when he was 1 through the ice at Lindeman lake in the first week of march.
Ice looked very thick and had only melted the first foot and he was by the water edge, put my head down for 30 seconds and he was 100 metres out through the ice but only 20 metres from the opposite shore.
Front legs splayed out trying to haul himself out to no avail. Encouraged him for 2 minutes and had to act. He would not take his eyes off me and I knew he would not figure out to go to the other side.
Dropped my pack grabbed a 6 ft stick for balance and incase I slipped and 200 metres back running to the creek that empties the lake, going across 50 metres of frozen slippery logs that choked the bay, went in once to the lower thighs. A little scary with the logs trying to pinch me, holding my body out by my elbows and armpits. I was sure glad I remembered loggers use a pole for balance.
Legs soaked to the groin and arms to the biceps, my goretex coat sure helped there as the water went up the hand openings only.
Got to the other side and ran up and he then tried to get to me but it was too thick.
I grabbed a big stick and started to pry loose some frozen rocks and small boulders.
Threw the rocks to break the ice starting from shore and stopped 15 ft from him, a ricochet could have brained him. I was throwing from 30 degrees to the side so the rocks were not coming right at him.
Once he saw the open water past the ice he just started smashing with his paws in panicked dog paddle and made it!!!!!
He was in the water at least 15 minutes. Thank god labs handle cold water and their coats act like a wetsuit.
Then the scary log boom again.
Made a Bic fire with damp wood with all 3 of my tealights with a foil windbreak to dry the tinder, 5 minutes of smolder and FIRE. It had been probably 20 minutes since soaking my lower body and hands were shaky.
We stayed an hour, I made lipton soup and 1.5 hrs down steep slippery trail to the truck.
Hike to the far side of the lake was not an option now.
I always have a spare pair of wool socks which saved my butt in frozen boots.
I did not tell this story to the girlfriend or my trips would have too many questions.
Love my dogs and know exactly the 10 seconds of panic and what the hell do I do you before the plans go into motion.
glad our pups made it. I would have lost something inside forever if I had watched him go under.
Spent the next year doing heavy obedience training and testing with him as I was training him to be a pack dog at the time. Pack was off when he went in.
Regards my friend
Ice looked very thick and had only melted the first foot and he was by the water edge, put my head down for 30 seconds and he was 100 metres out through the ice but only 20 metres from the opposite shore.
Front legs splayed out trying to haul himself out to no avail. Encouraged him for 2 minutes and had to act. He would not take his eyes off me and I knew he would not figure out to go to the other side.
Dropped my pack grabbed a 6 ft stick for balance and incase I slipped and 200 metres back running to the creek that empties the lake, going across 50 metres of frozen slippery logs that choked the bay, went in once to the lower thighs. A little scary with the logs trying to pinch me, holding my body out by my elbows and armpits. I was sure glad I remembered loggers use a pole for balance.
Legs soaked to the groin and arms to the biceps, my goretex coat sure helped there as the water went up the hand openings only.
Got to the other side and ran up and he then tried to get to me but it was too thick.
I grabbed a big stick and started to pry loose some frozen rocks and small boulders.
Threw the rocks to break the ice starting from shore and stopped 15 ft from him, a ricochet could have brained him. I was throwing from 30 degrees to the side so the rocks were not coming right at him.
Once he saw the open water past the ice he just started smashing with his paws in panicked dog paddle and made it!!!!!
He was in the water at least 15 minutes. Thank god labs handle cold water and their coats act like a wetsuit.
Then the scary log boom again.
Made a Bic fire with damp wood with all 3 of my tealights with a foil windbreak to dry the tinder, 5 minutes of smolder and FIRE. It had been probably 20 minutes since soaking my lower body and hands were shaky.
We stayed an hour, I made lipton soup and 1.5 hrs down steep slippery trail to the truck.
Hike to the far side of the lake was not an option now.
I always have a spare pair of wool socks which saved my butt in frozen boots.
I did not tell this story to the girlfriend or my trips would have too many questions.
Love my dogs and know exactly the 10 seconds of panic and what the hell do I do you before the plans go into motion.
glad our pups made it. I would have lost something inside forever if I had watched him go under.
Spent the next year doing heavy obedience training and testing with him as I was training him to be a pack dog at the time. Pack was off when he went in.
Regards my friend
