And since my dog understands what I say... I told her, "I think you could cross here. If you want to go 'sploring, I'll wait here and sun my leg (spider bite)."
And off she went into the water, gingerly placing her feet and slowing crossing the stream. When she reached the other side, she was so happy. She hasn't been on that shore in months and months. She raced around sniffing everything and slowly worked her way back down to Tim's old camp - abandoned since the first flood.
Then she tried to cross the creek down there...where the water is deep and raging.
I yelled down to her, "You need to cross up here. You're gonna go UND..." And she was underwater and my heart was racing. I stood up to dash downstream and before I was on my feet, she had popped out of the current, leaping high into the air and was in shallow water.
Since I have apparently turned into my own mother, I chided her, "See, I told you not to cross down there!"
And with that, Miss Mabel turned and dove into that raging stream AGAIN! She popped out of the raging water and landed on shore and stood there staring me down.
And since I understand most everything she says with her impatient, quirky body language, I knew exactly what she was telling me. "See, I told you I could!" (Thank goodness that dog doesn't stand upright because I'm certain she would put her paws on her hips!)
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I know of two instances here in Oregon--one last month--in which someone died trying to save their dog from drowning. In each instance, the dog made it out. How sad for the human, and how sad for the dog.
That girl and her creek!! You must have been FREAKING out. She's soooo smart! Don't forget she knew geometry when you got her!
What a silly girl!
Snowbrush, that is something that terrifies me... but Mabel is far more resourceful than I!
Rott, I was! Her geometry skills are the only reason I stayed as calm as I did.
Gnome...yes, she certainly is. Hardheaded too!
The "See, I Told You So" post :) I just had a visual of Ms Mabel with her paws on her hips. She may surprise you one of these days BOL
Twink!
I just noticed the badge! Thank you. I sure hope GABE takes off on it's first year!
Twinkie and the momma
I remember the day when Bonnie was being washed down the Middle Fork of the Willamette. Peggy, being upstream from me, screamed for me to go in after Bonnie. I haven't swam in years, and the current was swift and the water cold. I couldn't have even caught up with Bonnie much less saved her. Of course, Bonnie just kept swimming toward the bank until she eventually got out. It's hard to do nothing, but the most likely outcome of going into the water is that your dog will live without you. I just mention all this in case you or one of your readers is ever tempted.
In defense of jumping in after one's dog, I think that when you panic you aren't thinking straight, and can't say to yourself, "okay, we'll wait a few minutes and see if he/she gets out on his/her own". I'd probably try jumping in after Spot. Well, probably only if his head goes under.
"In defense of jumping in after one's dog, I think that when you panic you aren't thinking straight"
True. The reason for thinking about emotion-charged scenarios in advance is so that you're less likely to act irrationally.
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