On July 4, we went down to the boat to tidy her up and get her ready to sell. Scott felt that Robert should have an opportunity to wander the locked dock untethered while we worked. The first area I started with was the locker where we keep the life jackets. Rob had never had his on and in fact, it was still adjusted for Freya. I adjusted it and put it on him and sent him off. Soon he was having a great time chasing seagulls and crunching the discarded mussel shells the birds leave all over the dock.
I was inside wiping out the various holds when I heard a voice say, “There is a dog in trouble here!” I looked out and saw a crowd of people on the boardwalk above us and I ran to the end dock-spur. He was in the water, caught between a small sailboat and the dock and penned in from the sides by her boat fenders. He was clinging to the dock and struggling hard but couldn’t pull himself out. I was able to reach in and grab him by the handle on his jacket and drag him up to Scott while the onlookers applauded.
I can’t imagine what he was thinking, whether he was watching a dog on the boardwalk above and just walked off the end of the dock and then swam into the spot he was stuck or whether he fell in right there. Anyway, I offer thanks to whatever helpful being told me to put his life-jacket on him — I am sure glad I listened. He passed out afterward next to the same sailboat and acted very clingy all evening. I took some pix but I must have deleted them while trying to upload them from my phone. I hate it when that happens.
My public service announcement: Put a float-coat on your dog when you are around water and do not take your eyes off them!
Click here for the RuffWear life jacket
Click here for Puget Sound Dockdogs
Inga Duncan Thornell 