Dogs on the ice

Something that most dogs and humans don’t think much about is the subject of dogs on the ice.  Here in Minnesota we have a lot of frozen bodies of water and every year people fall in and die so the media warns people to stay off the ice.  Well, what about dogs on the ice?  Can we handle a fall into the icy waters?  Normally, not.  One of the dog parks we go to sometimes has a big pond in the middle and I am out there swimming until it is frozen over and I am right back in when there is still ice in the middle so most would think I could handle a fall into the icy water.  Sure our fur protects us and we have claws for grip but let’s face it, ice is slippery no matter what.

Katie crawling onto the ice

Almost 4 years ago I had my own frightening experience with falling through the ice.  Mom, Katie and I were at the dog park with the pond the beginning of April.  The pond still had ice over it but many dogs were out there playing around.  Eventually Katie and I joined in.  Everyone was a bigger dog except for me.  Then it happened, the jumping around and weight started breaking the ice about 15 feet from shore.

The big dogs were able to hop along out of the pond, even Katie who was pissed as all get out because she hates getting wet was able to climb out, but I am short and it was too deep for me.  You can see by Katies ear position that she is not a happy camper!  I could not climb back onto the ice because I either lost my grip and slipped back in or the piece of ice I wanted to get on broke off.

Me falling in, carried out

I was really scared and was crying like crazy.

Lucky for me mom was with us and she ended up going into the pond with her clothes and shoes on up to her knees to carry me out.

We were lucky as the pond is small and not too deep but a lot of dogs are not so lucky.  Remember to keep an eye on your dog when the ice is thin and if you would not go out onto it, don’t let your dog go either.  If you are a dog and you get loose somehow and are out roaming in your area, stay off the ice, you could fall through!  Click here to see a video of a wonderful dog rescue on the ice – a great show of human support for us pups – they saved this dogs life!