Scared frozen...

Mason let Shooter outside Monday.  We were busy around the house packing, playing, laundry, etc.  About 45 min later it dawns on me that Shooter has not came back yet.  Mason went to front door and called and called him.  No response.  Hmm...  I thought I would go out and summon him back home in a bit, after I finished whatever I was doing (can't remember).

Walking through the living room I glanced out onto the lake and just happened to see his little paws flailing and head bobbing in the water... he was encircled by ice.  YIKES! I ran outside onto the dock...flip flops and all...  Mom and Mason came out onto the dock also to see if they could help.  Shooter was about 20 feet off the dock, foaming at the mouth, and looking at me with pitiful eyes that said, "Help me Mom!?"  I figure he had been fighting the ice for about 1/2 hr.  The hole around him was pretty big like he had pawed at the ice and broke edges off.

Mom started making phone calls to Chris and Uncle Robbie.  I thought the water would be waist deep because it was in the fall when we moved in.  I thought breaking the ice and wading out to him was my only option.  So I sat on the dock and gingerly stood on the ice to break it... WHOOSH!  Down I went...  I caught my self on the dock before I went all the way under (I was only in up to my chin)...  Brr freezy!  I guess the snow melt had made the water rise because I couldn't touch bottom. 

Well, I drug my kiester back up onto the dock and used rocks and shovels to break the ice as far out as I could reach... about 3 feet from Shooter.   The ice was porous but about 6 inches thick.  He was so smart, that he got his shoulder up onto the 3 foot ice baracade and slithered his body onto the ice and broke it so he could swim to me. 

Mom had 911 on the phone by then because neither Dad or Uncle Robbie were answering... and my phone was in my pocket (drowned) so we didn't have the numbers to Nana and Papa.  We cancelled 911, and I grabbed Shooter's collar and walked him alongside the dock until I could lift him up... all 89#! 

We went directly into the house and wrapped him in blankets and towels.  Mason told me later, "T'ank you for s'cuing me 'est f'wend Oots Mom!"

Today he was coughing a lot so we took him to the Doggy Dr.  It seems his trachea is bruised from hitting the ice causing an irritated cough...  no biggie.  He got some cough medicine with a steroid in it and some antibiotic just in case he inhaled some water.  At this time he does not seem like he did.

The circle shaped opening in the ice to the left of the deck is where Shooter was.  Its a poor pic, but I was NOT going back out there to take a better one... so this one is taken from the safety of the house.

Shooter snuggling in blankets... Mason still sobbing.  Both were shivering. Mason was out in the snow barefoot... as was I... 

Interesting fact:  Ice is shape and cuts skin without any problem...  :(