The pups were born on September 20, 2009
Buddy was REBORN on May 20, 2010.
Buddy came to me as a 2 month old pup with 4 sisters. His litter was with a family who because of medical problems couldn't raise the pups. My wife and I took on the litter to help them out. As the pups sold the money went to the owners of the litter and if any of the pups stayed for training then so much the better, I thought. So far all but 1 sold has stayed for training. Not exactly what I was hoping for, ( a full house ), but the boy and girls have been a lot of fun. They love each other very much and huddle together in the dog houses at night even though they have plenty of room to spread out.
On May 20, 2010 Buddy turned 8 months old. All of the pups had been training that day and it was getting warm so I took the pups down the hill to the pond. All the dogs went into the pond for a swim and had dispersed around the area chasing tweedy birds, or butterflies or just enjoying the newly mown yard. If I don't have anything to toss for Buddy he will find something for me to throw. This day was no different so Buddy showed up with a 2 foot long stick in his mouth. I took the stick and tossed it into the pond. Buddy hit the pond at full speed and retrieved the stick. The other dogs had not paid any attention to our interaction and were nearby but still playing. I tossed the stick a second time for Buddy and set in motion a terrible event.
Two of Buddy's sisters saw Buddy hit the water and ran to the pond from the other side. Buddy was first at the stick and started swimming south to the closest bank to exit the pond. Buddy's sisters, Emmy and Star, hit the water from the South bank and swam North to met Buddy. Emmy grabbed the stick on Buddy's left and Star grabbed the stick on Buddy's right.
The two girls over-powered Buddy and pushed him backward, causing his bottom to sink and his feet to come to the surface between his sisters. Buddy took on a mouth full of water and released the stick. I watched helplessly as Buddy was pushed deeper by his sisters as they tried to get turned around with the stick. I tried to get the two girls to swim away from the area by calling them but the damage was done. I could see Buddy underwater fighting for his life and churning the surface of the pond but he couldn't find the surface. I called out "OH GOD NO", and started around the end of the pond at a dead run trying to keep Buddy in sight. As I got close as I could to Buddy on the bank I found myself at the highest point on the bank at about 3 feet. I was still running and saw Buddy had stopped struggling and was sinking to the bottom.
You can't believe the things that do and do not cross your mind as you are in mid-air about to hit the water.
When I entered the water I never even felt the cold of the May rain runoff in the pond. I made one swimming thrust and opened my eyes under water. The pond was a muddy brown with some sunlight filtering into the depth. I made a second thrust and remember thinking if I was off on the dive I may never find Buddy, am I too shallow, will I be able to see his sinking form in the muddy pond. I made a third swimming thrust and there just above me was a black, sinking mass. I reached out and grabbed Buddy and thought "THANK YOU GOD"!
I pushed Buddy to the surface and then swam up myself. I got to the surface and was met by 3, 8 month old Labradors that wanted to get to me and play. I reached for Buddy and slapped at the pups as I went under again myself. Now I'm thinking OK, this is bad. I pushed Buddy toward the bank and then swam for the bank. I reached Buddy again, his head was under water and he was limp, he had passed out. I slapped at the pups again and grabbed Buddy by the neck to lift his head from the water. Buddy's head whipped back and his fangs hit me next to the left eye cutting me open. I pushed him toward the bank again and swam for shore. The third time I got to Buddy I was finally just able to reach the bottom. The pups had given up and were exiting the pond so I grabbed buddy and again lifted him out of the water and pushed with all I had to get him to the bank. Buddy once again hit the water and started to sink, lifelessly into the water, next to the bank. I struggled with the muddy bottom but got to Buddy and kneeled in the mud, grabbed Buddy and lifted him into my arms. I yelled for my wife on the hill "HELP". Fran looked up from her yard work and saw me in the pond with one of the dogs. She started down the hill and then saw blood running down my face from Buddy's teeth. She started running to us as I returned my attention to Buddy. To the best of my ability to judge time in this terrible event I had to assume Buddy had been under water for about 1 minute at the most. As I shook water from Buddy's mouth his eyes were open but he was not focusing on me. I closed his mouth and placed his nose in my mouth as I started rescue breathing down his nose.
My professional career is Fire Captain with 27.5 years of service and 5 years as a swift water rescue technician. I knew how to give Buddy his best chance for life. I remember thinking his heart wouldn't stop in just a 1 to 2 minutes but then again why was he unconscious? I administered 4 rescue breathes and could feel him take in the forth breath as he started to inhale. I looked at him and he was blinking at me. BUDDY WAS BACK!
Fran came to my rescue and asked if he was OK and then about my cut. The next question started bringing things back to reality. WHERE IS YOUR WALLET? In my pocket. WHERE IS YOUR iPHONE? In my pocket. She laughed and said well, at least you are both OK.
We called the vet as Buddy was foaming at the mouth and the vet asked if Buddy had coughed up any water. At that the vet heard Buddy over the phone as Buddy gagged up 1/3 cup of water. I looked at Buddy's gums and they were as white as a sheet. Buddy was in shock! I laid Buddy on the tailgate of my truck and dried him off. From there he was moved to the couch and laid in my lap covered with a blanket and his head on a towel where he drooled and shivered for 3 hours.
The next day Buddy was taken to the vet and given a clean bill of health. 5 days later Buddy was by the pond where he made his way out about 10 feet and back.
Buddy turned 8 months old the day he drowned, I turned 62 the next day and all I could think about was: What a terrible day this would have been without Buddy.
I have sat next to the pond for months as the dogs play and learn to swim as pups. Several times I have wondered could I go into that pond if I ever had too? YOU CAN DO ALL THINGS THROUGH GOD WHO STRENGTHEN'S YOU!
JUST LEAVE YOUR iPHONE ON THE BANK!
