The Good, the Sad, and the Unfair!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Vern’s birthday was January 10, 2014.  He turned four. That is some of the good news.  The bad news, which ended with good news, happened the day before his birthday.  On that day, like we always do, the dogs and I went walking. I opted to take them to the campground to walk and then I did something I never do.  Usually, we go home after our walk, but I decided to take them across the street to the pier where we park our boat in the warmer weather.  It is an E shaped pier and the only way off is across a little metal bridge and normally, I block access to the bridge after they cross it and let them off leash.  They can run all over the pier with wild abandon and it makes me smile to see Fudge take off down the pier with her graceful, reindeer like prance, a moment after she realizes she is off leash and free as a bird. 

Vern lops along behind her and they like to stop and taunt each other, play bow, and mix it up a little.

Yesterday, I took them to the farthest place on the pier before letting them loose and then watched them go.  Both dogs came back when called and Vern reached me first.  I was snapping shots of Fudge with Vern beside me and in the blink of an eye, Vern stepped off the pier and onto the partially iced over lake.  Never has Vern jumped off of the pier into the water. Both of my dogs wade into the water, but are not dock divers and neither will jump into the water from our boat. This was so completely unexpected and I could see it happening as if in slow motion, but I couldn’t stop him and before I knew it Vern was standing on a block of ice within feet of icy water where the lake had not frozen over. All 100 pounds of him!

At this spot, but taken a few days later!

I reacted badly. I didn’t think to yell anything sane, but the panic in my voice reached him somehow as I yelled, “oh my God, Vern, oh no,” because he froze.  The other good news was Fudge kind of froze, too.  She stayed put and did not decide to use Vern’s predicament and my rescue attempt as a diversionary tactic to make her way around me and off of the pier.   With more strength than I knew I had, I pulled Vern up onto the pier. I acted on sheer instinct, and it was only after the fact that I felt the whole weight of “what could have happened?” Vern is a big boy. He stepped down onto the ice and luckily the ice held.  A few feet away it was icy water and the water below him was very deep.  We were a long way from shore and I could never have lifted a soaking wet Vern onto the pier if he had gone into the water.  The water was far too cold for Vern to make it all the way to shore. It was far too cold for a human to jump in and help and really could have been the difference between life or death for me if I had tried. Nobody else was around to hear any cries for help. The “what ifs” could keep me up for days if I let them, but like John said he is safe and everything turned out ok in the end.  Fudge knew it was serious and was wonderful in this tough situation and once Vern was safe, I held them close and told them how much I loved them.

 

Accidents can happen in the blink of an eye.  We have done this “pier thing” lots of times and never had any kind of problem.  By now most of you have read about Max, the dog in the DRC that was tragically killed by a hunter’s stray bullet.  We live in a heavily wooded area and hunting is huge in Pennsylvania. The schools in our area close down for the first day of hunting season.  They hunt in the field right next door to our house.  It is not unusual to hear the booms of rifles all around us.  My neighbor called me this year after setting up a camera in the woods to keep track of the deer and upon review of the first pictures spotted Laurie, Fudge, and Vern walking in the field.  He asked his wife to call me and let me know it was not safe to walk there during the hunting season.  I was under the stupid assumption that no one could be dumb enough to mistake one large woman and two dogs on a leash for deer, but I was wrong. I am a city girl learning it happens all the time. Max probably played outside in that same yard lots of times with no problems and again the “what ifs” are probably haunting his remarkable foster family.  I have no answers for why Vern was safe on the ice and Max was unsafe in his own yard and I can’t help but be thankful for the one and saddened by the other.  The fate of dogs always rest on humans making the right or wrong choices and decisions and sometimes, just dumb luck is involved. 

 

I loved that show Touched by an Angel and I always loved the way it depicted God’s loving hand and his angels guiding the dead towards the light and heaven beyond. I am going to believe that Max was guided along his way that day and left this world knowing what it was like to be loved and cared for by his foster family and is now in a better place. We have all made choices in our lives that we wished we had not and we’ve all done something careless that we wished we could take back.  I don’t know what happened that day with that hunter or what he thought he was doing and I can only hope it was a mindless accident, but stories like this always make me think about timing and fate.  If only that hunter had opted to stay home that day.  If only Max had been standing one foot to the left.  And then we have Vern’s story.  Thank God I was standing right there.  Thank God the ice held.  All these thoughts could make a person go crazy and I have no answers why one story had a happy ending and one story didn’t.  It just happened that way.  As my kids used to tell me all the time, “It’s not fair!” when they felt I had doled out the wrong punishment to the wrong kid.  This time I have no smart, motherly reply back.  It really isn’t fair.  Sometimes, the world makes no sense to me.

[Leslie and Halas]

Oh my gosh! I'm so glad both of them stayed still. And so relived that you were able to pull Vern up. I'd be driving myself crazy with "what ifs," too.
That Max story was just so sad. Poor guy. At least he got to know love in his last months.

[Lauria Orr]

I just read this, Laurie, and am just so grateful Vern was not harmed in any way.  I feel shook up, and tearful...for you guys, for your neighbor, for all the times we have a "near miss" ,etc....  I almost wish your other neighbor, who neglects his dog in the winter elements, was the one walking in the woods that day....and not Max. 

As always, thank you for sharing your story!  XO

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Elizabeth, I am so sorry about your friend. 55 is so young. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family and to you. Thank you for your concern for all of us!

Jennifer, Of course, our dogs go to Heaven. Why else would it be called paradise?  I have no doubt about that. Thank you for everything!!

Thank you, Jill!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Jane, Thank you! I don't think we are ever going to be able to stop worrying about our kids and our dogs :) Meanwhile, I know somebody who can get rid of those grey hairs for me.

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Thanks, Lori. The odds of them listening are 50/50, so I was lucky that day :) I will tell them you said to behave. I hope it helps. Yes, my neighbor lectured me plenty about walking in that field. Not gonna do in anymore. Maybe we should all start wearing life vests on our walk. Vern thanks you for his BD wishes.

Camilla, Yep,plenty of unexplainable stuff all around us. Thank you!!

F, I have never worried about a dog overboard. Maybe I am a dumb monkey :) They just love it so much and there are so few places they can run and have such a good time. I still can't believe Vern stepped onto that ice. So out of character, but you are right, caution is needed in the future. Maybe only one off leash at a time once the weather warms. Thank you!

Cheryl, Thank you!! I was proud of both of them that day and we were all lucky!! I will happily pass out your hugs.

Gail, Luckily, he never landed in the water and the ice held him. Pretty good since the vet told me he needs to lose weight. OMD How scary about those pool covers. Thank you!!

Thank you, Linda!

Thanks, Janie!!

BG, Thank you! OMD....how scary about Gavin and the pool cover. I would never have thought about that happening. Very scary and so sad about that Newfie. I just love Newfies and thought about getting one before the Doodles.

Robin, The vet just told Vern he had to lose 15 pounds. OMD Maybe Libby and Vern can go to the gym together. Thank you!! Glad Libby is ok. Our dogs jump off of our stone wall, but Fudge can't jump onto the bed.  Crazy Doodles!

Thanks, Michelle. Vern kept his birthday a secret this year. He thinks 4 is old :)

[Elizabeth, Bailey & Bruin]

Thank heavens you and Vern were OK... I can't imagine how scared you must have been!  And what good doodles you have, they listened when it mattered most.  Give them a hug and kiss from Bailey and me!   

Life does not make sense at all sometimes.  I see it at work, we see it on the news and just today I attended a funeral of a man who was a devoted husband and father.  He cared for other kids and was a role model to so many boys in Boy Scouts.  He died at 55 yrs old in his sleep.  Life IS unfair and it SUCKS!!!

[Jennifer and Jack]

I am so grateful for the outcome you were able to have… I too read about Max and I was horrified, I didn't even let myself think about it. I just move on, it was too hard to comprehend… It only takes one minute for the most horrid of things to happen.

When I was in nursing school, we always shared all the horror stories we saw or heard because our instructors believed that if we heard them and learned them it may prevent one of us from doing a horrible mistake.   

So glad it is well with Vern and my heart hurts for Max that he didn't get a long life of happiness here.  I wish i knew exactly what happened to dogs when they passed away for sure…..I so hope for real they are in Heaven with us.

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

I am so glad to hear that Vern is safe..what a scare! I am glad you are all ok…and happy belated birthday to Vern!!

[Lori, Quincy & Frankie]

Another thought since I have not stopped thinking about this since I read it a few hours ago- I doubt it would matter "what you said"  your tone and tenor clearly sent a message to both of your dogs.  It was a good message.  They listened.  So instincts were the best and you did save your precious Vern.  thank goodness. 

Leave it to you to then think about another doodle who was not as lucky - poor baby that was shot.  I read that story but stored it deep down in my "I can't deal with that" memory bank.  But I agree-he at least had some last loving time on this earth. 

Vern and Fudge and you had better behave!  I'm telling you, BRIGHT RED jacket and maybe the doods need new BRIGHT RED COATS....with flotation devices...

and finally, I forgot to wish the boy a belated HAPPY 4th BD!!

[Camilla and Darwin]

Such tragic and sad happenings. I would have been so terrified in that moment with Vern, thank god it all turned out alright. I too, would not think to avoid woods during hunting season, but it makes so much sense that it's dangerous. 

I agree, one can drive themselves crazy with all of the 'if only" and "what if" questions. Sometimes, things just happen and we can't explain them.