traumatic trip to the forest (LONG!!!!!)

[kactus]

so yesterday we took bailey to the forest..it was his second visit (first being last week) theres a small stream (mostly a few inches but up to a foot in places) he has the best fun running thru it and up the other side etc and he was being so good. after a while we decided to take a walk to the bigger river (VERY wide and quite fast flowing) we were walking along the path all 3 of us, and bailey was off the lead (as usual) but sticking close. the next thing we know hes run off the path a bit to the water edge, we called him back but he was trying to get close and stepped on what looked like land but was actually water with mucky swamp scum on top..needless to say he just went down like a stone..then....complete scilence..i started panicking and telling dh to get him out when he surfaced again. covered in sxxt...ears slicked to his head looking like a newborn pup! and making no attempt to swim or get out..just looking at us like 'what just happened...help me' dh ended up wading in with me holding him by the hand and he managed to grab him by the scruff and trail him to safety. it was very scary and he was VERY dirty and went straight back on the lead!!!!! we had just about recovered from the shock of this..and were going back to the stream to try to wash off the stinking crap that dh and bailey were both covered in...when we reached the stream we let bailey off his lead and he just bolted off into the forest. (most unlike him) we walked after him but he was gone..we couldnt even hear the jingle off his tags. we walked/ran for a few mins and there was still no sign..i panicked big time (the forest is HUGE) dh and i split up and we searched for 10 mins..calling each others cell phones and FREAKING big time. i met no one but dh met 2 set of people and both had seen bailey..one woman said he was inthe car park and she tried to entice him over to check his tags but he ran away (ive toold him not to talk to strangers!) she said he looked lost. eventually he came running towards me and i produced his ball and he came straight over (looking pretty glad to see me too!!) i called dh and we all met up again.
i was so scared that wed never find him or that someone would steal him. it was awful and i hope i NEVER EVER have to do it again.

we are seeing the funny side of the swamp thing now as the look on his face was priceless but the trauma of losing him will be with me forever.
sorry its so long..just thought id share it!!

 

[Mama_Zookeeper]

I would have been crying! I panic when something happens to my pups! I am so glad to hear you found Bailey and all is well, though I did have a good laugh at Bailey & your poor husband covered in swamp crap! How gross!

Dora

 

[haleyandmark]

HOW SCARYY!! I would have been freaking out ... if Asia just runs around the corner off her leash and I can't see her, I freak out!

Wow, I'm so glad he came back unharmed...well, covered in swampy mess (I agree, that is a bit funny)! I guess that forest air got the best of him! I'm glad your story had a happy ending!

 

[xenaprincess]

Yup...I would have been crying too! We cannot say it enough...they are our children...a huge part of us and when something happens to them..it affects us! I gotta say though...I can visulaize his head poppong out of the water with that look..."what just happened?"!! :p So glad all ended well! Hopefully, he's learned a lesson..but then again...probably not!

 

[michelle8702]

Thank God

Maybe he has learned his lesson that BAD thing's happen when we runn away from our people.

Dozer doesn't run off because the last time he did I hid where I could see him and he couldn't see me and he FLIPPED out I had to run outside and he just jumped up on me (not common for him) and was whinning about it forever! He doesn't leave my side now leash or not!

 

[Rlr.Giraffe]

Yes, I would have FREAKED out too! So glad he is back safe and sound... and hope that swamp crap came off.

BAILEY! Don't EVER scare your mom and dad like that again!!!!!!

 

[kactus]

yep swamp crap all off!!! he had an extra long shower complete with blow dry as soon as we got home. And on the PLUS side, he slept all afternoon, evening and night..he was so exhausted by the whole adventure!!!

 

[vichy]

I totally understand how you felt.... First time I took Buster to the beach he fell in the water from a cliff with steps and just sank to the bottom, I panicked and jumped out in the water (with all my clothes on)but before I got hold of Buster he had figured out that he was supposed to swim and he was up before me.... Everyone laughed at me , all wet, and called me a chicken mum....

 

[abradbury.5]

I would have been so worried too! The first part of your story is funny.... I can definitely picture his expression in my mind! When he ran off again though.... I would have been so scared. Thankfully, Tof is good and stays by my side--or close enough so I can see her--and she comes when called. I took Tof to a park on an island and we went hiking and she was so funny because she would go up the path a bit, then stop and turn with this expression like "come ON, I'm waiting on you... let's get moving!"

Glad Bailey is safe, sound, and clean

 

[darbydog]

I am SO glad everything turned out ok for you. I dont know what I would have done. I know I would have went crazy. Lets just count our lucky stars you found your baby!