This may be quite lengthy so I apologise in advance, the actual events probably took less than 5min in total. If your all sitting comfortably……then I’ll begin.. Last Sunday was a gloriously sunny day where we live so we decided to spend it at the beach with the kids & Bailey our 12mth old ESS. Bailey is my dog really, we spend most of the waking day together as he comes to work with me & as such I do the walking & training. As a family dog he’s fairly obedient and doesn’t stray far when free running & we are at the early stages of him walking without a leash next to me as he’s not that easily distracted & likes to please by staying close. We’ve been to classes so I can’t take any of the credit really & we’ve now moved onto agility which is tiring for me more than him I suspect, coincidentally……or not…..only the day before this event happened Bailey had his first go over the A Frame & the bridge which he ‘got’ after a few go’s with myself & his trainer encouraging & helping him over as he’s a bit of a wuss lol. This is Bailey Anyway, we’d had a nice walk down the beach & Bailey had had a good run in the sea (he’s not a swimmer really as he only goes up to his belly but he has swum before when he went a little too deep in the local river but was fine about it) and we had to leave the beach as the tide had come in so walked down the prom heading to a nice café for a coffee. After finishing my coffee & with Bailey starting to mewl as he was impatient to get moving again, much to the entertainment of the other café users I suggested to my wife that we would head back slowly & to catch us up when finished. So we headed off, now the path is very wide there so I let him off when we were near the boat jetty (which you can just see on the left of the photo below) & Bailey played in the water for a few min before we headed around the building heading back along the prom. We’d gone around the building into a little garden area with benches & sea views for the tourists when I saw Bailey run towards the sea wall which at this point was around 4ft high and leap in the air where he managed to get all 4 paws onto the top but unfortunately his forward motion was too great as I saw in horror him disappear from my view. I felt like my heart had stopped as I couldn’t believe what had just happened. I raced over to the wall & looked over fearing the worst. Fortunately Bailey was splashing about in the water but looked absolutely terrified. At this point my mind was racing on how best to save him. I thought about just following him over the wall, although it was only about a 15ft drop to the sea I couldn’t tell how deep the water was & I knew that in parts along this sea wall were big boulders & if I landed on them then we would both need saving. I looked to my right along the sea wall but there were no steps leading down to the sea near enough for me to encourage Bailey to try & swim there, the nearest steps being approx. 100m away. The only other option that I could think of was to go back around the building and enter the water at the jetty, swim around the rear of the building and bring him back with me. I looked back over the wall to see how he was doing, fortunately the North Wales sea was like glass this day and he was in the same spot, although to my eyes he was starting to look tired. He kept scrabbling up the wall & getting 6-8 inches before sliding back down. I shouted to him that I’d ‘be back in a minute’ and ran round to the jetty. In the few seconds that this took I worried that he wouldn’t be there when I swam round. Down by the jetty was a couple with a baby just enjoying the views when I asked if they were staying there?? The man replied that they were for a few minutes anyway with a bit of a funny look on his face. I removed my jacket & handed it to him along with my car keys, phone & wallet. The nice man looked at me & said ‘Have you decided to end it all’ with a laugh, I replied that my dog had jumped the sea wall & I was going in for him. He just looked at me not really sure if I should be outside on my own or not. I decided to leave my boots on as jetty’s can be quite slippy and waded into the Irish Sea. I swam out to what was the corner of the wall footings and looked round hoping to see Bailey, even though he would be about 25m away at where he fell in he would at least be able to see & hear me calling out his name untill I reached him. To my relief & amazement Bailey had figured out the same as me in that his only means of escape was to head out & around to the jetty and when I came around the corner he was only 10ft away & splashing his long legs towards me. I met him half way and we swam back to the jetty together. On turning around & heading back to the jetty I noticed that quite a crowd had gathered around wondering what the nutter was doing swimming in the Irish Sea in March and there was a little cheer when we both touched the safety of the concrete slipway. I thanked the family who were holding my belongings and just stood there for a few minutes to collect my thoughts . Bailey was running around my legs like nothing had happened and at this point I noticed my wife & kids coming towards me. My wife wasn’t impressed, of course it was all my fault for not having him on his lead……so I was told by my wife…..but in my defence he’s never ‘jumped’ on or over anything before. I’ve found the pic below online showing the area where it happened, and no, the chopper was not called out to rescue us. Bailey jumped/fell in right where the man is in the sky blue shirt on the right of the photo. The sea wall further to the right is where I swam around with the jetty being just out of shot. 2 days later & I’m still in a bit of shock about it all, mostly about what ‘could have happened’. The tide could have been out or the sea could have been rough are the worst ones & I shudder at the thought. I’m a very lucky boy to have not lost my friend. Bizarrely enough whilst walking down the prom to the cafe my youngest boy (aged 9) had asked me if I would ever go into the sea to rescue someone if I saw them in difficulties & I’d said that I would. This last pic is of happier times at the same cafe a few months ago
Re: A Cautionary Tale.... Blimey that was an emotional rollercoaster !!! I'm so glad it all ended well
Re: A Cautionary Tale.... Oh my goodness... They do say you should never get into the water (or onto the ice or whatever) to try and rescue your dog... but I suspect I'd have done exactly the same. No, actually I know I would have done. So glad you are both ok!!!
Re: A Cautionary Tale.... What a heartstopper!!! I would have done exactly he same if it had been one of mine. So glad it ended well.
Re: A Cautionary Tale.... Oh my word - terrifying! My niece's Springer had a similar incident in a canal lock - they were so scared the boat would squash him. He was fished out and fine, but they are now rather on edge round water :-\
Re: A Cautionary Tale.... I have stomach ache from reading your post, you must have been so worried. Well done for going into the Irish sea, quite an adventure really, now that it has all ended happily, a true hero tell your wife!
Re: A Cautionary Tale.... Absolutely terrifying. I'm so glad it ended happily. I would have been a wreck and would definitely have gone in to save either of my two, despite being a rubbish swimmer.
Re: A Cautionary Tale.... That's really scary & you must have been frozen! I think I'd have done the same though.
Re: A Cautionary Tale.... Oh my goodness, you poor soul , but I know I would have done the same too , thank goodness it had a happy ending
Re: A Cautionary Tale.... Oh my......you must have been really panicking. Glad all got back safely :-\
Re: A Cautionary Tale.... Goodness! What a stomach lurching moment...dog flying over the sea wall...thank goodness he was OK..and so are you!
Re: A Cautionary Tale.... Lordy! So glad it turned out well. I'd have done the same - if I had thought as clearly as you did. Very glad your pup is safe and sound.
Re: A Cautionary Tale.... Cripes what a heart stopper! I would have dived in there too, glad you are all ok!
Re: A Cautionary Tale.... Wow,what a fright,so glad you are both ok and safe.... ( after I'd read the whole story and knew it ended well I allowed myself a little smile at you shouting to him you'd be back in a minute..... Dear lord,I am a rubbish swimmer but I'd have been in right after mine but I wouldn't have done it so carefully as you did )
Re: A Cautionary Tale.... Thank goodness it ended well and happy. You've certainly got an exciting adventure to tell about you and your beautiful dog but one will do you don't need anymore.
Re: A Cautionary Tale.... Flipping heck, how frightening. Thank god it all ended well. Good thing for keeping your head and not jumping right in after him. Glad you are both ok. [quote author=Dexter link=topic=10322.msg152079#msg152079 date=1427306935] ( after I'd read the whole story and knew it ended well I allowed myself a little smile at you shouting to him you'd be back in a minute.. [/quote] Me too.
