Ironically, just last night I was discussing with a friend the moments when your dog swims away and you are not sure they will know to return or have the energy. This news story is tragic and a reminder of beach safety and the emotional bond we often feel for our dog.

“The victim was walking on the beach playing fetch with his dog at the D River Wayside at about 9 a.m. His dog reportedly got caught in a wave and was pulled toward the open ocean. The victim went into the water to help, only to get swept away by another wave, witnesses said….The man’s dog was able to get back to shore and survived.”  (Oregon Live)

An aside story re me: last Summer a family member noticed our lab was anxious to swim out into the lake to visit me, some distance away, on my pontoon boat. I looked up to see Emma approaching and sensed she was getting tuckered out. She hadn’t been in the water in sometime. Well, I thought this is not good. I needed to kick around so she could swim between the foot rests of the pontoon boat. She made it through to me and I knew I was in a predicament and would need to hoist the 70# lab up out of the water as I doubted she would make it back to shore. I reached down to grab her collar to steady her in order to figure out how to hoist her while bent over toward the water. No collar! It had been removed so it wouldn’t get wet! She was treading and her ass end was dropping as she was not meant to tread in place. The action was sudden and awkward has I yarded her upward by the scruff of her neck and the lose skin on her back. It was painful for her and she arrived into my lap quite pissed off, as I was. Later, a shore side discussion entailed regarding some forethought of what if’s in the future.