Wednesday 6 January 2010

Rather safe than sorry


I have just ordered two of these harnesses for the dogs because they have handles that would enable us to drag them out of danger should it prove necessary.   About this time last year Fletcher fell into a half filled lock in Leicester.  Getting him out necessitated me climbing down the lock ladder into the freezing water and trying to coax a panicking dog to me.  Fortunately he came to me and I was able to hold him out of danger until Graham from NB Matilda Rose was able to reach down and grab Fletcher's collar and haul him out.  All well and good, but the dogs wear slip collars and getting a five stone dog out of the lock was not easy.  Since then we have been looking for a harness that had a good handle and now we have found them at Muddy Paws.co.uk   Although both dogs are by now very well acquainted with the locking procedure and are well behaved around locks we are going to lean towards the rather be safe than sorry philosophy and invest in a couple of fitted handles for them - just in case..

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

That's a useful product - looks much lighter than a conventional buoyancy aid.

I've been thinking along the same lines for Lou after last year's incident on the Weaver (and a couple of near misses since). Their life-jackets are a bit bulky for everyday wear.

Hope you're keeping warm - I'm so glad that you're stuck with other boaters - gives you people to grumble with if nothing else!

Sue, Indigo Dream

Nb Yarwood said...

Hi Sue
I don't know what the dogs buoyancy jackets are like but the ones Baxter and Mudlark (NB Matilda Rose) wear are very neat and trim - in fact they look like these harnesses I have ordered. My boys are excellent swimmers so I am only looking for something to grab hold off should the need arise but will that be enough for Greys?
Lesley

Anonymous said...

Our two can stay afloat long enough for a rescue, mainly thanks to their hilarious swimming lessons in the Thames!

It's as you say - having something to lift them out with - you can't use the scruff of the neck with a 5-stone dog!

Many greys can't swim though and they're not the most buoyant....

Sue, Indigo Dream