Trouble
Dogs and Ice
It would seem that taking your dog on an ice trip is a good way to exercise your dog and let you enjoy some time on the ice. Most of the time it works out but, in the big picture, dogs on ice can be bad news. I have two good friends who fell through the ice rescuing their dogs. Dogs have no sense about ice thickness and little sense about open water. They have a strong desire to go after ducks and follow their nose to places they shouldn’t go. Once they are in the water they are even less able to get out on their own than humans are.
Looking for Trouble
If your dog goes in, the advice from our local Rescue team is to call 911. Don’t try to rescue it unless you really know what sort of ice conditions you are dealing with, are confident you can do the rescue without falling in and - if you are wrong - are fully prepared to perform a self rescue (ice claws) or be rescued by a companion (throw rope). It will be hard to explain to your spouse and children that their beloved pet drowned but it will be much more difficult for them to reconcile loosing you if you die trying to save the dog. The emotionally driven impulse to save a pet has killed many people over the years. This is when using your head is really important. For starters why would anyone think that ice their dog fell through would hold them?
If you do take the dog for an ice walk in spite of the above, a leash and good foot traction are recommended as well as staying on ice that you already know well.
Bob
