Bajka's adventure

[Anna Kazimierowicz]

Every creature has some gift. Bajka has a talent for getting in trouble.

Friday afternoon my 14-year-10-month-old girl nearly drowned.

We took a stroll with friend and our dogs for a nice beginning of sunny spring weekend. Bajka was thirsty but she couldn't get to the water into canal we walked past so she run to a small pond near to our path. She wanted to drink and simply jumped into the water. After drinking she tried to turn back to the shore, but she couldn't so swam forward. We were calling her back but in vain. It was a kind of swamps with a lot of plants, reeds, some high branches protruding from water. She crossed these obstacles and swam into clear water in the middle of the pond. After few minutes it was clear: she can't manage to get back to the shore.

So Agata got into the water... and fell till the armpits... not reaching the bottom! I helped her to get out of the water and decided to go to Bajka through the reeds. I couldn't swim because my legs got stuck among reeds, fortunately the plants gave me some support to step closer to Bajka. All the time we have been calling her and she was wonderful, she have been quietly swimming around but after some time she got tired and only her head jutted out of the water.  

She was finally so close to me so I could grab hold her ear:-) She dived under the water at that moment but I held her. Agata passed me a big stick and pulled me to the shore.

After getting out of the water, when we were back on the path we looked at each other and started to laugh at our very adventure walk.

But we were only in half way. We had to get back home with wet and trembling Bajka. I was very affraid of the stress and shock consequences.

We carried her in turns almost all the way home. After quick warm bath I packed her into my bed wrapped with towels, blanket and quilt so there was only her muzzle outside. I prepared for her an energy efficient meal and gave her her heart medicine and something to prevent cold.

An hour or a bit more later I had to go with Kasia for our evening walk. When we were back home... dry, warm and calm Bajka was lying on her bed. Next day in the morning we went for our usual walk.

Well then, once again I'm astonished and delighted with her. I can easy say that Bajka is a wonderful dog, my first Irish setter and all the time the best. Her wonderful nature caused that I can't imagine my life without these crazy and lovable dogs.

We have in Poland a Russian expression for such a people, creature - "gniotsja, nie łamiotsja". I don't know how to say in English, but she is always all-kind-of-the-trouble-resistant.

I love her all my heart:-)

And I can tell you many other stories about her adventures!

[KC and the boys]

What a story but I'm surprised you stayed so calm and collected! When I was young we took Richard, one of our Bassett Hounds, down to the river. He loved to go for a paddle and would retrieve sticks and balls from the water. This day he seemed to stay in the water forever. We kept calling and waited ages but to no avail. There was quite a strong current but poor Richard didn't seem to move an inch and it finally dawned on us that his collar had got caught in an overhanging branch. My mum panicked but thankfully a teenage boy who was walking with us that day turned into a hero, jumped into the river and rescued the dog. The story is still being told today, more than 30 years on, and I'm sure yours will turn into a "legend", too.

[Cornelia]

What a story, Anna! I'm glad you got her and yourselves out safe and sound! Joy sends kisses to Bajka xxx

[Anna Kazimierowicz]

Thanks ladies for reading and commenting:-) Terrible story with Richard . He was fortunate with this brave boy:-)

In such a dangerous situations I don't panic. I'm always concentrated and stimulated how to find the best solution. After the stress when the tension is easing I become terribly weak and flat. In this case I was so next day in the morning.

Yes KC, we remember first of all such a stories. We know each other with Agata half a year. Yesterday we went to the wood with Kasia and Tores (her german shephard) and I told her about Bajka's jumping from my canoe to another one because she decided to change the crew on the midle of the lake; about me getting one leg in the mud till half thigh ( i could lift the second one so high); about  going through the fence (twice) to get her out of fenced and closed area (she managed to find very narrow V-shaped gap to get inside but couldn't get out) . I had to wait for any people passing by to give her outside; about her cutting  legs many times and carrying or driving her to vets (once with unintensionatl full 360 degree turn on the frozen puddle on the parkplace - fortunately empy at that time)...

There was fun yesterday. We told: no water today. So we went to the wood I know fine. On the way I chose there used to be a pond. But for very hot summers and lack of the rain for  many years there has been only big empty hole in the ground. You could imagine my surprise when I saw the pond ful of water. And Agata's sarcastic: No water in the wood....!

Bajka sends kisses to all of you:-).

[Chantal McIlveen-Wright]

Love happy ending!!!! Bajka is a real Irish dare devil :-) a very special cuddle from me and big licks from the boys. Those dogs they love to give us a scare, don't they. I always though dogs were real athletic swimmers from birth ... then come the Irish and I had to change my mind  :-) My first Irish, MC, knew how to swim but started at the age of almost 4, so we thought Darwin will copy and follow him, but no, Darwin who  love so much water ...doesn't swim .... When Mac came, 4 months old little mister "I know everything and I can do everything" felt into a very deep river, no slop, direct to a 2 meters deep and strong current water , and ..... SOS I cannot get out, take me out of here, do something it is your problem. His 2 front legs all claws out were on the bank and his little nose was hardly outside the water!!! Fortunately my brain went into automatic mode, no time for panic, I laid on the bank, grabbed the neck of my little devil and pulled him out of the river. Once on safe ground, I started to shake like mad, my heart rate was over 160 but little mister "I know everything and can do everything" was not even disturb, not the slightest, and continue to run about in the forest ready for more mischiefs.....

[martina mckeag]

Great story's and so glad they all had a happy ending

[Peter Hennig]

nearly 15 years old and still like a puppy ,I'm glad you are all ok

[Barbara]

OMG!! I am so glad that all of you are OK!!

[Michelle Walsh]

Glad you were able to get her out ok, it's amazing the things we will do for our Setters :)

[McBIRDY - Jean DUHANT]

Just coming back from an expo in Belgium !  What a story ! ! ! !   We are very glad that this story has a HAPPY END ! ! We can imagine how you felt at this moment and congrats for your self-control and Bajka , you are the best , clever girl , keep going like this, beautiful oldie   ! ! It's an exemple for the little girl . Many hugs to the all family !

[James Doran]

Indiana Jones wouldn't have a look in with you,Bajka!