19/10/2026
My Dog Will Be the Death of Me... but I wouldn’t change him!
Currently, I have no phone because the three of us—Cookie, my phone, and I—went for an unexpected swim this afternoon.
The day certainly did not go as planned. After collecting my last dog nearby, we intended to visit Crackley Woods, but an HS2 road closure forced us to divert. Instead, we went to Cryfield Road, behind the University of Warwick, where I often walk Cookie at weekends.
Everything began well in the small paddock until Cookie entered the river. At first, I thought nothing of it, but after calling him back about ten times with no response, I became worried. The river was hidden by trees and brambles, and as I approached, I could hear him struggling. I assumed he might simply be unable to climb out, as that sometimes happens, but then I saw him trapped in the middle of the river, swimming frantically, breathing heavily, and getting nowhere.
I knew every second mattered, but I first had to secure the four other dogs. Fortunately, there was a nearby tree, and I used a long lead to tether Fred, Tobias, Poppie, and Snoop safely around it. Sorry, guys—it was necessary.
Once they were secure, I went to rescue Cookie. There was no time to remove my boots or clothes; the longer he struggled, the greater the risk that he would become exhausted and inhale water.
I stepped into the river without knowing its depth. It was much deeper than it looked—up to my waist—with thick mud underfoot.
When I reached Cookie, I discovered that thorny brambles were tangled around his neck. I pushed him backwards and pulled the thorns away with my bare hands. Ouch!
After freeing him, I pushed him up the bank onto dry land. Then I realised I had to get myself out. The bank was covered with small trees, roots, and brambles. I grabbed whatever I could and nearly climbed out, but my hair became caught, leaving me struggling to break free.
I shouted for help, and luckily a young man—presumably from the university—came to my rescue and freed me from the brambles. Without him, I might have lost quite a bit of hair.
I thanked him, and he replied, “You won’t come this way again in a hurry.” Fred, Tobias, Poppie, and Snoop were very happy and relieved to see me safe and well.
We headed back to the car, which thankfully was not far away. My boots were full of water, and I was shaking from adrenaline, shock, and fear as I thought about what might have happened if I had not acted quickly enough to save Cookie.
Still soaking wet, I dropped the other dogs home and called the vet to ask what signs I should watch for in Cookie after his ordeal.
When I finally made it home, I had a warm shower and discovered that, apart from numerous bramble scratches on my hands and arms—and a collection of leaves in my hair—I had escaped relatively unscathed.
Thank you to the kind stranger who came to my rescue, to John and Kay Wright for the dry socks and spare boots, and to Romi for the bag of rice for my phone, which had also taken a swim.
