Barney the Hero.

Riverkatie · 06-04-2011, 03:04 PM

This is just one of the many stories about our old labradoodle, Barney. He died over 2 years ago aged 15.

14 years ago now, I was pregnant with my last child and had taken the girls, aged 5 and 7 to the beach, (in the UK, where we lived then) along with Barney. The girls were rolling down the sand dunes, and I was waddling along the bottom, some distance behind. Barney was bounding between them and me, having a blast.

Suddenly he started barking (not unusual) but then HE WENT FOR THE GIRLS barking his head off!!!! They were rolling, and were about halfway down a dune. I yelled at them to stop rolling, and they did and sat up. Barney was right in front of them, barking right in their faces. The eldest started to get up but Barney went ballistic, so she sat down again.

Meanwhile I am getting to them as fast as i can waddle, calling Barney all the time. He was a well trained dog, but he just ignored me.

I reach the bottom of their dune, and there, curled up at the bottom, right below the girls, was an adder......
If Barney hadn't have stopped them they would have rolled right onto it. As soon as I was there, he stopped barking and was his usual happy goofy self, but as i got the girls safely off the dune he put himself between us and the snake the whole time.

Barney the hero!

Katie.

GiGi&CeCe · 06-04-2011, 04:59 PM

Oh Katie, your Barney brings tears to my eyes, i can barely type. What a wonderful story and what a true hero to have had in your and your children's lives. I bet that you all miss him terribly! I have often thought that doodles could and would be heros due to their loyalty and love of people, most especially children. Thanks for sharing and for warming my heart. I am leaving on a trip in the morn, the first w/o my 7 month old puppy and I already miss her. She thinks I'm crazy cause I just can't quit hugging and kissing on her, she keeps looking at me like "Alright, enough already!"

deepnite10 · 06-06-2011, 11:07 AM

that story is so sad..that it makes an old man cry..

and so wonderful that Barney puts his life between danger
and the one s he loves..

.synq · 06-06-2011, 12:23 PM

An adder is a snake, right? In the UK?

Riverkatie · 06-06-2011, 02:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by .synq

An adder is a snake, right? In the UK?

An adder (or viper) is the Uk's only poisonous snake.

.synq · 06-06-2011, 07:38 PM

Wow.. The chances of that being so slim.. Barney has some major smarts to have been able to detect an alien danger!

**lindamarie** · 06-08-2011, 11:30 AM

OMYGOSH! Barney!!!!!!
What a great story and what a great dog!!!!

Ya know, we hear stories like this, periodically, and it just can't help but make one look at dogs as having a "human side". They can be so bright!
When my nephew was a baby and lived in LA in a high traffic area, somehow, he had crawled out the front door heading toward the busy street on his hands and knees. Their mutt, Greta, was barking like crazy and pulling the baby back from the street by holding on to his diaper and heaving him back.
Phenomenal!

Riverkatie · 06-10-2011, 02:55 PM

Oh yes Linda, dogs are so much smarter than they are given credit for.

Because Ruff is coming in less than a week I have been reading lots of dog stuff to get myself up to speed, and I have read several things that say a dog only acts on instinct and is not altruistic, but that is not my experience, nor the experience of those I know who have dogs.

Maybe people who have lots of dogs that live in kennels do not experience this but those of us who live with dogs as part of the family certainly do.

Here in NZ we have George the Jack Russell, who saved 5 kids from a pit bull attack, and was killed himself. The kids aged from 4-12 years old and had gone to buy sweets. 2 pitbulls went for the kids and George defended them, putting himself between them and the attacking dogs and allowed them to run away. A little dog like this would not normally take on a couple of pitbulls. It would run away.

And there are thousands of stories of dogs refusing to leave their hurt owners, or going for help for them. I even heard of a retriever who retrieved her owners mobile phone after she fell and broke her hip. How did the dog know to bring the phone?

Less than a week now before Ruff comes home!

Bill C · 06-10-2011, 08:10 PM

Great story, thanks for sharing. What a beautiful memory to keep forever of your dear Barney.
Bill

deepnite10 · 06-13-2011, 10:32 AM

like humans..the most important thing in their lives is family..not so much iin the individual s within the unit..but, the unit itself..when the unit is threatend they ll do just about anything to protect it..

as a companion dog..we have a tremendous emotional attachment to our dogs..when such a gentle animal fights to the death to preserve the integrity of the pact its just amazing and sad..and a huge emotional loss..

06-04-2011, 03:04 PM	#1 (permalink)
Riverkatie Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 110	Barney the Hero. This is just one of the many stories about our old labradoodle, Barney. He died over 2 years ago aged 15. 14 years ago now, I was pregnant with my last child and had taken the girls, aged 5 and 7 to the beach, (in the UK, where we lived then) along with Barney. The girls were rolling down the sand dunes, and I was waddling along the bottom, some distance behind. Barney was bounding between them and me, having a blast. Suddenly he started barking (not unusual) but then HE WENT FOR THE GIRLS barking his head off!!!! They were rolling, and were about halfway down a dune. I yelled at them to stop rolling, and they did and sat up. Barney was right in front of them, barking right in their faces. The eldest started to get up but Barney went ballistic, so she sat down again. Meanwhile I am getting to them as fast as i can waddle, calling Barney all the time. He was a well trained dog, but he just ignored me. I reach the bottom of their dune, and there, curled up at the bottom, right below the girls, was an adder...... If Barney hadn't have stopped them they would have rolled right onto it. As soon as I was there, he stopped barking and was his usual happy goofy self, but as i got the girls safely off the dune he put himself between us and the snake the whole time. Barney the hero! Katie.

06-08-2011, 11:30 AM	#7 (permalink)
lindamarie Super Moderator Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Birmingham, Michigan Posts: 6,171	OMYGOSH! Barney!!!!!! What a great story and what a great dog!!!! Ya know, we hear stories like this, periodically, and it just can't help but make one look at dogs as having a "human side". They can be so bright! When my nephew was a baby and lived in LA in a high traffic area, somehow, he had crawled out the front door heading toward the busy street on his hands and knees. Their mutt, Greta, was barking like crazy and pulling the baby back from the street by holding on to his diaper and heaving him back. Phenomenal! __________________ Linda & Bogart Dogs=Unconditional love "We have it all! Just like Bogie & Bacall!"

06-04-2011, 04:59 PM	#2 (permalink)
GiGi&CeCe Member Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: New Mexico Posts: 56	Oh Katie, your Barney brings tears to my eyes, i can barely type. What a wonderful story and what a true hero to have had in your and your children's lives. I bet that you all miss him terribly! I have often thought that doodles could and would be heros due to their loyalty and love of people, most especially children. Thanks for sharing and for warming my heart. I am leaving on a trip in the morn, the first w/o my 7 month old puppy and I already miss her. She thinks I'm crazy cause I just can't quit hugging and kissing on her, she keeps looking at me like "Alright, enough already!"

06-06-2011, 11:07 AM	#3 (permalink)
deepnite10 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Norcal Posts: 1,360	that story is so sad..that it makes an old man cry.. and so wonderful that Barney puts his life between danger and the one s he loves..

06-06-2011, 12:23 PM	#4 (permalink)
.synq Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Cork, Ireland Posts: 12	An adder is a snake, right? In the UK?

06-06-2011, 07:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
.synq Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Cork, Ireland Posts: 12	Wow.. The chances of that being so slim.. Barney has some major smarts to have been able to detect an alien danger!

06-10-2011, 02:55 PM	#8 (permalink)
Riverkatie Senior Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 110	Oh yes Linda, dogs are so much smarter than they are given credit for. Because Ruff is coming in less than a week I have been reading lots of dog stuff to get myself up to speed, and I have read several things that say a dog only acts on instinct and is not altruistic, but that is not my experience, nor the experience of those I know who have dogs. Maybe people who have lots of dogs that live in kennels do not experience this but those of us who live with dogs as part of the family certainly do. Here in NZ we have George the Jack Russell, who saved 5 kids from a pit bull attack, and was killed himself. The kids aged from 4-12 years old and had gone to buy sweets. 2 pitbulls went for the kids and George defended them, putting himself between them and the attacking dogs and allowed them to run away. A little dog like this would not normally take on a couple of pitbulls. It would run away. And there are thousands of stories of dogs refusing to leave their hurt owners, or going for help for them. I even heard of a retriever who retrieved her owners mobile phone after she fell and broke her hip. How did the dog know to bring the phone? Less than a week now before Ruff comes home!

06-10-2011, 08:10 PM	#9 (permalink)
Bill C Member Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Eastern PA - North Of Philly Posts: 53	Great story, thanks for sharing. What a beautiful memory to keep forever of your dear Barney. Bill

06-13-2011, 10:32 AM	#10 (permalink)
deepnite10 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Norcal Posts: 1,360	like humans..the most important thing in their lives is family..not so much iin the individual s within the unit..but, the unit itself..when the unit is threatend they ll do just about anything to protect it.. as a companion dog..we have a tremendous emotional attachment to our dogs..when such a gentle animal fights to the death to preserve the integrity of the pact its just amazing and sad..and a huge emotional loss..

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