At age 13, this sweet-natured senior dog named Bruiser has just about seen it all. He’s pretty well set on what he likes — and one of those is having a predictable routine.
“Bruiser is stubborn and doesn’t like change,” Nicole Michell, the dog’s loving owner.
But the other day, Bruiser’s stubbornness led him astray.
Last week, Nicole and her boyfriend took a trip out of town and asked a friend to stay the night to keep Bruiser company at their home in Upstate New York.
The couple was having a new deck built out back, where Bruiser normally does his business, so Nicole suggested the pet sitter take him to the front to use the bathroom.
Bruiser, however, did not approve of this change.
“He wouldn’t go out the front door,” Nicole said. “So she hooked him up on a lead and brought him out back.”
There were several deep holes out back where the deck’s footings were to be installed, so the pet sitter did her best to steer Bruiser away from them. But the old dog wasn’t pleased to not have his usual free rein.
“Again, he is very stubborn and weighs almost 100 pounds,” Nicole said. “He pulled the opposite way, and his back foot slipped, and in the hole he went.”
Plop.
Bruiser was stuck, plugging the hole like a cork in a bottle with his chubby body. The pet sitter couldn’t get him out.
“Our friend called up immediately,” Nicole said. “We called to get other people up to the house to help her. He was wedged in pretty good.”
Eventually, local animal control and members of the Baldwin Volunteer Fire Company were on the scene to help.
For Bruiser, regrettably, this too was far from routine.
Fortunately, after widening the hole enough to get a good grip on him, rescuers were eventually able to lift Bruiser out to safety.
“From the moment he fell in to the moment he got out, it was a little less than an hour and a half,” Nicole said.
After learning about Bruiser’s accident, Nicole and her boyfriend cut their trip short and rushed home.
But despite having taken a tumble, Bruiser was completely unscathed after his little ordeal.
“He was 100% fine, just dirty. Not a limp,” Nicole said. “We got home about two hours later, and he acted like nothing even happened.”
Bruiser doesn’t seem to be holding it against anyone for putting those holes — which are now safely covered — out back where he does his business. His family, meanwhile, is just thankful things resolved as they did.
“We were so grateful for everyone who helped!” Nicole said. “Some volunteer firefighters even contacted me the next day to see how Bruiser was doing.”