A huge dog shows a family just how loyal he really is when he saves the life of a treasured family member. This is his story.
Our St. Bernard, Beethoven, may be a hulking, drooling machine, but we wouldn't trade him for anything in the world. Especially since he saved the life of our youngest daughter, AubriAnna, after she accidentally fell into the pool in our yard.
In fact, it was his barking that alerted us that something was very wrong.
By the time we reached her, AubriAnna was found floating face-down in the middle of the pool. She was not moving: it was a parent's worst nightmare come true .
Not thinking, I dove, fully clothed, into the pool, where I retrieved AubriAnna and laid her onto the ground beside the pool. She was NOT moving! I honestly thought that she was dead. It really terrified me.
I had Jim, my husband, dial 9-1-1 as I tried to get our baby girl breathing again, cursing under my breath, as I tried to remember what I had learned in first aid training. It was the longest moment of my life.
Meanwhile, Beethoven barked furiously. His barking was loud, insistent; you could easily tell that he was scared for his little human mistress. Jim stood out in the driveway, waiting for the ambulance to arrive.
We got Beethoven when he was a little (LITTLE??) pup; he was then eight weeks old, all paws and head. For a puppy, he was quite large; we knew that he was going to grow fast; when he did grow, he was going to be HUGE.
By the time he was six months old, Beethoven weighed over 80 pounds and he easily took up space on our bed. He was monsterous in size; one wondered if he had Great Dane in his genetic makeup.
Yet despite his size, Beethoven was the best friend anyone could ever have: he was loyal, extremely smart, and fun (if you could get past all the dog hair, massive size, and copious amounts of drool).
Then we added AubriAnna and her older sister, Audrianna (six); we adopted them from China. At first, we were worried that our big lug of a canine would hurt the children, but right from the start, he proved us wrong: he loved them so.
Then came the accident, the one where we nearly lost AubriAnna. We found out just how loyal Beethoven really was. It was his barking that led us to her and the quick thinking of concerned paramedics (and hospital staff) that saved her life. What could have been a terrible tragedy turned into one of the biggest blessings because AubriAnna SURVIVED.
Ever since, we treat our dog extra special; he is truly a hero in every sense of the word.
Puffy strays and something happens to make him decide he will never run away again. Judged "Outstanding" at the 2013 Writers Digest SPB Awards. Named among the best in family-friendly media, products and services 2019 by the Mom’s Choice Awards®.
Our St. Bernard, Beethoven, may be a hulking, drooling machine, but we wouldn't trade him for anything in the world. Especially since he saved the life of our youngest daughter, AubriAnna, after she accidentally fell into the pool in our yard.
