Extreme K9s 101!

Today's Extreme K9s are the dogs on the Titanic!

"Yes, when the luxury liner ship, Titanic sank April 14, there were dogs on the Titanic. The Titanic had excellent kennel facilities. Even a dog show had been planed for Monday April 15th. There were 10 dogs that boarded the Titanic but only 3 survived. Two small dogs were saved with their owners in the life boats. The third dog became a famous hero. The dog was a large Newfoundland dog owned by the ships first officer and his name was Rigel. The following is a story that was published in the New York Herald on April 21, 1912.

Not the least among the heroes of the Titanic was Rigel, a big black Newfoundland dog, belonging to the first officer, who went down with his ship, But for Rigel the fourth boat picked up might have been run down by the Carpathia. For three hours he swam in the icy water where the Titanic went down, evidently looking for his master, and was instrumental in guiding the boatload of survivors to the gangway of the Carpathia.

Jonas Briggs, a seaman aboard the Carpathia now has Rigel and told the story of the dog's heroism. The Carpathia was moving slowly about, looking for boats, rafts and anything which might be afloat. Exhausted with their efforts, weak from lack of food and exposure to the cutting wind, and terror stricken, the men and women in the fourth boat had drifted under the Carpathia's starboard bow. They were dangerously close to the steamship, but too weak to shout a warning loud enough to reach the bridge.

The boat might not have been seen were in not for the sharp barking of Rigel, who was swimming ahead of the craft, and valiantly announcing his position. His barks attracted the attention of Captain Rostron and he went to the starboard end of the bridge to see where they came from and saw the boat. He immediately ordered the engines stopped and the boat came alongside the starboard gangway..

Care was taken to take Rigel aboard, but he appeared little affected by his long trip through the ice cold water. He stood by the raft and barked until Captain Rostron called Briggs and had him take the dog below."

Article and pic from: http://www.things4yourdog.com/amazing-dog-stories