# Rain & the Shark



## cliffdweller (Jan 31, 2011)

We followed a shark that was moving slowly, sluggishly, across the shallows. Sighting it, Rain began her chase. But this shark, a Nurse Shark, turned toward her to fight. Startled, as much as anything else, I suppose Rain did take a swipe at it :










This shark, _out of character_, was ready for a fight :



















Rain pursued it :










Over the course of the fray, she was bitten, _twice_ ! :










Nurse Sharks are usually gone in a flash when threatened. This attack was unusual. My theory is that this shark had been hooked by a person fishing down the sandbar, not too distant from our location. It was so fatigued from _that_ fight that it was unable to flee us; hence, it fought another battle.

Even in it's weakened state, its bite was very strong & it was very difficult to remove it from Rain. Had it not been in a weakened condition, it may have been _very difficult_ to remove, as I have heard that only in death will a shark of this type release its grip.

As it was, Rain was essentially unharmed, with only a small area of broken skin on her shoulder and no damage to her leg, the location of the second bite.

We moved on down the "beach", looking for some more _normal_ fish :


----------



## Quossum (Mar 18, 2011)

Great story and pics--it's not every day you get to see a poodle and a shark battling it out! Glad Rain took it all in stride.


----------



## liljaker (Aug 6, 2011)

Wow. Rain is very tenacious!


----------



## Mfmst (Jun 18, 2014)

That was exciting and scary! Amazing pictures of such an unusual encounter. Thank goodness Rain is O.K.


----------



## PoodleRick (Mar 18, 2013)

Great story and pics. Not sure if I've ever seen a pic of Rain when she wasn't wet. 

Rick


----------



## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

Wow what a story and pictures!


----------



## ericwd9 (Jun 13, 2014)

Grace encouters sharks on her beach. I have trained her to avoid them. They can be pretty big (4 ft) good that yours was small. Hate to see a poodle eaten. Great photo's
Eric


----------



## patk (Jun 13, 2013)

wonderful captures! rain is a toughie - thank goodness!


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

WOW!!! Awesome pictures!!!! Rain has put a different slant on prey drive! GO RAIN!!! 

Glad she wasn't hurt though!


----------



## cliffdweller (Jan 31, 2011)

PoodleRick said:


> Great story and pics. Not sure if I've ever seen a pic of Rain when she wasn't wet.
> 
> Rick


Thank You ! Lol !

Some older, "dry Rain" pics : http://www.poodleforum.com/3-poodle-pictures/84922-rain-salty-dog.html#post983698


----------



## Naira (Jan 9, 2015)

Rain should write a book on how awesome she is.


----------



## kayfabulous6 (Nov 19, 2013)

Rain needs her own national geographic tv show! She rocks & is super fierce!!


----------



## sweetheartsrodeo (Sep 19, 2012)

Oh my how awesome!


----------



## LEUllman (Feb 1, 2010)

Going to be mighty hard to top that story. "Oh, your poodle had an adventure? That's nice. Did I tell you about the time Rain was bitten by a shark -- twice!"


----------



## Beaches (Jan 25, 2014)

Do you have any idea how much we love your Rain pics?... Love watching her - so elegant and happy. Your photography is unlike any I have seen. Just amazing. Please post as often as you can....


----------



## Suddenly (Aug 8, 2013)

Wow how brave Rain was. Seems like I would of freaked. Amazing that you were so in control to capture some pictures. Love all of Rains pics, keep taking them they are amazing.???


----------



## Poodlerunner (Jul 4, 2014)

Rain takes my breath away with her beauty. What a fascinating story and the pictures, well... just amazing!

I can't believe the thing was attached to her :afraid:

And what a lucky girl Rain is. That water she is romping in looks nice and clean. 

pr

p.s. I am going show your pictorial to my grandbabies and they are going to be fascinated.


----------



## itzmeigh (Apr 28, 2014)

Rain is awesome in so many ways!

I think it's time for a friendly game of "who caught (wore) it better" 

Hazel or Rain! (Rain of course!!)


----------



## cliffdweller (Jan 31, 2011)

Suddenly said:


> Wow how brave Rain was. Seems like I would of freaked. Amazing that you were so in control to capture some pictures. Love all of Rains pics, keep taking them they are amazing.???


Well, not exactly in control, lol. I was prepared to take pictures of Rain's_ chase_. There is so much glare, I cannot see much detail through the back of the camera, other than enough to keep Rain in the frame. I did not know there was a fight for some moments ... when Rain was not in customary pursuit. Then it was a matter of getting to Rain and getting the shark to release its grip with as little fuss as possible. I never imagined that Rain would continue the pursuit and the shark would continue to fight after this first contact, hence the second bite (not photographed).

I have since talked to two other people whose dogs frequent these waters and have had their dogs attacked by Nurse Sharks. These are "provoked attacks", where the dogs are either pursuing fish that the shark is also pursuing or pursuing the shark itself, as in Rain's case. One of these bites was serious enough to require 8 stitches!

In each case, with Rain's being the least serious, it was only with considerable difficulty that the shark was removed from the dog.

I feel very lucky that Rain was not seriously injured.

I do not want Rain to get hurt out there, so I am doing a little study on how to avoid a similar occurrence (without, of course, taking away her pleasure), and to be prepared just in case ....

I have put more photos of the incident up on Rain's page here (scroll down the page).


----------



## nifty (Aug 2, 2013)

Astounding photography! I share the enthusiasm of everyone else here for Rain photos!

That encounter with the nurse shark was amazing and a little scary. Fantastic photos and I am glad Rain was not badly hurt!


----------

