Punching sharks

Just think of how badass you'd feel being able to tell someone you'd punched a shark. Now, think of how much more badass you'd feel telling someone you'd punched a shark... while saving your rat terrier!

It's been a long while since I last relayed a story depicting the wonder and horror that is the modern ocean. And, it's been a near-literal dog's age since this blog featured a dog that could be confused with a rodent. So, it's with great pride and relief that I am about to cut and paste this story from MSNBC:

Man dives in to save dog from Fla. shark attack

The Fla. man punches 5-foot shark until it lets go of his rat terrier Jake

ISLAMORADA, Fla. - A dog is recovering after a Florida Keys carpenter dove in to save his pet from a shark.

Greg LeNoir said he took his 14-pound rat terrier Jake for a daily swim at a marina last Friday.

The five-foot shark suddenly surfaced and grabbed nearly the entire dog in its mouth.

LeNoir said he yelled, then balled up his fists and dove headfirst into the water off a pier. He hit the shark in the back and the creature finally let go of the dog.

"I couldn't see the shark when I dived in ... so I just put my fist together ... but my hands landed solidly against the back of the shark," LeNoir told NBC-affiliate WTVJ.

Man and dog made it safely back to shore. The dog suffered bite wounds but was not critically injured.

"I thought Jake deserved whatever I could do," LeNoir said of his heroism.

LeNoir told NBC 6 that Jake "can't stand swimming pools," but that he might have to change Jake’s swimming hole.

I think it bears reiterating: Mr. LeNoir's response to seeing his dog snagged by a shark is to ball his fists, and dive off the dock head-first, thereby punching the shark in the head. As much as I'd like to believe that I would do the same thing, I think my response would be something more along the lines of "cry because I'd just watched my dog get eaten by a shark."

Oh, and "LeNoir" would be a great name for a literary detective... except people probably wouldn't believe that people have a last name that cool.

Finally, here's a picture of Jake, to reward those of you who've made it to the bottom of this entry. Congrats!