The quick thinking of a Wareham Police officer made for one lucky dog earlier this month, after a pooch found herself surrounded by ice in Spectacle Pond and unable to get out.

Oreo, a 10-year-old Lab mix, is a familiar sight on Spectacle Pond Road in East Wareham. She enjoys exploring the wooded area where many family members live, and of course, going for frequent swims in the pond.

But on the afternoon of March 1, Oreo found herself in a predicament.

A sheet of ice extended from the shoreline of the pond, but the entire pond was not frozen. Oreo somehow found herself swimming in the unfrozen section of the pond, but couldn't get herself up onto the ice to get out.

She was stuck.

"I don't know if she was looking to go swimming, or walking on the ice because she was curious," said Oreo's owner, Robin Rousseau.

Rousseau was in her pond-side home, watching a movie with her daughter, when a neighbor alerted her that Oreo was in trouble. The neighbor called 911.

"She's a good, strong swimmer," Rousseau said of Oreo, noting that the pup will jump off a swimming raft with kids during the summer. But Rousseau could see that Oreo was struggling in the frigid water.

"She was tired," she said.

Wareham Police Officer Steve Joy was first on the scene. He didn't waste any time.

Joy commandeered a small boat, and without any oars or paddles, started making his way to Oreo.

"He got into a small row boat and inched his way through the ice," explained Wareham Police Lt. Kevin Walsh, who serves as Public Information Officer for the department.

Rousseau was frantic.

"I said, 'If she's going under, I'm going in!'" Rousseau recalled. "I had two [swim] noodles in my arms!"

Luckily, the noodles were not needed. Joy was able to get Oreo in the boat.

But the scare wasn't over.

Rousseau's cousin tossed a rope to the officer and tried to pull him back to shore, but when Joy grabbed the rope, the spooked Oreo jumped out of the boat. The ice was strong enough to hold her, however, and she made it to shore safely.

By then, the Wareham Fire Department had arrived and was able to help Joy back to shore.

"The Wareham Police did a great job," said a grateful Rousseau. "The officer was really heroic going in after her."

While Lt. Walsh was thrilled for the happy ending, he said with a laugh: "I don't condone the officer inching himself out on to ice!"

Oddly enough, it was the second time that day that Wareham Police had responded to a call of a dog in trouble in an icy pond. Just after midnight, officers Kevin Reilly and Nate Aronson assisted a dog that had gotten stuck in the ice on Blackmore Pond. The pooch was able to free itself, however.

"It's just a reminder, not just for dogs, but for kids. Don't go out on the ice," Walsh advised.

As for Oreo... she's just looking forward to the dog days of summer for some warm-water swimming.

"She loves the water," said Rousseau. "That's why she did so good that day."