Go Daisy!! What a great day you both had and yet, perhaps not such an old dog 
The old dog can still do it.
I took my "old dog" Daisy out on a Pheasant Hunt yesterday. Though she is only 7 1/2, Daisy is an old dog. A bad thyroid has left her very much overweight and has sucked all the drive out of her. However when we hit the field, she perks up (even if its only for a while).
Daisy's Sire works and lives on a shooting preserve and some of Daisy's early training was done there. Over time she became a wonderful upland dog.
We drove for two and a half hours to hunt one of my favorite places in the world, the Summer Lake Wildlife Area. The place is gorgeous and is a sentimental favorite. Too many reasons to go into.
My partner Fred took a young started dog out and I took Daisy. Daisy put on a lesson. Oregon is not a top pheasant state and really doesnt have many. The ones left are as wild as can be. Daisy learned young that the wild ones live inside the nastiest of cover and that is where she always goes. Finally after a day long of crashing heavy cover I was suprised by a hen blowing up out of the cover. I thought, maybe another will come. Daisy came out of her cover, checked up on me, then dove back in. Moments later an explosion of colors rocketed out from this patch of cattails. My shot was instinctive and quick and the pheasant fell back to the cattails. My problems are now begginning. The patch is so thick that there is no possible way that Daisy saw the mark. I went right in after it. I found the cover to be even thicker than imagined. I got to the area and called Daisy to me. She plowed her way over. Even at my feet, I could only see a glimpse of her. We worked for a while and finally I heard some noise of a newly excited dog. He movements were excited and directed at something. Then I could hear her, and unexplainably could tell that she had the bird. I moved towards her, then parted the mat of cattails to find that she had indeed found the bird. There she stood, barely visible in her cover infested world with a rooster pheasant. When I took the bird, she seemed to have that wonderful smile that only a pleased golden can get. She was proud too.
*********
Fred is staying at my home to deliver his black lab for me to whelp. Twister is due Saturday. It was a long and exhausting day in the field. Fred and I were enjoying TV in the family room when I heard some commotion from his young dog. I walked out to discipline this dog (who was peeing on the carpet) when we looked over to see two puppies on the hearth carpet! Twister was very quietly whelping her litter four days early. That began a very very long 20 hours. In all we now have 9 new little lab puppies. I can now hear them squeeking in their little whelping box.
********
I leave in just about an hour to drive to Albany Oregon to pick Amber up from Sutter Bay Retrievers. She has been bred to Dash. Puppies due Jan 3, 2010! With the black litter, and the gold litter, we will be in puppies for nearly four months straight.
*****
I hope this note finds everyone well. Take care.
Daisy's Sire works and lives on a shooting preserve and some of Daisy's early training was done there. Over time she became a wonderful upland dog.
We drove for two and a half hours to hunt one of my favorite places in the world, the Summer Lake Wildlife Area. The place is gorgeous and is a sentimental favorite. Too many reasons to go into.
My partner Fred took a young started dog out and I took Daisy. Daisy put on a lesson. Oregon is not a top pheasant state and really doesnt have many. The ones left are as wild as can be. Daisy learned young that the wild ones live inside the nastiest of cover and that is where she always goes. Finally after a day long of crashing heavy cover I was suprised by a hen blowing up out of the cover. I thought, maybe another will come. Daisy came out of her cover, checked up on me, then dove back in. Moments later an explosion of colors rocketed out from this patch of cattails. My shot was instinctive and quick and the pheasant fell back to the cattails. My problems are now begginning. The patch is so thick that there is no possible way that Daisy saw the mark. I went right in after it. I found the cover to be even thicker than imagined. I got to the area and called Daisy to me. She plowed her way over. Even at my feet, I could only see a glimpse of her. We worked for a while and finally I heard some noise of a newly excited dog. He movements were excited and directed at something. Then I could hear her, and unexplainably could tell that she had the bird. I moved towards her, then parted the mat of cattails to find that she had indeed found the bird. There she stood, barely visible in her cover infested world with a rooster pheasant. When I took the bird, she seemed to have that wonderful smile that only a pleased golden can get. She was proud too.
*********
Fred is staying at my home to deliver his black lab for me to whelp. Twister is due Saturday. It was a long and exhausting day in the field. Fred and I were enjoying TV in the family room when I heard some commotion from his young dog. I walked out to discipline this dog (who was peeing on the carpet) when we looked over to see two puppies on the hearth carpet! Twister was very quietly whelping her litter four days early. That began a very very long 20 hours. In all we now have 9 new little lab puppies. I can now hear them squeeking in their little whelping box.
********
I leave in just about an hour to drive to Albany Oregon to pick Amber up from Sutter Bay Retrievers. She has been bred to Dash. Puppies due Jan 3, 2010! With the black litter, and the gold litter, we will be in puppies for nearly four months straight.
*****
I hope this note finds everyone well. Take care.
1 - 16 of 16 Posts
Thank you for sharing such a great story. With my own Ruby at the bridge for 3 months now, I find myself remembering the days when she seemed to do the unthinkable in the field, not only making me proud but also being so proud of herself.
Great job Daisy!
And good luck with the pups!!!
Great job Daisy!
And good luck with the pups!!!
I am incredibly sorry for the loss of Ruby. The photos are beautiful. I hope there are a mountain of memories.Thank you for sharing such a great story. With my own Ruby at the bridge for 3 months now, I find myself remembering the days when she seemed to do the unthinkable in the field, not only making me proud but also being so proud of herself.
Sounds like an eventfull adventure. Good luck with the puppies and drive carefully when picking up your precious cargo.
I love the stories of them doing what they were bred to do. Thanks for sharing, and congrats on the puppies.
Loved the story of Daisy still having the right stuff. I'm sure you both will remember that special day forever. Hard to keep a good dog down.
HI Jacking my own thread.
Could not help but think of Dutchess and her last retrieve. Dutchess was my first gun dog. The first one that was truly my own.
Her last retrieve was on a tiny mountain river that meandered through meadows and lodgepole pine. The story could not have played out in a prettier spot. I shot a drake mallard and it fell into the slow moving river. The mallard had enough life in it to swim underneath a cut bank. Dutchy would work back and forth looking for the duck using her eyes and nose. Not finding it, eventually she stuck her head underwater and went after the duck. Meanwhile the duck came out and just sat there. When Dutchess re-emerged, she saw the duck and went after it. Again the duck went under the cut bank. This whole scenario repeated itself several times before Dutchess finally won and came back with my prize. The prize now is in the memory.
Could not help but think of Dutchess and her last retrieve. Dutchess was my first gun dog. The first one that was truly my own.
Her last retrieve was on a tiny mountain river that meandered through meadows and lodgepole pine. The story could not have played out in a prettier spot. I shot a drake mallard and it fell into the slow moving river. The mallard had enough life in it to swim underneath a cut bank. Dutchy would work back and forth looking for the duck using her eyes and nose. Not finding it, eventually she stuck her head underwater and went after the duck. Meanwhile the duck came out and just sat there. When Dutchess re-emerged, she saw the duck and went after it. Again the duck went under the cut bank. This whole scenario repeated itself several times before Dutchess finally won and came back with my prize. The prize now is in the memory.
Wonderful post...always enjoy your adventures....
Best of luck and good health with the pups!
Best of luck and good health with the pups!
How 'bout some pictures of her highness, Randall?
EvanG
EvanG
What a wonderful telling of a great day for you and Daisy! You must be a writer in some capacity...if not, you should be. Good luck with the litters. I'd love to be knee deep in puppies over the upcoming Holidays. What fun THAT would be!
Very kind, Thank you.What a wonderful telling of a great day for you and Daisy! You must be a writer in some capacity...if not, you should be.
No, I am not a writer, just a dumb cop. I squeaked through my college writing classes with C's. However that last professor was one for the memory as she was quite tough. I could not please that woman! The final exam was a disaster and I was certain I would get to see her again for another semester. How relieved I was to find a "C" on the report card!
Randall,
As you're in the region, you may possibly have heard about my nephew in Montana. He was a young State Trooper who was killed last year in a head-on collision. We had officers from all over the country who came as representatives of thier respective states to attend his funeral.
As a former Paramedic, I have very strong feeings for any law enforcement officers, and fully support them in their work. It's good to know you're a cop!
EvanG
As you're in the region, you may possibly have heard about my nephew in Montana. He was a young State Trooper who was killed last year in a head-on collision. We had officers from all over the country who came as representatives of thier respective states to attend his funeral.
As a former Paramedic, I have very strong feeings for any law enforcement officers, and fully support them in their work. It's good to know you're a cop!
EvanG
Evan,
A PM to you.
Publicly... I am quite sorry for the loss of your nephew. Many condolences to you and your family. Your family lost a son and a nephew. The world lost a quiet hero.
Hand
A PM to you.
Publicly... I am quite sorry for the loss of your nephew. Many condolences to you and your family. Your family lost a son and a nephew. The world lost a quiet hero.
Hand
I thought of this thread while reading this online article from Chris Robinson from the Canine Chronicle--
http://www.onlinedigitalpubs.com/display_article.php?id=260444
I love the ol' ones!
http://www.onlinedigitalpubs.com/display_article.php?id=260444
I love the ol' ones!
That was a very nice link.
More memories are flooding back.
Thanking the good Lord for these beautiful and talented animals.
Golden is not in the coat, but in the heart.
Hand
More memories are flooding back.
Thanking the good Lord for these beautiful and talented animals.
Golden is not in the coat, but in the heart.
Hand
1 - 16 of 16 Posts
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