Just about the time i think i have things all sorted out, some one else hits me with some new information. Now, i'm starting to hear more about pointing Labs. Noel, have you been keeping up with that?
I don't follow the dog threads much as I don't usually hunt with any since I fly my bird in the local parks. Pointing labs huh? It's news to me....
Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines "Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day; give him a religion................ and he'll starve to death while praying for a fish."
It seems that pointing is a rescessive trait, almost gone in many strains of labs. I just read an article where a gentleman accidently found out that his labs pointed, so he started working on his line in 1934. he recently died and his son took over the kennells. Apparently, this man was one of the first to revive that trait in the US. Now there are several kennels that raise pointing labs. Do a google search. You'll be amazed at what these dogs can do. Their price is eaqually amazing
Well, it's a pig in a poke, but i think i'm gonna do it anyway: I got a call from a vet friend of mine who informed me of a 3 y/o GSP bitch that has been placed in the local shelter. I have no background info on the dog, but i do know that she is AKC registered (for what that's worth). The kicker is that she is scheduled for execution Friday and no one seems interested in her. Merde! I hate being a softy!
Ya thats kinda how I ended up with a one eyed hawk. Anyway you could think of it as good karma butn't blame karma if it all goes wrong. I was going to ask a truely dumb question ( and yes there are dumb questions) I was going to ask what are the pups going to be "dooo t ". to quote Homer. A better question is what will you do with the pups.? Just asking to give you more to think about. Chris.
hmmm... i didn't proof read that message before i posted it. The dog i'm adopting isn't pregnant. I wonder if i misspelled something that caused that handy lil dirty word exchanger to put "pregnant" in the sentnce? I can't figure out what it would have been, though.
But lets dispell this rumor right now. My new dog is not pregnant. She never has been pegnant regardless of what my opponents say. And i will not allow this to be an issue in this years elections! ;D
Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines "Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day; give him a religion................ and he'll starve to death while praying for a fish."
I just got back from taking my dogS (yes, that plural is there on purpose) to the vet for an annual oil change and lube job. It turns out that my b i t c h had a brother. Both dogs owned and hunted by the same man. The gentleman broke his back a while back and his dogs had to go. The male was kept till the last minute because the man's son was going to take him. He didn't. When the original owner found out that his b i t c h was going home with a hunter, he called me and asked me to take the brother, too. I did. These dogs are litter mates, they've been raised together and hunted together for the past 3 years. Sucker that i am, i couldn't break them up. He had a lab, too. It was a trained retriever. I took him and gave him to a duck hunter friend of mine who was tickled s**tless to get him. I was tempted, but i was able to resist. Now, watch me get a hawk that's scared of dogs! that would be my luck!!
I got my new dog Saturday Morning. The Vet check was good. He and his sister are in perfect health. I got them caught up on their shots, bathed, anals expressed, nails clipped and all that junk that i don't like doing (especially that anal thing ). Time to leave the vet's office. Both dogs jumped in the truck like it was second nature. I couldn't stand the suspense. I had to see how they were going to act in the field so i went to a county park to put them through their paces. Before i go on, let me explain that i was hit on the head Friday night, and in a brief moment of lucidity i called a friend and talked her into adopting the bitch. The last thing i need is two more dogs to take care of. One will be plenty! But i did convince her to go with me for this trial run. So, the truck was filled with me, my friend and two GSPs that were in a state of perpetual motion. We made it to the county park. Both dogs jumped out of the truck as soon as i opened the door and took off running! Man they're fast! They circled the park at about mach 1, then they headed for the woods that adjoined the park. Me and my bad back were in hot pursuit! "Merde! I've lost them already", i thought. But before i got ten feet inside the tree line they were behind me, sniffing my butt and wondering what i was doing in the woods. I petted them up real good, praising them for returning to me and then we walked back into the open area of the park. A very kind park ranger came up to me and reminded me that dogs in the park had to be leashed. 'Well, heck", i said. "That defeats the entire purpose of this exersize!" But rules are rules, so i loaded up the dogs and headed for the country. I found a freshly cut wheat field and thought that that might be a good place to let them explore. Again, they took off like a shot but this time they were in flat, open country. I called their names to see if they would respond ("Bud" and "Brandy"... a bit to alcohol oriented for me), and much to my delight and surprize they stopped in their tracks, looked at me and came running! I petted them up and then said, "get the wabbits!" Off they ran as if they knew their mission. So far i've learned that they come on command, get in and out of a vehicle with great ease, they range large and have more energy than a room full of four year olds. I decided to go to a friends farm in the hills nearer the Ozarks. He has both woods and open land. This is one of my backpacking friends. A doctor. He built hiking trails through his woods to keep his stamina up. You can afford things like that when your a doctor, i suppose. I wanted to see how the dogs acted in the woods so i thought i'd take advantage of his trails. The dogs ran ahead of my friend and me, then they'd come back to make sure we were alright. They'd zig zag across the trail until they were almost out of sight, then they'd stop and wait for us to catch up to them. Several times throughout this hike i called them. They responded immediately and consistently. When they came up to me I petted them and made them "whoa" ("stay" in obedience training language, but bird hunters just have to be different). After about three times making them "whoa" they caught on. They stood by my side and didn't move until i gave the command for them to release. By now i'm in heaven! My friend is loving her new dog and "Bud" is looking like the answer to a prayer. To make a long story short, (have you ever noticed that by the time you say that it's to late? ) i drove from woods to fields and back to more woods until night fall. I probably walked ten miles and the dogs ran a hundred! At every stop the dogs we more obedient, more responsive and more enjoyable. At one point they jumped a deer, but they didn't chase it, which is a good thing. I got two points out of them but rabbits and quail were scarce. I don't really know how that aspect of things will go yet, but we have time to work on it. "Brandy", who is now "Daisy", went home with her new owner and "Bud" went home with me. Bud still has to get used to his new home. He also has to adjust to a life without his sister, from whom he's never been separated. I really can't see myself taking care of and training two new dogs while, at the same time, trapping and manning a new hawk! The problem is that Bud howled and cried all night long Saturday, Sunday and Monday nights. Keep in mind that i don't live in a dog friendly neighborhood and the city hands out nuisance citations like discount coupons. The howling must stop! My friend called me this morning and suggested that i bring Daisy over for a night to see if that placates him. Maybe he misses her. If that does the trick, i'll have two dogs instead of one! Some one hit me in the head again!!
Last Edit: Jun 29, 2004 4:14:56 GMT -5 by Bob Dale
Great story Bob, I needed a good laugh this morning.
Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines "Give a man a fish, and you'll feed him for a day; give him a religion................ and he'll starve to death while praying for a fish."