That ONE dog

[hustonmc]

I got to thinking the other day about how much time or effort or better, luck, was involved before someone ended up with that ONE dog. The Dog that you judge all others too. If you can only have one dog the rest of your life. Now I'm not talking about the dog that reteived your slippers and kept your warm feet at night. Or the dog that chased all the critters away when you were out tromping through the woods as a kid. I'm talking the one that did it all, the ultimate hunting, companion, loving and odidient dog. I would like to hear the story. How old where you. How many dogs you had before him/her, and after him/her. How much money or lack there of did you pour into him/her before it was all said and done. How many offspring if any you kept, and still see that one dog in their eyes. Any memorable hunting stories. How you came about inquiring this dog, luck, research, free.........No cheating though, I want to hear about that ONE dog. This should be interesting.

[Willie Hunter]

I have had a few good ones and don’t spend a lot of time looking back, still have some great memories however. Here are my dogs that I hunt with today, they all all good dogs in my mind.

[Don]

I'm not sure there is that one dog for me. Of course there are dogs I sorely miss, Skipper, Hannah, Kate, Lefty, Drifter,,,Geeze it could be a long list.

I could not pick one, they were all special.

[snips]

I have been blessed with 5 of these "special dogs". I think you are lucky if there is 1 in your lifetime, so I am truely lucky...They may not have been that special to the next guy, but they seemed that way to me

[hustonmc]

I have been blessed with 5 of these "special dogs". I think you are lucky if there is 1 in your lifetime, so I am truely lucky...They may not have been that special to the next guy, but they seemed that way to me

That's what makes this question so difficult...............and interesting. I sure alot of you have had great dogs, but I'd like you to really dig down deep into your heart and tell us about that ONE dog. Difficult if not near impossible, yet.......I'd like to hear how you came about this dog, what made him special, etc. If there is 5 that are truly special, then out of how many others dogs did those 5 stand out from? Tell us about them.

[snips]

I have had 3 Shorthairs, 1 Springer, and 1 Wire. Each one is the kind of dog that will go to the end of the earth to please, no matter what it is you want. They seem to outthink what it is you expect of them. My Springer was a competition Obedience dog. He did everything with that happy tail up and was the most awsome working animal. He seemed to want everyone to be watching his every move. I won't bore people with the rest, but those special dogs always seem to shine and be outstanding overachievers.

[R-Heaton]

Hustonmc,,,, interesting question,,,, have you suffered a loss of your hunting companion lately.

[jetto]

I'll give it a go...My second Brittany was probably my all time "one" dog. He and I spent alot of time together because he was just a puppy when I got a divorce. I did adopt a rescue Sheltie as a bud for him when he was around 2 years old but the bond between he and I was pretty much sealed by then.

I read the books but I think he taught me more about hunting than I ever taught him. Had a friend threaten to cut the checkcord out of my hands if I didn't turn that dog loose in the field when he was still pretty young, lol...I didn't want to lose my best friend and I'd never hunted with a dog before! There probably wasn't anything he wouldn't try if I asked him. Even when I remarried and we added dogs onto the family Sam remained MY dog. He loved Carl but would tune him out to stare at me anytime Carl commanded something of him, lol...Even my heart dog Jet will go with Carl if the field and birds and running is involved. No way would Sammy do that- not if "mom" wasn't coming along!

Watching America's Greatest Dog this summer we figure Sam would have done extremely good at that game- because he was game for anything and he did everything with exuberance. When he was 11 years old I turned him loose when we got to a trial grounds early and were the only ones there- figuring he wasn't going anywhere and he could use to stretch his legs. WHOOPS - the old boy was hard of hearing by then and quickly got out of earshot. Carl was busy so there I go running across the parking lot chasing down this old dog who was heck bent on going SOMEWHERE- where I'm not quite sure because he never ran in trials so had no clue really where he was but he was going somewhere, lol...

I decided to try the new clicker training when he was around 5 years old and he LOVED it. It brightened up his formal obedience helping him quickly earn his CD in 3 straight shows with 3 placements and he loved learning new tricks- he had quite a repertoire as a matter of fact and loved showing everything he knew off to new people- especially if they were carrying cookies. At 8 years old when Rally became an AKC event we went back in the ring and got his Rally Novice title. He LOVED the applause from the crowd and was so happy to be working again in the spotlight. But he was always first and foremost a bird dog. He didn't have much style even though he was dual bred with HOF dogs in his pedigree. But he hunted dead better than any dog I've ever seen- sometimes TOO good- letting me know when there was a WAY LONG rotten pheasant carcass someone who hunted without a dog had not been able to find- yuck. Nothing like crawling through the multi-flora to get to your dog who will NOT come out only to see something like that. But he figured I might want to know it was there I guess!

First time Carl went upland hunting was with Sam. Poor Carl. I see Sam go on point up ahead and I tell Carl "better kick the safety off- dogs on point". He says "NAH he's just STANDING there". I said yeah he's on point. NAH- just standing. Course a couple more steps and up goes the cockbird. Course no way did Carl get a shot off but after that when the dog stopped he paid attention! We regularly went to a local wildlife preserve and somehow Sam knew when we had turned the corner into the preserve- he might have been napping the entire trip but we turned that corner and the screaming began, lol...

Saturday October 11th will be a year since he's gone to the Rainbow Bridge. I still miss him every day. I love all my dogs and Jet is dear to me as my dog of "firsts"- but I seriously doubt I'll ever have another dog like Sam- who worked always for me and didn't want to play if "mom" wasn't going to be involved. Miss you Sammy-Man! Kristi

[cgbirddogs]

That's a tough one. It would probably be a 3 way tie between two Pointers and a Shorthair. Chairman is probably the most talented bird dog I've ever owned, but Cowboy (the shorthair) and Petie (my first Pointer) all created very special memories. The best compliment ever given to me about a bird dog came from a dyed in the wool Pointer man who happened to be my dog trainer at the time. He had Cowboy during the quail hunting season in Texas finishing him up. He had some clients down on his lease with some very well bred, fire breathin Pointers. He told me "Cowboy cleaned their clocks!" Had both of his clients wondering "where'd you get that brown dog from?" When he told me that story, I must have grinned for a week. Cowboy could straight git'r done!

Chairman is the only one of the "compadres" still with me. He has found many birds for me, and caused many dogs to back, all with the style befitting his name. Even at the ripe old age of 10, he can still make your heart race when he goes on point.

[h.q.s]

I like that question about that ONE dog that is your life and will never be forgotten.

I know I have a dog that is truly the most valuable thing to me. Her name is Sis.

I purchased her out of Marquette, KS. I found out about her when she was about 16 months old. So I called her breeder up and we talked and he told me all about her incredible lines and how she has been raised, and I decided to buy her. I knew her lines were good, I knew that the breeder was great, but when people asked me "Why you gettin' a dog from Kansas!" I couldn't really answer. It was just my gut that told me she was going to be my champ!

So from Kaysville, UT my dad and I drove to Marquette, KS. When we got to her breeder's house late that night her breeder talked to us a bit more about her, and he said that she may be shy for a little bit as she hasn't seen to much people in her life so far. The second I saw her I thought how striking she was. Then when he let her go she came up to me and literally jumped in my arms. Her tail waggin and would pick up my sweatshirt and carry it to me and drop it right at my feet with her tail going 100000 miles an hour and that light in her eyes. The next morning we saw her work the field, and she did great! So then her breeder handed me the check cord ( she is still on a check cord at this point, because she has had little bird exposure up to 16 months) and she minded me like I had raised her since she was a baby! She had that burning desire to please me that she didn't have with any other person! Up until this day I am her master. I can clap my hands and she will turn on a dime and come right up to me and jump on me for an ear scratch with that same light in her eyes she had the second I saw her for the first time.

I don't think there is words to describe her. Yeah sure she retrieves birds right to my hands, and is so obedient, and has a great nose. But she also has the "It" factor. I guess I have rambled on so much, but she is truly that "ONE" dog!

She is just over 2 years old and has raised one litter of 5 pups. I have heard nothing but great things about them!

I am stoked to hunt with her this season!