It is truly uplifting to see how passionate we all are about our four footed companions. I grew up in a house where dogs were expected to work for a living, and in our house everyone worked. The dogs were to guard the house, alert us to intruders, be good neighbors, and most of all, hunt rabbits and pheasants. Dad was a beagle man. We had some great dogs over the years, and many memorable hunts. I've had other breeds over the years, and they all have their good and bad points. If I lived by my self, I think I'd get a Chesapeake Bay retriever. I've hunted over two of them in the past, and they are one tough dog. Very much a one person dog though. My wife does preschool out of the house, so we have to have a dog that's good around small kids. Our current dog, Pixie the Wonderbeagle is a lemon beagle mix that's the star of the daycare. The kids just love her, she visits with them several times a day, and even naps with them in the afternoon. Not a hunter by any means, but just a good and steady companion dog. When she goes, I think we'll either do another lab, probably a yellow,or maybe a Brittany. There's a slew of grouse to chase in Minnesota, and I'm thinking I'd like to finish my bird hunting with a little lightweight English stocked double barrel and maybe a Brittany.
