Clark, my old GWP. He passed last spring. A wonderful hunting dog & companion. I still miss him.
We went about three months without a dog - and someone brought a "rescue" GWP to our attention. Oh my. My wife took one look and said "We're getting another dog aren't we?" Well yes, yes we did. He was a handful at first, but has come a long, long way. Maverick, like most GWP's is enthusiastic about EVERYTHING!
With his first rooster:
Regards, Guy
Happen's every time. But this time I think I got the dog that will out live me. She just over a year and I'm 74. Bad part now is when I'm 85, she'll be 12 and I'm thinking it would be hard to find a home for that old a dog she'd be happy in after all her life with one guy. Now I find myself hoping she dies a couple days before me so I can bury her and nit have to worry about her. Then it would probably be my luck I'll live to 95 and be devastated when she died before me. There's just no winning with the death of a loved dog. I greatly miss a good many dog's today, some gone about 30 yrs or more!
Dogs are such an important part of our lives. Can't imagine life without one.
As for getting older and worrying about our dogs..... arrange for a good friend to take over should things change for the worse. I have been involved a few times with finding a beloved pet a new home. They will adapt and accept their new owners.
I have seen rescues adapt to new environments too. Have one friend that only gets GWPs rescues. Sometgimes there are rough patches but they come around.
We adopted a pair of black labs ( both males, siblings) about seven years ago. Originally only agreed to take one, then we saw them together and there was no way we would be responsible for separating them. Max and Dingo (yeah I know, we didn't name them). "The Boys", as we came to refer to them, were very good labs and they'll always occupy a places in our hearts. They made it to 13 before it was time, very sad day, but they had a good life at our farm. Sorry......
New pics from this season. Hard to get a pic of a double retrieve of Mearns quail, finally did it! Love this open country pic of Asa pointing on a gambel's hunt.