Never Spoil your Bird Dog!

I was making the long return across Pymatuning Reservoir after picking up my decoys in approaching darkness
Ok CrippledEagle, I see that your profile says you are in Florida but you must be from my neck of the woods. One of my favorite walleye fishing lakes is Pymatuning and only about 40 minutes from me.
 
This is Dixie. She's about 7 and was becoming a pretty good bird dog until she started having issues when getting birdy.
She has EIC which is hereditary and passed down from one of her parents.
Most high quality lab breeders test for it nowadays before breeding.
So she has taken a early retirement and yes she's spoiled.
 

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We started with Jax the black lab. Got him at 7.5 weeks old. Did here in our place at 13yrs 7 months! Best dog ever!! 1 pic is of him laying in our chick barn with 2k pheasant chicks all around him. Would not touch a live chick! Dead chick was a treat for him!
Then came Bixby, an Elhew English Pointer. Super sweet girl. Then we had an oops..... hence we kept Tikka the "Monster dog". She was able to hunt 1 season with her dad! I couldn't ask for 3 better dogs in the whole world!!
 

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I sure hope I get 2 great dogs in my life, I have had many good ones, but none like bullet. I had to put him down because of bone cancer. It's been several months and I still cry when I talk about him.
Just me, but EVERY dog I`ve ever had, pure bred retriever, English pointer and setter, to just rescue pets, has been a great dog. Someone once asked, " What`s the worst part of owning a dog? " For me, the answer has ALWAYS been, " Saying good bye ". I know it`s just a poem, but Lord I hope there really is a Rainbow Bridge.
 
Just me, but EVERY dog I`ve ever had, pure bred retriever, English pointer and setter, to just rescue pets, has been a great dog. Someone once asked, " What`s the worst part of owning a dog? " For me, the answer has ALWAYS been, " Saying good bye ". I know it`s just a poem, but Lord I hope there really is a Rainbow Bridge.
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Over the past 11 years I've been blessed with some awesome dogs. Rosie my now 11yr old chocolate lab mix is a great bird taker (including my father in laws finch that escaped 🤣) in 11 years she never figured I wanted the bird brought to me.
Then there's Bella my heeler lab mix she has made one of the best companions to my kids my wife and myself and for being of the herding breed she's a great retriever.
Then the other two mutts I have are not much for hunting but hanging out with the family and getting super spoiled from the kids that's what they are all about.
 

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Mine has cancer has picked up over 2500 birds in his life time. My buddy. I trained was my shadow. Still my best friend. The quail was something I never do which is shoot the quail at my house but I had a weak moment and he was 3 months post surgery so away we went. Had a vet appointment today. Cancer is back nothing more we can do really our options were another surgery or chemo. He's 8.5 and we just can't swing it. Beyond proud of my spoiled bird dog.
Been there twice my friend it sucks 😞 . I miss my springer every day
 
Yep, and most of the time, as a species, we don`t deserve them IMHO. For me it`s not hard to agree with the saying, " I like all dogs more than I do most people. " I do believe that God gave man the dog to show him what pure, unadulterated love looks like.
"Without a horse, a dog, and a friend, man would perish". Rudyard Kipling.
 
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