Jump to content

The last flight. A sad moment.


Big Al
 Share

Recommended Posts

He has been my regular fowling partner for the last 12 seasons but he is no longer up to it. My lab is now being retired. Fortunately I took a couple of pictures of him with the bag on our most recent outing together.

 

He still loves it, but it is not fair any more. He is too old, gets cold and stiff and has moaned alot since our last outing. He will still get the odd placid outing to splashes on stubble but thats it for big water fowling.

 

A sad moment. Finn is a good one.

 

I have two more dogs so I wont be stuck, but one is just a pup. The wigeon in the centre has already been used in the little ones training - before being eaten by me of course!

 

 

2012-10-30082418.jpg

 

 

2012-10-30082423.jpg

Edited by Big Al
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a sad day but unfortunately comes to us all, but at least you can look back on your time with him down the marsh with fond memories of him looks a nice stamp of dog, have you got another dog now?

 

Yes. I have another 10 year old and a young apprentice of 4 months. But Finn was my fowling dog - the other one will bring the ducks back too though.

 

The end of an era. I will have start thinking about the dog more. As with any experienced dog it becomes a partnership. Things happen as a reflex.

 

Thanks for the replies.

Edited by Big Al
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think most of us have one dog over our shooting life that we are at one with. And Finn looks like your one. I lost mine at the age of 17 a few years ago and though I have a lab now who does her best I still realy miss my old golden retriever. He has done well and though we think its time for him to retire I bet his tail is still wagging in hopes every time you pick up the gun. I hope he has a long retirement.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think most of us have one dog over our shooting life that we are at one with. And Finn looks like your one. I lost mine at the age of 17 a few years ago and though I have a lab now who does her best I still realy miss my old golden retriever. He has done well and though we think its time for him to retire I bet his tail is still wagging in hopes every time you pick up the gun. I hope he has a long retirement.

 

You are absolutely right. I owned three dogs before him and already have two who are after but none are like him. I really regret not getting one of his pups (I had the chance.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think most of us have one dog over our shooting life that we are at one with. And Finn looks like your one. I lost mine at the age of 17 a few years ago and though I have a lab now who does her best I still realy miss my old golden retriever. He has done well and though we think its time for him to retire I bet his tail is still wagging in hopes every time you pick up the gun. I hope he has a long retirement.

 

What made you get a lab over another goldie mate?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They never seem to be around long enough to me. One minute your training before the first tentative steps into the field and all to soon retirement looms. I've retired my old dog this season she was 12 as well. Her mind is willing her old bones are not and it was a decision that needed taking. Take solace from the fact they've got this far and will now enjoy a few quiet years in comfort to see out their days. Whether they'll thank us for it is a different matter though!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Reabrook, thanks for the reply. You are right! I got puppy dog eyes from him and then looks of disgust the other morning when I took the other one and not him.

He is pretty deaf now ( or so he lets on) but he is still the first to hear the keys rattling in the gun cabinet!

 

But he deserves it. He's sleeping on my feet as I type! And I do mean ON my feet, not AT my feet. It was a habit he got into as a pup that never left him.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tigger , I changed over or rather back to a lab from a golden retriever mainly due to price. 5 years ago you could not get a golden retriever at 7-12 months old for less than £1000 though they have gone down in price recently, the ression I guess. I live alone and my dogs come to work with me every day ( I work as a reserve warden and wildlife field surveyer ) so a 12 week old pup is out of the question. As for work there is little difference between a good golden and a good lab, but one thing a golden has over a lab is style. They look good and they do not run in to a retrieve they bound with long locks flowing in the wind. Daft realy , but I just love the looks of a golden and Penny was a brilliant gundog as well. Somehow we just connected from the day i first got her at 7 months old. My fondest memory of her is perhaps sitting in the sand dunes with the tide flowing around us while she leant against my shoulder as we both watched the sky high pinks flighting in at sunrise.

 

 

Penny had the ability to change her retrieving according to what type of shooting we were doing. In a pigeon hide she would only retrieve on order wounded birds until it was time to pack up when she would sweep the area , On a peg game shooting she was rock steady , but on the marsh she was a first bounce dog which meant you did not lose much , but could cause the odd problem. I will never forget a morning when I had a newbe standing next to me and he winged a pink that glided back to land with 5000 others 400 yards infront on the sands. Unbidden Penny went off at once running right through the flock of geese that parted like Moses parting the waves , running to each side , to pick up the now dead pink and as she trotted back the goose flock closed back togeather behind her. I was expecting her to put all the geese up , but they remained on the sands to carry on flighting for the next hour. Some dogs are just born lucky.

 

Penny also had a slight attitude problem. One morning I shot a large greylag which she retrieved while we were having a walk about the marsh. Rather than carry the heavy goose around with me I hid it on the bank of a large creek. An hour later we returned and rather than wade the creek I sent Penny over to get it . She could see it , but refused to retrieve it a second time . I am sure she had read the gundog rule book " you only retrieve heavy geese once ". Or there was a flight when a mates dog beat her to a couple of retrieves and to add to the insult nicked a goose out of my hide. Penney stared at my mates dog and they went to sleep refusing to do any more work that flight. I am sure she thought Sod it if that dog wants to get all wet and muddy let her get on with it.

My black lab meg tries her best and on the whole is a good dog , but she had one problem , she in not Penny. But I would not swap her for the world , but if I can find one at the right price my next gundog will be a golden retriever.

Edited by anser2
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tigger , I changed over or rather back to a lab from a golden retriever mainly due to price. 5 years ago you could not get a golden retriever at 7-12 months old for less than £1000 though they have gone down in price recently, the ression I guess. I live alone and my dogs come to work with me every day ( I work as a reserve warden and wildlife field surveyer ) so a 12 week old pup is out of the question. As for work there is little difference between a good golden and a good lab, but one thing a golden has over a lab is style. They look good and they do not run in to a retrieve they bound with long locks flowing in the wind. Daft realy , but I just love the looks of a golden and Penny was a brilliant gundog as well. Somehow we just connected from the day i first got her at 7 months old. My fondest memory of her is perhaps sitting in the sand dunes with the tide flowing around us while she leant against my shoulder as we both watched the sky high pinks flighting in at sunrise.

 

 

Penny had the ability to change her retrieving according to what type of shooting we were doing. In a pigeon hide she would only retrieve on order wounded birds until it was time to pack up when she would sweep the area , On a peg game shooting she was rock steady , but on the marsh she was a first bounce dog which meant you did not lose much , but could cause the odd problem. I will never forget a morning when I had a newbe standing next to me and he winged a pink that glided back to land with 5000 others 400 yards infront on the sands. Unbidden Penny went off at once running right through the flock of geese that parted like Moses parting the waves , running to each side , to pick up the now dead pink and as she trotted back the goose flock closed back togeather behind her. I was expecting her to put all the geese up , but they remained on the sands to carry on flighting for the next hour. Some dogs are just born lucky.

 

Penny also had a slight attitude problem. One morning I shot a large greylag which she retrieved while we were having a walk about the marsh. Rather than carry the heavy goose around with me I hid it on the bank of a large creek. An hour later we returned and rather than wade the creek I sent Penny over to get it . She could see it , but refused to retrieve it a second time . I am sure she had read the gundog rule book " you only retrieve heavy geese once ". Or there was a flight when a mates dog beat her to a couple of retrieves and to add to the insult nicked a goose out of my hide. Penney stared at my mates dog and they went to sleep refusing to do any more work that flight. I am sure she thought Sod it if that dog wants to get all wet and muddy let her get on with it.

My black lab meg tries her best and on the whole is a good dog , but she had one problem , she in not Penny. But I would not swap her for the world , but if I can find one at the right price my next gundog will be a golden retriever.

 

She sounds like a stunner mate she really does and I can relate to a lot of things you have written, great stories about her also, sounds like you have fallen deep under the spell of the golden retriever buddy, I adore them and couldn't be without them ill never have anything other than a goldie but no what you mean about the price but IMO they are worth every penny.........

Edited by tigger
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Tigger , I changed over or rather back to a lab from a golden retriever mainly due to price. 5 years ago you could not get a golden retriever at 7-12 months old for less than £1000 though they have gone down in price recently, the ression I guess. I live alone and my dogs come to work with me every day ( I work as a reserve warden and wildlife field surveyer ) so a 12 week old pup is out of the question. As for work there is little difference between a good golden and a good lab, but one thing a golden has over a lab is style. They look good and they do not run in to a retrieve they bound with long locks flowing in the wind. Daft realy , but I just love the looks of a golden and Penny was a brilliant gundog as well. Somehow we just connected from the day i first got her at 7 months old. My fondest memory of her is perhaps sitting in the sand dunes with the tide flowing around us while she leant against my shoulder as we both watched the sky high pinks flighting in at sunrise.

 

 

Penny had the ability to change her retrieving according to what type of shooting we were doing. In a pigeon hide she would only retrieve on order wounded birds until it was time to pack up when she would sweep the area , On a peg game shooting she was rock steady , but on the marsh she was a first bounce dog which meant you did not lose much , but could cause the odd problem. I will never forget a morning when I had a newbe standing next to me and he winged a pink that glided back to land with 5000 others 400 yards infront on the sands. Unbidden Penny went off at once running right through the flock of geese that parted like Moses parting the waves , running to each side , to pick up the now dead pink and as she trotted back the goose flock closed back togeather behind her. I was expecting her to put all the geese up , but they remained on the sands to carry on flighting for the next hour. Some dogs are just born lucky.

 

Penny also had a slight attitude problem. One morning I shot a large greylag which she retrieved while we were having a walk about the marsh. Rather than carry the heavy goose around with me I hid it on the bank of a large creek. An hour later we returned and rather than wade the creek I sent Penny over to get it . She could see it , but refused to retrieve it a second time . I am sure she had read the gundog rule book " you only retrieve heavy geese once ". Or there was a flight when a mates dog beat her to a couple of retrieves and to add to the insult nicked a goose out of my hide. Penney stared at my mates dog and they went to sleep refusing to do any more work that flight. I am sure she thought Sod it if that dog wants to get all wet and muddy let her get on with it.

My black lab meg tries her best and on the whole is a good dog , but she had one problem , she in not Penny. But I would not swap her for the world , but if I can find one at the right price my next gundog will be a golden retriever.

 

She sounds like a belter. I thought about putting this thread in the gundog section but it is really a fowling topic.

I think fowlers bond with.dogs in a pretty close and unique way.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 years later...

A thread revival for an update.

I had to do the decent thing for Finn on Friday andvhave him put down -tough call but the right thing to do. He would have been 15 next month.

 

I've spent a long time looking through old game diaries and photos this weekend .

 

I doubt I'll have another like him but at least he's not suffering.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

really sorry to hear that..........

 

ive "lost" 3 dogs this year and it dosnt get any easier......my only consilation was having it done at the right time in the back of the landrover at the end of the day with all the right smells and laying comfortably on the nets...

 

all the best to you and fond memories

Edited by ditchman
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I've not done any wildfowling but I can only imagine how hard it is to say goodbye; Daisy (in the picture) is by far my best friend and goes virtually everywhere with me. She's not the best gundog in the world as her training was cut short when I started working nights but she's got a big heart and I'll be absolutely devastated when her time comes. I hope I can find it in myself to make the call before she's suffered for too long, I really admire anyone who can do that much for a lifelong friend :good:

 

Keep your chin up mate

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...