I have lost touch with many good acquaintances, though many were only virtual. (Heck, in the time I was away TWO different PL forums I used to frequent have vanished!) It just seemed like I was leaving many old friends in the "PL world" out of the loop with our lives (since it was a forum that made me take the extra step to get the little one). Here were some final thoughts I found on my computer that I wrote one night (although a lot of the boring stories are cut out). Ranger was put down earlier this month as his fluid filled lungs were too tightly compressed to the sides of his ribs because of his ever growing heart. Loosing a dog, well before his fair time should be up, shook me more than I thought it would have. It seems weird to talk to most people about something that they probably wouldn't understand, so I thought posting up here would help things a bit............................................................................................ I remember the first day I picked you up. Your ears pretty much drug across the ground as you walked if your head wasn’t held high. Your nick-name became bat-dog, and it didn’t take long for you to steal my heart. Truth be told, you stole it when I picked you up off of the ground for the first time and your course tongue rubbed against my face. I don’t understand how not everyone falls apart in the middle of a well-bred litter of puppies. It’s just almost too much to take! The adventure that followed the ride home, which by the way at one time it took your entire body to reach from the drivers seat to the passenger seat, is one that I would not trade. I learned so many lessons from you. Patience. Forgiveness. What worked during training, and what didn’t work so well. You can be darned sure I am going to do everything in my power to NOT let any dog I am working with again to be able to catch a live bird! Whether it was learning, in its very beginning stages, the art of duck hunting, cleaning up on those roosters during the North Dakota winters, getting out and setting up grouse camp with just you and me- because we couldn’t find anyone else to join us. I will think of you often, young friend. I look forward to the fields of heaven, if such things do exist, which for right now, let’s just say they do. I know I will meet up will all of the long lost hunting partners who will, no doubt, all seem to pass before their time. Until then, I want you running those Dakota prairies and swimming those Mississippi backwaters like you know and love. You will be in my mind. I hope you can find a hunter up there to work for, because damn you loved to please. Ranger, you won’t be forgotten and I cherish every memory I had the opportunity to make with you. Happy Hunting.

Sincerest condolences on your loss.

So sorry for your loss; God speed Ranger.  Thank you for sharing your memories of a wonderful friend.

Very sorry for your loss.

Godspeed Ranger

I'm sorry to hear about your loss.

If I remember correctlly you were a young college kid and could barely afford to feed yourself when you got Ranger. I'm am sorry to hear about your loss, If it's any consolation they become twice the dog in your memory when they're gone.

Mark

Nice tribute Thomas.

So sorry to hear the news about Ranger.

My heart goes out to you.  This month will make a year since I lost my dog and I still miss him today as if it just happened.  They are never with us long enough.  I learned a lot from Sagga.  He put me on the path I am on now and I am happy for that.

Enjoy the memories of your pup.  Think happy thoughts today!!

Thanks guys,

It does mean a lot to me, and even for just the simple thoughts, as I know most don’t post a reply- I am sure there were many more views and many thoughts sent my way.

Now for an odd turn of events, it looks as though I may be shifting breeds. Many on here may remember the “old forum”, the forum that was before it got bought by Tiger Mountain, and perhaps very few- remember the forum that was referred to as “the old forum” during the beginning of that site. (that was a little before I ever got into pointing labs, but it was a site I was actually able to get back and view as one searched the records for information. Anyway, my point is that way back when an annoying character developed who went by the title V-man, who was probably the most annoying person I ever met, virtually, at least. He spouted off about GWPs and how superior they were to the lab, and how the labs most of us owned were a bunch of junk. He was so annoying, and no one wanted him around, that finally he got banned! I think he tried to come back a few times under different names. God knows he spent most of his day logging in because he got into most every conversation, it seemed, and started vomiting words into the threads. The breed he was trying to promote, however, was for a long time given a bad taste in my mouth whenever I thought of them- because the closest interaction I ever had with them was through that V-man.

Anyways, I found it ironic that, as I did a bunch of research and thought over the past few years about what’s next for me, I really do truly feel as though it is a goofy bearded (kinda like myself) dog. She would be more than I was ever going to pay for a dog again, but she isn’t anymore than the starting price for many of the pointing lab pups out at the breeders. Don’t get me wrong, I love labs and Lord knows I will have many more in my lifetime, I just- for whatever reason can’t get another Lab right now. I have seen too many personally go down way before there time and I know there are all of these genetic tests, but puppies are born that shouldn’t be, and even spending thousands of dollars up front doesn’t protect you from the fact that you may end up with a genetically flawed dog. Now I know other breeds have their pool of horrible genetic problems (the price we pay to get such specialized animals out of the wolf) but I think I may have found something good. She wouldn’t be ready to go home until December, however, which seems worth the wait. Her father would be a GWP known as Timo who seems rather impressive with his hunt titles and show titles and the fact that he is himself, from Germany- where I think the pool of genetics, for a couple of reasons, are superior to that found here at home. He’s had all of the health tests (which I know doesn’t mean the pup will be perfect) and so has the dog he will be breeding to- who doesn’t have any show titles (which is fine) but has some AKC titles, but- more importantly- hunts grouse in MN and, like stated, has health clearances. She was imported from Germany as well. The pedigrees of these dogs are a little funny for me to read, as it is all in German.

Now I don’t intend to be a Vman or pretend that anything about them has a place in a pl forum. I know all of this seems to be blabbing on about nothing, but it leads me to my final point- I know why Vman came here! There is no other forum community, that I have found, that is quite like the one that the Lab guys have developed around their specialized Labs. I think that says a little something about the Lab right there. There is just something so darn special about them. I saw a little puppy walking on a leash through a small town here in Colorado the other day. Just a young couple with a 12 week old black lab walking beautifully beside them, with its tail wagging highly in the air as it happily pranced beside her humans. Watching that beautiful pup and thinking about the memories those people would make with that dog over the next few years was enough to make my eyes start to cloud up a bit. I know I can’t be without a Lab for long (but I still have my old girl who is about 13, so I still have one) but I am excited as heck to see if this pup is what she could be in my dreams. The parents seem amazing and I will be watching them on birds as I get back to the Midwest this fall. The look is not the same as a lab, obviously, but it is one I think I would have no problem falling in love with. One thing is for certain; this little female pup is going to have one heck of a hunting life, as I plan (but we know how plans go) to have every autumn, for at least the next five years, to be free to do mainly upland bird hunting (which is obviously my true passion in life) and hopefully be able to develop a beautifully working dog in the process.

Happy Hunting everyone! It is just around the corner. I am a bit perplexed about how I am going to hunt birds this fall without a dog. Perhaps my father’s old GSP and I can compromise and see if we can’t get along this fall for the sake of being able to get out. We have never gotten along, and it didn’t help that he and Ranger wanted to kill each other during much of their time spent together (I think this GSP remembers who’s side I would take to try and end their full on fights). In his older years he has decided that it is not worth his time to hunt the ruffed grouse, and that he’d better not be bothered with it. He will seriously walk back and lay under the truck he is so disgusted by it. Bring him to the fields of pheasants out in the Dakotas, and this darned dog will almost bust through his kennel to be able to get out and hunt those birds. A bit of a problem for me considering I plan to hunt grouse and woodcock for at least 3 to 4 weeks with this dog. We will see I guess!

Thanks for letting me get a lot of my dog thoughts out there. I am greatly saddened by the loss of Ranger, but will be ready this winter to give it another shot. Perhaps this time with the outcomes being a little better.

Thomas

Thomas, I wish you well in your travels with dogs. There's LOTS more to learn and experience.

I've hunted over some fine GWPs and DDs (yours would be the later - being directly descended from the fatherland, no?) and seen some bootlickers too. I don't think, as a rule, they are especially long lived dogs, but may be wrong.

In my experience, there's nothing quite like a Lab. for devotion to its "owner," and I know how you feel about Ranger and losing him.

Take care and good luck,

Jere