Lost my dog of 16 yrs, 2 months. Want another later this Summer

cabinetman · March 15, 2004, 14:22

Hi all.

It was sad but "wonderful" at the same time. Sparky, the best dog on the planet Earth succumbed to his old age at 16 years, 2 months quietly and peacefully with my wife and I holding him in his favorite spot in the kitchen. He had been failing during the last two days and the Vet was out of town so we just kept him comfortable. He literally just "stopped"while laying there with us. It was the end of a phenomenal life with us. He was a Austrailian Shepard who was never leashed and knew his boundries. He had the sweetest disposition and would have made an excellent retriever had I been into that type of hunting when he was younger. In any event, we could not have been happier with him and he will be sorely missed as we raised him as we raised our three kids.

Later this Summer, after I get back from Montana in June, I'll be looking for another dog. I'm a dog guy and really miss having one "interfere" with my life. I'm pretty much settled on an male English Setter for upland bird hunting. I've always enjoyed shooting over my buddies dogs and marvel at their abilities to scent and point at pheasent and grouse. They are also very even tempered at home, love to lounge and have attention paid to them but are all business in the field.

So, any suggestions from those of you with English Setters out there? Normally, I allow a dog to "pick me" by placing myself in the middle of the floor amongst the puppies. They are all frolicking around but eventually, one wanders up and is interested in just me. That's usually the one I'd take. Anyone else do that? Are tremendous blood lines important? Do I have to pay $500+ for one or are there alternatives I can look for? There are a couple of breeders in Connecticut and Western Mass I can visit. I'd prefer to select my new pup personally and not buy one by bloodlines alone.

Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I hope you all get to have just one dog like our old Sparky in your lifetime. We were blessed!

Rome

Sailor553 · March 15, 2004, 14:39

Sorry to hear of your loss. i understand as I held my old girl when she passed on a week ago. She was 14-years old. I still miss her and this place ain't the same without her.

Sorry, no help on English Setters. I've been thinking about a Shepard or a Border Collie.

DP · March 15, 2004, 15:08

sorry to hear about your loss. We put our 14 year old "mutt" down today as he had succumbed to cancer and had fought a valiant fight, but it was time for him to go and stop being sick. BTW we have three other canine members of the family and all are Aussies!!
DP

GunWares · March 15, 2004, 15:33

My condolences. Wow, 16 years is a LONG time for a dog to live. Good luck finding Sparky II.

squid8286 · March 15, 2004, 15:46

I'm sorry to hear about the passing of your friend. My wife and I have no children; our 4 dogs are the "children". Don't know what I'd do without them.

F4GIB · March 15, 2004, 15:48

Dogs become family members. You have my sympathy. View getting a new dog as an act of rememberance for your lost friend.

Para Driver · March 15, 2004, 15:54

cab,
I know how it feels... you might get a new dog someday, but it will never replace him...

I also believe in your method of letting the pup pick you... If you find a breeder you like, you might have to get in line for a litter. In my case, the mom brought the pup to me out from the litter box. She never did that before or after, the breeder was flabberghasted...... sort of clinched the deal right there, best decision I ever made...

I would find out what the going market it is for "premium" pups of the breed you want, and you should be able to work around that. If that baseline is say $500, then you should be extra cautious of pups that are too much less than that... They may be okay dogs, or just accidental litters. Doesn't sound like you need AKC Field Champion lineage...

FWIW, Labs are my favorite... hard to go wrong...

Blood of Tyrants · March 15, 2004, 15:57

I know that dogs don't have souls, but we love them none the less.

My dog was born at my house and if the Lord is willing, she will be buried there.

Ranman1942 · March 15, 2004, 18:59

I feel for you . Dogs DO become part of the family . We have put 3 down in the last 4 years . We knew it would happen that way . They were all about the same age .
My wife picked out a new Black Pug before we put down the last of the 3 .
A good ole Golden ret . mix that really showed the new pug the ropes .
I can still see her in his actions sometimes .

I never liked Pugs but it's funny My wife picked out the new dog , but now that we have had him almost 2 years who does he love . You know it... Old Dad.

She gets mad and says that I " stole " her dog but I tell her the secret is simple . All you gotta do is feed him .
I try to bring home a little treat for him whenever we go out to eat .
of course there is much more to it that that but the attention is the thing .
When I stay up late and the wife goes to bed where does he go ?? At my feet of course , till I go to bed .

Yeah , yeah I know table scraps are bad for him but he loves the spoiling and I love him .
kinda like me and beer .
When we were looking at the litter he came from he was the runt . I picked him up in the yard they were in and of course I dropped him . I said " we'll take him " . A very good decision .

Any way good luck finding a new dog .

Temp · March 15, 2004, 19:06

Yeah,... our old Mama Cat died a coupla weeks ago at age 18. She was very bright and truly a gentle spirit,... not much of a mouser,... she'd sit and watch them with curiosity as they scampered across the floor. I've always considered myself a bit realistic about pets,.. but the day that we had to put her down affected me more than I would have guessed. It's still quite melancholy around here without her.

,... 18 years is a long time,.... I was 30 when we got her,...

lutefisk · March 15, 2004, 20:47

I'm sorry. We've got two AKC choc labs now. Before that our first dog was a wolf/husky. To compare any of them to each other is kindof impossible........but the wolf/husky was smarter, less slobbering love but somewhat "noble". He killed the shit out of everything until Mr shock collar came his way. He evolved to perfection with a little help from DC voltage.
Guess I just don't think too much of the bloodlines unless you are going to breed and sell them.

The wolf and one of the labs were abused and that created a few challenges.
There are a bunch of organizations that run around saving specific breeds. This appeals to me but you may get a messed up critter. Still, the save is cool. As far as I know, most are in the cities.

When I lost our wolf, I simply could not handle the idea of having another dog to love and risk loosing. Then, 6 1/2 months later, two dogs came my way that fit. We found the owner of the stray and we kept, loved and worked with the big male lab(who is currently conducting a wrestling/panting contest with the other lab). He too, needs a bit of electricity to guide him through life. I've tried this on my wife but she keeps waking up before I can get it buckled.

Blood of Tyrants · March 15, 2004, 22:38

Quote:

Originally posted by lutefisk
When I lost our wolf, I simply could not handle the idea of having another dog to love and risk loosing. Then, 6 1/2 months later, two dogs came my way that fit.

Funny how God makes us. We will get our hearts broken so badly that we never want to love again, yet God made us to love and unless you are defective, you just can't help it. [/mushy sentmental stuff]

Opie · March 15, 2004, 23:24

My sympathies for the loss of such a faithful friend. Hard to see something like that happen. Even harder to have to end their suffering for them. I had to do that a few years ago when my parents' dog of 14 years got backed over by a truck. She had been deaf for several years and was napping under the truck when my dad back over her. He didn't see her under there, and her back ended up broken. There was nothing that we could do for her as the nearest vet was over 40 miles away and she was in a great deal of pain. I couldn't bear to she her suffering like that; she had been a great pet and didn't deserve to suffer as she did.

Best dog I ever had was also the ugliest I ever had. He was a toy poodle/ gawd-knows-what mix. Dumber then a box of rocks, but had a heart bigger then his body, and strong as a bull for his size. A$$hole neighbors shot him in the guts with a 22 one morning and he managed to get himself home. They moved shortly after that happened.

BattlePack · March 16, 2004, 06:36

Sorry to hear that. I'm going to be putting our house dog down in the next few weeks probably (13 year old German Schnauzer).

I've owned and quail hunted with English Setters over the last 15 years. They are extremely loving and gentle dogs in general. I have no problems having them as pets and hunting dogs at the same time.

Around here, untrained Setter puppies can run from $300 - $600 depending on bloodlines. Finished dogs can be $600 - $1,500. These are not field trial dogs, just good gun dogs. My experience has been to stay away from field trial lines, as in this area they are generally not the kind of gun dog you want.

Bruce Allen · March 16, 2004, 06:42

Your method of allowing the dog to pick you is the only way I have ever used, and I have never been disappointed.

Thanks for the post.. It reminds me of what is truly important in life.
It's not the "things" in life, it is your loved ones, dogs definately included.

cabinetman · March 16, 2004, 06:47

Wow. thanks to you all for contributing your thoughts. And to those of you who are currently going through this or have recently experienced this my condolances, too. I can tell you that I'm amazed as to how many cards I've received from friends who knew Sparky. They were all welcome.

Rome

Bruce Allen · March 16, 2004, 07:09

Hey, I would rather have a good dog any day than a mediocre human "friend".

Random Chaos · March 16, 2004, 09:30

Amen, Bruce.

Muggzy · March 16, 2004, 10:13

Quote:

Originally posted by Bruce Allen
Hey, I would rather have a good dog any day than a mediocre human "friend".

Yes sir....I'll agree with that

Cabinetman, sorry to hear about your loss ( edited cause i kant spel)

another friend out there somewhere needs ya. Go get em

alphadog58 · March 16, 2004, 13:05

Sorry to hear of your loss. They really do become family members. From what I read in your post, I think that you will do alright with any pup you choose. I have an American water spaniel who is just a great bird dog and a nice family pet. Before him I had a Husky who put many a real "bird dog" to shame in the field. Its the love and the training, not the breed, that makes a great dog.

nordland · March 16, 2004, 20:05

My condolences on the loss of your best friend...
My German Shepherd was 15yrs old when I had to have him
put down...one of the hardest things Ive had to do.....nearly broke my
heart.....get yourself another Dog...helps ease the loss....
Heres a poem....by Elizabeth Barrett Browning....about her faithful Dog

http://eir.library.utoronto.ca/rpo/display/poem245.html

**1MOR** · March 16, 2004, 21:15

Had a shepherd, his name was Rudi. Ten great years. Ass ripper and family baby. Got the bloat on a Saturday night. One of the worst nights of my life. Have a Rotty now, Bart, nine great years, ass ripper and family baby. His head is on my foot as I type this. Pets give us so much and ask so little from us. Feel your pain and Im breaking up. Wish I could help, but I can't. Get another pup, it will help. Gotta go!

cabinetman · March 16, 2004, 21:28

Nordland.......here we are in the middle of a serious firearms forum and you send me a four page esoteric poem originally published in the mid 1800s.

God bless you!

Any jerk-brain who thinks that gun 'lovin, 2nd amendment supporting yahoos are uncouth just need to see this thread. It will put them all to shame and into perspective all at the same time.

I'm very pleased with the replies I've received here at FalFiles. You are all gentlemen and while we can disagree about the vagaries of firearms and calibers, we are all drawn toward the loyalty of an animal which shares our lives for so many years. It gives me pause as I don't know any of you yet we all know each other through our dogs. Cats need not apply (sorry cat lovers. We have two.)

I've discussed another pup with my better half (and I mean that) and we will pursue that as I am a dog lover but we'll wait until we are back from Montana. It would not be fair to inflict a puppy on family or friends while we are away unless something spectacular comes about.

Rome

**Andy the Aussie** · March 18, 2004, 16:36

Mate, I do feel for your loss.....about 15yrs ago I had to put down my German Shepard.......I cried like a hurt child...!!! I didn't have another dog for the next 13years....mostly because of my lifestyle (I was single and away with work all the time)....then two years ago I wound up with two dog...(talk about when it rains it pours)....could not be happier....except at 2am when they are HUNTING...!!!

Now as for your question about English Setters........they think they are human.....no....they KNOW they are human....they just have more legs and hair...!!! Try to get in touch with a breeder who will sell you pure bred pups unregisted. They are generally not "show quality" but make great working dogs/pets.

cabinetman · March 18, 2004, 16:46

What a great pic, Andy. I've printed it off to show SWMBO. We've discussed the breed and she's agreed that they sound perfect. The two English Setters I've known have been perfect gentlemen in the house and work their arses off in the field. Thanks, too, for the tip of not registering them. I would never "show" the dog, anyway, not being interested in that. All I want is a great family dog, first, that likes to hunt from time to time. We'll work hard together initially and get into a good routine and then just enjoy eachother's company. Your point of them being almost human is very much understood from my end!

Interestingly enough, my Sparky was an Aussie Shepard, btw. I'd have another as there is a breader not 15 miles from my house but I doubt if I'd ever find another like him and I would really like a pointer/setter and the English Setters are what I'm aiming for.

Hope all is well on your side of the world today.

Rome

g5 · March 19, 2004, 08:08

Sorry to hear of your loss. Our pooches are really family members. Good luck with your new one.

March 15, 2004, 14:22	#1
cabinetman Registered Contributor FALaholic #: 7264 Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Connecticut USA Posts: 873	Lost my dog of 16 yrs, 2 months. Want another later this Summer Hi all. It was sad but "wonderful" at the same time. Sparky, the best dog on the planet Earth succumbed to his old age at 16 years, 2 months quietly and peacefully with my wife and I holding him in his favorite spot in the kitchen. He had been failing during the last two days and the Vet was out of town so we just kept him comfortable. He literally just "stopped"while laying there with us. It was the end of a phenomenal life with us. He was a Austrailian Shepard who was never leashed and knew his boundries. He had the sweetest disposition and would have made an excellent retriever had I been into that type of hunting when he was younger. In any event, we could not have been happier with him and he will be sorely missed as we raised him as we raised our three kids. Later this Summer, after I get back from Montana in June, I'll be looking for another dog. I'm a dog guy and really miss having one "interfere" with my life. I'm pretty much settled on an male English Setter for upland bird hunting. I've always enjoyed shooting over my buddies dogs and marvel at their abilities to scent and point at pheasent and grouse. They are also very even tempered at home, love to lounge and have attention paid to them but are all business in the field. So, any suggestions from those of you with English Setters out there? Normally, I allow a dog to "pick me" by placing myself in the middle of the floor amongst the puppies. They are all frolicking around but eventually, one wanders up and is interested in just me. That's usually the one I'd take. Anyone else do that? Are tremendous blood lines important? Do I have to pay $500+ for one or are there alternatives I can look for? There are a couple of breeders in Connecticut and Western Mass I can visit. I'd prefer to select my new pup personally and not buy one by bloodlines alone. Any and all suggestions will be greatly appreciated. I hope you all get to have just one dog like our old Sparky in your lifetime. We were blessed! Rome

March 15, 2004, 15:08	#3
DP Registered FALaholic #: 521 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Kentucky, USA Posts: 967	sorry to hear about your loss. We put our 14 year old "mutt" down today as he had succumbed to cancer and had fought a valiant fight, but it was time for him to go and stop being sick. BTW we have three other canine members of the family and all are Aussies!! DP __________________ Gig "Em Ags!!!

March 15, 2004, 15:33	#4
GunWares Registered FALaholic #: 12435 Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 459	My condolences. Wow, 16 years is a LONG time for a dog to live. Good luck finding Sparky II. __________________ "War is a series of catastrophes that results in victory." — Georges Clemenceau "Television is a device that permits people who haven’t anything to do to watch people who can’t do anything.” — Fred Allen For display stands and presentation boxes in domestic and exotic hardwoods see my website, http://www.gunwares.com

March 15, 2004, 15:57	#8
Blood of Tyrants Registered FALaholic #: 1244 Join Date: Oct 2000 Location: Middle Tennessee Posts: 2,843	I know that dogs don't have souls, but we love them none the less. My dog was born at my house and if the Lord is willing, she will be buried there. __________________ From time to time the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of patriots and tyrants. Thomas Jefferson One day, in the not too distant future, good men and women like those that serve in Iraq, will decide that the United States isn't worth fighting for and the blame will be squarely on the shoulders of the DemocRat Party.

March 15, 2004, 18:59	#9
Ranman1942 Registered FALaholic #: 10432 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: North IN Posts: 174	I feel for you . Dogs DO become part of the family . We have put 3 down in the last 4 years . We knew it would happen that way . They were all about the same age . My wife picked out a new Black Pug before we put down the last of the 3 . A good ole Golden ret . mix that really showed the new pug the ropes . I can still see her in his actions sometimes . I never liked Pugs but it's funny My wife picked out the new dog , but now that we have had him almost 2 years who does he love . You know it... Old Dad. She gets mad and says that I " stole " her dog but I tell her the secret is simple . All you gotta do is feed him . I try to bring home a little treat for him whenever we go out to eat . of course there is much more to it that that but the attention is the thing . When I stay up late and the wife goes to bed where does he go ?? At my feet of course , till I go to bed . Yeah , yeah I know table scraps are bad for him but he loves the spoiling and I love him . kinda like me and beer . When we were looking at the litter he came from he was the runt . I picked him up in the yard they were in and of course I dropped him . I said " we'll take him " . A very good decision . Any way good luck finding a new dog . __________________ Bread and Circuses for all .

March 15, 2004, 14:39	#2
Sailor553 Registered FALaholic #: 3626 Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Rockport, TX USA Posts: 3,864	Sorry to hear of your loss. i understand as I held my old girl when she passed on a week ago. She was 14-years old. I still miss her and this place ain't the same without her. Sorry, no help on English Setters. I've been thinking about a Shepard or a Border Collie.

March 15, 2004, 15:46	#5
squid8286 Registered Contributor FALaholic #: 7276 Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,330	I'm sorry to hear about the passing of your friend. My wife and I have no children; our 4 dogs are the "children". Don't know what I'd do without them.

March 15, 2004, 15:48	#6
F4GIB Registered FALaholic #: 1749 Join Date: Dec 2000 Location: Midwest, USA Posts: 581	Dogs become family members. You have my sympathy. View getting a new dog as an act of rememberance for your lost friend.

March 15, 2004, 15:54	#7
Para Driver Registered FALaholic #: 6350 Join Date: May 2002 Location: Texas Posts: 6,297	cab, I know how it feels... you might get a new dog someday, but it will never replace him... I also believe in your method of letting the pup pick you... If you find a breeder you like, you might have to get in line for a litter. In my case, the mom brought the pup to me out from the litter box. She never did that before or after, the breeder was flabberghasted...... sort of clinched the deal right there, best decision I ever made... I would find out what the going market it is for "premium" pups of the breed you want, and you should be able to work around that. If that baseline is say $500, then you should be extra cautious of pups that are too much less than that... They may be okay dogs, or just accidental litters. Doesn't sound like you need AKC Field Champion lineage... FWIW, Labs are my favorite... hard to go wrong...

March 15, 2004, 19:06	#10
Temp Registered FALaholic #: 10384 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: right of center Posts: 4,212	Yeah,... our old Mama Cat died a coupla weeks ago at age 18. She was very bright and truly a gentle spirit,... not much of a mouser,... she'd sit and watch them with curiosity as they scampered across the floor. I've always considered myself a bit realistic about pets,.. but the day that we had to put her down affected me more than I would have guessed. It's still quite melancholy around here without her. ,... 18 years is a long time,.... I was 30 when we got her,... __________________ Among the worst aspects of the collapse of traditional conservatism is that my children will grow up in a world in which vulgar and belligerent nationalism will be presented to them as the alternative to leftism.

March 15, 2004, 20:47	#11
lutefisk Registered FALaholic #: 2495 Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: sw colorado Posts: 2,881	I'm sorry. We've got two AKC choc labs now. Before that our first dog was a wolf/husky. To compare any of them to each other is kindof impossible........but the wolf/husky was smarter, less slobbering love but somewhat "noble". He killed the shit out of everything until Mr shock collar came his way. He evolved to perfection with a little help from DC voltage. Guess I just don't think too much of the bloodlines unless you are going to breed and sell them. The wolf and one of the labs were abused and that created a few challenges. There are a bunch of organizations that run around saving specific breeds. This appeals to me but you may get a messed up critter. Still, the save is cool. As far as I know, most are in the cities. When I lost our wolf, I simply could not handle the idea of having another dog to love and risk loosing. Then, 6 1/2 months later, two dogs came my way that fit. We found the owner of the stray and we kept, loved and worked with the big male lab(who is currently conducting a wrestling/panting contest with the other lab). He too, needs a bit of electricity to guide him through life. I've tried this on my wife but she keeps waking up before I can get it buckled.

March 15, 2004, 23:24	#13
Opie Registered FALaholic #: 11730 Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Drewsey, OR Posts: 2,075	My sympathies for the loss of such a faithful friend. Hard to see something like that happen. Even harder to have to end their suffering for them. I had to do that a few years ago when my parents' dog of 14 years got backed over by a truck. She had been deaf for several years and was napping under the truck when my dad back over her. He didn't see her under there, and her back ended up broken. There was nothing that we could do for her as the nearest vet was over 40 miles away and she was in a great deal of pain. I couldn't bear to she her suffering like that; she had been a great pet and didn't deserve to suffer as she did. Best dog I ever had was also the ugliest I ever had. He was a toy poodle/ gawd-knows-what mix. Dumber then a box of rocks, but had a heart bigger then his body, and strong as a bull for his size. A$$hole neighbors shot him in the guts with a 22 one morning and he managed to get himself home. They moved shortly after that happened.

March 16, 2004, 06:36	#14
BattlePack Registered FALaholic #: 5773 Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: richmond Posts: 689	Sorry to hear that. I'm going to be putting our house dog down in the next few weeks probably (13 year old German Schnauzer). I've owned and quail hunted with English Setters over the last 15 years. They are extremely loving and gentle dogs in general. I have no problems having them as pets and hunting dogs at the same time. Around here, untrained Setter puppies can run from $300 - $600 depending on bloodlines. Finished dogs can be $600 - $1,500. These are not field trial dogs, just good gun dogs. My experience has been to stay away from field trial lines, as in this area they are generally not the kind of gun dog you want.

March 16, 2004, 06:42	#15
Bruce Allen Registered FALaholic #: 186 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: SC Posts: 4,934	Your method of allowing the dog to pick you is the only way I have ever used, and I have never been disappointed. Thanks for the post.. It reminds me of what is truly important in life. It's not the "things" in life, it is your loved ones, dogs definately included. __________________ You cannot post 'Thou Shalt Not Steal,' 'Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery,' and 'Thou Shall Not Lie' in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians. It creates a hostile work environment.

March 16, 2004, 06:47	#16
cabinetman Registered Contributor FALaholic #: 7264 Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Connecticut USA Posts: 873	Wow. thanks to you all for contributing your thoughts. And to those of you who are currently going through this or have recently experienced this my condolances, too. I can tell you that I'm amazed as to how many cards I've received from friends who knew Sparky. They were all welcome. Rome

March 16, 2004, 07:09	#17
Bruce Allen Registered FALaholic #: 186 Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: SC Posts: 4,934	Hey, I would rather have a good dog any day than a mediocre human "friend". __________________ You cannot post 'Thou Shalt Not Steal,' 'Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery,' and 'Thou Shall Not Lie' in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians. It creates a hostile work environment.

March 16, 2004, 09:30	#18
Random Chaos Registered FALaholic #: 5649 Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Somewhere in rural N. Georgia, at the corner of Tripwire and Claymore Streets Posts: 572	Amen, Bruce. __________________ And did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts? Hot ashes for trees? Hot air for a cool breeze? Cold comfort for change? And did you exchange a walk-on part in a war for a lead role in a cage? -Pink Floyd

March 16, 2004, 13:05	#20
alphadog58 Duke of Yankeedom Bronze Contributor FALaholic #: 9405 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: SE CT Posts: 2,376	Sorry to hear of your loss. They really do become family members. From what I read in your post, I think that you will do alright with any pup you choose. I have an American water spaniel who is just a great bird dog and a nice family pet. Before him I had a Husky who put many a real "bird dog" to shame in the field. Its the love and the training, not the breed, that makes a great dog. __________________ "I aim to make mischief." Nathan Fillion in "Serenity". "Man, I know. Ever'body funny, you funny, too." George Thorogood

March 16, 2004, 20:05	#21
nordland Registered FALaholic #: 10388 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: MI. Posts: 390	My condolences on the loss of your best friend... My German Shepherd was 15yrs old when I had to have him put down...one of the hardest things Ive had to do.....nearly broke my heart.....get yourself another Dog...helps ease the loss.... Heres a poem....by Elizabeth Barrett Browning....about her faithful Dog http://eir.library.utoronto.ca/rpo/display/poem245.html Last edited by nordland; March 16, 2004 at 20:58.

March 16, 2004, 21:15	#22
1MOR Curio & Relic Gold Contributor FALaholic #: 10204 Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Somewhere South of the Border Posts: 2,072	Had a shepherd, his name was Rudi. Ten great years. Ass ripper and family baby. Got the bloat on a Saturday night. One of the worst nights of my life. Have a Rotty now, Bart, nine great years, ass ripper and family baby. His head is on my foot as I type this. Pets give us so much and ask so little from us. Feel your pain and Im breaking up. Wish I could help, but I can't. Get another pup, it will help. Gotta go!

March 16, 2004, 21:28	#23
cabinetman Registered Contributor FALaholic #: 7264 Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Connecticut USA Posts: 873	Wowzer...... Nordland.......here we are in the middle of a serious firearms forum and you send me a four page esoteric poem originally published in the mid 1800s. God bless you! Any jerk-brain who thinks that gun 'lovin, 2nd amendment supporting yahoos are uncouth just need to see this thread. It will put them all to shame and into perspective all at the same time. I'm very pleased with the replies I've received here at FalFiles. You are all gentlemen and while we can disagree about the vagaries of firearms and calibers, we are all drawn toward the loyalty of an animal which shares our lives for so many years. It gives me pause as I don't know any of you yet we all know each other through our dogs. Cats need not apply (sorry cat lovers. We have two.) I've discussed another pup with my better half (and I mean that) and we will pursue that as I am a dog lover but we'll wait until we are back from Montana. It would not be fair to inflict a puppy on family or friends while we are away unless something spectacular comes about. Rome

March 18, 2004, 16:46	#25
cabinetman Registered Contributor FALaholic #: 7264 Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Connecticut USA Posts: 873	What a great pic, Andy. I've printed it off to show SWMBO. We've discussed the breed and she's agreed that they sound perfect. The two English Setters I've known have been perfect gentlemen in the house and work their arses off in the field. Thanks, too, for the tip of not registering them. I would never "show" the dog, anyway, not being interested in that. All I want is a great family dog, first, that likes to hunt from time to time. We'll work hard together initially and get into a good routine and then just enjoy eachother's company. Your point of them being almost human is very much understood from my end! Interestingly enough, my Sparky was an Aussie Shepard, btw. I'd have another as there is a breader not 15 miles from my house but I doubt if I'd ever find another like him and I would really like a pointer/setter and the English Setters are what I'm aiming for. Hope all is well on your side of the world today. Rome

March 19, 2004, 08:08	#26
g5 Registered FALaholic #: 13024 Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,292	Sorry to hear of your loss. Our pooches are really family members. Good luck with your new one.

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