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Pheasant Bonanza: yes, it is
We came to honor Duke, a young shorthair we’d hunted with years ago in Montana. Duke impressed me with his metamorphosis over one day’s hunt: from new kid in the kennel, insecure and unsure of whom to...
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Road to Utility Test: Gear? Check!
“Pottering” is an old-time word describing someone messing about with their plants, re-potting, and other garden-shed er, potting shed-related tasks. It was not all work; as Merry Olde England (where...
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Road to Utility Test: We are out of shape
Funny, you think you’re doing pretty well in the fitness department, then with a jolt, you’re reminded that you’re not as buff as you thought. Nope, not me. I know I’ve got a long way to go before my...
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Happy birthday, Buddy
Well Buddy, you are officially a “senior dog,” turning eight years old today. You are slowing a bit in your step … especially after our long runs. Mornings are less friendly, joints stiffer. For us...
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Road to Utility Test: steady, steady … attaboy(s)
We are making progress. Manny and Buddy – a team again – are getting steadier by the day. Our past three days: 1. Flanking the whoa table, with Rick Smith’s waist-rope “point of contact,” the guys were...
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To Manny, on his third birthday
Manny, thank you. You have taught me so much in three short years: patience, introspection, tolerance. And you have learned much of the same. We’ve been through a lot together. Some not so fun, a bit...
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To Buddy, on his ninth birthday
Unlike your grand nephew, you didn’t throw up on the way home from your breeder – a strike in your favor I should have appreciated more at the time. It seems like for your entire nine years of life,...
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How do YOU rationalize a skunking?
My Little League team lost every game one season. I know a bit about being skunked. So when not a single primer burns, no feather clouds drift with the breeze … well, that’s when you dig deep for...
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On your tenth birthday, Buddy
Well, you are ten years old, at least chronologically. Your muzzle is grayer, your gait slower. At times, there’s a hitch in your getalong. Luckily, you can’t say the same about me because you can’t...
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The best shot I ever made
Having one leg longer than the other is said to help you when chukar hunting. You’re often side-hilling a steep incline, the ground covered with loose rock. You’ve burned lungs and legs getting there,...
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