Dog Days

Well, it is getting to be that time of year again. The time when leaves start to turn, a chill fills the air, and across the valley the sound of shotguns can be heard through the early morning stillness. Time to hunt! I look forward to this all year long. Having two German short-hairs I know they look forward to it as well. I decided to switch from Labradors to pointing dogs about 5 years ago after a Chukar hunt with Kim's cousin Jim. Jim had a German wire-haired pointer (looks kind of like a shaggy Terrier) named Penny. Penny put on a show to remember that day. She pointed about 10 birds. She was so steady that Jim started calling us from almost a quarter mile away to share the wealth and get the birds up. I was so impressed (and tired of running screaming after my Labs) that I decided then and there to get a pointer.

Delta perched like a cat

I started shopping, and Kim soon vetoed the idea of a German wire-hair. "They are too ugly!" she said. "If your going to get a new dog, get a pretty one!" I shouldn't have been surprised, since that is they primary criterion she has insisted on in all of our car purchases since we have been married. What the instrument panel looked like, and the paint job were always more important than performance or reliability. I can't complain. We've driven some nice cars! She encouraged me to look at short-hairs since they were so "beautiful."

I bought Delta, a beautiful chocolate brown short-hair, about two months later. She was a bit more difficult to train than my labs, but I just love the pointer's energy and instincts. Their pointing is an out growth of their stalking instinct. They look like a cat when the spot or smell birds. They get more and more cautions the closer, or stronger the scent gets (opposite of a Lab). I have watched Delta freeze and fix on a couple of tweety birds on our back fence, taking a cautious step about once every 2 or 3 minutes moving lower and lower the closer she gets, finally freezing in place in a "Mexican standoff". The whole process might take 15 minutes before the birds get tired of playing and take off!

Remmy's first point

Kim couldn't pass up the "cuuuute little puppy" a couple of years ago, and brought home a second short-hair. We named her Remington (Remmy for short). She is smaller and lighter colored than Delta. She is also a talented stalker/pointer. Remmy also brings a bonus. Short-hairs are not renowned for retrieving, but it is not unusual. However, Delta does not retrieve. She exuberantly delivers the "coup de grace" whether it is needed or not, then quickly drops the bird and gets back to hunting. That is why I was so pleased when Remmy turned out to be a fantastic and steady retriever. She has made some fantastic retrieves saving me lots of effort, and bringing birds I never would have been able to find.

The "Pointer Sisters"

Kim and I walk the dogs almost daily. We go up into the hills to the west of the house and usually traverse between 2.5 and 5 miles. The dogs thrive on it. Besides being good for me and my wife, the dogs get in shape, and practice their skills. I made a video of Remmy in semi stalk mode, unfortunately I can't get it to upload. I will work on it, perhaps it is too large. I made the video on one of our walks, and the "Pointer Sisters" were after a flock of starlings. The never catch any, but they never give up either.

Nothing like California Chukar!

Chukar season opened last weekend here in California, so now is the big payoff for me, and the dogs. Hunting these wily birds is much more about watching the dogs do their thing than getting meat for the table. But don't get me wrong...I love eating Chukar.

That's All!