Had to do today what I've never done before. I put my duck dog down for the count.
I got him at 8 weeks. He ran under the tire of our Tahoe at 10 weeks and injured the cartilage in his right hip, so for 13.5 years he walked with a limp (seemingly pain-free). He's been panting excessively for 3 years now, but today he started gasping for air. Had to take him to the vet.
He went to Manitoba first with me when he was 6 months old, and went every year since. His first retrieve was for another guy in our hunting group in Manitoba- he took off after it with a stiff tailwind in 1' of water and mud, and by the time he got to the duck, it was 500 yds away. It was all downhill with him after that.
So here's to the most bull-headed, hard headed, most pukingest, most duck fetchingest machine that I've ever owned or ever will own. It's time to move on to the land of calm, cattail-free, open-water retrieves in doggy heaven. Love you buddy
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