Maddie, My Weimaraner Pal

[pmillen]

This is Maddie, a Weimaraner.  She's seven years old.  She's not the quality field trial performer as my previous Petey (probably the trainer's fault—me).  But she's a waaaay better hunter than some dogs I've hunted over.  We use a peeping whistle and hand signals to direct her in the field.  We never speak.  If a wild pheasant hears a human voice it stretches its neck out and runs for the next county.  In the past 20 years pheasant hunting has become more like stalking pheasants.

She's seven years old.  In my experience with other Weimaraners this will be her best year for hunting.  She has enough experience to have learned everything necessary.  In a couple of years her stamina will begin to drop off and she'll have to retire completely when she's about 12.  Then it's heartbreaking when she watches us with those sad eyes as we pack the van for a hunting trip and she knows she's not going.  I get weepy just writing about it.  (People who have never hunted with a dog won't understand.  They were born to hunt.  They would rather hunt than eat.)

This was taken immediately after I got the cushions on the new deck furniture.  She's scanning the backyard for interlopers.


Her right eye isn't usually squinted like that.  I need to exit and have a look.

I'll get a photograph of my other Weimaraner and post it soon.  Check my avatar.

[TentHunteR]

She is a beautiful dog!

[Pappymn]

Very nice

[Pam Gould]

What a pretty baby girl..dawgs are just our kids in fur coats...☆´¯`•.¸¸. ི♥ྀ.

[tlg4942]

Beautiful dog. Its great you hunt with her!  I love to see their excitement when they know its time to go.

[hikerman]

Maddie is a beauty Paul! And good luck with those birds this Fall. 

[Smokin Don]

Nice dog and pal!!! Don

[drholly]

What a beautiful dog, Paul. The connection with your dog is magic.

I remember Damien (a Red Setter) looking at me out of the corner of his eye as we belly crawled across a plowed field to jump shoot some puddle ducks. Never a word, we just worked together enough that we were a team. He hunted everything from ducks & geese, pheasants, grouse, partridge, doves and rabbits. He was the smart one of the two of us.

I still remember his last hunt - we both knew it. He left us two weeks later.... took me years to find a new friend. I enjoy your stories and when you share the hunt results. Thank you.

[TMB]

She is a beautiful dog and I bet a good hunter as well,  sometimes they are better than you know 

My son's dog Avery (German short hair)  taught Mollee how to point.  Funny seeing a Maltese/Chihuahua point  

[pmillen]

My son's dog Avery (German short hair)  taught Mollee how to point.  Funny seeing a Maltese/Chihuahua point

Wow!  Does she retrieve?  Maybe doves?

I met a dog trainer who showed me video of his Parson Russell Terrier water-retrieving Canadian geese.

[pmillen]

I remember Damien (a Red Setter) looking at me out of the corner of his eye as we belly crawled across a plowed field to jump shoot some puddle ducks. Never a word, we just worked together enough that we were a team.

I love that about teaming with a dog to achieve a common goal, David.  Dogs communicate with body language and they are experts at interpreting it.  You can't fool them.  But you can also learn to read their body language and move silently along.

Tommy, I sometimes take direction from the dogs.  They know where the birds are likely to be.  They shoot me disgusted looks when I send them in an inappropriate direction.

If a hen flushes and I don't shoot they are okay with that but if I shoot and miss a rooster—I get a disdainful look from them like, "Hey!  We're doing our job.  You do yours."

[drholly]

If a hen flushes and I don't shoot they are okay with that but if I shoot and miss a rooster—I get a disdainful look from them like, "Hey!  We're doing our job.  You do yours."

Oh boy, I had my share of those looks! I had to laugh because it was obvious how much he was pained (embarrassed) by my poor shooting... 

[drholly]

Paul, you are bringing back memories - but I don't want to hijack your thread. I just want to share one.

When I was still living in ND, Damien and I went dove hunting - his first time. I was actually able to hit the broad side of the barn in those days and scored a double on the first pass. Damien ran out to retrieve them...

He got to the first bird, picked it up and instantly spit it out. As I came up to him, he was still spitting...  He gave me a look questioning why we were doing this. But as I retrieved the bird, he ran to the other and I followed him... he was standing with his paw on the bird. Looking at me to say "Nope, no way am I putting THAT in my mouth." Never an issue with any other bird or even rabbits - just doves.

For years we hunted doves - he never picked one up again, but always found them and stood with his paw on the bird until I came to get it. Miss that dog.

[africanmeat]

She is a beautiful dog!

yes she is .

[pmillen]

I don't view it as hijacking when we share anecdotes about a common interest.

He got to the first bird, picked it up and instantly spit it out. As I came up to him, he was still spitting...  He gave me a look questioning why we were doing this. But as I retrieved the bird, he ran to the other and I followed him... he was standing with his paw on the bird. Looking at me to say "Nope, no way am I putting THAT in my mouth." Never an issue with any other bird or even rabbits - just doves.

For years we hunted doves - he never picked one up again, but always found them and stood with his paw on the bird until I came to get it. Miss that dog.

I wonder why.  Petey always got a mouthful of sharptail grouse feathers and would spit them and paw at them after every retrieve.  He would wait for me to reach in his mouth and clean out the ones that were stuck.  The same with sand burrs in his feet.  I've not shot sharptails over Maddie or Willa 'cause I don't like to eat them.

Petey, all 105 lbs. of him, delivering a pheasant to my son.