# I lost my best pal.



## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

Rest in peace, Scooby Doo. You were the greatest dog a man ever owned.

I can't really think about this without tearing up something fierce, so I'll keep it short. I went hunting in the west desert on Tuesday, New Year's Day. Scooby had been out of sight for a few minutes and then when I found him he was staggering around like he was heavily drunk. He had slobber or foam just pouring out of his mouth. Scoob was so disoriented that he couldn't find me when called, even when I was only ten feet away. It was like he had gone blind and out of his mind. Scooby crashed down to the ground several times as he tried to walk back with me to the truck. My best bud looked me in the eyes for a few seconds before he tipped over and died in the sage brush. I have been crying for two days since.

Scooby came out of the womb chasing birds and never stopped. He put a pair of Hungarian partridges in my bag on his final day on Earth. He was one of those dogs that just had a knack for finding birds. He wasn't flashy or stylish, but Scooby was hell on birds. He'd do anything and go anywhere to put feathers in his mouth.

































My little daughter sobbed and sobbed and sobbed. She kept crying, "I need my smiling Scooby!" It's true. This dog was ALWAYS happy. He truly did appear to smile. 









Scooby left a legacy behind. He fathered a couple of litters and might have a third and final litter on the way. It has been a privilege to hunt with Scooby's pups, and I hope to get the opportunity to do so again. Some of his kids:

Ace









Baron









Millie









Mazey









Lloyd









Shelby









Bocephus


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## gdog (Sep 13, 2007)

Man...I'm sorry to hear that. Do you think he got into poison...maybe a m44?


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

> Do you think he got into poison...maybe a m44?


I just don't know. My science teacher friend thinks that the way he was foaming at the mouth indicates poison, so that could be it. It was all just so sudden...


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## bwhntr (Sep 12, 2007)

I am so sorry.


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## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

I don't care what anyone says. He is a great looking dog even if they are "ugly". Sorry for your loss.


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## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I am so sorry to hear about your loss.

But I am glad to hear he was with his dad doing what the two of you love to do together. What better way to go then doing something you love and sharing it with someone else?


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## rlpenn (Mar 14, 2012)

Awww. So sorry.

God speed Scooby Do.


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## katorade (Sep 23, 2007)

Sorry for your loss, You've told me a lot of great stories about Scooby, and your hunting adventures!
Sorry I wonder what it was?


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

pm sent, Kade. 

Thanks to all for the well wishes. This dog meant a lot to me. We had many great times together.


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## Theekillerbee (Jan 8, 2009)

Now that was a kick in the nuts for me! I loved seeing your pics of the scoob meister! He was a machine. If you ever find out what happened, let us know. God Speed Scooby.


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## AF CYN (Mar 19, 2009)

That sucks. It sure sounds like something poisonous. Sorry for your loss.


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## josh12ga (Nov 23, 2011)

I'm sorry to hear that.... sorry to hear about the way he went out.


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Man this just sux! Sorry for your loss.


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## Packfish (Oct 30, 2007)

I don't know you but I have read your threads from many sites many times- I certainly feel your loss. 
Not even sure of what else to say except- it hits home hard and I hope the line was passed on one more time.


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## Sprig Kennels (Jan 13, 2009)

sorry for your loss. i had a very similar experience a few years ago when one of my labs died. it was so sudden and had similar symptoms of what you described and my vet told me it was most likely a stroke. one minute the dog was fine and immediately the dog was drooling and vomiting terribly and couldnt stand up. I really do feel for you going through that as i have had 2 of those situations to experience with one of them losing the dog. the other one i had to carry the dog off the mountain while grouse hunting. Losing a great bird dog is like losing a member of the family because they do so much for us and we spend so much time training and hunting with them.


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## wyogoob (Sep 7, 2007)

That's terrible. sorry


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

> it was so sudden and had similar symptoms of what you described and my vet told me it was most likely a stroke. one minute the dog was fine and immediately the dog was drooling and vomiting terribly and couldnt stand up.


I'm glad you shared your story, Sprig. My gut instinct was that Scooby had a stroke, but then my friend thought the dog wouldn't be drooling like he was if it hadn't been poison. I have hunted the area where I was quite often and I have never seen signs of poison, though I did spot two traps there earlier in the year. I prefer to tell people that the dog likely died of a stroke. I'll never know for sure and I guess you don't either.

Anyway, thank you to everyone for the comforting thoughts and warm wishes. I think I've had as many pm's, e-mails, and phone calls as I have responses. It's nice to know that people enjoyed seeing my pal Scooby and sharing real and vicarious experiences with him.


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## Bret (Sep 7, 2007)

Was there any smell? It is my understanding that if it were cyanide there would have been a very noticible smell coming from the mouth. I'm not sure if it had been the 1080 compound but I guess it is pretty unlikely it would be that.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

No smell and no red foam either. He was foaming/drooling at the mouth extensively but it was white. His face around his eyes did discolor and turn very dark, almost black.


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## Greenhead_Slayer (Oct 16, 2007)

So sorry for your loss. Crazy how fragile life is. A couple years ago my Misty had a seizure while she was retrieving a bird to me, she died in my arms in the duck blind that day. It is awful to see them go that way, but at least they truly were doing what they loved.


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## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

My condolences! Hopefully you can get it figured out, if for nothing else to avoid any other dog suffering the same fate.


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## izzydog (Jan 18, 2008)

I just ran across this on the UBD. So sorry to hear this. I never got to see Scooby up close but it's obvious through seeing him on the internet that he was special.


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## brittonpoint (Oct 24, 2007)

[attachment=0:3fkea78i]image.jpg[/attachment:3fkea78i]. "Chester". Another scooby pup.


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## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

Holy cow! Chester could be an identical twin to his momma. His resemblance to Tess is uncanny.

Thanks, Andy. That picture did my heart good.


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## brittonpoint (Oct 24, 2007)

Only found a pair of birds today.killed one crippled the other. Chester backed the point at first,bird ran and he pointed on his own with my britt down below.they pinned the bird between both dogs.wish I had a camera with me. I took picture when I got home,this picture is Chester stealing the bird off of the tailgate


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