# An old dogs final retrieve.



## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

This year I have had to rely on my young pup to do all of my retrieving. She has come a long way since the start and has some mighty big shoes to fill.

The shoes she has to fill are those of my yellow lab Citori. I retired him last year due to hip problems. Today I grabbed the wife and all three of my dog's and we went for a ride. While checking out a small reservoir I spotted 5 geese in a place that was really not good for them to be in. So I grabbed a gun and snuck down on them. A couple shots later and the old dog was back doing what he loved.

It's going to break my heart when he leaves me but I'm sure grateful for all these amazing memories I have got to share with him over the years.
















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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

And of course they are all banded.:grin: Nicely done! I'm in the same boat with my yellow dog Hagen, he can't hear for $hit and he doesn't see very well either, but he still has the drive and loves to go.


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

That is a stud of a dog, the best I have ever hunted with for everything including ducks, quail, pheasants and especially banded geese. That is the dog that brought to hand my first goose band. I hope your other pups end up as good as him. And yes, I have forgiven him from biting me in the blind. I hope he has forgiven me from trying to take the pintail out of his mouth.


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## Al Hansen (Sep 7, 2007)

Well done.


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## TPrawitt91 (Sep 1, 2015)

I have never been around much bird hunting with dogs but you can see it in that dogs eyes, that pup is in heaven.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Always sad to see a good dog get old. That dog's probably seem more jewelry in his lifetime that any of us ever will lol.. Congrats on having such a good dog by your side all these years.


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

Fowlmouth said:


> And of course they are all banded.:grin: Nicely done! I'm in the same boat with my yellow dog Hagen, he can't hear for $hit and he doesn't see very well either, but he still has the drive and loves to go.


FM I wish I would have been able to hunt over Hagen more then the one time I did but that day there was no doubt in my mind what a great dog he is. Its been fun having you share his adventures with us on the forum. Of course looking forward to seeing and hearing more from the pup as well!


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

toasty said:


> That is a stud of a dog, the best I have ever hunted with for everything including ducks, quail, pheasants and especially banded geese. That is the dog that brought to hand my first goose band. I hope your other pups end up as good as him. And yes, I have forgiven him from biting me in the blind. I hope he has forgiven me from trying to take the pintail out of his mouth.


Ya know I think he has, this new pup seems to have mellowed him out a little over the last couple of years of his protectiveness of the birds


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## Pumpgunner (Jan 12, 2010)

That's great to see Hammern. It seems like the desire never leaves them, just their bodies start to give up. He sure seems to love what he's doing! I'm only on my second duck dog, but I have already learned to really savor and appreciate all the time you get to spend afield with them. After my first dog died a friend of mine gave me a framed picture of him, I hung his collar with a goose band clipped to it on the wall under the picture and it's amazing the memories that come back just from looking at a single photo! A buddy asked me if it made me sad to look at it and I realized that it didn't, it just made me appreciate what a good dog he was and be grateful for the time that we had together.


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## robiland (Jan 20, 2008)

Here are a few of my old dog. Makes me sad to know that there are not too many years left in this old boy. Toby has been a great dog. 8.5 years old. He has one of the best noses on a dog I have seen. He started to point at age 2 on his own with out me even thinking about teaching him that. This was Monday for us. I hope there is a few left for us. Makes me sad to even think.

EDIT: I dont know how to post pics anymore I guess


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## tigerpincer (Dec 5, 2009)

That's awesome to get him one one last honker. My oldest GSP Bronco is 13 and steadily declining. Bad arthritis in his front shoulders make it hard for him to run. I feel your pain. It's been sad to watch as his skills and straight diminish. He has been my best friend and a fantastic hunting companion all these years. It's going to be extremely hard when he leaves us.


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