I was wrong . He ’ d often swim out to retrieve a dead duck after emphatic encouragement only to quit and return to the shoreline at the half-way mark . Don ’ t know why . We kept him through his lifetime , and I regret being harsh with him .
Mike was a mixed breed . Airhead , part yellow Lab , shitzue , coyote , gopher and maybe a few other things . Total scatterbrain . Belonged on a farm from birth , but we tried . He had energy , though .
We will not forget when Jon shot a mallard on a fog-ladened slough . Mike dove in without reservation , swam like a beaver on steroids after that duck . Within seconds , he was lost in the fog . After nearly 30 minutes of encouragement , we gave him up for dead , pictured him swimming around the thickened mist until he surrendered to the elements . As we were sadly planning our departure , he appeared , greenhead in “ hand ”, delivered to us like an overnight Fed Ex driver .
Visibility was less than 50 feet
on the slough . We suspected the wounded mallard constantly dove to avoid the dog . He wouldn ’ t quit . In the end , though , Mike was still a farm dog and we found him a happy home .
Gus the Wonder Dog
Gus was the best and our last . We were never able to determine if he was a German pointer or an English shorthair .
I answered an ad in Dakota Country magazine from a kennel near Monango in south-central North Dakota . Talking with the guy , he said he had a half dozen dogs who he believed were mated by a same-breed dog “ down the road ” but he had no proof of purity , other than his conviction . It wasn ’ t a planned mating . The dogs could have sold for up to $ 1,000 if papers were involved , but he would sell them for $ 100 each with a personal guarantee of what he believed happened . They were all 6 months old .
I told neighbor Tom Doering , who was also looking to increase his dog herd , about the opportunity and next morning we were on the road to Monango . As we approached the kennel holding the energetic white and black / brown / spotted pooches , Tom and I fell in love with every one of them . We each picked out a pooch and drove home happy with our choices .
The dogs were lifted into the back seat of my pickup , both withdrawn and reserved about what was happening , little knowing that their lives ahead would be fulfilled with affection and adventure . For the first time in our lives , our family would enjoy a dog who completely knew its purpose in life .
Doggie Instinct Gus required no training whatsoever . He was instinctual . No potty training , no field work . We lived a bit out of town and wonderfully , Gus not only didn ’ t void in the house , he traveled into the nearby field outside to do his work . I believe to this day , he would have held his functions indoors until he exploded .
www . dakotacountrymagazine . com Dakota Country , September 2024 , Page 55