Adog is more than a pet . A dog is family . And for those that share a hunting bond with the outdoorsmen who adventure afield with them , that relationship is even stronger . There ’ s just something about the working relationship between human and canine that transcends time , and it continues even in today ’ s modern world .
Our dogs are part of our lives . But for many of our dogs , we ’ re the entirety of theirs . They give us everything , and we give them whatever time we can . And so , it ’ s fitting to celebrate the animals that put in 100 percent effort with no expectation of something in return — except for love . And that love is what makes the death of a dog so difficult to overcome . It isn ’ t easy to comprehend , but there ’ s a last in all of us , man and dog alike . Here are the tales of three duck dogs that gave it their all through their final days afield .
Clay and Cache
Clay Jones always wanted duck hunting to be his thing , but he knew he wouldn ’ t have as much fun unless he had a duck dog . And so he found Cache , a Labrador retriever he treasured very much .
“ He was named after the Cache River in Arkansas , which was the first place I was ever able to go duck hunting and be around other hunters with dogs ,” Jones said .
You see , Jones is a bachelor . He ’ s been a single guy most of his life . After he got Cache , he started training him to be a duck dog . And a duck dog he was . They spent five years enjoying many waterfowl adventures together .
CLAY JONES
When Jones wasn ' t at work , he was training or hunting with Cache .
Special dogs live on not only in photographs stored on hunters ' phones , but in memories of fine days spent afield . Three dogs that are sorely missed but fondly remembered are Cache , Chase and MayBelle ( clockwise from top left ).
“ I looked forward to coming home to my dog ,” Jones said . “ And I assume he looked forward to me coming home to him . We did everything together . This dog was everything to me .”
But his last hunt with Cache came all too soon . It was a September early teal hunt in Alabama .
“ We get a great blue-wing flight ,” Jones said . “ It just depends on where you are in the state . The weirdest thing to me about that hunt was bird after bird that came into that
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