Memories of old and new

[John Taddeo]

The last day of October, 2019 was a bitter reminder of how short our time is with our hunting companions. In the prime of the hunting season I lost one of my Shorthairs to cancer at 11 years of age. Ziva was no trial champion, she would never have been in a show ring but she inherited the desire and love to find birds at any cost. She was the dog that made you load your lightweight boots in the truck because when we got into birds, things were going to happen quickly. I will miss her dearly and as I return to my old covers her memory will be there.

This past weekend found me in Central City Iowa visiting Steve and Jodie Ries at Top Gun Kennel. I was there to pick up my newest memory maker. Steve and Jodie run a first rate operation and I am thrilled to have one of their pups. Going through this process somehow seems to makes us feel young again. I look forward to making new memories with Top gun Talon as she works the old covers while remembering Ziva and how she worked them the same.