Setters and Woodcocks..

[Tom Flanigan]

Unfortunately that memory will stay with you for life. I never had anything like that happen to me fortunately. But I did have a dog that was stolen from my back yard. The dog was a great grouse dog and he was known as such in the Pawling area. Word gets around and some idiot saw a chance to make a quick buck.

I was beside myself with grief. That dog was my best friend in addition to my grouse partner. Word got out about the dog being stolen. Old Chet Sprague, the dog trainer and gamekeeper at the old Dutchess Valley Club, heard about a finished grouse dog for sale in Connecticut, about 20 miles from my Pawling home.

He took a trip to investigate and found my dog who he knew. The seller swore that it was his dog. Old Chet told him, "you have three minutes to get that dog in my car, or I will thrash you within an inch of your life". The guy put the dog in the car and Chet brought him home to me. I was overjoyed. I asked Chet who had my dog but he would never tell me. He was afraid that I would do something and get arrested. He was right!