my wife and our brittany

[Ed Norman]

When we rescued our brittany cash in november 2017, my wife told me she likes big dogs, likes walking them, and she told me she walked her doberman almost every day she had him. She moved in with me and she had to leave the doberman with her old roomate because I am allergic to him. He was 13 years old when she moved in with me. I was a little skeptical that someone would be able to devote that much time to a larger dog that needs that much exercise. My wife has been as good as her word, she walks cash a lot, yesterday we had one of the worse blizzards we have ever had in northern lower michigan. We chose not to walk him yesterday. Today we still have 30 mph winds and snowing, most roads are closed, or police are telling us not to drive unless absolutely necessary. I got up at 5 a.m. and plowed our driveway, then our shop and came back at 9 a.m. the picture I am posting is my wife walking our dog in this mess. She made a promise about that dog, she kept her word, she never had kids, the dogs are her "kids" (mine now too) what a wife I have, and what a dog!

[Daryl Corona]

They make a pretty couple Ed.:)

[Ed Norman]

daryl,
I am thinking about putting that picture as a background on my cell phone, or computer. That picture really got to me, 30 mph winds when I took that picture, wind chill was probably below zero. My wife works second shift, so if she can't walk him, I usually can. We have a good system, if I know I can take him over to trainer or for a walk, I will let her know early, or when hunting season started, I tried to hunt him every day for a bit. She got a break then, and was missing her walks with him. When she told me she walked her doberman every day for 13 years, I thought she was messing with me:) I asked her girlfriend who she lived with for years how often she walked her doberman, and she said oh just about every day. My wife's love of dogs has slowly transferred over to me, its just hard to have bad moments with dogs, they are just happy to see us, happy to be around us. Now I wonder how I got along so long without dogs in my life, or my wife for that matter:) Thank you for that nice comment.

[Daryl Corona]

Looks like your wife is a real keeper Ed. Dog ain't bad either.:)

[Ed Norman]

double lab,
I just told my wife about your post, she got a good laugh about that:) Thanks

[Garry L Gordon]

Ed, I know how you must feel. My wife is the best kennel boy a guy could have. She never misses a hunt with us, even in weather that should really keep us home. Sometimes late at night when the dogs (we have 4) have had limited outdoor time, she will go out and just sit with them...each getting “lap time” to end the day. I know how blessed I have been — I’m sure you feel the same. My wife (and I) send best wishes to you and your wife.

[Ed Norman]

Garry, thanks, thats a nice post, I will show this to my wife. I am trying to get across how good my wife is with these dogs. She told me that doberman she had went to 5 different homes before she got him. She said that dog ended up being the best dog she ever had. I think he knew he hit the lottery when she got him. She was worried when we met because he didn't like men. Somehow he realized that my wife (girlfriend back then) was safe with me. He relaxed and we had some good moments together. I think our brittany is really the same way, he was stuck in a kennel all day and fed to much. After he hunted for about 2 weeks straight during the season, he became a different dog, I could not of planted a video of the "perfect grouse dog" in his head and had him do any better. I was in shock really, he would run with his head up in the air smelling for scent, he would put his head down like a beagle, he was learning to check back with me, quartering just the right way, and the right distance for the cover we were in. Hap the breeder and my friend Fred who has 2 brittanies are so proud of what has happened to that dog. I really am a changed person because of my wife and those 3 dogs we have. I have another story about 2 guys at the pheasant farm watching cash that is hard to believe what cash did there too. This picture is in spring of 2018, I went to the 5 acres where my friend keeps his quail, I set one quail, he pointed the quail and it flew over the fence, cash kept quartering, and went on point again, I took a picture, he stayed on point for at least 5 minutes, I walked up and another quail took off that was by another part of the fence line. The breeder had been there earlier that morning training and it was one of the quail he used that morning. Thank you again, Ed

[Ed Norman]

If any moderator can straighten out my pictures, they are all over this forum, and crooked, I cannot figure how to change that. thanks, ed

[Garry L Gordon]

Ed, you have very effectively communicated how good your wife is AND how good that pup is...and more importantly, you realize it. Congratulations on both your “girl” and your dog. My best to you (all!).

[Ed Norman]

Garry,
Thank you again, I would write a book or article if I thought I could about my wife and our dog and the friends who all helped get this dog straightened out. In the last few months I have realized a lot of things, our marriage is stronger because of these dogs and what my wife has done for them (and me) After I read your post, I knew "you understood" I think your as lucky as I am about having a good wife that will support you and your dogs like she does. Congratulations to you too. Maybe someday we can be at one of those sxs shoots somewhere and have a good laugh about all this. My wife may end up going with me. My buddy with the brittanies goes to Missouri to a hunting preserve every late winter/early spring to keep his dogs hunting. I may go with him someday too. Thanks again, Ed

[Ed Norman]

Garry,
Do you live anywhere near a bird farm that has quail, and pheasants and chukar? I will try to find out the name of the place my friend goes in Missouri. This guy has 2 brittanies and spends a whole lot of time keeping those dogs of his in birds. He is retired, about 67 years old, and has a charter fishing service, and he also does some guided bird hunts occasionally.

[Ed Norman]

Garry,
I believe its ozark wings in Caulfield Missouri.

[Garry L Gordon]

Garry,
I believe its ozark wings in Caulfield Missouri.

Hi, Ed,

Caulfield is at the "other end" of the State from us. We are in Northern Missouri, and Caulfield is near the Arkansas border. There are no hunting preserves near us...at least that I know of (but we don't generally shoot on preserves). Probably the nearest preserves are in central Iowa, near Fairfield, but again, there could be others.

We still have snow on the ground here, but it looks like Spring may be showing itself this weekend with rain and warmer temperatures (we sure hope so!). I hope your weather is better and that nice wife of yours has not had to walk your pup in a blizzard recently.

Take care!

[Gary Laudermilch]

Ed, the woodcock will be passing through shortly, very shortly. They make for excellent spring dog work, just no shooting.

[Ed Norman]

Ed, the woodcock will be passing through shortly, very shortly. They make for excellent spring dog work, just no shooting.

Gary, we have 2 plus feet of standing snow in our area. Thanks for the heads up, I will check with the breeder of my brittany, hopefully he will know when they are coming through. I get to get excited and lose more sleep now:)