Luke, The Wonder Dog

[Jeff Mulliken]

Some of you may remember him from old posts, some met him at the Southern or Pintail Point and a few gunned over him.

He did not care if you shot a Parker or an old Browning, but he was known to bark if you shot and missed. He barked at me a more often than not.

Luke passed away this morning, at peace in his own bed.

He was the best companion I will ever have.

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m231/jeffmulliken/097.jpg

[Dave Suponski]

Jeff, Talk about mixed emotions! On one hand it is great to see you post here...We missed you....On the other hand I am so very sorry to hear of Lukes passing. Although I was never fortunate enough to give him a scratch behind the ear I loved hearing your stories of Luke's adventures. Loosing a good dog is so very hard. I am so sorry.....Dave

[John Dunkle]

Jeff.....

I am so sorry to read your post and about your loss.... Luke sounds like he added a lot for a lot of folks...

Mans Best Friend for sure...

John

[Christopher Lien]

Jeff,
I remember Luke, and I'm very sorry to hear of his passing, he was always one of my favorites when you posted photos of him here... I know it's not easy to lose a longtime pal, we lost our Setter Sioux just a few months ago... I have a photo of Luke that you posted a couple years ago, and it has always been one that makes me smile... Take Care Jeff...

Best, CSL
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http://www.webpak.net/~cslien/1LukeWonderDog.jpg
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[Bill Murphy]

I'm so sorry to hear that Luke is gone. I only gunned over him once, but it was with a ten gauge Parker. Luke seemed to outdo himself that day. Let me know how things are going with the wheels.

[Eric Eis]

Jeff glad to hear from you again wish it was with other news. I met Luke at the Southern and was quite a dog. May he rest in peace.

[Fred Preston]

Chris, Jeff; What can be said. Sioux and Luke have left us. It's been said that a man gets one good dog. Perhaps. His or her shadow will be on any successor.

The Best to Sioux and Luke and Partners, Fred

[Russ Jackson]

Jeff ,We have never met nor did I have the pleasure of meeting your best Hunting Partner and Pal, but we as " Dog People " share a common bond and I am very sorry to hear of the loss in your Family ,We lost our Maggie this past Thanksgiving week ,a 15 Year old Brit ,I have two of her offspring ,but still am not ready to move onto the next Pup ,as they say time heals all wounds , Hang in there ! Russ

[Jeff Mulliken]

Chris, wow....I'm glad you liked that picture. It was taken at the end of a hunt the day before Thanksgiving. Corey got home from college at midnight. I woke him at 4:00 and we had 10 geese in the blind in time for a proper breakfast.

This was taken that same morning:

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m231/jeffmulliken/FileLukegeeseCorey0011.jpg

One more for the ages, Luke was watching some ringnecks and two canvasbacks swimming among our decoys on a late season goose hunt. When he was looking at ducks he ignored everything, including the hat we put on his head.

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m231/jeffmulliken/f5a3f137.jpg

Rest easy Luke, you earned it:

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m231/jeffmulliken/320.jpg

[George Lander]

"I think God will have prepared everything for our perfect happiness. If it takes my dog being there in Heaven, I believe he'll be there".......Billy Graham

Jeff, I'm sorry for your loss.......George

[Richard Morrison]

last year I got a new Lab pup.

I don't know how long it's been since you posted with the picture of Luke in the hat but, I remembered it and wondered how Luke was doing. I never met him but, seems he had quite a following.

Sorry for your loss.

[Jean Swanson]

Jeff :

I lost one of my Britanies a year and a half ago and I know of your pain and sorrow. I replaced her with a new pup --not the same as good ol' Belle .

[Bruce Day]

Good to hear from you Jeff, and so sorry to learn about Luke. I've heard about Luke the Wonder Dog for many years, and its another loss. We've lost so many good gunning dogs this year , so many people here with their own sadness.

My heartfelt condolences, I know just how you feel.

Bruce

[Jeff Mulliken]

Bruce,

It's a funny sort of feeling. Sad yes, bad no. It's the paying of the piper, Luke and I had a good long dance and as feeling "bad" sort of implies regret....I just cant feel bad.

I realize this is just semantics, but the difference is something dog guys all understand deep down inside.

We fall in love knowing on the first day that there will be a last day.

[Bruce Day]

Jeff, somebody said to me that Will Rogers was asked about whether dogs went to heaven, and I understand the preachers and those people talk about whether dogs have souls and all that theological stuff, and anyway Will said he didn't know but whereever dogs went, that's where he wanted to go.

[Jeff Mulliken]

There is a ying to every yang.

I wonder if "Labrador heaven" is "duck hell"?

[Christopher Lien]

There is a ying to every yang.

I wonder if "Labrador heaven" is "duck hell"?
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Very well said Jeff, I've often wondered about that myself...

After we lost Sioux I was not much interested in finding another pal, but my better half was somewhat persistent with her kind suggestions of perhaps finding another four legged friend... If it's any consolation, I want you to know my memories of the "Luke" photos you posted here occasionally had an influence with the direction I took, and it had also been a while since a Retriever was part of our family... Below is my new pal Misty, and although she's still a pup, it's already hard to imagine her not being with us... Better days ahead Jeff, as long as your adventures with Luke lives in your mind, he lives forever...

Best, Chris
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http://www.webpak.net/~cslien/1MistyA.jpg
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[Jeff Mulliken]

What a great looking dog, and based on my read of her posture she has a fire in her belly to go with the looks. And its not hard to see she is a female with that lean face. It's all woman.

I'd guess it was a mid western breeder....how close am I?

[calvin humburg]

sorry for you jeff.

[Christopher Lien]

Jeff, "fire in her belly" is a good way to put it, even at a young age she's just one big muscle, I'm already looking forward to her first meeting with a large Goose... Your guess is pretty close, both her parents are from the midwest area, and her great grand-dad was a fine fella named "Candlewoods Ramblin Man"... By the way, many thanks for the PM link you sent for the photos, I enjoyed them very much... Good to see you on the PGCA forum, and thanks for sharing Luke with us in past years... Hope you come back and visit more often...

Best, CSL
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[Jeff Mulliken]

Candlewood is in Portage Wisconsin, only a short drive from the Shamrock Acres, the breeder that my last black lab came from.

Wisconsin..........lean dogs and corn fed women.

[Bert Dunn]

Jeff, as an ardent admirer of Luke, I'm saddened by the news but he lived a good life and made a lot of us happy just to know him. He left good feelings wherever he went. Yours in sympathy, Bert

[Dean Romig]

Jeff, I remember Luke from the first time I shot at Pintail Point. We were at the 5-stand area across the pond and Luke and I met there. He was a happy, friendly fellow and really seemed to like to be where the shooting was.
Our best dogs live in our hearts and memories forever.

[Jeff Mulliken]

Bert, Thanks for your post. In his later years when he slowed down a bit he carried himself with understated elegance and class....sort of like a certain gentleman from West Virginia.......

Dean, My favorite memory from Pintail Point was when Luke tried to pick a fight with the leopard skin that Kevin McCormick had under his display table in the Parker tent. Luke's lip curled and he growled a low rumble when he looked into those glass eyes. That may be the only time I ever heard that dog growl.

The look in Kevins eyes was worth the cost of admission...I think he really thought Luke was going to take a chunk out of that long dead cat.

[Bill Murphy]

Yup, I remember that altercation. As I recall, The Lovely Linda served some babysitting time for Luke while his Dad went looking at shotguns. Although Linda and I are in Wirehair heaven at this time with Eva, we have regular houseguests of the "Bring em Back" persuasion. Our normal canine population here is one German Wirehair and one "Bring em Back" of yellow or black style, depending on the day.

[Jeff Mulliken]

Bill, Please pass along my regards to the Lovely Linda.

Luke and Anda:

http://i105.photobucket.com/albums/m231/jeffmulliken/034.jpg

[Fred Preston]

Jeff, I recall 3 or 4 years ago at the Southern and I had brought old Ringo with me, at his insistance even though it wasn't his "venue", and when we were walking by your location, he and Luke introduced each other dog wise. Shortly, Luke let out a low growl that I could hear and we walked on. From past experience, I know that Ring gives the same signal so low that I can't hear it. I believe those two "A" dogs could have have become effective partners if they had a common purpose.

[Peter Clark]

Jeff,
You may have seen my post/posts regarding losing Labrador family members. Cody, of old age last year and Cisco, only 3, in an unfortunate accident this May. You have my sympathy. I am convinced that Labs are really people with 4 legs and good noses. Our new pup is helping with the loss and perhaps you might consider the same.
Peter

[Jim Williams]

Jeff,

So sorry for your loss. We enjoyed many tales involving LTWD over the years, and we will miss the future installments not to come. Rest peacefully, LTWD.

Jim