Sorry for your loss. I think the loss of a dog really hits us because they are much better at being friends than we are. I know I wish I could always be as good a friend as my boys are to me.

Mills my deepest condolences to you, Julia and the boys. Our dogs are family and the loss is always painful but as the pain fades the memories will live on.

Sorry to hear of your lose Mills. Having lost one of ours recently, Sandy and I know your feeling of sadness. The pain will linger for a time, but the memories of happy times will remain forever.

I am sure you have fond memories of Gator and so will your boys. Gator lives on with you, them and everyone he touched that much is certain. I sometimes forget my own name seems like but I can still vividly remember each and every dog that came through my life and some the great and bad events plus a whole bunch of other horses and interesting cats since grew up on a gentlemen's farm. As many bird dogs, retrievers and yard dogs we had its amazing what you remember about the animals that touch you.

There will never be another dog like Gator for you but I'll bet there will be some more good ones to come. It is not right the good ones can't last longer than you want them too.

I still remember my first dog or at least the one that I called mine. It was an old Brittany named Ranger that my dad had retired to the yard. I was bad rambunctious 3 and 4 year old and that dog thought I was its pup or something. He had nice spot in the garage with an old piece of tent canvas tied around an old sofa cushion. He stayed there every chance he got and would not move a muscle for hardly anyone else unless it was time to eat. But if I came out he pulled himself up and where I went he tirelessly hobbled behind me. We also had a big dinner bell that you could hear ring along way off. Rule was when bell rang it was time to come running home, original text messaging. I would race Ranger home and I always won but he was right behind me going as hard as he could. Fond memories and I'm sure your boys will have their Gator memories.

Have begun the search for another dog. Hoping for a bird dog this time so I can use those small bores more often

Another Lab Mills? With a little extra work they make wonderful all purpose dogs. I've had 4 now that are equally at home in the uplands as well as the marsh. Your boys are at the perfect age to help train it.

Yeah, I want a Brittany and Julia wants a lab. My son said let's vote and he votes both. He may just win

Can't go wrong with either. I prefer labs for retrieving since it just comes so naturally to them but have seen some decent pointing labs. Only problem with labs in Southeast is that they genetically carry more subcutaneous fat for insulation for cold water and climates and it really works them over if trying hunt them as a quail or upland type dog in high heat and humidity aka SE. Its just really rough on them and especially for black labs on sunny warm day hunting quail or busting brush, which deep south gets alot of during hunting season. Yellow and chocolates can fair maybe a little better. It really puts alot of strain on them and it is dangerous for them to hit the cover very hard for very long.

If you only get one dog a good researched brittany line is just about the best all round dog but I think teaching them to sit and stay for hunting in a duck blind can be challenging and counter productive to upland hunting. It takes mostly and older steady brittany to handle both.

By all means if you handle it get one of each. Besides maybe will wrestle with each other gnaw on each other as opposed to maybe gnawing on you. Actually that maybe the perfect solution. The Brittany will hunt a little further out and cover more ground and lab can hunt close and get some retrieves. Brittany with some work can maybe compartmentalize the training for blind work that the lab will excel at on long water retrieves and Brittany can get close retrieves. Win Win

It's hard to lose a member of the family like Gator was to you all. We think we own them but in reality, they own us... or at least, our hearts.

Get a happy puppy!




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Mills, gator will be waiting at the rainbow bridge, for you and your family when the time comes a joyful reunion, Gary