[Blind Dog]

Archie's first birthday will be here in a week and a half. He's had a pretty good year. He's now a stretched out, hard running pup in late adolesence. At the end of last season, he found and brought in three downed birds to me without playing keep away. A week ago he and his mentor, Pete, and I went for a stroll on the farm along the edge of a field bordered by a brushy, tree covered, waterway. Pete went on point about 80 yards ahead of me, and, Archie locked up 30 yards behind Pete, backing/honoring him. I went foreward, passed Archie, to find what Pete had found. I glanced back at Archie a couple of times and he was holding. When I got ahead of Pete's point, I flushed a pair of woodcock. I guess they were moving north; great fun. Yesterday I was out with the boys and Archie opened up with a strong chop quite a ways ahead of me. It didn't sound like he had his face in a hole. When I got to him, he was working a tree like an old Redbone. He must have pushed a squirrel or some other critter into a knot hole. He's supposed to be a GSP, not a TGS (treeing shorthair); is it the versatiliy of the breed, or is he a little bit trashy. Who cares, it's fun.

When we got Archie, we had Clyde, a 16 year old fiece who is well past his coon killing days. Clyde was pretty much moping around with little interest in going to the woods anymore. The old curmudgeon was not at all pleased with the whippersnapper, but Archie stood up to him and didn't back off with his childish play. Now Clyde can't wait for Archie to come around.