Sportsman's Blog

“I hope your day improves.”   Those were the words meant to comfort me as I left my veterinarian’s office yesterday morning.   When I had arrived a half hour earlier my heart was still filled with hope that my nearly 10–year old black lab, “Duchess” would snap out of her recent medical funk.   Didn’t happen that way.   Nope!   Instead, the prognosis was so grave I decided to end her misery by signing the paperwork for euthanasia (which is a word almost as scary as the process itself).

Of course my mind knew this day was coming, but my heart just didn’t want to let go quite yet.   You know, canine hunting partners teach us so much during their life.   They’re with us during some of our most glorious outdoor moments.   They’re never critical of our sometimes lacking abilities…they just want to be part of the action and please their master in the best way they know how.

Yet, even in death a canine companion teaches us so much.   As most sportsmen, I’ve been through this before…and most certainly I will go through it again someday with another dog.   Saying goodbye is just never easy.   I look at it this way.   Each of the dogs I’ve known in my life are like chapters of my life.   The storyline might be slightly different with every dog, yet their main purpose adding fulfillment to your life always seems to be a constant.

Duchess was certainly no exception.   Admittedly she wasn’t my best hunting dog ever.   In fact, our days afield during most of her life have been somewhat limited because of her early health issues tearing an ACL.   She just never had the stamina for long days afield because of these previous joint injuries.   Still, she fulfilled my need for a canine partner in every other way possible.

Yes, there’s a strong bond that develops between a hunter and his dog.   It’s sort of hard to explain, in fact.   The dog doesn’t have to possess the best nose in the world or even be sharp as a tack with its retrieving and recovery skills.   Nope, when you enter the field with your canine hunting partner all you really hope for is to act in concert with one another to have a little hunting fun.   Isn’t that what it’s all about anyway?   Man and dog working as a team while sharing quality time together in the outdoors.

Like it or not, eventually we must all face reality.   Compared to our lives, the life-cycle of a pet is fairly short, yet it sends a strong reminder to each of us to think about our own mortality.   Let’s face it…we only get the pleasure of hunting with a certain number of dogs in our lifetime and for me, at least, the final words have just been written on yet another chapter of my life.

When your canine partner approaches the twilight of their life it can really tear at your heart-strings to see them lose their quality of living.   At first thought you want to prolong the inevitable decline by offering them medication to ward off the medical signs and symptoms.   Eventually, however, you just look into their eyes and you know it’s about to come to an end.

Friday and Saturday morning I looked into Duchess’ eyes and I realized we were about to part ways in our physical presence, but certainly not in our shared spirit.   The tail had stopped wagging and the sad eyes indicated she was losing her will to battle on with life.

Now comes the hard part.   As sportsmen we make decisions dealing with the life and death of animals all the time.   Some folks even accuse us of being cruel and heartless as we kill animals for our pleasure.   To hell with those folks.   They have no clue as to the agony I have faced over the past several days making tough decisions about a life other than my own.

Indeed, sometimes the hard part really isn’t knowing what action must be taken when you choose to end the life of your dog.   Nope, the tough part is carrying out the process of that decision.   You strive to do it in a dignified and respectful manner…but the reality and utter difficulty of the process can truly rip the most stoic man into emotional pieces.

I’m happy to report that my vet was right.   He hoped my day would improve, and it most certainly did.   I spent some “happy time” thinking about all the great moments Duchess and I got to share together.   In the process, I realized that although our time together seemed way too short…we shared a great life creating many fond memories together.   After all, isn’t that the real reason a sportsman even owns a dog?

2008 Jim Braaten. All Rights Reserved. No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Filed under: Dogs | 4 Comments »

Recently the story broke about two Minnesota Conservation Officers (game wardens) who had the day off and were doing a little duck hunting in Southeast Minnesota.   Everything was going as planned when one of them suddenly realized the dog was missing.   At the time they were boating across a lake with the dog tethered to the front of the boat, but obscured by the blind material.

Upon making the realization that the dog was missing, it was quickly determined the dog, Dutch, had been pulled by its collar for upwards of a minute when it fell overboard.   The two wardens were quick to rescue the dog…but this is where it gets interesting.   Or does it?

You see, the dog’s owner CO Todd VanderWeyst determined the dog was clinically dead.   Now realize that clinically dead is not necessarily medically dead, but unless some quick intervention takes place things will be irreversible.

So what are two quick thinking, trained officers going to do?   Yup, you guessed it.   They performed CPR on the dog and brought it back to life.   Heroes to everyone who knows them and loved the dog.

But not so fast.   I don’t think these two officers were looking to exploit their escapade.   Moreover, I will be the first to admit that what they claimed happened is certainly possible, albeit highly improbable.   You see, performing CPR and having a successful save is one of the surest ways to gain publicity and hero notoriety…but I’m just not buying the story.   Not here…and not the countless dozens of times I’ve heard it first hand from rescuers suddenly thrust into that position.

Here’s the deal.   I’m a recovering emergency medical professional who worked almost 18 years as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), many of those years employed by an Advanced Life Support (ALS) ambulance service.   Have I seen CPR work…most definitely.   But in EVERY case that comes to mind CPR alone is not what saved an unfortunate victim.   It was a combination of the drugs that were eventually administered along with the electro-therapy (heart start defibrillators) that jolted life back into the lifeless.

More often what happens is a minimally trained rescuer during the moment of excitement simply doesn’t feel properly for pulses.   Hey, this is sometimes hard to do even for trained professionals who make their living in the business.   Thinking a pulse is absent, CPR begins and stimulates a body THAT IS NOT LIFELESS.   In the matter of moments a person is elevated to “lifesaver” status.

I always found it curious that ordinary citizens seemed to have a much higher success rate for CPR than trained professionals.   Sure, the argument can be made that often these folks are immediately on the scene and intervention is quick.   Yea, but I don’t buy that.   The point I am trying to make with all of this is be very skeptical whenever you read about the bystander exploits of performing CPR successfully – whether on a human being or a dog, for that matter.

I’m not taking anything away from the two game officers who obviously shared their story with the media.   Indeed, important lessons can be learned from the episode such as keeping a watchful eye out for your canine companions on such hunting trips.   But if they really expect me to believe they performed CPR on a dog, in a boat, on a lake then I am one gullible sportsman.   Besides, I challenge most sportsmen to even tell me where they would palpate a pulse on a canine they suspect was in cardiac arrest.   Especially a cold, wet canine dragged under or behind a boat.

I guess given similar circumstances I would have certainly reacted the same way with my dog.   What the heck!   The big difference, however, is successful or not on the revival, I would not have disclosed this to the world through the media outlets for scrutiny.   I understand these officers’ motivation to use the experience as educational (for safety), but I’m not buying the act they performed or the praise they are surely now receiving as successful lifesavers.

© 2005 Jim Braaten.  All Rights Reserved.   No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Filed under: Dogs | 2 Comments »

There’s no doubt about it, one of the most exciting times in a sportsman’s life is when the decision has been made to add to the existing sporting family.   I’m not talking about a young couple choosing to have another child…oh no…this event is sometimes equally as important to that.   I’m talking about the decision and the process of adding a new puppy to the household.

Today I was driving to a local sporting goods store when I came to an intersection with a four-way stop.   On one corner was a flea market-like stand peddling flowers in advance of Mother’s Day (tomorrow), and on the other corner were two camo-clad adults with a small puppy pen and six energetic black lab puppies bouncing around with that “pick me, pick me” exuberance.

This got me thinking how puppies can be such a magnet for sportsmen.   There was literally a line of folks waiting to take their turn at playing with and holding a puppy.   There were children (who seem to be particularly attracted) as well as older adults who seemed mesmerized by the little black fur balls.

I, however, continued forward past the intersection and put the little impromptu puppy peddlers in my rearview mirror.   What I was not able to put behind me was the thought of what those sportsmen were trying to do on that particular intersection.

First off, I sincerely hope that nobody who stopped at that stand on this day decided to purchase a puppy on an impulse.   The fact is dogs can be a lot of work and can result in a real expense that needs to be carefully considered into the family budget.   And I’m not just talking about money here, either.   I’m also talking about the investment of time.   A pet, no matter what type you own, brings with it a set of responsibilities that any new potential pet owner should not take lightly.

But let’s get beyond the decision of whether or not a dog should be purchased.   My other big concern is doing your homework to make sure you get the right dog.   Once you determine what breed best fits your needs, you then need to move on and find a reputable breeder to fulfill your new puppy goals.   Take a lesson from me, DO NOT overlook the importance of this step.

My current hunting dog, Duchess, is a black lab that I purchased about six years ago.   I thought I did my homework as well as spoke to several sportsmen in the local retriever club.   I then settled on buying a dog from a reputable hunter, but albeit a new breeder.   I learned that sometimes buying a dog is much like a crapshoot.   You can do all the research necessary to hopefully make the gamble pay off…and in the end still end up somewhat a loser.

While Duchess has been a great companion she most certainly has also been a big cost to the wallet.   At just 22 months of age she tore her Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) as well as began developing early signs of canine hip dysplasia (CHD).   This condition, as I later learned, was also present in at least one of her other littermates.   In real money, the dog has cost me nearly $3,000 in surgeries and medications that I did not anticipate.   Moreover, I now have a dog that, in what should be the prime of her life gets sore quickly and must end the day’s hunt far too early for a dog of her age.

Even though I hold no hard feelings toward the seller of my dog…it certainly emphasizes the point to me that you can never be too careful when buying a new hunting dog.   Even when I thought I took all the necessary precautions and care, I ended up with a pooch that hasn’t quite met my expectations as far as her health.

My pointers when picking a new puppy:   1) Give it lots of careful thought and discuss how it will fit in with the family (for heavens sakes…don’t buy on an impulse); 2) Do your homework and spend the time necessary researching what breed and breeder seems to have the best fit for your situation; 3) Realize that to bring up a puppy properly it takes a real commitment of time…and be prepared to spend it; 4)  Discuss with the breeder the health history of the puppy’s parents and get a health guarantee in writing.   Usually most breeders will warrant their puppies for 24 months (sometimes longer) against genetic health difficulties; 5) Get the dog to the vet immediately for a baseline health inspection; 6) Talk to a qualified trainer early to get your dog scheduled for training, or at the very least pick up some tapes and books and do it yourself.

As you can see, if you follow the guidelines I have just described you will likely not want to stop at some intersection and purchase a puppy much like you would buy a package of gum at the grocery’s checkout line.   Buying a new hunting pal that will be part of your family’s life for the next 13 years or so needs much more careful thought than that.

I guess it comes down to this.   If you are really hard pressed to find a Mother’s Day gift it might be better to stop first at the flower stand on the opposite corner of that intersection.   Besides, it might take a huge bouquet of flowers to pave the way in convincing the “mom” of the household of your impending puppy purchase.

© 2005 Jim Braaten.  All Rights Reserved.   No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Filed under: Dogs | Comments Off

Is your canine hunting retriever one of those dogs that just can’t get enough of playing fetch?   Do you toss the training dummy or tennis ball a hundred times only to have the pooch still begging for more?   Maybe you walk away from the exercise wondering if anything can possibly wear out the energy found inside that dog.

Well, this might be just your lucky day.   Now there’s a device on the market that can put a gleam in even the most lazy dog owner’s eyes.   Introducing the automatic tennis ball launcher.   What respectable dog owner wouldn’t want to own one?

Click HERE.

It appears now the only trick is to teach the dog to retrieve AND DEPOSIT the tennis ball back into the bucket.   To do so will provide you (and your dog) many hours of hands-free, slobber-free fun.

© 2005 Jim Braaten.  All Rights Reserved.   No Reproduction without Prior Permission.

Filed under: Dogs | 1 Comment »