Page 8 - Gun Dog Department

THE
////////////////////////////////////////////////// DOGS OF //////////////////////////////////////////////////
SCATTERGUN

they do it well. They’re ready to hunt several dogs on the first day, including ness, getting it done with the fewest
when I get them. They all know the same Sophie. I quickly learned that my initial number of steps, and that comes with
commands, and have had the same impression of her being mostly a pet was experience,” says Chuck. “She’s already
training.” a seriously flawed assumption. When it a star around here.”
was time to hunt, she bolted out the Dog handlers Jake Ekert and Hunter
HUNTIN’ DOGS door like greased lightning, and worked Louden brought dogs in and out of rota-
So, how did they hunt? In one word— the strips of milo like the seasoned pro tion on drives, so the dogs were always
spectacularly! Our group hunted with she is—never working too far ahead, fresh. They included Sammy, a nine-year-
and never failing to deliver a downed old yellow Lab that made a 150-yard
bird to hand. retrieve at one point, and Kaia, a five-
“She absolutely goes about her busi- year-old yellow Lab. Also along were a

A young black Lab makes
an enthusiastic retrieve,
bringing a rooster to hand.

60 GUN DOG MAGAZINE | November 2019 gundogmag.com gundogmag.com November 2019 | GUN DOG MAGAZINE 61