Daughters, Dogs, and Fishing

(as published in the Mountain Gazette, April 18, 2013)

Once again I’m writing from the road – an all too often occurrence. It’s a bit more of a challenge writing about the outdoors when you are in the city and you don’t have the great outdoors staring you in the face like you do back in Vermont.

So here I sit, surrounded by my outdoor reading material, lugged all the way from Vermont for writing inspiration – a Ruffed Grouse Society magazine; Fly Fisherman magazine with a “cannibal trout” on the cover; a spring edition of Northern Woodlands, featuring an article on “how young animals disperse” – clearly aimed at graduating seniors from college; and two issues of Northwoods Sporting Journal, featuring articles on “big trout tactics,” “ice out brook trout,” and “a boy’s first gun.”

My daughter Katie called and suggested that I write about the difficulty of training a bird dog in suburbia, which is where we got our first bird dog. Now I can’t get the thought of dogs we’ve had over the years out of my head. I trained my first bird dog about a mile away from where I’m now writing. (OK, for those keeping score, he was about the only really trained dog I’ve had.)

It wasn’t really that hard training a bird dog in the suburbs of Washington. It was most difficult training a bird dog with two little girls around who tried to undo any obedience I tried to instill. I remember coming home one night after a long day and was greeted by my two little darlings giggling hysterically. I asked them what was so funny and they said in unison, “Look at Daddy’s bird dog!” Then old Tupper comes running to the door wagging his tail. I think he was wagging his tail, but it was tough to see since he was wearing Little Mermaid panties. My little girls couldn’t have been more proud of themselves. Never has a good bird dog been more disgraced.

It was in training Tupper (a Brittany) that I first got published in Gun Dog magazine. I had sent in a training tip and a picture of Tupper. I still have the page from the magazine framed and hanging in the house. I even sent Tupper away for a few weeks to be worked on birds. When I went to pick him up the trainer was telling me all that he could do, all obedience training stuff. I think the trainer was hoping I’d be impressed. I wasn’t. “He could do all that when I dropped him off,” I said. Truth is you don’t have to live in the country to train a bird dog well on basic obedience commands you will use in the field.  Obedience training can be done anywhere…except maybe around a house with two little girls and a dog-indulgent wife.

Maddie helping to pick out our first gun dog

Tupper was a great dog. He had a good nose, was biddable, loved to hunt, and he could play “dress-up” with the best of them. He has been gone for over five years, but you never forget a really good dog…or a really bad one. My dad still hasn’t forgotten or forgiven Bentley, our first pound-rescued dog, for drinking his martini. Stories of Bentley could fill a book. He was a miscreant from the beginning – chewing everything, soiling the carpet, the refrigerator door, cabinets…don’t ask. His most redeeming characteristic, and it may have been his only one, was that he was great with children – especially ours. Whenever we returned from a walk the first thing he’d do was find the girls, then plop himself down and watch over his flock. He was a Bearded Collie after all.

The memory of each dog we’ve had recalls a stage in the life of our family. Thinking of Bentley, after suppressing memories of cleaning up after him, brings up memories of being newly married and starting a family. Tupper and Dixie (an Australian Shepherd) saw our transition from Virginia to Vermont. Calvin Coolidge, aka “smiling” Cal (a Brittany) and Cabot (an English Setter) are our “native” Vermont dogs and kept the nest from becoming too empty.

“Dogs,” thanks for the idea, Katie. You can train a dog anywhere, just like you can start and raise a family. But when it comes to “finishing” a bird dog or a child, is there any place better than Vermont?

OK, what about fish? As if I had forgotten. Fish are good to eat, but more fun to catch. Bass catch & release season opens April 13^th. Regular Bass season opens June 8^th and runs through November 30^th. Trout and Landlocked Salmon season opens on April 13^th and runs through October 31^st (no closed season on the big lake). Finally, Walleye season opens May 4^th and runs through March 15^th (2014) for all waters except the Connecticut River and Chittenden Reservoir.

Happy days afield. Please visit www.sportingafield.blogspot.com for more news, musings, and interviews or to leave questions or comments.

Bird Dogs are more expensive than planned, Part 2 of 3

Katie and me riding in the car.
Katie:  "Daddy, we thought that Mommy would be really happy with the puppy, but she wasn't.  She was really mad.  But it isn't my fault right?  Because I'm just a kid.  You're big and you should have known better.  Right?"
Me:  "That's right honey.  It is Daddy's fault.  He should have known better."

Katie loves the new puppy

Burdock was a good puppy.  He was very sweet and easy to house train.  I took a week or so from work to start his training.  Coworkers commented that I took more time off after getting the puppy than I had taken off when my girls were born.  That may be true, but my mother-in-law didn't offer to come over to help out when I brought the puppy home like she did when the girls came home.  And while Karen had no interest in anything puppy-related, she had stopped working (outside of the home) and reluctantly picked up with puppy care when I was at work.

Burdock's arrival put a distinct chill in my relationship with my children's mother.  In fact, for the better part of a month Karen and I hardly spoke.  It was a time of quiet reflection.  One day, while I was at work, Karen was bringing Burdock back into the house after he took care of his puppy business and she found Maddie "choking" on a Barbie shoe.  At least that is the story.  Karen seemed to think it was rather thoughtless of me to expect her to watch both a two-year old and a puppy.  I found it somewhat ironic that I'd get in trouble because the two-year old was chewing on things and not the puppy.

Something had to give.  I really liked that puppy, but I new the children were very fond of their mother.  Would it be the puppy or the wife.  I considered my options.  There weren't many.  I told Karen I'd get rid of the puppy.  The Soviets won the Cold War.

Brother Kirk gets a new pal

I didn't feel right advertising or trying to sell Burdock.  He was a very good puppy and I hated to see him go.  Katie wasn't too happy about it either.  She kept reminding me, "but Daddy, I really love that puppy."  It was a fun time, really.  Then I got an idea.  I wondered if my brother Kirk would like a puppy.

So I called up Kirk, who lived in Connecticut at the time, to see if he'd like a great little puppy.  He said he'd have to ask his wife Anita.  I told him that I thought it was a good idea to ask his wife before bringing home a puppy.  (I may be slow, but I can be taught.)  Kirk got back on the phone and said he could have the puppy, but he had to promise Anita she could have another baby.  I don't know whether that is true or not, but they did have another daughter after Kirk got Burdock.  I used to tell my niece Jessica that she needed to be very nice to Burdock because she owed him a lot!

We drove up to Connecticut to visit my parents and to meet Kirk to give him Burdock.  Kirk said he was getting dagger eyes from Katie as he led Burdock away.  Katie was certainly sad to see her puppy go, but I'm sure she never gave Kirk dagger eyes.  She didn't learn how to do that until she was a teenager.

Bird Dogs are more expensive than planned, Part 3 of 3

Burdock was gone and my fragile marriage was restored.  I asked Karen that since I had gotten rid of the puppy was she going to return her new shoes?  To paraphrase, her response was, "no!"

The Cold War was over, but was I happy?  I really enjoyed Burdock and I was now bird dog-less.  How could I ever grow up to have an outdoor blog without having a bird dog?  What to do?

Maddie helping to pick out a new puppy

They say that money can't buy love.  That may be true, but money did buy me a second chance at a bird dog.  As part of my contrition, I agreed to several home improvements Karen wanted.  We installed hardwood floors upstairs and put in a full bath in the finished basement for guests - both significant investments at the time.

In the months following Burdock's relocation to Connecticut, Maddie learned to play with toys rather than trying to eat them and I had been a very good renovating husband.  I thought the time might be right to ask Karen if we could get another bird dog.  She said sure, like nothing had ever happened.

Katie with Tupper on our way home

I called Del Rossi and told him that my brother had been taking care of Burdock and had become very attached to him so we decided Kirk could keep Burdock and we'd get another puppy.  That seemed to be a better story than I had to give the dog away, but six months later I was in the market for another puppy.

Karen was a good sport and the whole family drove back to Cap May, New Jersey to pick out a puppy.  The girls played with about 5 puppies for quite a while.  Finally, one puppy just walked up into Katie's lap and fell asleep.  Katie looked up at me and said, "Daddy, I want this one."  And that is the one we got.  We named him Tupper, after Tupper Lake, where both my parents are from.

Karen learns to love again

For me, Tupper was a great dog.  He was easy to train and was a solid hunting companion.  He also developed into a tremendous office dog, joining me each day, without fail, in my home office.  He didn't work overtime, but was solid throughout the day.  He is gone now, but he is remembered fondly and is still missed.  I never would have gotten Tupper if I hadn't given Burdock to Kirk...and without Burdock...Jessica?  Who knows?  Things seem to have worked out fine.

Bird Dogs are more expensive than planned, Part 1 of 3

Back in our days in Virginia, when I was just a budding sportsman wannabe, I had a dream of having my own bird dog.  I researched breeds and research breeders.  Occasionally, the anticipation of an event ends up being far different than the eventual reality of it.  This is especially true if you don't share your puppy plans with your wife.  Trust me; this I know.

First, some background.  My wife Karen had decided that she'd like to leave work and stay home to raise our daughters.  Katie was 5 and Maddie was 2 by the time this was economically viable.  I figured that with Karen staying home, there couldn't be a better time to get that Brittany puppy I had always wanted (since I talked myself into it).  While we hadn't discussed it, I was certain Karen would warm up to the idea of a puppy once she met the little fella.  I mean, who doesn't love a puppy.  Heck, I'd even take some vacation time to house train the pup Karen's last week of work.

I found a good breeder up in Cape May, New Jersey - only about 3 hours from where we lived.  Katie was in on the plan.  No 5-year old ever kept a secret better than Katie and boy was she excited.  I told Karen I was taking Katie "fishing" for the day.  (Note to new fathers, if you lie to your wife don't involve the children.)  We had to swing by my office in DC on our way out because my coworkers had held a puppy shower for me and all the new dog stuff was in the office.  Katie thought this was a great adventure.

Where was Maddie you might ask.  Maddie was at daycare oblivious to my evil plans and trying to ingest small toys.  This would also play a part in my inevitable downfall.

Katie and I arrive at Quail Hollow Kennels and it is time to pick a puppy.  Steve Del Rossi brings out the litter I was interested in and Katie and I pick out a nice puppy.  He is a cute little orange and white Brittany.  We name him Burdock.  We are pretty certain Karen will be surprised and delighted.  She was certainly surprised.

Burdock's arrival.  Katie is happy, Bentley is not impressed

When we arrived home at the townhouse all the neighbors came out to see the new puppy.  I am sure all the neighborhood wives were wishing they had such a spontaneous and thoughtful husband.  Boy, wasn't Karen the lucky woman?!

Katie and I bring Burdock in the house to get him used to his surroundings so he will feel comfortable peeing all over the floor.  The phone rings and it is Karen.  Everything was going great until I answered the phone.  I'm talking with Karen and Burdock decides that he should say hello, so he starts to bark...just a little.  All of a sudden my sweet bride is silent.  "That better not be a puppy," she says.  "What?  That noise, I'm not sure what that is," I lie (again).  "Huh," I think.  "She doesn't seem to be too pleased with this yet."

Now the neighbors know that this puppy is a surprise to Karen, so they decide to wait outside for Karen to come home from work to see her reaction to my thoughtfulness.  Karen arrives, looks at the puppy, looks at me, drops off her work bag and leaves the house.  Katie picked up on Karen's mood right away.  She was a very perceptive child.  "Daddy, Mommy didn't seem happy to see the puppy."  I fed the girls dinner and waited for Karen to come back home.  She eventually did, with new shoes, the result of some shopping therapy.