With relocation to upstate NY, My hunting season was greatly delayed. Sunday morning, we should have had a ton of geese as most every flock that came through the valley headed towards our knoll. We did get three of which two would have been very difficult to get without my boy Freighter. He was all bout running down those pesky honkers that had not been stoned on arrival. More news tomorrow.
Ron Schuna

rms

Way to go Ron. How do you like NY??

Ken

Hey Ken,

So far so good. Good town, people, and hunting, what more could you ask for. The kids like school here and the community is very nice. Well if it's training grounds, there appears to be plenty of rolling hills here in Upstate and the farmers seem real friendly. I'll have to get out and knock on some doors this spring to line up some fields.

BTW, Congrats! on a FANTASTIC season and achievement. You and Scott have gone where few get with these CBR's and the rest of us can only keep working to get the right stuff.

rms

Ron;

Whereabouts in NY? I am located in Richford, just south of Ithaca, just 1/2 hour from Millheim's!!!

Lisa

Lisa,

We're in Cobleskill. 120 miles East of you.
Ron

rms

Whad ya know, you found a spot to shoot a goose or two. Was it as good as all da places we've hunted in Minnie soda?

Do ya tink a black dog could've done bedder?!!!!

Well Bro Willie,

On dat der morn, (minnesoda for "that morning") it required the stillness of a CBR on the clear knoll amongst the decoys to bring em in. Then, the delta force attitude of a bird crazy chessie was required to chase down the enemy and capture them. I don't know if a black dog could have handled it unless it had spent alot of time getting trained with CBR's.

When you're ready, send that little black 'Ram puppy of your's out for some intense summer immersion training with her CBR cousins in NY. I promiss not to send her back until she's ready to run with the BROWN DOGS (so she may stay a very long time)

rms

Well, that immersion training sounds great, but the only immersion she's gonna get this summer is launching herself black dog style into the marsh after bumpers if ya know what I mean. I promise to take some video of what a black dog can do.

Picture a warm summer day along the shore of one of our many sloughs. Imagine a glossy coated black dog stylishly leaping as only a black dog can into the water to retrieve her quarry. Watch as she rips through the water for the enemy and returns with lightning speed and delivers to her favorite pal.

Doesn't it make ya wish you were back here in MN????

Yes I do wish I were back there in MN. We could split the cost of birds, fuel and hotels for trials and heck, Freighter would love to hand you a bird or six at the Mallard Hole. We sure wouldn't need any railroad bed rocks to get him in the water like the golden we hunted over in '02. That was the worst $500 I didn't spend by not bringing Freighter on that trip. So, With all the books, encouragement, videos, etc.... I look forward to that little Tar of yours showing some style and perseverance in the retrieve in '04. But...just as a member of the team said to me at a trial a couple years ago in Maine, "anyone can train a black dog" Not everyone can train a 'Peake.

rms

I guess you really like the challenges of training since this is your 4th brown dog. I really like less of a challenge. What did someone say once, "Less is more"? Yes, I may have taken the easy route, but Labs are what we grew up with. What happened to you? Did you have some kind of epiphany or something that told you to get a CBR?

By the way, Is it bad form for Black Dog owners to be members of the team?

See ya,

Willy

It is awsome that Black Dog owners are members of this forum. We all lean on each other and learn from all the info brought to the table.

As far as what happened to me.... After I lost my first brown dog to torsion, I swore I'd never own another. Then you bought me Sedgegrass Sampson for a graduation present. Did you forget you are partially responsible for the direction I have gone with dogs. Training them is all the same. It's reading them that's different for CBRs. I think that Black Dog in in your kennel is going to be at least as big of a challenge. So, don't think you're on easy street with this one. You're probably going to have to keep a collar on her rump just to keep it on the ground.

rms

I totally forgot mom and I bought Sam for ya. Sorry! We should've bought a Black Dog!!!!!!


Yes, she will need a collar most of the time if not always. I think I'll develop one that's implantable and have the transmitter up my sleave or something. Then she'll be live always!! What do ya think? Want to join me in the endeavor? Could win lots of trials! Especially cause she's black.


On a more serious note, I took all the cedar shavings out of her house and replaced it with pine. Her ears are getting red and she's scratching all over the place. Any ideas? I think she's allergic to cedar. My boss took his Black dog to the vet for the same reason and she got a cortizone shot. I'm going to try and avoid drugs for now.

Good old bedding straw. The only setback is Belle likes it for desert! I think I mentioned the skin reaction to cedar that Sam had in the past. Straw or the floor in your house are your options. Lose the pine or she'll end up with slivers.

rms

Mr. Meyer has used pine for years without trouble. Straw tales on too much moisture from breathing. IMO