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Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Thu Mar 12, 2015 5:53 am
by Rick
The Duck Hammer wrote:...when the time comes.


Suspect preparing him to be useful will help make the six months until teal time pass much quicker.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Sun Mar 22, 2015 5:10 pm
by Rick
The new guy joined our gang yesterday and celebrated his first retrieve, albeit of a wing-locked bird, a bit ago:
Image

I think he'll do fine, but at this point he probably thinks me a party pooping asshole.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Sun Mar 22, 2015 7:24 pm
by flyn88
Gotta start them young. Great looking pup.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Sun Mar 22, 2015 9:45 pm
by DComeaux
Rick wrote:The new guy joined our gang yesterday and celebrated his first retrieve, albeit of a wing-locked bird, a bit ago:
Image

I think he'll do fine, but at this point he probably thinks me a party pooping asshole.



He has a serious look on his face....and it begins.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 6:01 am
by Rick
DComeaux wrote:
Rick wrote:The new guy joined our gang yesterday and celebrated his first retrieve, albeit of a wing-locked bird, a bit ago:
Image

I think he'll do fine, but at this point he probably thinks me a party pooping asshole.



He has a serious look on his face...


I chose the smallest fully feathered bird in the loft for him, but think he was a bit freaked out by what his genes were telling him to do. He's still awfully little, and it's hard to imagine he'll be hauling geese come November.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 8:20 am
by DComeaux
Whats the coyote's thoughts on this new addition?

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 8:40 am
by Rick
So far he's being the good uncle and much more patient with the pup than might be expected. Has even abandoned his usual sleeping place by our bed to camp out by the pup's crate on the other end of the house at night. Proof positive that the coyote is stone deaf.

Image

Expect to get back out to your piece today and see how the draining project has gone without the serious machine work it surely needs. Have learned it was supposed to be plowed by the end of this month, which probably couldn't have been done if it was properly burned and ditched a month ago, let alone starting last week with a hillbilly's shovel...

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 8:46 am
by Deltaman
Congrats on the new family member Rick, good looking pup :thumbsup:

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 10:39 am
by DComeaux
So far he's being the good uncle and much more patient with the pup than might be expected. Has even abandoned his usual sleeping place by our bed to camp out by the pup's crate on the other end of the house at night. Proof positive that the coyote is stone deaf.


Old NONC will take care of Tee Rouge. How does his loss of hearing relate to sleeping by the pups crate?

Expect to get back out to your piece today and see how the draining project has gone without the serious machine work it surely needs. Have learned it was supposed to be plowed by the end of this month, which probably couldn't have been done if it was properly burned and ditched a month ago, let alone starting last week with a hillbilly's shovel...


Wow!! That couldn't have happened without a lot of machine work, as you've mentioned. I'm free on the weekends if you need a hand. You know I don't mind doing work out there! Just give me a call!

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 10:06 pm
by Flightstopper
Look forward to see his training progress.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 5:51 am
by Rick
DComeaux wrote:How does his loss of hearing relate to sleeping by the pups crate?


Gather it's been a while since you've had a new pup sleeping away from its litter for the first time. They can holler.

DComeaux wrote:Wow!! That couldn't have happened without a lot of machine work, as you've mentioned. I'm free on the weekends if you need a hand. You know I don't mind doing work out there! Just give me a call!


Appreciate the offer, but unless you've a ditching tractor and backhoe sitting around we're just going to have to see what Doug does or doesn't come up with. He's in Houston for med tests ("Just checking things out.") this week and may have much more pressing concerns than he's let on.

Wish I'd been around when your buddies flooded the east blind, as I could have shown them how to make relatively quick, easy and readily adjusted dirt water controls that much better served than those gates things they put so much time, effort and money into. And I wouldn't have cracked a shovel handle digging them out to let the water drain lower than their gate holes allowed.

Anywho, I pumped the canal as low as I dared and shut it down before Saturday's trip to pick up the pup and it was filled again yesterday, so progress is being made however slowly.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 5:58 am
by Tomkat
Rick wrote:If all goes according to plan, I'll be swapping them out at the mudhole to help keep both fresh. Peake has really been double-whammied on that deal, as his has been the toughest beat any of mine have worked, and he's been my first without another working dog in reserve to spell him.

The "old" dog may be deaf, but he's still far from ready for retirement and swam nearly a mile of this morning's hike just to be doing so.


How old is too old, normally?

Also, what is the average weight of mature chessie male/female?

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 6:43 am
by Rick
No pat answers to those question.

How many seasons is going to depend on the dog's genetics, physical conditioning and what's being asked of it. My first one put in ten-and-a-half seasons of daily, mostly high volume light goose hunting before a genetically bum hip forced his retirement, but I've seen others that were way out of shape and about shot even as light duty weekend dogs at eight.

How big will depend on the particular breeding. The official standard says females should run 55 to 70 pounds and males 65 to 80, but the popular notion that Chessies should be big dogs makes it harder to find them within the standard than above it. My first two both topped out at a lean 96, but by making downsizing a priority when choosing their breeding, the last two have gone 73 and 66. Hoping the current pup ends up near the bottom end of the scale, as well, as our days of loading a truck with geese day after day are behind us, and it doesn't take a big dog to do it on an occasional basis. (Mighty fit little 38lb Brittany handled 53 blues, snow and specks for us one morning, just wasn't ready to go do it again the next.)

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 9:13 am
by DComeaux
Gather it's been a while since you've had a new pup sleeping away from its litter for the first time. They can holler.


Yeah, it has. Didn't even enter my mind. :lol:

He's in Houston for med tests ("Just checking things out.") this week and may have much more pressing concerns than he's let on.


I hope things are good with him and he is only "checking things out".

Wish I'd been around when your buddies flooded the east blind, as I could have shown them how to make relatively quick, easy and readily adjusted dirt water controls that much better served than those gates things they put so much time, effort and money into. And I wouldn't have cracked a shovel handle digging them out to let the water drain lower than their gate holes allowed.


Timmy used a lot of coonass ingenuity on those. I had nothing to do with the engineering, construction or installation, but they are a one of a kind design, for sure.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 10:25 am
by DComeaux
DComeaux wrote:
Gather it's been a while since you've had a new pup sleeping away from its litter for the first time. They can holler.


Yeah, it has. Didn't even enter my mind. :lol:

He's in Houston for med tests ("Just checking things out.") this week and may have much more pressing concerns than he's let on.


I hope things are good with him and he is only "checking things out".

Wish I'd been around when your buddies flooded the east blind, as I could have shown them how to make relatively quick, easy and readily adjusted dirt water controls that much better served than those gates things they put so much time, effort and money into. And I wouldn't have cracked a shovel handle digging them out to let the water drain lower than their gate holes allowed.


Timmy used a lot of coonass ingenuity on those. I had nothing to do with the engineering, construction or installation, but they are a one of a kind design, for sure.


I couldn't edit so I quoted myself to add... I have to ask...... you did shut the gate between the inner and outer canal, correct? And how did that work? I would screw it down a bit until the rod began to bow and I would kick or tap the rod with my foot. The gate would slide down with each tap. I was afraid that if I tried to screw it down without tapping on it the rod would slip out of that wallowed out hole again. The 90 end of that rod is pointing at the road through the gate hole.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 12:28 pm
by Darren
Rick wrote:
Gather it's been a while since you've had a new pup sleeping away from its litter for the first time. They can holler.


Even if Peake is head over heels for this pup, he's quite the uncle to spend the night next to his kennel; Bless Uncle Peake! We've thankfully moved on from that, now just a morning bark, typically on the dot of 6:30a, when it's time to head out for some morning relief.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Tue Mar 24, 2015 6:27 pm
by Bufflehead
Good looking pup. I like the color of him as opposed to the brown Chesapeakes that I've always seen around here.


Rick wrote:
How big will depend on the particular breeding. The official standard says females should run 55 to 70 pounds and males 65 to 80, but the popular notion that Chessies should be big dogs makes it harder to find them within the standard than above it.
I've been looking at a lot of lab breeders websites, some of those folks are breeding dogs that don't look like they could make a lap around the living room.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:22 am
by Rick
DComeaux wrote:I couldn't edit so I quoted myself to add... I have to ask...... you did shut the gate between the inner and outer canal, correct? And how did that work? I would screw it down a bit until the rod began to bow and I would kick or tap the rod with my foot. The gate would slide down with each tap. I was afraid that if I tried to screw it down without tapping on it the rod would slip out of that wallowed out hole again. The 90 end of that rod is pointing at the road through the gate hole.


It's shut. When it initially hung up on me and the rod started to bow, I thought it was bottomed out but when the interior got low enough saw I was circulating water and worked it the rest of the way.

Should-be-good news there is that I saw Doug hire the fellow who buffaloed for you to ditch and plow. Bad news, assuming it gets done, being the holy cow cost.

Speaking of which, don't know if you guys have been looking at leases, but, well, holy cow! Turns out Doug lost much more than just Dixie, including the big piece below yours and what was my favorite of our ag land in Wright (before he leased it all out), and it will cost crazy money to match what the landowners are being offered for others. Oil patch is apparently readier to lay off hands than ducks.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:47 am
by Rick
Darren wrote:
Rick wrote:
Gather it's been a while since you've had a new pup sleeping away from its litter for the first time. They can holler. We've thankfully moved on from that...


Even if Peake is head over heels for this pup, he's quite the uncle to spend the night next to his kennel; Bless Uncle Peake!


Just further evidence of Peake's deafness. Thought we were past the yowls last night when he was quiet both when initially kenneled and after his 1am airing, but he showed me by starting up at 2:30, albeit just long enough to make me get up and close the bedroom door. Sly devil.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 5:56 am
by Tomkat
Very important to start them young on live birds. Great looking dogs.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 6:02 am
by Tomkat
Rick wrote:No pat answers to those question.

How many seasons is going to depend on the dog's genetics, physical conditioning and what's being asked of it. My first one put in ten-and-a-half seasons of daily, mostly high volume light goose hunting before a genetically bum hip forced his retirement, but I've seen others that were way out of shape and about shot even as light duty weekend dogs at eight.

How big will depend on the particular breeding. The official standard says females should run 55 to 70 pounds and males 65 to 80, but the popular notion that Chessies should be big dogs makes it harder to find them within the standard than above it. My first two both topped out at a lean 96, but by making downsizing a priority when choosing their breeding, the last two have gone 73 and 66. Hoping the current pup ends up near the bottom end of the scale, as well, as our days of loading a truck with geese day after day are behind us, and it doesn't take a big dog to do it on an occasional basis. (Mighty fit little 38lb Brittany handled 53 blues, snow and specks for us one morning, just wasn't ready to go do it again the next.)


Brandy is 83 lbs of live wire muscle....great for swimming in the current chasing crips, not so good in my layout boat, etc.
My next one will be smaller, if possible. If I lived further south I would look at a Boykin, One of the things I was looking at Chessies is that I thought they ran a little smaller. Smaller does not mean less capable; but I can see some advantages of a smaller dog.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Wed Mar 25, 2015 8:03 am
by Rick
Should be much easier to find a well bred small Lab than Chessie. Have known several go-getters well under 60.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 6:36 am
by Rick
Even here in Southwest Louisiana, it's been too cold for a pup in baby fuzz to do more than wade without getting chilled. But we've had a few straight extra warm days and waited until late afternoon, when the sun had warmed the shallows as much as it would, before taking yesterday's field trip:
Image

Turns out young Marsh is a watery fellow who's ready for more than wading and short accidental "swims" when conditions get right. Still can't hang with Nonc (uncle) Peake, of course, which frustrates the dickens out of him:
Image

But he'll follow me through even weedy swimming water without stressing:
Image

And we're passing a mighty fine time, us guys:
Image

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 8:17 am
by Darren
very nice! Got to get harry in on some water work this weekend as well, post upcoming.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 8:30 am
by Flightstopper
Keep the pics rolling Rick. A couple lucky hounds.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 12:10 pm
by Ducaholic
Rick excellent photos that give me the impression that the little guy will do quite well. The Coyote seems like a willing tutor for his eventual replacement. Cool stuff!

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 1:24 pm
by Rick
Thanks, guys. The coyote is unbelievably tolerant of the little rip and has already been a great help in bringing him on.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Mon Mar 30, 2015 9:04 pm
by DComeaux
That's awesome Rick! I had to call the daughter to the computer to have a look at the pup. We just had to laugh at that last pick as I was doing a bit of narrating through the pictures. That pic says, OH BOY this is the life!

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Tue Mar 31, 2015 6:21 am
by Rick
DComeaux wrote:OH BOY this is the life!


Tickled me at some swimming water late yesterday when he took a mighty leap off the bank toward the coyote, went under when he landed and swam back to shore - then did the same again a few minutes later. Not quite ready to swim for the joy of it, but he's getting there.

Fwiw, first guy Doug thought he hired to plow your place did nothing (may well be trying to get it back for himself), so another has (hopefully) been recruited, and Roundup should have been flown on yesterday.

Re: Looking ahead...

PostPosted: Wed Apr 01, 2015 2:27 pm
by ohioduck
2 great looking dogs Rick. :thumbsup: