1. Spend time with them each day. You are their everything.
2. Don’t hide your excitement, let them see the kid in you.
3. Your expectations of a bird dog are high but their expectations of an owner are higher.
4. Don’t sleep on it take them to the vet.
5. Go hunting with them at least one time just the two of you.
6. Tell your new friends about your old dogs.
7. Their falses aren’t the only ones in the field.
8. Judge your hunting friends by how they treat their dogs.
9. Always stop to pet them.
10. Stop walking, sit down you will see how much they love you. Enjoy it.
11. Treat puppies like puppies and treat your 12 year old like he still is one.
12. Know when to retire them and give them everything they want. They gave you everything they had.
13. Have patience when they are hard of hearing...it’s the birds fault.
14. Show your boys that there’s reasons to be gentle in this world. Bird dogs are just one of them.
15. You helped her down the stairs when she was young now help her up them when she is old.
16. Take the picture every single damn time. It’s worth it.
17. Enjoy their determination even when it’s not after a bird.
18. When it’s time to say goodbye don’t leave his side. Hold him. He knows what’s happening and he’s happy you are with him.
19. Remember them, visit the places that made you both so happy. Think about her while you stop walking and sit down with her daughter on an October afternoon.
20. Understand that you can not fill the hole they left in your heart but remember them and they will be with you every step of the way.
