Monday, March 28, 2016

New Sherriff in Town...Brodie, by name.

Brodie came to our home as a birthday present to me from my ever-thoughtful Bridget.  She understood the loss I felt when Tucker passed away back in November, and this is her way of bringing back English setter life and love to our home.

I picked Brodie up on March 23, 2016 way up in the Colebrook, NH area at Deadwater Gundogs of New England (https://www.facebook.com/deadwatergundogs/ ) .  It just so happened that they had a litter of 13 ready to go and sold, but had two last minute cancellations.  Scott from Deadwater sent us a video of the two pups left (a male and a female); the little male, with his half mask, was an instant hit with us.  One of the deciding factors was that in the video, he knocked over a broom, and it didn't phase him one bit; he went right to it to inspect.

Brodie's mother is Deadwater Zee, a hard-working dog in Deadwater's guiding string.  His father is 4X Champion Long Gone Buckwheat, winner of the National Amateur Woodcock Championship and the Grand National Grouse Championship.  Lots of horse dog power between those two.  And yes, I have a lot to handle on my hands!  Brodie is a beautiful tricolor, my favorite of the setter color schemes.

Anyway, here's Brodie during his first visit to his new backyard:


Brodie's schedule has pretty much worked out to an hour as a blur, then an hour of this:


I love the wavy hair of a setter's ears.  A little secret:  I've also always loved the smell of a setter's ears:


Tucker left behind an almost astounding collection of stuffed toys for the next guy in line.  Brodie particularly likes mauling the polar bear:


It didn't take him long to pick out his own easy chair (we have absolutely no problem with that; Bridget even piled up a couple pillows to help him figure out how to get up there:


After almost a week here, I figured it was time to get Brodie acquainted with the Cave (after a semi-massive clean-up of feathers and fur - thank heavens for that big closet!)


I believe he's found the Cave to his liking:


So that's our Brodie.  I look forward to sharing the journey from puppy to gundog over the years.  Brodie is only the sixth setter I've trained, but they all turned out to be great bird dogs and friends.  I hope you'll enjoy the ups and downs of it all as the years pass.

Cheers,
Gary


17 comments:

  1. A beautiful puppy, hard to believe he's a "leftover"! Bring him up to meet the woodcock one night. The Oban is still unopened!

    Rich

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  2. Ya, I don't know the circumstances of the cancellation; I'm just glad there was one! He will definitely be over for the scent of woodcock soon. But he can't have any of the Oban...only me!!!

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  3. Congrats on your new pup Gary. I know Brodie can never replace Tucker, but you will make new adventures together. I still ,miss my Lila even after a new dog and more than 10 years. I amvery familiar with the Colebrook area. I was up there winter and summer every other weekend for 5 years and fished all over the area. Where exactly is this breeder?

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    1. Laurene, go to their facebook page (there's a link to it in this post. Actually in Columbia, NH, just before Colebrook.

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    2. Thanks Gary, I know exactly where this is. I have fished out of my canoe at Fish Pond. Good brookie fishing in years past. Must be near there.

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    3. Thanks Gary, I know exactly where this is. I have fished out of my canoe at Fish Pond. Good brookie fishing in years past. Must be near there.

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    4. Sounds right...you'd enjoy a visit there.

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  4. Gary a great looking friend you have there! He will keep you feeling young training him. I look forward to meeting him this fall when you travel up to the Miramichi.
    Colebrook is a long way north for you. I always travel through Colebrook on my spring motorcycle trips on my way from Errol NH to Island Pond VT and points beyond. We do this trip for the Dixfield Notch stretch. Hope to see you in a month or so.
    Brian C

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    1. Looking forward to seeing you, Brian, and later in the year, you meeting Brodie!

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  5. He's a keeper Gary - looks like the makings of a great buddy.

    Take care, Ed

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    1. I suspect strongly that you're right, Ed. Mebbe sometime we can take him for a walk through the grouse woods near you. Be about time you and I met face-to-face! And you have to meet Brodie up close and personal. He asked me if he could get a Bernie Sanders tattoo today!

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  6. What a great face!!!! Looks like he might be a powerful fellow, too. Handsome fellow. Wonder if he likes chewing on cork!?!

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    1. That will of course depend upon his propensity for chewing through aluminum first. I have it on good authority that that is entirely possible however, lol. If he does get to the cork, I hope he has the good sense to chew a Wes Jorden indent into the grip. LOL.

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  7. Hi Gary, I meant to share with you, my Ollie, my English Cocker is from up in that same area. I got Ollie in Orleans, Vermont.

    Ed

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    1. I think I've seen pics of Ollie on your facebook page, Ed!

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