HAPPY, Is that a HALO?

Is that a Halo?  .......I think it is!

Fun Gordon Setter Factoid

Did you know that there are at least 2 famous people (that I know of) who have owned Gordon Setters?

Diane Sawyer, morning anchor for ABC News, years ago, had a big Gordon Setter named George.

Ed McMahon, from the Johnny Carson's The Tonights Show, has also owned a Gordon Setter. McMahon's Gordon was named Juniper Berry.




Anyone else know of any famous Gordon Setter owners?

Well.........besides Leigh at Come By Chance!

                                            **********    UPDATE    **********

My husband, with his great memory, (but lousy timing!...after publishing this post) just reminded me that Jameson Parker has, or had,  Gordons and he also used to have a Sporting show on OLN. He also stared with Gerald McRaney in the tv series, Simon & Simon.

Breeding Dogs, In An Already Over Populated World

Cash at 8 wks./6-15-10

I have, on occasion, felt guilty for intentionally bringing more puppies into this already over populated with mutts, world. I know there are lots of dogs and cats that get put down every day, because some human was irresponsible and allowed their animal to roam and add to the population.  I truly hate that. I feel terrible for these poor unloved animals. But, ya know, I can not change that. If I could, I would.  It certainly is not of my doing, and I can not take responsibility for what others are so careless about. I try to help. I promote adoption, in the right circumstances, and I donate to shelters.  But I won't stop breeding these beautiful, hard working, loving, Gordon Setters, because there are too many mutts in the world.

The puppies we bring into the world, are almost always wanted, and spoken for, before they are born. There are people in the world who want certain breeds, like working dogs or bird dogs,  like our Gordon Setters. I love my Gordon Setters so it's very easy to understand why people seek them out. Those are the people we breed Gordon Setters for. They, are the one's we plan our litters for. They are the people who promise to love our puppies, care for them, and help them live up to their potential. Gordon Setter owners are very special, just like Gordon Setters.

I'd like you to meet a few of them here. This is why we bring these puppies into the world.

This is Molly and Dolly......now Reba. How could I feel guilty about that little princess smile?!

And what little boy, doesn't need a puppy?

Kelly, their Mom,  and Reba. Reba will live on a ranch in Montana, with her kids and horses and lots of people. What a great life for a Gordon Setter!

Mark and his kids, Bailey and Luke,  with Hank, who is now, "Sure Thing Hammering Hank". What a great name for a bird dog!

Ahhh......Puppy Kisses are the best!

And this is Ann,  a first grade teacher. Patsy....now Dixie,  went home with Ann to live in  Wyoming.  I bet Dixie will be the super star of Show and Tell Day!

 This is Rose Marie and Mary Anne, with Emmy....now Grendal. Sisters from Great Falls, who are going to spoil her rotten! What more could I ask for??

This is Mark,  Kathleen, and Ann, who is taking June to Spokane. Obviously, June is very happy about that!!

This is Mark and Judy with Cash.....now Flash. Mark works for the Federal Fish and Wildlife Service. Cash is going to have lots of adventures tagging along with Mark.   

 

So you see, our puppies are very wanted and well loved. They are all where they should be.  I'm going to bed now.  And I'm going to sleep very well.

For Your Health and Your and Your Bird Dogs

Studies have shown that spending time with a dog can do wonders for a persons spirit, which in turn, does wonders for the body. We, and our bird dogs,  get lots of exercise during bird season. But this time of year is more of a challenge. At least if you live in a place where hunting season is done with. We do other things in the off season.......our dogs still need something to stimulate and excite them also.  A little play time,  with a little training mixed in, and a lot of love and affection can ad years to your life and his. Play with your dog, make sure you give him plenty of praise,  and make it fun for you both. He'll know if you're not having fun and it will affect how he participates. If you're excited,  he'll get excited too. This is great bonding time for you both. All it takes is a few minutes a couple times a time. Aren't you BOTH worth it?

FACT: Interaction with a pet lowers blood pressure and stress levels.

Computer Crash........I Need Your Info!

I am still trying to replace emails, phone numbers, and addresses, of clients and friends in the business. If you have contacted me for a puppy, and have not been in contact with me in the last 2 months, please, please, call me, write, or email with your information.

If you are on a "puppy list", please send me an email to make sure I still have your information.


Our computer crashed a little while back and I do not have the original list. I am doing my best to recover all lost info, but it is not happening. 

If you want to make sure you are on the puppy list,  please call or email.  

............I DO NOT HAVE A BACKUP..............

Sitting By The Fireplace With My Gordon Setter

Happy "hugging" Karen
Photo By: Tim Herring


 
Happy, one of our Gordons, is almost 13 now. I've noticed his eyes are getting cloudier and his hearing is definitely not what it was even one year ago. Sometimes he walks into a room and has that look like he forgot why he came to that room, sort of like me sometimes. He sleeps a lot. Maybe because it's winter. Maybe because he's tired. When I have my coffee in the mornings we sit by the fire together and warm our bones and muscles to start the day. He's such a sweet little Gordon. I love his soft hair and long brown feathering. This is one of my most favorite moments of the day. I think it is his too. I'm glad he enjoys spending it with me in front of the fireplace. He even gives me a grateful hug sometimes.

Merry Christmas to All!

I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a Merry Christmas! I would like to thank my readers for showing up almost every day to support me and my blog. I appreciate you all and it has been fun to "meet" some new bird hunting enthusiast's. Thank you for your participation and input. It is very important to me.

A Special Thank You to my Followers: Brian,  Art, Tim,  Mikey,  Steve,  Norm,  Bill,  Kyle,  and my parents too! Thanks Guys!

May you all be blessed with enough work to make you tired. Enough rest to replenish your body. Enough food to make you feel satisfied. Enough love to warm you through the winter. And enough laughter to keep you healthy. Merry Christmas!

Peace and Love to You All ~


Karen and Dan,  Happy,  Gracie,  Blackie,  JJ,  and  Mickey

Motel 6 Now Welcomes Dogs

If you are going to be traveling over the holidays with your Gordon, or any dog, this may interest you. 

I just read on the AKC website, that  *Motel 6, has dropped their restrictions on the number of dogs allowed. They are also offering discounts to AKC registered dog owners.

Click on the title to learn more in detail about the rates, locations, and discounts.

*NO AFFILIATION

Diseases You Can Get From Your Dog

According to top Veterinarian, Marty Becker, these are the most common diseases that you can get from your dog.

                                                                                                                                                                                               MRSA on a Dog

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Hookworm

                                                                                              Ringworm

                                                                           

1.  MRSA (Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus) a bacterium that is spread through close  contact. It can be treated  by antibiotics,  but can be very serious and even life threatening, if not treated properly. MRSA can be passed from dog or cat to human, and, from human to dog and cat.  Apparently, cat owners have the MRSA bacteria in their homes 8 times more  than those without cats. If your dog has a sore that won't heal, get help from the vet before it spreads to other animals or family members. Be sure to use latex gloves, especially if you happen to have a cut or open sore. Wash your hands often.  According to webmd.com,  MRSA causes more than 60% of staph infections.
2. Parasites - Ticks & Fleas. From the ticks, you can get Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and Lime Disease. Fleas will multiply like crazy and will infest your entire home before you know it. From the fleas, you can get dermatitis from the bites, and worse, the fleas carry worms. Tape worms, hook worms and round worms. All of these are nasty creatures and some can grow large enough to kill a dog. It's important that you treat your dog for ticks and fleas with a monthly product, or a product from your vet.  Clean poop area every day, or every other day, and it should never get to the infective stage.
   
3. Ringworm - Ringworm is not a worm of any kind. It's a fungus that grows outwards in a circle and causes irritation and inflammation as it spreads out. It can cause crusty lesions in dogs and itchy raw spots on humans. Dr. Becker recommends that you give your dog regular baths.  Keeping your dogs bedding clean should also help. 

With most of the above, washing your hands is the best preventative measure you can take along with regular vet checks to identify problems before they become serious.

An Allegiance For The Gordon Setter

"Although the Gordon Setter, along with other bird-hunting dogs, cannot be considered to have any great future so far as its basic function is concerned, though there is no need to despair of a breed which has commanded so much past allegiance.....

Since the time of its great vogue, which may well be put in the latter half of the nineteenth century, is has claimed fervent partisan supporters in every country to which it has spread. The ability to incite such enthusiasm is the best possible guarantee for this wonderful dogs future."

Cited from Wikipedia/Gordon Setter

Guard Dog Watching Guard Deer

Guard Dog, watching Guard Deer . ( We've got to get this guy hunting!)

Gordon Setter Owners, Truly Appreicate Their Canine Partners

This is "Weavey" at age 12 and totally blind. In his last days, Michael planted birds for him to enjoy. You can see the bird launcher close by, but Weavey couldn't. He just enjoyed the aroma!



My husband had a Gordon Setter when we met and married 25 years ago. We have had a dozen Gordon Setters since then and have raised a lot of Gordon Setter puppies. I've learned a lot about canine behavior in those 25 years. I've also learned a lot about Gordon Setter owners. They come in all sizes, male and female, all with different back grounds and occupations and personalities. Most hunt, some do not. Some have families, some do not. But there is one thing they all seem to have in common. They truly love and care for their animals and especially their canine friends and companions. They treat them like part of the family. Gordon Setter owners seem to recognize the fearless spirit and intelligence of the breed and truly appreciate it. "Ginger" is a Gordon Setter owned by one of our readers. She had her 15th birthday this week. Art, her owner, wrote that he had planted birds for her to sniff out and enjoy. She found those birds and pointed them. At 15, I'm sure she doesn't hunt much anymore, if any. But Art understands how important it is for Ginger. How much she loves the smell of birds and the excitement she feels when sniffing them. The thrill of the chase. The thrill of the fetch. The thrill of pleasing her human partner. It's all part of who she is. I'm sure for many years she provided Art with hunting stories that he will tell for ever more. Now, she is 15, which is 105 in human years. He is giving her the respect and dignity she deserves in her old age. Making her last days as enjoyable to her, as her first days were to Art. It's no big deal to Art, I'm sure. He's just doing what any Gordon Setter owner would do for their partner and friend. Hats off to Ya, Art!

Cocoa Mulch & Chocolate - Poison for Our Pets

Cocoa Mulch is a garden mulch that actually contains cocoa beans and is sold in many garden stores around the country . You may have already received an email about this, but it's worthy of reading again. Cocoa Mulch is said to have a sweet smell that can entice your pet to take a bite or even ingest some. Checking with snopes.com, (which I have found to be reputable) , this is what I found. First, It is true that this cocoa mulch is dangerous and can be deadly to your pets. There are only a few documented cases of death, but that's enough for me to NOT take the chance with my Gordons. Studies show that 98% of dogs won't eat the stuff. But, of the ones who do, 50% of those were harmed in some degree or another, depending on the individual dog. The cocoa mulch contains cocoa beans. Cocoa beans contain 2 stimulants. One is called theobromine, the other is caffeine. (Both, also in chocolate) Your dogs digestive system is sensitive to both. They can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. In high doses they can cause seizures, a rapid heart beat, muscle tremors and death. For more details and more about Chocolate and dogs, please go to snoopes.com and search cocoa mulch. Well worth the read.



NO AFFILIATION

MOUNTAIN GROUSE HUNT - OUR FIRST DATE

I met Karen in the fall of '84. Our first date was a picnic up in the mountains. She was a bit concerned when I picked her up in a beat up Dodge Power Wagon with a bird dog in the back. She was really alarmed when a Grouse crossed the road and I slammed on the brakes, pulled a shotgun from behind the seat and said "let's go". She elected to stay in the truck while "Rosie", my Gordon Setter, and I chased a bird through the woods. I'm sure she wondered what she had gotten herself into. We had a great picnic on Divide Peak on the Montana/Idaho border. Karen soon fell in love with the dogs and the mountains as much as me, and we celebrate our 25th Wedding Anniversary this December. DWT



Photo By : Tim Herring

Welcome to Gordon Setter Crossing!

Welcome and Thanks to all of you who followed us here!

We think this is a much better place to be and you will too! And now, you'll see some great pics, great Links, lots of blogs, and suppliers for all your Gordon Setter and Hunting needs. We encourage you to comment and join discussions. We hope you will enjoy and learn from our blogs. Thanks for your time and Happy Hunting!

OUR GRANDSON ALEX

HAPPY 16TH BIRTHDAY ALEX!!

Picnic at the Lake

Took the Grandkids and Happy to the lake yesterday for a picnic and fishing. The kids had a great time and Happy loved it too. At first he didn't want to go into the water, but I waded in and encouraged him and then he came in. The grandkids and I scooped water with our hands over Happy's back. It cooled him off considerably and he seemed to enjoy it. Gordon Setters, and dogs in general, are sort of like kids. They don't always know what's good for them. We have to expose them to different situations and experiences that make them who they are. Happy is never so beautiful as when he has his nose in the air sucking in any little bird scent he can find. Even if it was just cormorants, I'm sure he enjoyed being there and having hot dogs with the family instead of being at home alone.

posted by Karen Thomason on Aug 4 9:00 PM

Kids & Dogs Have Plenty of Energy - Put Them Together!

Jeffrey, Dan, and Kaleb with "JJ"

I've found one of the best ways to exercise my Gordons, as well as the grandkids when they come, is to put them together. Get a big pack of tennis balls and give them to the kids to play fetch. Make it a game so it'll be fun for the kids as well as your Gordon. Give them a little timer to time the Gordon's fetch. It'll be loads of fun and believe me, it'll run off that extra energy in your kids as well as your Gordons.

posted by Karen Thomason on Jul 16 9:48 PM

Kids and Gordons A Great Combo

Gordons are great family pets. They are usually very good with children and protective of their human family. It's important to teach kids to respect your Gordon, as a live animal. Teach them how to pet your Gordon the proper way. Teach them that pulling the Gordon's ears or tail, hurts him. Teach them to respect your Gordon when he is at his food bowl, or taking a nap. If children are taught the proper way to interact with your Gordon, they will have a long, happy and loving relationship.

posted by Karen Thomason on Jun 30 6:48 PM