Bird Dogs & Training  |  05/20/2014

Birth of a Bird Dog Litter


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It’s time for me to pass out the cigars. Two weeks ago, a litter of nine German shorthaired pointers was born in Iowa via the pairing of Hope, the dam, and Snuffy, the sire. The litter consists of four females and five males attached to nine different families anxiously anticipating their homecoming later this summer. I am excited to report one of those little female pups will be joining my family.
 
Familiar Bloodlines
 
After the tragic death of “Izzy” last autumn, I wanted to fill the void left in our home immediately. As with any loss – person or pet – it took time for me to come to terms with the fact my beloved bird dog was gone. During that time, I searched online for litters, evaluated hundreds of online German shorthair rescue profiles, and scoured the aisles of National Pheasant Fest & Quail Classic for breeders. I considered a wide variety of breeds, sent my wife dozens of rescue profiles, momentarily considered adding two puppies at once, and learned a lot through the process.
 
Ultimately, however, I came back to the bloodlines I know fit my family and hunting style. Both of my bird dogs, “Trammell” and “Izzy,” have come from Top Gun Kennels and their “Higgins” bloodline. Steve & Jodie Ries, owners of Top Gun (and longtime Pheasants Forever supporters), provided me with the best option in a breeding with Izzy’s dam, Hope. So with a heavy dose of patience, I’m proud to announce I’ll be bringing home Izzy’s half-sister later this summer. And yes, I do indeed have her name already picked out, but I’ll be saving that proclamation for a future post.
 
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-Bob St.Pierre is Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever’s Vice President of Marketing. Follow Bob on Twitter @BobStPierre