DuckSouth.com

I haven't been too interested in duck hunting lately. My first lab/Golden Retreiver died in January of Blasto Mycosis(sp) and it took alot out of me. He was 10 mo old when he got sick and died a month later. Man he was comming along real nice. I've never had a dog that wanted to please me as much as Duke. I worked with him everyday. The entire time I had him I was working 2 jobs. Manytimes we would work after I got home in the dark. It made him know difference as long as he was with me. It was hard to see him go from 100lbs as a 9mo old to 70lbs in 5 weeks. They told me to put him down because it wasn't good odds that he would make it and treatment was very expensive. But I spent every dime I had and then some to help him. The last week was pretty ruff.

Anyway, when he died it turned me off of duck hunting. I didn't know if I wanted to hunt anymore. Hear lately I have been thinking about hunting alot more and believe I ready to give it anouther try. I'm sorry for being idiol for so long. I haven't been on the board long but many of you have been real nice. I look forward to getting back in it. I thank God for giving me the opportunity to own such a great dog, even if it was for a short time.

Very sorry about your dog. As bad as Jig (my 18 mo chocolate lab) is, she's like family to me, and the thought of something like this scares the crop out of me. I hate to hear about this kind of thing!

GOOD LUCK!

mike

Get another puppy, won't be the same might be better might be worse. Sure heals the soul. Somebody said, " If dogs don't go to heaven then I want to go where they go!" Or somethin like that. Dogs are like family but they're on a 10-12 year deal, people are on 70-80 year deal.....got time for more dogs....Sorry.
I lost a Duke once too, 'bout kilt me too.

Many of us on here have experienced loosing a dog......and know how tough it is. Remember the good times.....look back to laugh and learn.
He'll always be a part of you and that's the best thing that comes from having a dog that idolizes you......he'll always be there. And that feeling you get when you think of Duke is him telling you that he misses you, too.

'Glad your back. Hang in there. We all know what you're going through and you'll make it just fine. 'Just takes time.....some, longer than others.

'Anatidae'

sorry bout DUKE and glad to hear ya gonna try to get back into the swing of things....

Denduke wrote:Get another puppy, won't be the same might be better might be worse. .

all I can say bout this,from experience is,"DO NOT EXPECT PUP TO BE ANY THING OR DO ANY THING THE WAY DUKE DID" it will cause to dislike pup cause they all act and learn different.

Sorry to hear about the dog, glad to hear that you are giving it another go!

It is never good to hear of the death of a hunter's compainan but i am glad to hear you gettin' back in it, i know its tough.

ducks&bucks, I'm sorry to hear about Duke. I lost my 12 old lab, Jack about three years ago. I got a new pup, Chief, a few weeks after. It does help, but Chief is not Jack. They both have different personalities. Jack was a soft loveable dog and Chief is more independent. It does help to get another dog....I promise. I am kind of going through what you went through with our family pet mixed breed, Shadow. He is about 13 months old. A month ago I took him to the vet because a knot came up on his neck. My vet removed the mass and the bioptsy(sp?) came back positive as being a round cell cancer, eighter lymphoma or sarcoma. Two day after surgery it spread to one of his lymph nodes on his neck. The prognosis is not good....about one to three months to live. Under my vets advise I have put him on a cordizone(sp?) threatment. At this time he is happy and active, but the vet says that it will only help keep him active as long as possible. I certainly sympathize with your loss. Keep your head up and start looking for a pup.

Thanks guys for your words or encouragement.

Don I'm sorry to hear about your dog. Remember that God want laugh at cha for praying for a dog.

I got me anouther pup, but its not a lab. I got a Mt Cur. I just didn't think I could handle getting that atached to a dog again. I like my new pup, Bullet, but he's a hunter and I know it. He doesn't aim to please as much as doing his own thing. And thats fine with me as long as he come when I say. Thanks again.