Cappy was just under 7 weeks when he arrived on Febuary 24th in 1991 on a UAL Air Frt flight from Portland, OR. When we arrived at home, and even though Carol had held him during the 20 minute drive from the airport, the little guy immediately bonded with "daddy."

In case you noticed, yes ... that was a duck's wing that Cappy was already being introduced to.

He had a very loving and reassuring next 4 weeks at home with little learning other than his crate training and to go potty outside.

At 12 weeks we began OB as I do with all gun dawgs. They also get their first intro to a live clipped wing pigeon

Although he'd retrieved bumpers on land and water both for several weeks in almost exclusively a fun-learning approach, he also got his 1st water retrieve of a bird at 12 weeks,

The next step for Cappy was 4 more months of training and preparation for his first hunting season and first NAHRA Hunt Test.

Here he was at just over 7 months where we do a lot of our training.

And finally ... what all that preparation and training was all for ... Cappy on opening day of his first duck season in October of 1999 ...

Beautiful dog!

Great pics. Wish I had the time and money (and enough space)to train Indy. I'm still goin' to give it my best! I'll make sure to contact you for any pointers:D .

Calvin and Indy

Calvin ... I know you didn't mean it that way, but you just cracked me up when you said ... "I'll make sure to contact you for any pointers" ... You see, I spent the first 42 of my 46 years of dawg training with pointing breed dawgs! So I'd be happy to try to offer you some pointer pointers too! :p:

Cappy is beautiful and talented! You've obviously put alot of time, work, and love into training him and it looks like it's paid off for you!

Oops...I know, I know boy dogs aren't BEAUTIFUL they're HANDSOME:p:

I'd like to correct two things ... in my original post I said Cappy arrived in 1991 and that should actually have read 1999. He turned 4 this last January.

And to Choc Lab Mom ... It's ok ... he is Beautiful ... at least on the inside. When ya get to be an ole fut like me you'll be able to look inside a dawg and read their very soul ... and Cappy has as beautiful a soul as a human could ever have a right to see.

I can't take credit for his appearance, skills or athleticism. But more importantly (at least to me) than any of those attributes ... is a heart and soul that I've never had the pleasure of seeing in any dawg before. The good Lord smiled on me in granting me this pup which I bought sight unseen, breeder selected for me.

Jim,
That's hilarious. I wasn't even thinking when I wrote, but hey it was good for a laugh. Who knows I might just have to take you up on that one too.

Calvin and Indy

Jim

Cappy is a beautiful dog and it sounds to me like you and Cappy have a wonderful relationship!

Dee ... Haven't you ever heard the famous old expression ...

"The old man, grandson and dawgs that play together, stay together! ;)

Ick, dead birds! Can't you edit that out for me? ;) Oh well, it was worth it to see those sweet puppy pictures.

NJ, your love for your dogs just comes through in your posts. You always speak of them with such pride. :)

What a great story of Cappy - I'm so happy that you both love each other. If more dog owners could have "half" the heart as you do.
Love all the pics

Wow! not only is Cappy beautiful, but the scenery in that last picture is awesome too!

CLM ... Shame on you ... haven't you figured it out yet ... doesn't take but a HINT of an excuse for me to post more Cappy pics! Hehehe.

RM ... "Ick"??? Like in a disgusting kind of Ick??? Hahaha. You non-hunting gals are all so sweet and love your dawgs too, so those kinda comments don't bother me at all. By the way, I assume that you don't eat chicken or turkey. You do? Really? My goodness, did you think that they all die of old age before being prepared for market? :p:

Just to satisfy both of you ... Here's Cappy and my wife Carol holding a drake mallard and a Canada Goose (Ick?) where we hunt in Nevada high desert country ...

By the way ... you can see why I'm NOT the designated photographer by that shot. Carol really gets po'd with me, hahaha. :brow:

Nope, Jim, I'm a vegitarian. To each his own, right?

:)

LOL! Nice shaddow. You just had to be in the picture, didn't you. lol! Looks like something I'd do.

Hahaha ... Vegetarian, huh? I considered that as a possibility before I replied above but ... your pic doesn't indicate that your are BLONDE! :D (Sometimes I really crack me up)

Here's some evidence that it really DOES get cold in NV where we hunt during the waterfowl season. We get 1 or 2 snows each season there, usually in mid to late December. Incidentally, just 14 miles from where that picture is taken and over the mountains in the pic is ... AREA 51. And yes, we have seen some mighty weird "things" over the years there.

Oh and by the way ... guess who had been sharing a donut with Cappy just before taking that pic and putting his finger on the lense. Oh boy, did I get it for that. :(

Nope not a blonde, firey red-head. ....thanks to that bottle of color I dump in it every now and then. lol!