The day had finally come. I knew this was no dress rehearsal. It was just after sunrise. There he was, my master. The way he dressed and the spring in his stride gave him away. Here he comes. It was time the season opened. QUAIL SEASON, the time of the year I shine! This is my day!
All bird-dogs have waited for this day and all the dogs out here know it is hunting season, except the puppies. They do not understand why everybody is so excited, and barking. They probably think its feeding time or play time. Well, I best back up and tell you who I am and who He is.
I was born three years ago on Christmas. There were four brothers and three sisters. Mom is a five-year-old black and white pointer. Very high bloodline and lots of papers. They called her a field trial dog. Father, he is also from the same type of family background. Really, I think the family is kinda on the snooty side. My brothers, sisters, and I have a nice home to grow up and play in. Soon we got solid food and got to exercise regular. I remember a man would come and let us out and...WOW! What an experience!
One day, I spun around and a brilliant yellow butterfly lit next to me. All of a sudden, I froze in my tracks. All four feet firmly planted, head held high, focusing my tail at 12 o'clock high. I was not sure what had happened. It felt so right, like it was some sort of reflex or something.
Up and away the butterfly fluttered, and the chase was on! With sister now in tow, off we went. The butterfly lit again, before I could freeze again, sister had him dead on. Her body was frozen, so I froze too. We would learn later in life that this is what he called a point and what I had done was to honor her point. What fun we had!
One day a new man came to play. He let out my sisters and I only. He was different. Don't ever think that man's best friend doesn't know one Human from another. He called to us all and we ran to the field behind our big kennel. All the others barked and got all excited, but this man paid no attention to all the others.
Usually, the big dogs get out and go. Today, it was we sisters. He spoke to us all and then picked up Jill and hugged her, put her down and sent her playfully on her way. Next he called my other sister Fanny and did her the same way. So, when he called me, off I went. He swept me off the ground, pressed me to his cheek, and hugged my neck. As he placed me to the ground and whisked me along, I saw there was something in his hands. There! Out of the corner of my eye. There was movement. I froze, not even thinking, something inside me went off, like the butterfly that had frozen me once before. I saw it twitch. It made me even tighter, as I focused, my tail became rigid. I began to quiver. As the new man spoke low, deep, and quiet. "WHOA", as he approached me "WHOA" again low and deep. I couldn"t stand it any longer. I leaped toward the object of my interest. UP and away it went. I put on the chase until it landed on the grass out in front of me. I froze. It felt right. This was really cool! "WHOA" I heard, as the man approached again. I felt his hand stroke my back, then up my tail all the way to the tip. He picked me up and hugged me once more then put me back in the kennel. He walked back to my sisters Jill and Fanny. They were fighting, and he threw something to the ground beside them. The same creature I was in the grass. I froze, but the sisters didn't care. He separated them and played with Jill. I saw the creature lift off and land like the butterfly. Jill looked at the creature, but onward she went running. The man controlled this creature and some way it was holding onto that pole in his hands! It hit the ground again. Jill looked at it and went on again. It flew again up and down, driving me crazy! Jill and Fanny did not seem to care. The man picked up my sisters, brought them back to the kennel, and put them back in with my brothers and me. "Dolly" He called, as he bent down and looked at me. "Dolly", "Dolly", so I went over to see what was up. He walked across the yard with me and whistled every so soften, also very quiet. This man was definitely different from the other men that had come to see us. He did not bellow like that old bull across the fence. He walked and spoke to me as we went along.
When we got to his truck he picked me up, put me in a box in the back, and closed the door. We started to move. The wind, the motion, I'm not feeling so good. I didn't like this. Not soon enough, we stopped. The door opened and this was not my home. The sound of everyone barking and jumping was not familiar. The man picked me up and walked down the line of pens in the kennel. He spoke to each dog as he passed. They clamored for his attention. He opened an empty pen, hugged me tight, knelt down with me, and spoke with such kindness. This was to be my new home.

Mark Davis
Dapady Ranch And
Corporate Retreat
912-835-2964