Ruger

Brad Bortner

Well-known member
Supporter
Ruger was a pup I bought from backyard breeder as a birthday present for my youngest son on his 9th birthday. He joined our family 3 hours before my old springer passed away. Ruger didn't come with a sterling pedigree and I didn't spend years training him to run Field Trials, Hunt Tests or HRC competitions. Instead his training happened every weekend during the hunting season with my boys and on an annual trip to Saskatchewan. He broke at the sound of gun fire, he didn't take hand signals or even know more commands than "fetch 'em up" and "sit". But he knew his job was to go pick up ducks and bring them back to me and my boys. He faithfully did this for many seasons with many hundreds retrieves of ducks and geese. He didn't demand any attention or affection from others but he always took carry of grooming the other dogs by licking their eyes when they were droopy or drying them when they were wet after a swim. He was short legged, broad chested, blocky-headed, walked with a funny gait because I once ran over him with the front tire of my Suburban, and never had guard hairs on a saddle on his back so he had a wooly golden splotchy back.

Despite any and all of these "shortcomings", he was loved by everyone and will be missed. He lived to play ball, fetch ducks and look after my son and other dogs. He will forever "Fetch 'em up" with a bufflehead in his mouth. I hope his is resting by the fire and looking after all of his buddies that passed before him. I'll miss you Ruger.




 
Great tribute, sorry for your loss.
Best dog I ever hunted over was trained in the same manner and knew about that many commands. But like Ruger, she lived to fetch ducks.
Great dogs like that sure are missed when they leave us.
 
A dog doesn't need papers to let his heart & love show, Ruger sounded like he had plenty of each to give to his "pack". I'm shure he'll be missed a lot. I'm sorry for your loss, they are never here on earth long enough!
Dennis
 
Gene Hill wrote a great short story, tribute about how every kid deserves a "brown dog". Ruger was you and your boys' "brown dog".
I second Jim's sentiment, "he was handsome".
Sorry for your loss, hold onto the memories.
 
Brad

Losing a family pet and hunting companion always hurts in ways you didn't even know existed. You have my sympathy and I hope your family will cherish the memories Ruger created.

Eric
 
Thanks for all of the thoughts and support about Ruger.

Let me introduce Brant (blue collar) and his yet unnamed brother (owned by my son). Puppy breath heals the broken heart. The voyage is launching once again.


 
I always get so misty eyed when i read these fare thee wells to there faithful friends ...
and this time is like all the rest ,,right fine job on the tribute ..
fare thee well Ruger..

some day all will be rejoined in the skys above...

good luck with the new family members

shermie
 
Great tribute. I believe in the style in which you trained as well. My dogs will never be valued on how many tests they run or pass but rather on their loyalty and their obvious drive to simply retrieve and please. I'm willing to bet Ruger had many more retrieves than many senior hunter dogs as well. Good luck with the new pups!
 
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