Dexter Dog has Passed.

[Ruffshooter]

This Saturday morning, I had to put down my best buddy. Dexter was an 11 year old Brittany. He was a big boy 65 pounds, 25 or 26 " at the shoulder. His heart was even bigger. Dexter was not my best hunting dog (he was a self hunter always looking for a meal) but he had more heart want than any dog I have ever known. Ole Dexter Dog was the most stowic creature would hunt through any, pain any conditions, would tackle any thing he wanted to. (This did cause us some discussions).

I got Dexter through a local magazine called Uncle Henry's. You can get horses, cattle, goats, antiques, boats, houses, land, business's you name it. He cost $150 dollars to buy but near $6,000 to own Vet bill only. He was unregistered. I did not trial him. The place I live now, in Mount Vernon, I purchased because he was having such a good time exploring and just being a wild creature. Dexter never needed to be hooked up. He always wandered off hunting for himself yet would come back any time I gave the whistle. Tail always waggin. He had such a manner that he would never harm another dog or any person. (One time before moving to MV I was in my trailer in a Park heard a thump thump thump, I look out side and there is a little 3year old of a neighbors hitting him in the head with a wiffle ball bat. He just stood there a took it.

Here are a couple of accomplishments of Dexters. Not the normal puppy stuff this was all as an adult. Even up to the last month of his life. He truly kept me on my toes.
He led Little 12 week old Black Bart into the swamp at night and left him there. Dexter came back with out him. I called and could here nothing except the Coyotes. I went into the swamp and called, eventually heard the little squeals and whines of Bart, the coyotes were closer. I found Bart before them. Went back to the house and Dexter was laying on the lawn head down then turned his head away from us. (He was not happy I found Bart) Did not like sharing his home.
Ate trash when I forgot to keep it out of reach,
Even when you thought he could no longer get up to the kitchen counter, he would manage to pull him self up and eat my steaks or what ever. (I never learned and under estimated him at times).
Chewed and ruined 6 bed comforters, (Usually happened if I left him behind and forgot to block off the up stairs).
Ate one birthday cake.
Chewed up two cell phones.
Chewed through my quail pen with chicken wire and american wire surrounding it and ate 30 quail. (I notice he was gone to long and he was not coming to the whistle, Had a bad feeling so I went to the pen, there he was inside laying down inside exhausted with a pile of feathers around him.
Up in Moosehead, Maine north of he golden road: We were going down the dirt road (he always got excited on dirt roads) there was a moose running down the road just 15 miles and hour or so, I rolled the window down enough and was trying to get a picture, Dexter jumped out of the vehicle and chased the moose down the road bitting at the mooses legs. I don't know what was going through his mind other than he had a craving for moose burgers. I got stopped and finally got him back to the truck. Thank good ness he did not get the crap beat out of him by that moose.
One time at the trailer we came home from work. (Dexter went to work with me every day.) I let him out of the truck and the second he hit the ground he raced across the lawn behind another trailer, out came a white flash (white cat) back across the lawn straight to a trailer with a whole in the skirting just big enough for the cat. Dexter was just about 20 feet behind. The cat went in the whole and with out missing a stride went for the whole. Well the whole started out being bigg enough, Dexter blew out about a10 foot section. As I was trying to get him to come, there was a heck of a bunch of noise under that trailer and Dexter came out with just a piece of white taile in his mouth. (good boy)


Dexter was not a very stylish but always found birds and he would tell you what kind of bird it was and what it was doing. He would point with a low head, low tail, pure deterimnation in his eyes, whole body quivering. Dexter would hold his tail straight down if it were a grouse, if it was woodcock his tail would be straight down twitching back and forth. He was always right. I never got to hunt wild pheasants with him but I think he would have done fairly well. We used to hunt them at a preserve north of us. On one hunt he tracked a Pheasant for 20 minutes stopping on occasion to point then would self relocate till finally he pinned it so its only choice was to fly as I went in to flush. It was truly fun to watch. I did manage to hit that bird. He and I had a race to get to the downed bird. If he got there first it would be eaten in three gulps. He did keep me in shape.

THere were trips fishing which could be a whole books, that he got hooked trying to steal my fish. Being stubborn and not wanting to leave back up stream etc. You kind of get the idea of who Dexter was. I smile now looking back but you know what I mean.

Ole Dexter dog was a unique individual, I will truly miss him and his big heart. We had some great times and some tribulations. The house, passnger seat of the truck and the office will be empty as will a large part of my heart.

[dlfl]

Dexter sounds like a great friend. I think he trained you pretty well
The good times and his love will forever be in your heart.

[big steve46]

Nice story, Sorry for your loss.

[Ruffshooter]

Thank you guys. He certainly did hve my number.

[gar-dog]

Sounds like quite a character indeed! Very sorry for your loss. We had a stubborn beagle who took a whole turkey carcass out of the trash and dragged it through the house and was quite the bossy incorrigable one. She and Dex would have been great friends. When we put her down at 14, I cried and cried, even though she was such a little turd.

[Dennmor]

Nice story, Sorry for your loss.

Ditto,
dennmor

[tmoneysju]

excellent tribute, and I'm sorry to hear about your loss, he sounds liked a great buddy

[wems2371]

Dexter sounds like quite a character........ Sorry for your loss. Denise

[kumate]

sorry for your loss bud

[Willie Hunter]

I'm very sorry for your loss, reading the following has always made me feel better after the loss of a dog.

Musings
by Richard Biby, Contributing Editor
Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

From time to time, people tell me, “lighten up, it’s just a dog,” or, “that’s a lot of money for just a dog.” They don’t understand the distance traveled, the time spent, or the costs involved for “just a dog.” Some of my proudest moments have come about with “just a dog.” Many hours have passed and my only company was “just a dog,” but I did not once feel slighted. Some of my saddest moments have been brought about by “just a dog,” and in those days of darkness, the gentle touch of “just a dog” gave me comfort and reason to overcome the day.
If you, too, think it’s “just a dog,” then you will probably understand phases like “just a friend,” “just a sunrise,” or “just a promise.” “Just a dog” brings into my life the very essence of friendship, trust, and pure unbridled joy. “Just a dog” brings out the compassion and patience that make me a better person. Because of “just a dog” I will rise early, take long walks and look longingly to the future. So for me and folks like me, it’s not “just a dog” but an embodiment of all the hopes and dreams of the future, the fond memories of the past, and the pure joy of the moment. “Just a dog” brings out what’s good in me and diverts my thoughts away from myself and the worries of the day.
I hope that someday they can understand that it’s not “just a dog” but the thing that gives me humanity and keeps me from being “just a man.” So the next time you hear the phrase “just a dog.” just smile, because they “just don’t understand.”

[Ruffshooter]

Thank you all. Willie, Richard Biby pretty well nailed it. I am sitting here with the other dogs looking at Dexters empty bed. What a strange feeling.

[bobman]

isn't it strange how no matter what kind of a PITA a dog is we still can't help but love them

[mountaindogs]

Dogs are family. We love our family no matter what they do. And I assure, my family is crazy and difficult. Sometime I have to roll my eyes and count to about 1000, but my Dad is still my dad, and my Mom is still my mom and my mother-in law, well... And I don't know what I would do without them.

I am so sorry for your loss. It is those that we share tough times with and love life, and learn patience with that we miss more than anything.

[gar-dog]

I just got back from a music recital at a church this afternoon, and in a garden courtyard they were doing a "Blessing of the Pets." Yeah, people love their critters! They teach us a lot about ourselves

[Bird Dog 67]

Sorry for your loss.......................I think I would've liked Dexter............the stories remind me a lot of myself growing up! Revel in the good memories!

[GSP 4 me]

Hang in there. Putting down a dog is a tough one to swallow. Those memories of Dex will live with you forever and thanks for sharing them.

[phermes1]

Sorry for your loss. Sounds like he was a special dog.

[Kiki's Mom]

May all of the memories made with Dexter be your comfort now in this time of grief and loss. Our deepest sympathies in your loss.

[Ruffshooter]

Hi all. Thanks for all the kind words. I just got home from a short hunting trip up at St. Froid. He loved it there as well.