Dunc's Page

January 1994 to June 2008

The life and adventures of a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon

Our home got a little dimmer and the stars just got a little brighter with the passing of Duncan.  "Briarstones Ima Highlander" 

 I had a feeling Saturday night (June 15th) that it was getting close to the end.  We had left the back gate open and Dunc 'snuck' out and started wandering around the woods.  I watched him and he'd check in by peeking out the corner of his eye to see if I was watching him.  When I got done bringing the stuff in the basement, I hopped back on the 4-wheeler and we went on a little walk about.  I followed where Dunc led, he wanted to go to the barn so that's were we went.  I went a head to get the horses out of the paddock and open the gates for him.  He waited for me on the grass before wandering across the parking lot.  First he greeted Beans and Newt, the barn cats and then he wandered in the pen.  I let him wander around and he headed to the water tank.  He loved the fresh cold water that the horses have.  I cleaned while he explored.  Afterwards, we both walked back down the driveway to the house.  We walked around the yard a bit and I had to help him up the stairs.  As I was helping him, he let out a big sigh.  It was like, he was content, he had seen his home and things were ok.  Sunday he didn't want to eat and later that day he just didn't look like he felt well again.  I made the decision that night that we would be making the trip to the vet the next morning.  I didn't want him getting weaker throughout the day while I was at work.  He was happy at the vets, wagging his tail, greeting people and exploring like he always did. 

 I'd like to share some of my favorite memories of him.

He had a fun filled adventuresome life for sure.  Not many dogs are lucky enough to be well traveled as he was.  When he was 9 months old, we took him to the Red River in Manitoba to fish for catfish.  He thought that he should get in the action and tried to catch them once they were netted an in the boat.

Another time, we went camping at Lake Oahe, temps ended up being in the upper 90's and 100's the week we were there.  In the middle of the afternoons, we'd pull the boat up to a shady spot and cast out and just try to stay cool.  The dogs got hot in the boat so I made them a bed on the shore.  Dunc loved his soft spots, but so did Hulkster.  Hulkster saw that Dunc had the best spot so he played a little trick.  Honestly, I wish I caught this on video tape.  Hulkster jumped out of the boat and proceeded to walk around the bend 'to see what was over there'  Dunc couldn't let big bro do it alone so went to investigate too.  As soon as Dunc was in front, Hulkster turned in his tracks and went back to the bed in the shade.  Dunc realized that Hulkster left him and came back looking for him.  He found him alright, curled up on the blanket in the shade, gloating.  I swear that dog could give a lot of facial expressions and pouting was one of them.

I've had my fair share of having minor heart attacks with him too.  When he was about 10 months old, he got a stick lodged between his back molars.  Quick trip to the vet at 11:00 pm and got it popped out.  Gave up the hunt test that we were going to go to the next day.

Another time he literally thought he was the "Super Dog" I always called him.  He launched himself off an 8 ft cliff and landed with a thud on the dirt road below.  As athletic as he was, he jumped up, shook it off and proceeded to continue hunting.

He had a thing for sticks getting poked in the wrong places.  Came home early from a hunting trip because he got a twig lodged in his nostril.  Another time we found a corn stalk sliver that was 1 1/2 inches long lodged under the skin in his back leg.  Found that after 3 months of a spot festering and not healing.  Thought we got it cleaned out only for it to fester up again.  The vet was amazed that it was still there and so big.

Our vet came to a love hate relationship with us during hunting season.  He loved seeing us come, just hated the hours that it was during.  Dunc had a minor run in with barbed wire his 2nd year.  Left a lovely V shaped tear in his shoulder.  A nice cocktail to knock him out and 10 stitches later, he was as good as new.

Dunc was a gentle soul and loved everyone and everything he met.  He helped me socialize many orphan puppies, dogs, kittens and cats.  Some of his favorites were Foxy, the Border Collie that stayed, Gracey, the Boxer that had been starved, a Mom Cat that made herself at home on him when he napped on the couch and Kitten who he greeted by sticking his head in the carrier to get him out.  He enjoyed seeing what I was going to bring home and would great everything with a wagging tail and an expression of are you going to play with me too?

Some other accomplishments that we achieved together was getting his Companion Dog Title.  What a challenge that was.  After 3 years of training, we got our title in 3 shows with a score of 193 1/2 (100 is perfect), 189 and a qualifying score for the 3rd leg.  He was happy to retire after that.  I had thought about bringing him back out and doing Rally O with him, but things never came to fruitation.

I'm going to surely miss the bugger and our home will be empty with out him around for quite some time.  Someday, I will get another Griff and get back in the saddle, just not sure when.  The puppy will pick me just like Dunc did 14 1/2 years ago.

About Me

My name is "Briarstone's Ima Highlander", otherwise known as " Duncan ". I was born January 3^rd, 1994, in Mason City , Iowa . My mom says that I'm her "Dream Baby". The night that she had her dog "Duke" put to sleep, she had a dream about someone leaving their dogs outside in the snow. She went on the complaint with an Animal Control Officer and found some wirehaired dogs playing outside in the snow with some puppies. She went over to a puppy and picked it up. When she flipped it over it was a little boy.

After she decided on a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, she started looking for breeders. She found one in Mason City , Ia. and made an appointment to visit the litter that the breeder happened to have. Now in Omaha , the winter had been fairly mild and there wasn't much snow on the ground, but as she started driving to North to Mason City , the snow cover started getting deeper and deeper. When she arrived at the breeder's there was a good foot or so of snow on the ground. (Fate number 1). The breeder showed her around his kennel and then showed her and Dad the litter that he had in his house. You guessed it, fate number 2, there was a male that was nearly white with a liver colored head ME!!. That sealed it, she played with my 3 other brothers, but kept coming back to me. She was really impressed at how laid back my mom and dad were too. She left and made me a promise that she would be back in 4 weeks to pick me up and take me to my new home. So now you know why she calls me her "Dream Baby".

At first after "Duke" was gone, my mom wanted to get a German Wirehair Pointer because she had grown up with one. Hilda My dad didn't want to get one because they get so big, well, bigger than his Brittany, "Hulkster". My mom also wanted to get a female....YUK! About a month after "Duke" was gone, Dog Fancy had an article about Wirehaired Pointing Griffons. This piqued their interest, as the breed description had them no bigger than 22-24 inches tall. They found a reputable breeder and made an appointment to visit the litter and possibly pick a puppy. They picked me out when I was only 4 weeks old. When they saw the litter, I was the smallest of the 4 males, when they came to pick me up; I had grown considerably and now was one of the bigger males...OH WELL!

When Wirehaired Pointing Griffons are born, they are mostly white with their liver colored patches. They get their ticking as they mature. So that's why in her dream the puppy was mostly white with a liver colored head.

Enjoy the pictures of my adventures.

Duncan  

Companion Dog Title Earned At Last

1^st Trial: 2^nd place 192 ½

2^nd Trial: Qualifying Score

3^rd Trial: 4^th Place 189

Be sure to visit back soon to see more pictures of my adventures

Last revised 7-16-2008