Category Archives: Dogs

The wolf is always at the door. — Don Henley

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Keeping the wolf from the door is a fact of life. You never know what fortune will bring. I am reminded of this by the horror unleashed in Christchurch, New Zealand when a maniac went on a killing spree at two mosques where people gathered for prayers. The suspect in this atrocity live-streamed his attack on worshippers at the mosques as he gunned them down. The video is available online for those who want to view it. I listened to the description given by someone who saw the video, and that is more than enough for me; I will not watch the video. What came through in the description of what happened in the video is the sad reality in this horror is the people who perished were utterly defenceless. The likelihood of finding yourself caught in a terror attack at the mercy of someone intent on mayhem is remote but a possibility; just one of the vagaries of fortune. Continue reading →

“After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while, we die.” ― E.B. White, Charlotte’s Web

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In memory of my beloved Juno (May 21, 2008 – August 15, 2012)

“Each of us owes God a death.” So I heard Gwynne Dyer proclaim in an episode of his television series War. Death is a reality; it comes for us all. When I was a small boy I did not understand the reality of death. I remember, I must have been three years old and seeing my grandmother with some old baby clothes and toys she said were my aunt Lonny’s. My impression in seeing this was to imagine that people must grow up, then grow back down to being babies again. I asked my mother if this was so and she corrected me, telling me no, people grow, then they grow old and die. She added that nobody wants to die, but everyone has to. I did not really understand what it meant to die and did not give it much thought until I was a little older, maybe five years old when I asked my mother and father “what happens when you die?” They told me “your spirit goes up,” presumably to heaven. I still did not understand and was a little frightened by the prospect, but decided that must be a long way off so I would not worry about it. Continue reading →

Hera at nine months

Hera wallowing in a muddy puddle

Hera after a run on a hot, humid afternoon saw fit to plop down in a muddy puddle rather than kennel up when we returned to the car. She had cooled off in the Rideau River during the run. She looks quite pleased with herself.

Photographed and posted by Geoffrey

Merrily rides the huntsman bold, Blithesome and gay rides he … — Brothers Grimm

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“Funny, you don’t look it” is a typical response when people learn I am a hunter. Aside from the fact I am gay, I am a gentle and thinking man. People find it hard to believe that I can choose to hunt down and kill a game bird or animal. Yes, hunting, unlike my gayness, is an ethical choice I make. It is a moral choice I keep to myself a great deal of the time as I find I have more venom spat at me for choosing hunting than for being gay. I concealed that I am gay and in a relationship with Mika from most of my hunting buddies. My hunting buddies are men and women from a plurality of ethnic and religious backgrounds. They are generally conservative. I feared I might lose them as friends and hunting buddies if they knew the truth or at the very least they would be uncomfortable knowing. It turns out they were not bothered in the least and are happy for me, that I am in a long term relationship with Mika. We remain, friends and hunting buddies, taking to the field in pursuit of game, enjoying our sport. Everyone who takes up hunting has their reasons for doing so, but as for me, I have had a lifelong passion for hunting, the outdoors and wildlife. Continue reading →

Hera and her master

Hera curled up with Geoffrey, May 26, 2013.

Photographed and posted by Mika

Hera pointing mallards

Hera flash pointing a pair of mallards during a training run, May 3, 2013.

Photographed and posted by Geoffrey

Geoffrey’s hunting diary: Scouting for turkey with Jason and Fran

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Got out with my good friends and hunting buddies, Jason and his wife Fran, to check on the trail cameras Jason and I set up the weekend before to watch for signs of wild turkey on the farm we hunt near Spencerville. We brought your dogs, Hera and Nos, along so they could enjoy a run. Nos bumped a grouse on the walk in to the trail cameras and Hera got her first scent of grouse. We found turkeys had been by the cameras one morning during the week that passed. Encouraging, but we want to wait a few more days and see if turkey traffic picks up before Jason and Fran set out for a turkey hunt. A porcupine was seen during the run and destroyed, regrettably, but we cannot risk Nos attacking and getting a face filled with quills again. Jason used the shock collar in conditioning Nos to refrain from attacking porcupines. Later in the run, Nos found a porcupine kid, it was tiny, and did not attack. The porcupine kid was left unharmed, which is what we want. If Nos can be conditioned not to attack porcupines, we will leave them alone. Hera went for a dip in a wooded pond without hesitation. She is fine in the water. She is coming along nicely in her training as a hunting dog. Hoping when we return there will have been more turkeys caught on camera.

Posted by Geoffrey