Another Passing
However much we think that we're prepared for the moment of parting with a hunting partner and pet, we're usually not. In this case, we've seen this coming for quite a while with Rudy. After all, he was nearly 14 (two months shy) and had been having health problems for the last four years or so, with the last two years the toughest as his condition worsened, so it came as no surprise that this day was nearing. Contrary to what you might think, it's just as hard no matter which dog it is.
Rudy is my fourth hunting companion to pass on to the Happy Hunting Grounds, and it stings just the same. All we can do is reminisce about all the great times we had with him.
As evidenced from the pictures above, Rudy was quite a beautiful dog. The "star quarterback" is what I called him - handsome, steady in the woods and a creampuff at home and work, he was just a good dog. He was Greta's running partner early on in the guiding years and always played second fiddle to her. As a matter of fact, Rudy took a backseat to each new dog that came in to our house. Monty, Bode, and even Rosie all assumed higher positions in the pack dynamics of the dogs. "Last one out the door and last one back in" was Rudy's station in life, and he seemed to accept it.
He was always in the front seat when it came to running the woods however, and he put many miles on in his search for birds. As a matter of fact, he was the highest scoring of my dogs on the North American Versatile Hunting Dog Association's Natural Ability test when he was a puppy - he had a 112, a perfect score in other words. He sure had his share of memorable days in the grouse woods of New Hampshire and Vermont as he matured, excelling on woodcock and he was a solid grouse hunter as well. His close working style helped him sneak up on his birds quite often and he helped provide plenty of autumn excitement for myself and my clients over the years.
Rudy also was on the trip to Montana thirteen years ago when we drove out west for wild pheasants and sharptail grouse. It was a true adventure, and Rudy really had a great time pointing and retrieving pheasants. That's him in the middle of my brother Chuck and I after one of our exceptional days on the slideshow. He pointed plenty of sharptail grouse as well, but his owner's aim was off the mark when it came to them ... Much like Greta, Rudy loved going on fishing trips with me to the river, and he served as a good deterrent to other anglers on more than one occasion. Yes, I usually had the water all to myself when Rudy was out there.
Around the lodge, he was "easy peasy", laying on the dog bed and greeting guests. As he grew older, his health started to deteriorate however. Seizures became common about four years ago, spelling the end of his hunting and greatly decreasing his visits to the lodge. A special diet, a regimen of anti-seizure medications, and a multitude of dog treats helped Rudy get through the last couple of years, all dutifully administered by my wife.
It wasn't always pleasant, but I think there were more good days than bad for him at the end. He enjoyed his time with us, the other dogs, and Buddy the Cat, which was kind of humorous - Buddy takes great delight in tormenting the younger dogs but he always seemed to give Rudy the benefit of the doubt. Rudy's in a better place now and undoubtedly, he is jockeying for position with his old brace mate Greta on the Great Dog Bed in the sky. We'll miss him.
