Another Good One is Gone

RIP to your buddy. All dogs go to heaven!

I lost the greatest dog of my many, many decades of owning dogs this year. 16 year old Black Mouth Cur named Jesse. I watched him run down a doe and bay her while I was racing after him yelling trying to stop him. He stopped because he had her and he wasn't even touching her. I think he was just showing me because when she jumped over him he let her go and came up to me.
One night when my kids were little one of my daughters was having an overnight with a bunch of other little girls and they're in their PJ's and there's one that hasn't come yet but is on her way. Jesse is loving the attention. I had ordered Johnny's Pizza and the doorbell rang and they all screamed in unison thinking it was the final kid showing up and they ran to the door ahead of me with Jesse going with them. They flung open the door and it's a big ole black dude with pizza and they're in their PJ's and like little girls will do, they screamed and ran.
Jesse was not up on the subtleties of little girl behaviors.
His hackles went up all the way to his tail like a Rhodesian Ridgeback and the scariest sound came out of him and he launched at that dude with bad intentions. I caught him mid jump by the collar because I was reaching for him about the time this started luckily.

That poor guy looked like he just shite his pants. I gave him a big tip and apologized.

Got all kinds of stories of that dog.

That's how the good one's become immortal.

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KemoSabe65

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Sorry for the loss. Never had a QAA dog, but I’ve had some really good ones and I’m fortunate enough to have a good one now. Lost my old pup last year and j think about her almost every day.

Are you with MS/South Lake Kennels?

The rest of the story
I purchased Tuff from the breeder in KC Mo for a buddy that’s couldn’t sniff a puppy of this caliber. Wife and I met the transporter in Ellick and proceeded to LC. Moved my personal dog to another kennel in Grand Lake so my buddy could start training every morning under my eye.
He was a big strong puppy with extraordinary brain power until he was around water. Water made him vocalize to the extreme so we limited his water work to not create life long problems.
Obedience and force fetch was quick and solid, my bud was doing a great job. He got Tuff through three handed casting and force to a pile all the while keep a great attitude.
Once Tuff had a little seasoning, there was zero vocalization around water.
I believe Tuff went to Mark Smith @Southlake Retrievers around 9 mos old.
Mark is a hand with dogs and really shines with young dogs. He put some derby pts on Tuff as did the owner/handler.
I believe Tuff needed a win for his FC and a half pt for AFC. It was always exciting for the phone to ring on Sunday afternoons in the spring.
Sorry about the lack of paragraphs

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Black Mouth Cur

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Can be the most protective dogs if they feel like their pack is threatened.

My wife and I are trying to prepare ourselves for the end of our girls life. She's 15 1/2, but doesn't seem like she will make it to 16. We have discussed it at length, and have decided this will be our last. It's just to damn hard.

Hate to hear that. I’ll never not have a dog. Mine just turned 7 and I’m already thinking about the next one. She hopefully has a lot of years left but I’ll have a pup in a few years. Only way to ease the pain is to have another one. The one she came behind lived to 16 and was the best dog a person could ever desire. We only live so long might as well have a good dog while we’re here.