A Wish For Every Bird Dog,......

Illinois Birddog Rescue strives to place all of our Homeless Hunters in Loving Homes,....being able to Hunt is definitely an added Bonus,.....

Enjoy this Story of two once homeless pups,.. Rusty and Gypsy,.
2 dogs that no one wanted,.....

Except a lucky guy, by the name of Rich....

Rusty was approximately 10 months old when I adopted him from IBR. Lisa let me have him for a weekend trial run and he was pointing Robins in the back yard like the National Champ, and curled up and went to sleep in the house at night.

How could I not keep him?

He's been easy to train. Although he has a lot of drive he isn't stubborn. The fact that Rusty has so much point in him made it easy to staunch him up on birds. He retrieves well also. All I had to do was throw some bumpers in the yard for him and call him back. Done. He makes me look like I can train. He's 5 years old now.

***************************************************************************
Gypsie is a year old and I got her as a 14 week old pup from IBR.

When I first saw her she had a high snappy tail, and was launching her body into the adult dogs.

She was bold.

Gyp has all the tools. A good nose, a beautiful gait with a high snappy tail, and a lot of drive without being stubborn.

She is a work in progress, but she could be a real good one.

We have just come home from a week long hunting trip where I was lamenting a bit on the last day about not getting any good bird work from Gypsie.

Well, on the last walk of the last day she pointed a covey of prairie chickens.

I dropped one for her and she retrieved. Earlier that day I had shot a limit of 3 roosters over 3 Rusty points and now a covey for Gyp.

Needless to say, I was thrilled.

She still has a long way to go, but that was major progress.

One last note from Rich:

I told Lisa if I could have him for the rest of my days I'd be happy. I met an 80 year old guy last week that was hunting w/ a pointer and a setter. How's that for giving a guy hope! Anyway, I was describing for him how Rusty handles running roosters by outrunning them and then back pointing them pinning the bird between me and him. Some get away, but he's quite successful at it. The old gentlemen told me I may never have another dog in my life that learns to do that. Dogs don't live long enough.

Thanks again,

Rich

P.S. Rusty is not a finished dog. He is not steady to wing and shot, but he is as staunch as the day is long. He is not force broke. Most of the birds are deposited on my toe. But I'm fine with that. He's just my personal hunting dog and I think we both like it that way, although Rusty would probably hunt for anyone that will take him.