Losing Pets is always hard, and Betsy is no exception. She was our first Pointer. Prior to her arrival we had Britney's, and a Setter. The country that I had always hunted in was too close for such a far ranging dog, but since I was due to retire, all that would be changing. It was my intention to spend a lot of my retirement in the Desert, where a Pointer would be best suited.
Randy Carnahan's nephew had some pups from a dog that they optimistically called a "walking Pointer" meaning that you might be able to keep up with them on foot. So at 7 weeks of age she joined our pack.
Unfortunately the Setter (Indy ) was a bit of an imprint, so Betsy's life was a lot harder than it had to be. She really never learned to play. Every time she tried, the Setter snapped at her, so she was a bit stunted socially. I cannot say how much was Setter induced, or just genetically caused. Still she was a loving pup, with a nose that could not be believed.
With a little training, a shock collar with a mile range and a call button she soon learned to stay within sight while she was hunting. She never required a shock, the buzz of the call was enough.
In 2006 we moved to the Desert in a location that she could be free. Most of my hunting is with a Falcon, but we did do a bit of gun work occasionally and her nose and pointing ability made her a joy to work with. Her main value to me and where she shined the most was hunting with Jessie the falcon. Deserts are notorious for their Eagle populations, and the danger that they represent to a Falcon cannot be underestimated. Betsy loved hunting with Jessie and when Jessie took something to the ground Betsy was not far behind. She would guard her back while I was lumbering my way to them. I could always count on her to be with Jessie, and to protect her.
On one such trip Jessie decided that she wanted to kill a Goose. She knocked it to the ground alright. I was about three hundred yards away up on a hill. When I arrived, Jessie was off the Goose on the ground backed up against a small bank. The Goose was standing in front of her about three feet away with its wings spread to its full 6 foot, and Betsy was running around behind the Goose barking and distracting it. My arrival caused the Goose to try to fly away. Betsy was chasing it and Jessie took off and grabbed it by the head. Without Betsy, none of this would have happened and Jessie would have likely been injured.
At that same pond we once flushed a flock of Swans. Jessie disappeared and while I was looking for her, I could see Betsy about a 1/4 to 1/2 mile away circling the Swan on the ground. Through binoculars I could see Jessie stooping and diving at it while Betsy was keeping it distracted. Thankfully Jessie finally decided that it might be a bit too big, and broke off. Somehow Betsy kept up with the flight and was there to help if she was needed.
Of course she wasn't always sweetness and light and there were times that I could have willingly strangled her. At some time in the development of this breed, they were bred for guard and fighting dogs, so at the least little thing she would bark, making me jump out of my skin, but she had my best interest in mind.
As I said its always hard to lose a pet companion, but she gave us 11 years of love and service, and although there are tears on this keyboard, I wouldn't have missed it for the world.
She is buried down by the Creek with Curly (Britney ) and Blue ( Siamese and Ragdoll Cat ) She was a "Good Girl"!
