Well my best dog died on me a couple months back and while it didn't put me in a bind I knew I needed to make a few changes for the future, slowly but surely I have dwindled down my yard and made a cross that I really hope will be the start of good things to come. Smoke, my old dog that died is out of an old line of dogs used for cattle and hogs around my area, I was lucky enough to have the option to get my hands on a few of these dogs over the past few years. After smoke died I got a phone call that honestly shocked me, for the past couple years the man I got smoke from was under the assumption that only smoke and 1 littermate brother to him were left out of that particular cross, unexpectedly a man showed up at his house with an old gyp and after speakin with the man it was determined that some 12-13yrs ago he had given this gyp away and told that man he gave it to that he could have her on one condition and that was that if the man ever got rid of her she came back to his house......... after all these years that old man stayed true to the agreement and brought her back, his health was going down hill and he could not use her anymore due to the condition he was in and hated seeing her layin around not being used so he brought her back and kept his end of the deal............ she ended up being smokes littermate sister
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The man I got smoke from called and made me a deal and this is where the second line of dogs come in.......... a couple years back I started hunting with djhogdoggers (James and Dinah Psencik--- I don't think you could find and nicer people) Anyhow I took a strong liking to a dog they had after hunting with them numerous times and made a comment or two about how much I liked him, Mr. James called me one day and said they were changin their yard up a bit and asked if I wanted the dog I liked so much..... that is where camo came into play, camo is a great dog all the way around, great personality, always happy to see you, quiet in the yard, great around my little girl and an all around good dog in the woods. The man I got smoke from hunted with me and camo a few times and took a pretty strong liking to him as well. When he called me about the old gyp he said it would probably be in my best interest to get her bred as she was up in age and there was no tellin how long she would be around, he said right off the bat that being as tight blooded as she was it probably wouldnt be smart to breed her any further into that line of dogs and that I should get her bred to camo.........
Both of these particular lines of dogs have been bred pretty dang tight over the years and have produced more than a couple great hunting dogs, with any luck this cross should throw some great pups with what some call "hybrid vigor". The old gyp "granny" as we call her looks acts and hunts almost identical to how smoke used to and is in a lot better shape health wise than smoke was when he passed due to not being used a hard or as often on hogs over the years, she is roughly 8-10 days out from dropping this litter and I have to say I am getting a bit anxious to see the outcome.
I have sold and given away most of my grown dogs to close friends of mine both due to my work schedule and summer time heat right around the corner that will slow my hunting down quite a bit til the fall as well as making room in anticipation of this litter. I have kept a young,crazy fast, wired up gyp out of camos line as well as a young gyp out of smokes line and sold camo to a very close friend and hunting buddy of mine.
I will post up pics of this "fresh blood" once it hits the ground and then I will start the puppy raisin process over again, I can honestly say that now days I truely enjoy raising and starting pups as much if not more than going to the big woods with the grown dogs, hopefully by the start of 2016 I will have a couple good youngsters to tote to the woods, time will tell.....
Anyhow I figured while I had time to waste i'd post up about what is going on in my yard in the event anyone cared to read it hahaha, hope everyone has been catchin hogs and doing well!
And to Mr. Witherspoon as well as Mr. and Mrs. Psencik, thank ya'll for giving me the opportunity to own and hunt with these dogs, both lines have put more than a couple hogs in front of us and on the table. I feel privileged to own em and will try my best to do right by em!
