In 1985 I rescued an Irish Setter mix from near starvation.
My husband did not like dogs but when I saw this poor thing
scrounging for food at a gas station I just had to take him
home and make him right again.
My husband actually took it pretty well and allowed me to
take him in. I nursed that dog day and night for about 3 months
but he passed away suddenly probably from the damage that
being on the run for so long had done to his body.
I was devastated. My husband bless his heart found
an ad in the local paper “Irish Setter puppies $50”
and went to pick one up for me. Maggie came home that day.
She was a puppy mill puppy but I was fortunate in that she was
genetically free of the common problems that her breed
is known for. We discovered quite early on that she was
extremely intelligent and loved to hunt birds.
We were not hunters but re we learned about field competition
and obedience. Maggie excelled in the field and was winning
gun dog stakes before she was a year and half old.
We were offered a lot of money for her by trainers that
recognized the gold mine in this dog’s abilities but
there wasn’t enough money in the world.
She was so young in competition that she hadn’t had a chance
to get over chasing butterflies and we would catch her
on the course running behind them and barking at them.
We tried to teach her “No bugs” to no avail but she became
known as “Bugs” and was Bugs until she passed on.
Maggie was also a “smiler” pulling her lips back and grinning
like a Cheshire cat on command. She passed this adorable trait
down to her children and grandchildren.
We bred Maggie twice and produced two fine litters of
puppies from her that compete in trials and hunt tests to this day.
My (ex) husband is now a well respected field trial judge and
dog trainer and I am now a professional handler in the
show ring with a successful kennel of competition
Irish Setters and now Salukis.
Maggie got us here and we shall never forget her.
We will go on but she took a piece of our hearts with her
which she is more than welcome to keep where
she’s at.
| Maggie |