First Born

Love Creeks Mick

Mick was first to come into the world on October 23,2002 and arrived in the Love Creek valley the end of January 2003. He was full of personality and playfulness as many puppies of course but he had a way about him that was special. From the very beginning sitting on my lap as we drove home after I picked him up he was always very interested in being with me at all times. To this day he'll follow me from room to room and take up a spot either at my feet or as close as he can get to the prime spot on the couch in the car or on the bed. I had been claimed and spoken for by this dog! Everything I had read and been told about the Setter's disposition and strong attachment to the owner was true. Mick has a lot of Old Hemlock lineage and has a classic Setter build with beautiful markings. We began walking the long driveway as soon as he arrived due to the snow cover keeping us out of the 200 acres of CRP and woods surrounding our property but it wasn't long before he ventured off the lane as the snow diminished and discovered the curious scent left by the local pheasant population. It was so much fun to see his instincts come alive early on and because he was so interested in what I was doing the basic obedience work was easier than it had ever been with previous dog's.
                                 Once the weather had abated and we could get into the cover Mick was regularly finding the pheasants but part of my plan was to enlist the help of a trainer to make sure I took advantage of every opportunity in this dog's development. So I called around and remembered one breeder's statement that" You're their trainer,they want to please you and with these types of Setters you just have to show them what you want". But I took a recommendation on a trainer that was an AKC hunt test judge and delivered Mick to him at age 7 months already very birdy finding and pointing birds. Falsely believing the more money I spent the better outcome I'd get. This couldn't have been further from the truth. This was to be a 3 month introductory course to birds and basic field obedience. I was kept up to date on Mick's progress via phone and visits. I missed him terribly.
                                  When it was time to pick up Mick I arrived and was taken down to the kennel's where Mick was patiently awaiting my arrival. In the 12 weeks Mick was here he had grown and his chest had become wider in that field dog style however he was over weight and his coat was stained from the urine in the kennel I was told. Frankly I was shocked at his appearance. "Dog's not used to kennel life will sometimes lie in urine inadvertently" I was told but" it'll wash out eventually". We then took Mick out and quail were set in bird traps for him to find to demonstrate his bird finding ability. He displayed his talent pointing the birds and I was told I made they're job easy having already had Mick on birds." Some dog's we get won't even point". As we talked back at the office I was told they didn't do much with Mick at first because he was so "soft" referring to his disposition. So tell me something I don't know! I was disappointed in myself for having put Mick through this and had no one to blame but myself. I thanked these folks and said my good bye's.
                                  I will tell you this I believe these people meant well but I will forever forever regret ever having taken Mick there and missing being with him for 3 months of his development and subjecting him to sitting in a kennel in his own urine. The bottom line is that I was the one that needed training and the breeder that told me " you are the trainer" couldn't have been more right.
                                  I did however learn some valuable techniques from this trainer and got several ideas for keeping quail and pigeons along with sources for birds. So again what turned out to be what I believe was a mistake did get me closer to what was right in terms of my strategy to train and develop the dog's. And as we drove home with Mick content once again to be at my side there was quite a surprise waiting for him once we got there!

Mick pointing Quail  on a training run.