The guys resting and drying off after playing in the water.
Henry;s Lake looking North from the trailer.
Henry’s Lake, looking northwest from our trailer.
Elettra repositioned herself on the birds, but Mia remained steady as she backed.
Airborne Dakota!
Sophie gets ready to launch herself into the water – something she very rarely does.
Elvis retrieves a bumper in my new pond.
Mia retrieves a Real Bird Bumper, as my pond fills for the first time.
Elettra is steady-to-flush after only 3 short sessions.
Perla and Mia after being steadied on a pigeon
Working on steadiness with the Spins, Elettra, Mia and Elvis, using pieces of hot dogs for a focal point.
Elettra holding steady on my pigeons.
Elettra with her nose to the wind, 3-23-12
Elettra watching Mia check out a dead goose, 3-23-12
Mia wades out to investigate a dead Snow Goose (or Ross or Blue), with Elettra following. 3-23-12
Mia, ears flying, returns at a dead run, 3-23-12
Elettra and Mia hunting into the wind, 3-23-12
Elettra is on point when ducks flush, 3-23-12
Using a treat to give Elettra something to focus on while learning the “whoa” command.
Elettra is dog tired, 3-20-12
Elettra teasing Dakota and Lilly with a bone.
Elettra with everyone’s favorite toy: a metal ball that once contained chocolates.
Elettra’s not sure what this table thing is all about.
Elettra is becoming more comfortable on the table and checking things out.
Elvis likes the view from the training table.
Mia just being goofy. That’s Lilly behind her, lying on her back chewing on a stuffed toy.
Elettra and the guys.
Elvis at 2nd base
Elvis at 3rd base
Elvis at 1st base
Dakota at 2nd base
Sophie waiting to be cast, with the bumpers at 1st, 2nd and 3rd base
Sophie at 2nd base
Sophie at 3rd base
Sophie at 1st base
Mia retrieving the Real Bird Bumper
Working with Dakota on the stop whistle, 2-3-12
Working with Dakota on retrieving, 2-3-12
Working with Elvis on the stop whistle, 2-3-12
pain-free force fetching with Elvis, 2-3-12
Working with Mia on the stop whistle, 2-3-12
Mia steady to wing when my homing pigeons returning to the loft, 2-3-12
Working with Mia on retrieving, 2-3-12
Working with Sophie on the stop whistle, 2-3-12
Working with Sophie on retrieving, 2-3-12
Lilly with a toy
Mia and Lilly
Dakota and Lilly check each other out
Lilly, from a litter of 11 puppies rescued from the animal shelter
Mia and Elvis standing over the remains of a Pheasant in our pasture, 1-3-12.
Mia on point while training on wild Pheasants, 1-6-2012
Elvis, 12-28-11
Dakota and Elvis hunting (coyote poop, that is), 12-28-11
Dakota makes a great pillow for Elvis, 12-28-11
Mia on point, 12-26-11
Sophie posing with her duck, 12-23-11
Sophie, 12-23-11
Mia zoning out after a day of hunting, 12-16-11
Perla relaxing after a long day of hunting, 12-16-11
Mia and Perla heading for the cattails, 12-16-11
Perla and Mia Pheasant hunting, 12-16-11
Perla and Mia partridge hunting, 12-12-11
Perla and Mia partridge hunting, 12-12-11
Mia with Perla in the background partridge hunting, 12-12-11
Perla partridge hunting, 12-12-11
Perla and Mia waiting while I check for ducks at McTucker Springs, 12-12-11
Porcupine, 12-10-11
Perla and Mia checking out the ice, 12-10-11
Perla and Mia on a frozen pond, 12-10-11
Perla and Mia hunting at Minidoka, 12-10-11
Perla and Mia at Minidoka, 12-10-11
Mia hunting at the Snake River Vista, 12-3-11
A hawk checks out Mia while hunting 12-3-11
Elvis at McTucker Ponds, 12-2-11
Sophie and Dakota hunting the train tracks at Sterling, 11-30-11
Sophie and Dakota at Sterling, 11-30-11
Dakota, 11-30-11
Sophie and Dakota at Sterling, 11-30-11
While searching for my Pheasant, Mia had some fascination with the cattails 11-18-11
Perla, 11-16-11
Hunting with Perla on the Teton River, 11-16-11
Mia on point, 11-11-11
Something got Mia’s attention 11-11-11
Mia checking the wind while hunting, 11-11-11
Mia on point, 10-28-11
Mia, 10-28-11
Checking the wind, 10-28-11
Something got Mia’s attention but didn’t find anything 10-28-11
Mia on point, but the bird had gone, 10-28-11
Mia posing with the Pheasant she tracked opening day, 2011
Hunting partridge with Elvis 10-14-11
Elvis enjoying the snow, 10-7-11
Elvis chilling out in after partridge hunting 10-7-11
Taking a lunch break at Inman Creek, 9-7-11
A rattler I nearly ran over in Wolverine Canyon
Hunting grouse with Dakota in Wolverine Canyon
Britches, an abandoned pup I found at the grocery store
Mia passes her Junior hunt test, her first AKC test and second-ever test, 8-19-11.
Mia on point while training, 7-6-11
Training Mia in our pasture with horses, 7-6-11
Left to right: Elvis, Squirt, Mia, Dakota, Perla, Sophie
Mia lets the kittens crawl on her and attack her ears
Elvis and a kitten
Elvis likes them better from a distance
Squirt is very gentle with them
A kitten checks out Sophie, who is checking out spilled cat food
Dakota loves them but like Mia, shows her affection a little too much
Mia checking out the kittens
Another successful retrieve, 5-13-11
Got it!
Elvis goes out for the bumper, 5-13-11
Dakotra returns with the bumper, 5-13-11
Dakota retrieving, 5-13-11
Another successful retrieve, 5-13-11
Sophie and I encourage Mia to retrieve, 5-13-11
Mia returns with the bumper, 5-13-11
Something in the brush – Mia held point for several minutes
Working with the trainer, Mia on point
Mia on point as a pigeon flushes
Mia, steady to flush as we watch the pigeon fly off
Mia on a beautiful point
Mia, steady to flush
Working with Mia on her steadiness
Mia points a pigeon on our roof
Ricky, 02/2008 – 03/12-2011
Mia retrieves a duck, Dec. 3
Mia’s retrieve, Dec. 3
Mia points a duck, Dec. 3
Mia laying on the decoy bag, patiently waiting, Dec. 3
Tree on opposite bank where we fell in, Dec. 3
A frozen beard, Nov 26
Dakota, Nov 26
Elvis still looking for birds, Nov 26
Mia retrieves a Pheasant, Nov 20
Mia Pheasant hunting, Nov 20
Quills in Mia’s chin, Nov 19
Mia enjoying the water, Nov 19
Mia hunting, Nov 12
Hunting along Snake River, Nov 12
Cow moose, Nov 12
Sophie retrieves the duck with Elvis at her side
Found the duck I shot
Elvis and Sophie hunting, Nov 5, 2010
Wild Pheasants provide a good training opportunity
Mia finds the partridge
Another successful retrieve
Not done searching for wounded ducks, she heads down the channel
Nothing more than a speck in the water
Mia’s not sure about the waves
Mia checks out the wind and the view, Oct 20
Pheasant hunting with Dakota, Oct 19, 2010
Dakota retrieving a greenhead, Oct 19, 2010
Dakota’s retrieve Oct 19, 2010
Dakota retrieving duck, Oct 19. 2010
Mia’s first retrieve, Oct. 9, 2010
Got it. Oct. 9, 2010
Mia heading for the duck on her first retrieve, Oct. 9
Mia’s first retrieve, not sure where the duck is Oct 9.
Mia during our early morning duck hunt Oct. 9
The German Wirehair pup, Sophie, and a Viszla taking a break
Our hunting group, youth hunting clinic 2010
Sophie hunting Pheasants, youth hunting clinic 2010
Mia taking a much needed water break while partridge hunting
Elvis checking the breeze while sage hen hunting 9-18-10
Elvis on partridge opening day 9-18-10
Elvis grouse hunting 9-8-10
Sophie lays in the creek to cool off while grouse hunting
Elvis and I hunted some rough country for Ruffed Grouse
Elvis looks for water in a creek-turned-mudhole
The trees in the background were an absolute jungle
Somewhere out there is a dog
Elvis on the trail
With scenery like this, who cares if you get a bird
Mia and Elvis enjoying a summer morning
the pond after 6 days -about 12 hours of digging time
aggressive Elvis
Mother and Daughter
Spinoni taking an afternoon swim, training seminar day 2
Mia checks out the marshes and willows, training seminar day 2
Attendees begin arriving day 1, the Tetons in the background
Training seminar day 1, waiting to work the dogs
Stray kitten about 6 wks old
O.J. whom we were able to return home because he was chipped
The pond on day 5
On day 4 the pond is beginning to take shape
Using the dogs to measure the depth
Not much more than a trench, but it filled the trailer
Day 1 – dug an outline of the pond, about 20×20 feet
Dad’s last picnic couldn’t have been at a better place
Dad’s last picnic, 2008
Another spring snow, May 2010
Working with Mia, May 2010
Elvis and me following Mia up the shore as she chases ducks
Mia returning from chasing ducks, still quite a ways out in the water
Encouraging Mia on her first swim
Mia and Elvis retrieving bumpers
Mia swims back with a bumper during training
Mia retrieving a bumper
Elvis retrieves a bumper, 4/16/10
Working with Mia and Elvis in the water
Sophie’s second day as a therapy dog
Sophie as a therapy dog day 2
Working with Elvis on the Whoa command
Working with Mia on the Whoa command
Sophie and her new friend, first day as a therapy dog
Sophies’ new buddies, her first day as a therapy dog
Mia on point
Mia trying to get that darned bird
Elvis on point
Elvis barking at the bird he can’t get
Elvis at 1 and Mia at 8 months, wondering what that flash was
Elvis guarding his bone with Mia looking on
Elvis and Mia check out the training table
First goose hunt, 1-9-10. Our hunting party
First goose hunt, 1-9-10. Posing with Sophie and Dakota
Dakota while partridge hunting 12-22-9
Sophie while partridge hunting 12-22-9
Mia partridge hunting 12-19-9
Mia and Elvis pounce on a partridge, 12-19-9
Elvis cools off in the snow, 12-18-09
Mia checks out collapsed lava tube, 12-18-09
Elvis and Mia partridge hunting 12-18-09
Sophie with Elvis and Mia in the background 11-27-9
Mia, Elvis and Sophie at the reservoir while Pheasant hunting 11-27-9
Mia’s first hunting trip, 11-25-9 photo from cell phone
Sophie retrieving the Pheasant, 10-30-9
Elvis checks out Sophie’s retrieve, 10-30-9
Elvis and Sophie hunting into the wind 10-30-9
An angry blow snake, 10-25-9
Elvis and Dakota partridge hunting, 10-23-9
Sophie, 10-23-9
Elvis Pheasant hunting, 10-23-9
Elvis scents something, 10-17-9
The cooling vest was a big help, 10-17-9
Elvis and Sophie, 10-16-9
Sophie and Elvis hunting, 10-9-9
Sophie finally finds and retrieves the duck, 10-9-9
Elvis and Sophie search for the duck, 10-9-9
Sophie searching for the duck, Elvis gave up 10-9-9
Dakota and Elvis find the sage hen, 10-2-9
Elvis, with the Continental Divide in the background, 10-2-9
Elvis and Dakota hunting on the north canyon wall, 10-2-9
Elvis (small white spot near the center) isn’t waiting for us, 10-2-9
Dakota hunting for grouse in Wolverine Canyon, 9-26-9
grouse hunting in Wolverine Canyon 9-26-9
Mia watching Sophie retrieve (1), 9-25-9
Mia watching Sophie retrive (2), 9-25-9
The chain gang
variations in Ruffed grouse tail feathers
contents of the crops of two Ruffed grouse
center rump feathers from ruffed grouse
Dakota midstream in the Clearwater, 9-18-9
Dakota retrieving a bumper in the Clearwater River, 9-18-9
Elvis and Sophie retrieving bumpers in the Clearwater, 9-18-9
Looking south along the Clearwater River, 9-18-9
Looking north along the Clearwater River, 9-18-9
Ripley, Sophie and Dakota 9-1-9
Posing with Ripley 9-1-9
Elvis searches for the grouse, his first hunting trip 9-4-9
Elvis checks out a little waterfall, his first hunting trip 9-4-9
Sophie, Dakota and a ruffed grouse opening day 2009
From top, Sophie, Ripley and Dakota opening day 2009
Sophie, Dakota and Elvis retrieving 8-13-9
Sophie, Dakota and Elvis retrieving 8-13-9
Sophie, Dakota and Elvis exploring 8-13-9
Elvis retrieving 8-13-9
Elvis, Sophie and Dakota retrieving 8-13-9
Elvis, Dakota and Sophie 8-13-9
Mia, 7-25-9
Mia, Sophie and Elvis 7-25-9
Mia watching her big brother, Elvis 7-25-9
Mia 7-25-9
Mia watching the dogs in the kitchen 7-25-9
Darby Canyon Maude Mia Murphy 7-25-9
Mia’s littermates 7-24-9
Spinoni Roundup 2009 – Lola watches Elvis and Spumante
Spinoni Roundup 2009 – Elvis, Spumante, and their 1-year old sisters, Lola and Isabella
Spinoni Roundup 2009 – A tribute to Asti
Spinoni Roundup 2009 – playing keep-away with a stick
Spinoni Roundup 2009 – Everyone doing their own thing
Spinoni Roundup 2009 – Where’s the food?
Sophie, Elvis and Dakota 6-7-9
Sophie, Elvis and Dakota 6-7-9
Elvis is introduced to water
Elvis chilling out
Elvis’ first week
Elvis, Squirt and Ricky
Elvis, Dakota and Squirt
Elvis, Squirt and Sophie
Dakota, Penny, Ricky, Sophie and Squirt, 01/09/09
Sophie’s second retrieve of the day, 1-1-9
Dakota’s first retrieve, Fort Hall Bottoms, 12-24-08
Sophie and Dakota, Fort Hall Bottoms, 12-24-08
Sophie retrieving at the Fort Hall Bottoms, 12-19-08
Sophie checking out a frozen cow pie on ice, 12-19-08
Sophie and Dakota posing, 12-6-8
Sophie and Dakota proud of a day’s work, 12-6-8
Sophie finds calm water on fourth retrieve, 12-6-8
Sophie’s fourth retrieve of the day, 12-6-8
Sophie’s third retrieve of the day, 12-6-8
Sophie’s third retrieve of the day, 12-6-8
Sophie’s first retrieve, 12-6-8
Sophie’s first retrieve of the day, 12-6-8
Sophie finding first duck, Fort Hall, 12-6-8
Dakota and Sophie eating a well-deserved lunch, 11-21-8
Sophie and Dakota partridge hunting, 11-21-8
Sophie and Dakota at “The Bottoms”, Fort Hall Reservation
Sophie and Dakota at “The Bottoms”, Fort Hall Reservation
Dakota checking out Sophie’s retrieve, 10-31-08
Sophie retrieving a pheasant, 10-31-08
Fudge, 10-25-08
Fudge having gotten over her fear of wooden steps
Fudge enjoying the moment
Fudge with Sophie and Dakota, enjoying a stroll through the pasture
Fudge, 10-25-08
Squirt, Penny, Dakota, Sophie and Fudge
Dakota on a fence ladder while duck hunting, 10-16-8
Sophie, Fudge, Squirt and Dakota
Youth hunting clinic 2008 – conservation session
Youth hunting clinic 2008 – shotgun education session
Youth hunting clinic 2008 – groups and hunting areas are assigned
Lava tube while hunting 9-20-8
Dakota and Sophie hunting lava flow, 9-20-8
Grouse hunting 9-6-8. We previously hunted the pines across the canyon
Dakota, 9-6-8. Sophie is passing behind a tree to the right
Sophie and Dakota, Wolverine Canyon 9-2-8
Sophie taking a break in Wolverine Canyon, 9-2-8
Boo at home
Boo, surrounded by Dakota, Sophie, Penny and Squirt
Boo
Boo in arms
Sophie being called back from another attempt to visit ice fishermen, whom it smelled like were cooking hamburgers and hot dogs.
Dakota, Sophie and Squirt while ice fishing
Dakota, a 70-pound lap dog
Christmas 2007: Sophie, Squirt, Sally, Penny, Dakota and Penny.
Dakota and Sophie last day of Pheasant season, 2007. Looking down on the river, where the hills turn into cliffs.
Sophie sniffing the air while Pheasant hunting, 2007
Dakota beating the cattails for Pheasants 11-19-7
Dakota, with Sophie in the background returning from checking out beavers 11-19-7
Dakota and Sophie taking a much needed break from Pheasant hunting 11-19-7
Dakota greeting Sophie on her third retrieve 10/25/07
Sophie’s third retrieve 10/25/07
Dakota retrieving a tossed duck 10/25/07
Sophie’s second retrieve of the day 10/25/07
Sophie, followed by Dakota, retrieving the first of 3 ducks 10/25/07.
“Where’s the ducks?” Dakota seems to be asking, Oct 25, 2007
Dakota having just retrieved two of my decoys, 2007
Sophie retrieving the second of two Ruffed Grouse, 2007
Sophie retrieving a Ruffed Grouse on our first day of hunting, 2007
Sophie watching Dakota catch a frizbee, 2007
Dakota hitting the water for a bumper, 2007
Dakota and Sophie, 2006
Sophie checking out an ice jam 2006
Sophie retrieving a Sage Hen opening day 2006
Sophie checking out the decoys, 2006
Sophie and Dakota watching me set decoys, 2006
Squirt, Dakota, Sophie and Penny
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Sophie taking a break from partridge hunting, 2004
Sophie’s first retrieves, 2003
Sophie, a 5-month old chow hound 2003
Sophie at 3 months with Penny, Tinker and Rosie
Sophie’s first pictures, taken at 2 months
Sabokka on opening day of Sage Grouse season, about 1985
Sabokka wading with girls, 1993
Sabokka at 2 years
Sabokka at celebrity dog wash, SLC, UT.
Sabokka at 6 months
Spike, a stray spaniel I adopted, about 1983
Dad and our Vizsla, Brownie, about 1981
Boots, 1970-1980
Boots’ last autumn, 1979
Boots’ last autumn, 1979
Boots at North Fork
With Boots and ducks, about 1972
Boots, my first dog, with sage hens on Hudson Ridge about 1971
Twin Buttes Spinone 