YETI Presents SAM

I don't want anyone to think that I'm some big dog trainer because I'm not. To me the most important thing is they have to listen to what you're saying. So they need to have manners no different than a four or five year old child has. To be able to communicate with a dog that's 50 yards away from you. There's going to be some peaks and valleys here. Now that's not what you're supposed to do. Sometimes you do that and they go that way and you know. But most of the time they do what you want them to. My definition of a good dog is that dog goes out and gets my duck and brings it back to me and hands it to me. I don't like a dog that a person doesn't have control of. Look for it dead. You know you can sound rude I guess to say they're a tool but they're a tool. You don't see a lot of emotion out of my dad. He's a pretty quiet guy. Keeps a lot of that into himself. You can't lose your patience with them. You discipline them when they need discipline and you congratulate them when they've done a good job. Okay you don't want this on camera probably. Big Sam is 11 years old. She wasn't timid and she ended up being a little smaller dog than the rest of the litter. She was very active and wrestled around with the other pups. Quite honestly she's the hardest dog I've ever had to train. Her and I had a tough time. She might run out to the duck and look at me and not pick it up. I'd never ever had a dog do that in my life. The discouraging part of it is I knew she knew what I wanted but she just wouldn't do it. You got to be kidding me. You know what am I going to do now? I don't need a dog like this. There was times she wouldn't listen. There was times that she wouldn't come. Again one of my buddies he said I can't believe you stuck it out with this dog. You know and I said well. I think some folks would have gave up on her but my dad didn't. He just kept going and saying we can make something out of her and he did. We all reach a point in our life, dogs, humans, everybody, where you just can't do what you're used to. Where you could really tell is when it was late season and cold. Like man I don't know if I should even be letting her do this. You know you see that chapter in their life. You know when they should retire but you try to get them that last duck. You take them out on a warm day like this when there are some ducks around and you try to get them that last retrieve. The goal of the year get her one more and let her relax the rest of her life. It's hard to watch but then at the same time you think wow what an achievement. I didn't give up on that dog. Graduating high school, graduating college, first girlfriend, getting married, having our first child, having our second child. So I can think of which dog I had during each one of those events. We measure our lives through our dogs. I wish they'd live forever. You get your dogs cremated. What do you do with the what do you do with the ashes? Oh they typically go to... I typically take them to one of their best retrieves. We're at that bind and and that's where they go. I don't know about words. I'm not much of a words guy. She's been a good dog. We'll miss you Sammy. Oh so we got little Sam about eight months ago. So great puppy. I mean she loads up good. She kennels into the blind good. Good girl. She's holding good and I'm happy with the puppy. I'm 61. I've had seven labs and I hope this is not going to be my last. Got him boys. Touchdown right there is all that is. There's almost a next level of excitement. Good girl. Watch the younger dog kind of take the reins. Good girl.