Goodbye Jinty

David Brown

Well-Known Member
I have just completed the heartbreaking task of burying my old Lab Jinty. She was my faithful stalking companion for the last thirteen years and for the last three added to her tasks as a brilliant foreshore goose retriever.
About fifteen years ago a lad came in with a Lab bitch for its pre mating assessments. I was struck by her hindquarter strength and shining expression. She passed all tests and was the first Lab with a 0/0 hip score I had seen . I was at that time trying to get a bit of time off to take up stalking again so I asked to book a bitch pup if things went to plan. Eight or so months later ,just as I had taken on the lease of quite a large area of forest, I got the call the pups were ready and I had the choice of three.
I was soon out along the forest roads followed by a little tubby black companion and can remember the first deer I shot with her. As I lay down on the forest track to look at a feeding doe the pup ,thinking this was an invitation to play, jumped on my back and ragged my collar . When I fired she looked round with surprise but on seeing the downed deer ,instinct kicked in and she wrestled with its neck pulling out tufts of hair. I knew I had a winner.
Many of you will have been out with her and many have appreciated how she gave notice of deer up ahead resulting in a more careful approach to an area with resulting success. Her best track must be the following of a Sika stag shot by a guest when she would be four. The lad phoned me from the next forest saying he had shot a stag ,found blood and hair but the animal had run into an early thicket stage lodge pole forest and vanished. Jinty pulled me through this nightmare terrain on her leash ,for 300 meters when we came on a cross drain. The stag was lying head up when we emerged and off he went again. Following on we raised him another three times before finding him dead in another cross drain. He had been shot just below the larynx with the bullet severing a blood vessel.
Oh the memories.
Last year, knowing Jinty was getting stiff I acquired a pup from the same line and Jinty seemed happy to pass on the work to the newcomer. The last year did see her getting slow but a daily dose of Metacalm kept her pain free at least. Then the other day she took to her kennel at lunchtime and when I came back in at night she had gone. I know I have been lucky to own a dog like her and have been spared the traumas often experienced at the end but it has still been hard. The pup seems lost and hasn't eaten well since but time will cure all. Our Dogs . If we weren't fond of them we wouldn't have them. The new pup Mhari has a lot to live up to.

David
 
Sorry for your loss fella I know only to well what it feels like, on the bright side best of luck with the wee pup.....

D.
 
you have been lucky to own such a superb dog that went the way she did
sit back and enjoy all those fabulous memories
regards
gundog
 
Always difficult losing a good dog. Hard enough for me losing pets as I grew up, I can imagine it's so much worse losing a good worker and sporting companion. Invest all your time and effort now into the pup, remember the good times with the old girl and look forward to new mischief with your latest character.
 
It is a sad loss but it sounds like you were a lucky man to share and enjoy her life. Sounds like she had a lot better life than most dogs out there!
 
I have just completed the heartbreaking task of burying my old Lab Jinty. She was my faithful stalking companion for the last thirteen years and for the last three added to her tasks as a brilliant foreshore goose retriever.
About fifteen years ago a lad came in with a Lab bitch for its pre mating assessments. I was struck by her hindquarter strength and shining expression. She passed all tests and was the first Lab with a 0/0 hip score I had seen . I was at that time trying to get a bit of time off to take up stalking again so I asked to book a bitch pup if things went to plan. Eight or so months later ,just as I had taken on the lease of quite a large area of forest, I got the call the pups were ready and I had the choice of three.
I was soon out along the forest roads followed by a little tubby black companion and can remember the first deer I shot with her. As I lay down on the forest track to look at a feeding doe the pup ,thinking this was an invitation to play, jumped on my back and ragged my collar . When I fired she looked round with surprise but on seeing the downed deer ,instinct kicked in and she wrestled with its neck pulling out tufts of hair. I knew I had a winner.
Many of you will have been out with her and many have appreciated how she gave notice of deer up ahead resulting in a more careful approach to an area with resulting success. Her best track must be the following of a Sika stag shot by a guest when she would be four. The lad phoned me from the next forest saying he had shot a stag ,found blood and hair but the animal had run into an early thicket stage lodge pole forest and vanished. Jinty pulled me through this nightmare terrain on her leash ,for 300 meters when we came on a cross drain. The stag was lying head up when we emerged and off he went again. Following on we raised him another three times before finding him dead in another cross drain. He had been shot just below the larynx with the bullet severing a blood vessel.
Oh the memories.
Last year, knowing Jinty was getting stiff I acquired a pup from the same line and Jinty seemed happy to pass on the work to the newcomer. The last year did see her getting slow but a daily dose of Metacalm kept her pain free at least. Then the other day she took to her kennel at lunchtime and when I came back in at night she had gone. I know I have been lucky to own a dog like her and have been spared the traumas often experienced at the end but it has still been hard. The pup seems lost and hasn't eaten well since but time will cure all. Our Dogs . If we weren't fond of them we wouldn't have them. The new pup Mhari has a lot to live up to.

David
I loss my best friend 5 weeks ago it's not easy after being together for so long but you have to think of all the times you spent out together and try to move on I have had lot of offers for puppies but I think it's too soon yet sorry for you David
DJC
 
Chin up Dave, its never easy losing a good dog, or any dog come to that. Think of the good times she had and with you and she will live on forever.
 
I know how you feel, I just got back from the vets, after having my spaniel put down, 15 yrs of loyal service, but she was going down hill fast, deaf and with very bad eye sight, urinary problems, I did not want to wait for the day when she lay suffering, while I was away all day.
 
We need dogs,we love dogs,we bond with our dogs.
We never forget any of our dogs.
Our dogs are not here long enough.....

Sorry to hear of your loss David/Taff those memories are what you'll remember forever and the happy times-Jinty will live on.
 
Hi dave sorry to hear about your loss.she was a cracking dog.can you remember the time she tracked the goat for me .
 
Sad to hear, it's never easy just remember the memories will always be there. Every now and again the new pup will do something that Jinty used to do and the good time memories will come flooding back
Chin up Wingy
 
I want to thank you all so much for your kind comments . To DJC and Taff, may I say how sorry I am for your loss too.

Yes Amanda , I remember well the outing we took to get you you're first wild goat. The shot went a bit low and the animal took off ,again through lodge pole thicket. It ran in a great semi-circle and we often thought the dog was off the track but we believed her and as usual she was right. The week before she had tracked a Roe for your pal Al, and found in heather so thick and old it was above knee level.

I am not good at taking photos on the spot myself but now how glad I am that all the Scandinavians I took out all insisted on photos of their day including the dog. I have lots of pictures to jog the memories of happy days.


David
 
I lost my stalking dog 2 years ago in July. She was a very fit 11 and it came as a terrible shock. I worked out I had been out with her approx 1,500 times or 3,000 hours. I have another dog but I still miss my old one terribly and understand a little of what you must feel. As the pup develops it's own character that will help but it's not the same.
 
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