@PMillen is that a Vizla? I hunted over one for a few years. A friends may he RIP, had a wonderful Viz. The dog was smart unlike the owner LOL!! I raised Brittany's for years, had a few pointers as well. The memories of my Brits working a covey of Bobs or Blues, Oh man!! I miss that so much. Such a wonderful sight and feeling.
Thank you for bringing those memories back to me.
Mike
As far as an Avatar well I'm the unknown LOL!!

I picked our dog, Zolo, when he was a pup, mostly cuz he was a loving family member who was involved in EVERYTHING that happened. He was extremely social and was so inclusive - he wanted everyone he met to be part of his pack. Now, it exists as a memorial to him for we lost him the week before Thanksgiving this past year. I enjoy seeing his face every time I log on.   

You have to be 10 years younger then me, how is that possible?

    Not unless you are 91 

Well, it's not wood-fired, but it doesn't take long to get up to temp!

@PMillen is that a Vizla? I hunted over one for a few years.

No, Mike, Willa’s a Weimaraner.  In the avatar shot she’s standing near the edge of a huge set-aside field, her head high, testing for bird scent to home in on.

She’s what the breeders categorize as a Blue Weimaraner.  But she’s more charcoal grey than blue.  (Some are as blue as your jeans.)  Almost every litter has at least one blue.  The color doesn’t meet the AKC breed standard.  They were closely held in their native Germany and the German breeders would destroy the non-standard pups.


Maddie on left, standard Color.  Willa, on right, blue.

I don’t show or breed them so I selected a blue pup.  Based on my one-dog blue sample compared to four greys, it appears that the blue weims are quite a bit quirkier, have hair that’s coarser and shed more.  But like all Weimaraners, she’d rather hunt than eat.

   I meant Lew!

You have to be 10 years younger then me, how is that possible?

    Not unless you are 91 

Those are two really beautiful dogs Paul!!

Thanks Pmillen, was hard to tell just from the small avatar. Beautiful Dogs.
Happy Hunting!!!
Mike

Those are two really beautiful dogs Paul!!

Thanks Pmillen, was hard to tell just from the small avatar. Beautiful Dogs.

Oh, I love them but I don't consider them particularly beautiful.  When I think of beautiful dogs I think of Setters, Irish or English/Llewellin.  My pair are beautiful in the field, tho’.  Everyone, even non-hunters, should have an opportunity to watch quality pointer-retrievers work.  You can see them “think” through problems and weigh the merits of their options.  They’ll do what’s directed but Maddie audibly scoffs at me when she doesn’t agree, and she frequently scolds me with a look when I miss a shot.

We do all have different tastes.  Your dogs are much better looking to me then an Irish setter.  I do not know why, but that dog has always looked like a dufas to me.  I am sure it is not true, they just look stupid to me.  Yet I find a Sharpe or Bulldog to truly be a beautiful dog.

I would love this to happen!

Oh, I love them but I don't consider them particularly beautiful.  When I think of beautiful dogs I think of Setters, Irish...

Everyone, even non-hunters, should have an opportunity to watch quality pointer-retrievers work.

But like all Weimaraners, she’d rather hunt than eat.

I'm retired from federal law enforcement and was lucky enough to be a canine handler for several years with a Belgian Malinois that was the same way.  She'd rather search than eat, too.  She wasn't psycho all the time like most of them, but when she got in one of the scents she was trained to detect it was off the the races.  Her running and dragging me along through South Texas brush like an anchor on the end of the leash.  She had a VERY high draft drive.  Spent more time with the dog over the years than my wife and daughter when I was a handler.  Now I have to find a picture of her and reminisce.  And post it in the pets pics if I can figure it out.  Took me a long time to get the avatar up. Here's to Laika!! 

I'm retired from federal law enforcement and was lucky enough to be a canine handler for several years with a Belgian Malinois that was the same way.  She'd rather search than eat, too.  She wasn't psycho all the time like most of them, but when she got in one of the scents she was trained to detect it was off the the races.  Her running and dragging me along through South Texas brush like an anchor on the end of the leash.  She had a VERY high draft drive.  Spent more time with the dog over the years than my wife and daughter when I was a handler.  Now I have to find a picture of her and reminisce.  And post it in the pets pics if I can figure it out.  Took me a long time to get the avatar up. Here's to Laika!! 

Yes, post those phots, please.  I want to see that beautiful face. 

Single-minded dogs fascinate me.  There needs to be a new word to describe them because they are beyond single-minded.  My dogs couldn't be any more gentle, but if they decided to bite you, you'd have to kill them to stop them because they never quit.  It sounds as though Laika was the same.

You have to be 10 years younger then me, how is that possible?

So you were playing about 15 years before my college time.  Did you get to play the position I always wanted to play?  Free Safety.  My freshman HS season, I still had a suspension helmet!

...in Louisiana and played football for the University of Louisiana in the early 60's,

I played free safety on the freshman team and had a suspension helmet too.

Small school equipment passed down from upper class to lower classmen about every 4-5 years

I would have thought by that time they were all gone!

Did you get to play the position I always wanted to play?  Free Safety.

In my day, you had to play offense and defense. I was what would be called in todays game a tight end on offense and interior lineman on defense.

Ditto.  Defensive end and offensive line.  Small school.  9 Man.

I chose a picture of the style of ribs I do at home (BB's) that my wife likes.  This is a BBQ site and ribs are about as BBQ as you can get.