What Makes A Man .....

[foxdropper 17,092]

Terriers have never stopped me doing other things or going away as I've a good backup team so to me the fact that terriers are a bind doesn't cut much .

[onion jonny 526]

as we get older the body and the mind get a little bit weaker wether we like it or not, plus we all have different breaking points and perhaps some ambitions, i find myself facing the decision wether to give up the terrier game through ill health plus lots of permission has gone due to one reason or another, i have stayed in the game after having a heart attack followed by a triple bypass then a small stroke and have angina although if it wasnt for the mates i have doing most of the digging i wouldnt be able to get much graft with the dogs, i still want to have dogs and would like the challenge of training a gun dog so perhaps your mate feels the same either way a good mate is a good mate wether he has a dog that suits you or not.

[Lenmcharristar 9,180]

Sometimes ya just have to hand the reigns over to the next generation

[resistance 189]

Your mate surly look after your perm side of things if hes giving it up.

[mad4it 693]

as people have said once any form of dog work get in to your blood you can never just walk away, because there will aways be some thing smouldering away, I know that myself as i gave working dogs up for a few years but kept going out with friends and family than after talking to a couple of very close family I got my self a lurcher pup which is now just about 15 months old and hopefuly I will get a terrier pup, but it was a dark time when I didnt have a either a terrier or lurcher with me when ferreting or just walking thought the countryside I was always looking at the fields thinking they would be nice to run a dog or wishing that i had a dog or two with me. You cant be a couple of hours with dogs for company.

[Mary 352]

One of my earliest memories is of men coming down to my father from the northwest with their strong dogs, I wasn't much bigger than a toddler then, these men lived for the game and travelled the length and breath of the country to work there dogs, they are talked about often and fondly in my home place. The last I heard of them was that they only shoot nowadays. Don't know their reasons for closing shop and who knows what the future holds for any of us, but it must be an awful realisation when the day comes that you have to stop for whatever reason.

 

Just to add these men worked terriers as well as strong dog types.

[fireman 10,774]

Maybe he's bored FD of the way some of his suposed pals question his man hood or his heart for the game,why not go ask him instead of moaning on the net about it.I may sound a bit strong but i've a suposed pal who's gone all bitchy on me because i can't no longer be arsed with his bullshit or his crap ways with dogs and he is also being a fanny on line about it rather than knocking on my door (or even answering his phone to me) and finding out why.Are you two related?..

[Accip74 7,112]

I admire any man who sticks at something he loves throughout his life, but life is short & someone taking on a new challenge should be respected.......

You often see on here that some folk seem to have time to shoot, dig, run lurchers, fish etc etc etc....& this is all on top of work, family relationships, social lives, sleeping haha......But for some of us, it's just one or the other, choices have to made.

My dad quit the terriers at around 67, it wasn't lack of heart or dedication.......it's just life!

[johnrussell84 2,765]

Fd don't take this negative but I think some off what ur saying is a little selfish interms off ul lose some off his permission or u can't be mates after this. Surely after years ud regard him more than just a digging partner. Folks minds work at different levels an inevitable the way the Cowboys are going terrier world is slowly fading. There's a huge loss nowadays and it's the fear the idiots are bringing the genuine ones down with them. I can see that it's a huge blow all round mate interms off future close breeding a having a genuine lad to go out with and having enough land to do yours by, maybe I'm wrong but he must have weighed the pros and cons and rather than fall out ask him to secure the other setts and still come out time to time??

[my hounds 306]

No chance mate .I've rehomed 2 bitches already and 4 more dogs going today .Will be end of our friendship as I can't see beyond it myself .Gutted .

For some reasons (some maybe mentioned by other replies)your mate has decided to go another direction as regards working dogs,and after 20 years of friendship you are going to end it "SOME MATE YOU ARE".

[Haiddheliwr 1,911]

I went from gundogs to terriers and don't regret it at all. Maybe its been there done that got to try something different!! Life is short and we think we have to cram everything in. I lost my digging partner in different circumstances but it hurts. I wish you all the best for the future and hope it all works out for you

[jake824 517]

No chance mate .I've rehomed 2 bitches already and 4 more dogs going today .Will be end of our friendship as I can't see beyond it myself .Gutted .

why lose your friendship because he s jacking in the dogs. I would imagine he has his personal reasons for his decision.

[THE GENERAL 1,975]

My best mate worked terriers for years, we both did together, this past few years for different reasons he's gotten out of them and is more into gun dogs. He still has a few terriers about him so I suppose it will always be in him but he doesn't do much apart from xmas time every year we always get out together for a hunt over the holidays for old times sake and I look forward to it. I'd never imagine falling out with him for his choice to pack the terriers in, it's just one of those things. I know a few older guys done it for years and once they hit there 40's they packed it in. Everytime I meet them they love a good old talk asking how things are going and am I doing much so I suppose it's always in you even if you don't do it anymore you'll still have it in your head. I imagine them driving down the road and thinking about a good spot over the hill you would have had spent countless hours at on a good hunt and wishing they could do it all again, that part would eat me alive.

[foxdropper 17,092]

Things were said in heated moment ,things about other lads I know and bullshit to boot .His reasons for stopping are not those I can comprehend so we've parted .I'm very cut and dried ,no in between with me ,either you are or you arnt .Off to see keeper tomorrow to see where I stand and can I bring someone new .The knock on effects are what a few of you don't yet get from who to now trust with future breeding plans to me having to go cap in hand to lads I've cut all ties with .His dogs went to a lad I can't stand ,would rather of pts but thats life .Must have been brewing for a while as he's not been out much this season saying he was waiting for the shooting to finish so we can dig in peace .

[foxdropper 17,092]

Maybe he's bored FD of the way some of his suposed pals question his man hood or his heart for the game,why not go ask him instead of moaning on the net about it.I may sound a bit strong but i've a suposed pal who's gone all bitchy on me because i can't no longer be arsed with his bullshit or his crap ways with dogs and he is also being a fanny on line about it rather than knocking on my door (or even answering his phone to me) and finding out why.Are you two related?..

If I kept plummets I'd expect a moan but these are the real deal fella lol.