Wonder where he came from?

[Rusty]

Great idea Ted. I friend him shortly!

[JerryB]

We have been checking this everyday to see how he is doing. When I read this late last nite my wife Rosalie, has just been on facebook a little while ask our grandson to help her get in touch with Drifter, I reckon they did.

[TedH]

Yes, Jerry, I got it.

Drifter is doing remarkably well. We've been feeding him puppy chow per the Vet's instructions. She said to feed him 3 to 4 cups a day, but he always acts like he's still starving so we give him a bit more like 5 cups a day, plus a few treats each day. His activity level is much better, though he still likes his sleep too. When he first showed up he had a hard time getting up after laying down for a while, his hips appeared to be causing him pain. Now he gets up a lot quicker, but still a little shaky. We weighed him this evening, and I was shocked to see he gained 6 pounds in the last week!

[plowboy 45]

Sent one Ted, it'll show as jaybaby brand knivesnleather

[TedH]

Got it, thanks!

[6pt-sika]

Ted, he looks beautiful. It would be even greater if he turned out to have hunting instincts.

The vet said he was about 2 years old, and he is a Pointer, probably full blood. I took him out for a walk tonight, and he's got the instinct. Just need to get him to point the quail, and not the mice.

Train him on deer !

I hunted with a group the last day this past season and one fellow brought along an Irish Setter he had trained for deer . I'm not real big on deer hunting with dogs but this was kinda cool at the end of the season .

You could tell when the dog scented deer and when he saw a deer he would bark 10 or 12 times and chase the deer maybe 100 yards or so and break off which worked great in the small areas we were driving that day . The dog put up six deer of which I think four offered shots a two were actually killed .

[6pt-sika]

Yes, Jerry, I got it.

Drifter is doing remarkably well. We've been feeding him puppy chow per the Vet's instructions. She said to feed him 3 to 4 cups a day, but he always acts like he's still starving so we give him a bit more like 5 cups a day, plus a few treats each day. His activity level is much better, though he still likes his sleep too. When he first showed up he had a hard time getting up after laying down for a while, his hips appeared to be causing him pain. Now he gets up a lot quicker, but still a little shaky. We weighed him this evening, and I was shocked to see he gained 6 pounds in the last week!

Did the Vet check him for Hip Dysplasia ? That's getting kinda common in pointers setters and retrievers that come from unscrupulouse breeders .

[TedH]

It's not legal to hunt deer with dogs here. But it would be cool to have a dog trained to track a wounded deer, which I do believe is legal for recovering an animal.

The vet mentioned that Hip Dysplasia could be a problem, but she thought his trouble was just from the weakened state he was in at that time. He's getting up and moving a lot better now, and seems to be improving every day.

[TedH]

His ribs aren't sticking out so bad after just a week of good eating. We still haven't heard anything from all the "found dog" ads and "shares" of pics we put out there, so I think it's time to make it official and buy him a tag for his collar.

[mohavesam]

That pup will be giving you the same stare for another ten years Lord-willing. I leant toward springer/setter mix when reading through the posts... My last setter looked right through your eyes like that.
I cannot imagine someone not searching hi and low for that pup? Good luck

[6pt-sika]

FWIW , our dearly departed Vet was a close personal friend . And years ago when I was eat up with the English Setter bird hunting thing he always told me the dog was not in peak weight for hunting until you could just see the last two ribs .

Now in this boys case I would say feed him all he wants until he gets caught up so to speak and then trim him back later .

[6pt-sika]

His ribs aren't sticking out so bad after just a week of good eating. We still haven't heard anything from all the "found dog" ads and "shares" of pics we put out there, so I think it's time to make it official and buy him a tag for his collar.

I'd have the vet either tattoo the inside of his ear or put a tracking chip in him . Heck maybe do both !

[Woodtroll]

Very glad to see he is doing well! There is no gratitude like that you receive from an animal you treat well. This is my favorite thread on here right now.

[TedH]

I'd have the vet either tattoo the inside of his ear or put a tracking chip in him . Heck maybe do both !

He's going to go back to the vet soon for shots, and probably get fixed too. Will definitely do one or the other ID's.

[1894]

His ribs aren't sticking out so bad after just a week of good eating. We still haven't heard anything from all the "found dog" ads and "shares" of pics we put out there, so I think it's time to make it official and buy him a tag for his collar.

Congrats !!!
Our Rufus ( Goofus) has a chip from helping hounds where we adopted him . We also ordered collars online with a brass plate on them with his name and our two cell phone numbers on it .
He is looking great ! And +1 to 6-point

Now in this boys case I would say feed him all he wants until he gets caught up so to speak and then trim him back later .

May take him a while before he is sure that he will never ever again run out of food . Ours would just inhale everything we put in his bowl weather it was 2 , 3 , 4 or 5 times a day. Started just filling up the bowl as soon as it was empty and he finally figured out that he never had to look at that bowl of food like it may be the last one he gets .

[TedH]

May take him a while before he is sure that he will never ever again run out of food . Ours would just inhale everything we put in his bowl weather it was 2 , 3 , 4 or 5 times a day. Started just filling up the bowl as soon as it was empty and he finally figured out that he never had to look at that bowl of food like it may be the last one he gets .

That's exactly what this guy acts like. He'll finish his bowl full of food and go immediately to the big bag of dog food and look at it, then look at me, then back to the food, then back to me.

[Lassiter]

Get him fixed???:shock: Couldn't you just have a stern talk with him...............jes sayin'

[stretch]

Get him fixed???:shock: Couldn't you just have a stern talk with him...............jes sayin'

That right there is funny!

But you've got a friendship for life there, pardner. Seriously.

-Stretch

[TedH]

Get him fixed???:shock: Couldn't you just have a stern talk with him...............jes sayin'

I'm hoping if we did get him fixed that might tame his desire to wander somewhat.

[Old Ironsights]

Fixing...

Hard call.

(A whole'nother discussion about genetics and human 'pet' suitabuliry/politics is likely in order, but... (Docile Dogs/Cats ("great pets") are sterilized, antisocial animals breed at will...


If he turns out to be a Natural, then passing his Genes along would be cool.

But practically/financially, he isn' a Papered Stud, so...

I'd get a Drifter fixed to prevent Drifting...

[2X22]

[quote="TedH"

....and probably get fixed too.[/quote]
Man, he's going to be rethinking adopting you as his family, but its going to be too late!

[TedH]

Interesting experience last night. Drifter was hanging out with us in the living room when my daughter came in with a plastic toy pump shotgun. it's about 2/3 scale, and realistic looking. I got it from her and racked the action and pulled the trigger and it electronically mimics a gunshot sound. Drifter immediately stuck his tail between his legs, cowered down close to the ground and left the room. He obviously has had some sort of very bad experience involving a gun. I brought him back, and played with him and the shotgun for about a half an hour. He eventually got over the shyness and it didn't seem to bother him as much, but he still wasn't completely comfortable with the gun in my hands.

[Blaine]

Interesting experience last night. Drifter was hanging out with us in the living room when my daughter came in with a plastic toy pump shotgun. it's about 2/3 scale, and realistic looking. I got it from her and racked the action and pulled the trigger and it electronically mimics a gunshot sound. Drifter immediately stuck his tail between his legs, cowered down close to the ground and left the room. He obviously has had some sort of very bad experience involving a gun. I brought him back, and played with him and the shotgun for about a half an hour. He eventually got over the shyness and it didn't seem to bother him as much, but he still wasn't completely comfortable with the gun in my hands.

Start discharging a toy gun while he's eating. When that's all good, feed him a bowl outside and use a .22...When that's cool, move up to a shotgun....After awhile, he will associate the gun with food, and (hopefully) solve your problem.

[JohndeFresno]

Start discharging a toy gun while he's eating. When that's all good, feed him a bowl outside and use a .22...When that's cool, move up to a shotgun....After awhile, he will associate the gun with food, and (hopefully) solve your problem.

Excellent advice. You can get gun sounds on a cell phone or computer through YouTube and modulate the sound.

My daughter does this with siren sounds to get her dogs to howl just for fun.

[TedH]

Start discharging a toy gun while he's eating. When that's all good, feed him a bowl outside and use a .22...When that's cool, move up to a shotgun....After awhile, he will associate the gun with food, and (hopefully) solve your problem.

We will try that. He's going to have to work on that if he's going to be a real bird dog. I used to hunt with a buddy that had a German Wirehair, and that dog would get all kinds excited if he saw you opening the gun safe, he knew it was hunting time.

[2X22]

My shorthair could recognize different guns. I'd pull out a rifle, he would just look at me. Pull out any rifle, the same look. Pull out a shotgun, he'd raise his head. A dozen different ones, he would watched intently.

But if I brought out my Ruger Red Label, he would jump up, stand on his hind legs and dance in circles! It was incredible. That was the gun that meant he went hunting.

However, he could also recognize my El Paso Saddlery gunbelt and holster. That meant he was going hiking if it wasn't hunting season.

[samb]

He looks great glad to see the TLC and chow has him as good as new.

[Bill in Oregon]

Ted, he is such a beautiful athlete. Easy does it on the gun-shy training. Feeding and bonding are the priorities, but you know that of course.

[JerryB]

Ted, my wife and I are really impressed with the progress ya'll are making with Drifter. My wife is 75 years old and just now trying to learn how to play that candy game on her phone and do some Facebook. Drifter is doing Facebook and posting pictures. Reckon he'll be on your computer logged in here next.

[TedH]

Ted, my wife and I are really impressed with the progress ya'll are making with Drifter. My wife is 75 years old and just now trying to learn how to play that candy game on her phone and do some Facebook. Drifter is doing Facebook and posting pictures. Reckon he'll be on your computer logged in here next.

He really is doing a lot better than I expected, Jerry. I weighed him again yesterday, and he's put on 10 pounds in the 2 weeks we've had him.