# A Day with Dash



## sniper john (Jun 17, 2010)

I arrived at my hunting lease with Dash Thursday afternoon for his first simulated hunting road trip and walk in the woods with me. Like any 12 week old puppy he slept the whole two and a half hours drive, but was roaring to go when we reached our destination. I had been exposing him to the sight of guns so took along an old .22 lever action and some quiet colibri ammo for it. 










Had fun at the tank shooting into opposite banks and watching him run back and forth trying to find what was making the splashes. Next thing I know he is barreling into the water swimming to the middle to get something he wanted to check out. I had not done any water work with him yet other than with a small kiddy pool on the back porch, so I was surprised. 










It was also Turkey season and always hunt hogs, so I figured this trip would also work to involve crate training at the hunting camp while I do some other hunting. He was so loud when I left him at camp that I think he made turkeys gobble in the distance. It was an entirely different experience for him being left in a crate at this new fun place rather than at home. No hogs found, but I had a nice peaceful evening waiting on stand with my muzzleloader and watching deer. 










Early the next morning I set up for Turkey and had the same problem as last time. I had a gobbler about 150 yards out coming in to my call, but a coyote was just as interested in the Turkey as me and ran it off. So I made the best of it and switched to a predator call and 10 GA BB shot. I called the coyote to within 15 yards and took it out without him knowing what hit him. 










With the Turkey hunt blown I went back to take Dash on his first hunt. Hunt for Butterflies that is. He is tireless. 



















He is real good at pointing beetles too. This short clip also includes some footage of his first canoe ride. I think he jumped out about 5 times. He was enjoying it. 
I got a little tongue tied in one of those clips. I had to call him back to me with the whistle. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ez7FF_Cct7w

His day included learning all sorts of hazards. Several kinds of cactus, red ants, and bull nettle. First bull nettle he saw had those pretty purple flower bulbs on them. He wanted it and grabbed it in his mouth. Let go when it stung him, shook his head around. After staring at it some more, he went for it again, let go, shook his head around and stared at it some more. This time he growled real loud then grabbed it again. Again dropping it and shaking his head around. Finally he just growled at it some more and ran off to look for something else to get into. 

It also included Snakes. We kept our distance on this one, but he will definitely need some snake avoidance training as he gets older. 










Just a couple pictures of Dash following my paddle and trying to catch the water drops. He was having the time of his life Friday. 



















Now the bad and some of you may already know this. Not long after those last pictures I accidently injured my leg with a small but deep penetrating injury that I did not immediately see. Subsequently I got the wound infected with muddy water from a rut in the road to my deer stand that also is used by feral hogs as a wallow. Very nasty stuff. 19 hours later I was in surgery to save my leg from necrotizing faciitis aka a bacterial flesh eating disease. Yes, the same thing that the girl in the news that injured herself on a zip line has. Same kind of bacteria and some others. I have been in the hospital all week with three trips to the OR. I am finally going home tomorrow with a picc line, continued iv antibiotics, and a wound vacuum pump. Eventually I will come back for a skin graft. If all goes well, it will be at least a 2 month recovery. 

I worry about little Dash having probably had the best day of his life with his new hunting buddy and suddenly I was gone. All this week I know he has had to spend way too much time in the crate and has been a handful for those taking care of him. As shown by those pictures he is a very bold fearless, and stubborn puppy. As much as it hurts me to do so, he is going back to Louisiana to stay with the breeder for a couple months. There is no way I will be able to give him the attention and training he needs right now, so it would not be fair to him and would be selfish of me to have him stay with us during my recovery. But it is only temporary. He will be on a farm with one of his siblings and be in wonderful hands. God bless the Neuperts and Vermilion Vizslas for everything they have done and are doing for my family. And especially my wife Sharon of 20 years who has been at my side every step of the recovery.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

superb pics John, Dash seems a real character!!, hopefully you'll make a speedy recovery and be re-united with him soon


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## ryker (Apr 14, 2012)

That's a hard decision to make, but good for you for doing the right thing for your V!

I'm a nurse, and when I read nec fasc I shuddered. Nasty, nasty bug. I'm glad you're coming back from it so blessed, as I've seen many far worse cases that didn't just end with a PICC.

Happy healing!


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## texasred (Jan 29, 2012)

Dash sure is a good looking pup and you know he will be in excellent hands. It has to be a load off your mind to know that he will be well taken care of at a place where he is familiar, and a litter mate too.
If your ever close to the coast during waterfowl season send me a pm.
We have access to 30,000 acres of private land and hunt almost every weekend. Bring Blaze and Dash along. Even if Dash isn't ready to waterfowl he can have free run when the hunt is over. 
Give your wife a hug, she could probably use one about now.
Deb.


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## dmp (Jan 23, 2012)

that looks like unbelievable fun!!


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## Linescreamer (Sep 28, 2010)

That story makes me want to take him!


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## SkyyMax (Apr 5, 2012)

Dash is adorable! I loved the video - look like he had a lot of fun!


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## pippa31 (Aug 2, 2011)

Amazing pictures and video and what a beautiful pup!

Wishing you continued recovery.


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## hobbsy1010 (Jun 4, 2011)

Yeah John,

He's a good looker all right.....

I think he's going to test you a bit though, he looks very 'busy' and inquisitive.
He look's very keen to please you at such an early age 

Great shots of him with the butterfly's  

I think it's going to be a long couple of weeks for you and him but probably for the best.

Have been telling work mates of your injury and they were really shocked about it. I work in construction and these guy's are hard faced and are used to getting cuts and 'Scrape's'...
But sharing your experience with them made their eye's open!

Hobbsy


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

Great read SJ. He's certainly got plenty of "dash" about him hasn't he. What an intrigued little fella he appears to be. 

So sorry to hear about your little incident and even more saddened by Dash having to go have a holiday so soon. But, at least you made the right decision for him first and foremost. 

Best wishes in your recovery, I sense it won't hold you back for too long......


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Thanks for another great post, Sniper John! Dash is sure a handsome pup!! Thinking of you and hoping for a speedy recovery. 

Mary Ann


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