http://www.thepublicopinion.com/new...cle_21c11b62-facf-11e7-aa15-4b9b3040b658.html Sounds like River is a very good girl! We often joke about Teller doing something similar if he were ever lost in the woods but kudos to this old girl for saving herself and remembering her training. Here's hoping she finds a loving home to live out her golden years in comfort without the threat of abandonment.
@drjs@5 - Agreed! If I lived closer I'd consider adopting but SD is thousands of miles away from me. You would think in wealthy, developed countries something as cruel as abandoning a dog because they don't hunt well enough would be a thing of the past as most upland hunting is a recreational pursuit. But sadly it's somewhat of a commonality here. Knowing how lovely and amiable gun dog breeds are (the best group IMHO) it breaks my heart to see people just throw them away for a superficial reason. I love that Teller is a natural bird dog and lives to hunt but would I toss him aside if he was only interested in chasing his tail and napping? Not a chance! Never have I had or met a more affectionate dog. My best friends' parents rescued a beagle from a situation like that. One day he showed up in their yard covered with cuts and parasites, emaciated, and clearly abused. Unfortunately where I live it's the hounds who are commonly abandoned or surrendered. They took him to the vet and ended up adopting him. Although to this day he refuses to set foot in the house and lives in a large run with a heated dog house in their yard. I plan on getting another dog for Teller's benefit and was planning on going to a breeder but after seeing stories like this I may rather go the adoption route again.
It sounds as if the rescued beagle is having a good life with your friends' parents. I hope the lab is lucky too.