Doing some wingshooting with us? Thought you might like to meet the real guides.
The dogs shown below are trained and handled by Stephen Faust of Stoneybrook Gordon Setters.
Sasha, a 2 year old female, is the best natural retriever I’ve ever owned. She always wins the discussion of who gets to bring back the bird. A small female at only 35 lbs. she is agile, steady, and cautious. A natural team player, she honors other points quickly. Around the house or during breaks, expect Sasha to crawl up into your lap for some love. She has a great off switch and is as gentle as any dog can be when not hunting.
Del is
a large 5 year gentle male and littermate to Blue. He has been known to point in
the classic setter style of “dropping” on point and crouching down with
his belly almost
touching the ground. A good retriever and a steady worker, he loves the
cold and the wet. .
Blue, 5yo male: A steady hunting machine. Around the house he's a bumbling mischief maker, but he turns on in the field and hunts at a nice foot
hunting pace. He moves
tirelessly, and is always ready to go. Ever boldy cautious, he drives with a good
nose and can work the full day without being handled. He is
distinguished by his large white stripped chest.
Peat is now a beloved old man at 13.5 years old. He is retired with honors, now
fully blind. Still moving well, he always goes along on the trips. Gearing up for a trip, he's fully aware of the process and there's no leaving him behind. Peat's handsome frame has graced numerous magazines. He loves his
ears scratched and still likes to sniff the birds. He was one of the great ones, and
through his offspring, he has helped
improve the field Gordon blood.
These dogs are trained and handled by Brandon L. Price.
Aster is a 7 year old female hybrid retriever (German shorthair pointer x chocolate labrador). She was rescued from a local shelter and quickly became an outstanding gun dog for many disciplines. Before her first birthday, she had already pointed 3 species of wild birds in 4 states. Though she will flush on command, she is typically worked as a quartering pointer. Despite her willingness as a hunter, she is a princess around the house with an affinity for down comforters. She recently had surgery on both cruciate tendons and hopes to be back in the field for 2017.
Tommy: 6yo Male English Pointer x Setter (Dropper). He's one of those 2-sided dogs that will surprise you. While he's kind of awkward and goofy around the house and truck, his personality transforms in the field into an absolutely driven hunter with picturesque points. Abundantly cautious, he rarely makes mistakes on grouse. He came to me (along with Lulu) from a plantation guide in SC who passed away suddenly. I'm beginning to feel that it may be a while before I am blessed to have another superb field dog such as Tommy.
Lulu is a 7yo dropper (English pointer x English setter) who came in as a rescue, her owner being a plantation guide who suddenly passed. She is somewhat shy and timid around strangers, but her attitude is completely different when it's time to find birds. She's as sleek and swift as a cruise missle working the thickets and never afraid to scramble down embankments or slide through the brambles.
Waylon was my first real gun dog. He lived to be a lovable 11 year old who never lost his desire for hunting. While it was never determined whether he was more labrador than mutt, there was never a question of ability. He simply showed up as stray puppy about the time the country legend namesake sang his last song. With a little training, he quickly became a dependable pheasant dog and actually pointed a few quail. No telling how many roosters were recovered thanks to his determination. His nose wasn't super, so when he was on a bird, you knew it was close! He spent his last year valiantly fighting cancer on my parent's farm, but we finally allowed him to chase birds in the clouds in 2015. His affinity for kids and unquestioned loyalty to me will never be forgotten.
