My best hunting buddy....

I know it's not exactly a hunting story...but I was looking at old pictures last night and found this...the best hunting partner Ive ever had...if you've ever had a really good dog you'll understand what I'm going to say...his name was Bubba and we were a team...he knew what I wanted him to do before I even asked him to do it...he was the first dog that I trained myself...I believe he taught me more than I taught him...he taught me patience and kindness and perseverance...he never commented on my many missed shots and I didn't care if he took a little nap in the duck blind...I could tell him to sit and stay and he wouldn't move..he would stay there all day if asked him to...and he never needed a leash...I loved him and he loved me....unfortunately I left him in Kansas where he passed away...he was out playing with my son one day and he just fell over convulsed a little and that was it...I believe he had a stroke or an aneurysm...but that was it just like that he was gone...I don't ever cry...but I shed tears that day...my best friend had died...I took Bubba and to a friends property and I laid him out in a pasture under some trees....it was too cold and frozen to bury him so I left him out for nature...I know it sounds harsh but we were both outdoorsman and I believe in ashes to ashes and the circle of life sorta thing...maybe it's cold and harsh but that is what I felt was right at the time...anyhow a few more dogs have come and gone but it's never the same...it's not their fault but I just compare them all to him and they can never match up....sorry for the long sad drawn out eulogy sort of thing but I just got kind of lost in some memories...some people will understand some people won't...but I am a better person for knowing him and I am lucky he chose me to be his owner...