Dog-Gone Fishing
It's that time of year when I have to put my dog on leash when we go near a salmon stream - and it's the time of year that every stream is a salmon spawning stream. He is, a most accomplished fisher-dog. As a pup he would get so super excited by the thrashing fish that clog the stream that he he would just merrily run around. As he got older though he learned to focus on one fish and chase it down. I don't mind if he gets one but one a week is the limit I'm imposing on him. Any more and I'll have to buy him his own fishing license. He pounces on the fish and then once he has is shakes his big bear head until it's dead. He'll then carry it all the way back to my rig, jump in the back with it, jump back out at our yard, and after leaving it to sit in the grass for about an hour eat it. Which is good - we're a subsistence household I tell him, if he catches it, he's got to eat it. Salmon does wonderful things for his fur and usually he doesn't need a kibble meal for a day or so after feasting on his self caught one. (And the Disreputable Cat would like it known that she would be a good salmon hunter if she was only let outside - at the very least she would be able to snag some of Dog's.)
It's that time of year when I have to put my dog on leash when we go near a salmon stream - and it's the time of year that every stream is a salmon spawning stream. He is, a most accomplished fisher-dog. As a pup he would get so super excited by the thrashing fish that clog the stream that he he would just merrily run around. As he got older though he learned to focus on one fish and chase it down. I don't mind if he gets one but one a week is the limit I'm imposing on him. Any more and I'll have to buy him his own fishing license. He pounces on the fish and then once he has is shakes his big bear head until it's dead. He'll then carry it all the way back to my rig, jump in the back with it, jump back out at our yard, and after leaving it to sit in the grass for about an hour eat it. Which is good - we're a subsistence household I tell him, if he catches it, he's got to eat it. Salmon does wonderful things for his fur and usually he doesn't need a kibble meal for a day or so after feasting on his self caught one. (And the Disreputable Cat would like it known that she would be a good salmon hunter if she was only let outside - at the very least she would be able to snag some of Dog's.)
Beautiful dog! Beautiful scenery!
ReplyDeleteI think I'll move there. :)
Peace,
~Chani
http://thailandgal.blogspot.com
The salmon are called "dogs" at that point when they are thrashing and dying, no?
ReplyDeleteI remember this time of salmon season pretty vividly. I was none too fond of it myself...
What a clever puppy! Can you teach him to bring you one that hasn't been shaken? Then everyone could eat---or are you sick to death of salmon?
ReplyDeleteMmmmmmmmm, salmon!
ReplyDeleteHey, thanks for stopping by my blog - I've really enjoyed finding yours. This is a fascinating place.
My wife spends untold amounts of money on canned salmon for our Borzoi, to help her keep her coat in show condition. Sounds like your sweet pup has gone and eliminated the middle-men!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteIt is a good thing my dogs don't read your blog. I would have mutiny on my hands. They would whine and whine until I put there leashes on and walk them over to your house so that hey too can catch a salmon.
ReplyDeletesubsistence household. love it.
ReplyDeletelucky doggy. poor kitty. She must just sit in the window and glower with jealous rage.
wow, a dog that catches his own food. how novel and remote a concept for my city dogs to grasp. if my black lab/rottweiler DID manaeg to catch a fish in the water, he'd bring it over and expect me to throw it back in the river for fetch. and so on.
ReplyDeletethanks, i love the picture with fish in the mouth!
chani ~ thanks! It's a little bit colder then Thailand.
ReplyDeleteqt ~ um, no actually. There is a species of salmon called dog fish. I think that's what you are thinking of.
liv ~ actually, I could, if I hadn't gone out and caught myself a passel full a weekend or so ago. He treats them nicely. My freezer is full.
pilgrim/ heretic ~ welcome and thank you!
irrelephant ~ yep, he prefers it fresh caught :)
hel ~ oh, I bet they would.
painted maypole ~ she did glower until she got distracted by a fly that she had to stalk through my tomatoe plants (which are houseplants in theis part of the world if you actually want tomoatoes). Sometimes I do go out and cut her a little bit off, then Dog glowers.
matte ~ you're welcome! yeah, city dogs get confused when they actually catch things.