I don’t know if I loved Cassie more for her ability in the field or for her role as a companion and playmate for my children, but it all summed up to be one of those relationships in life that I’ll forever cherish.
Sempers Castaway Cassie came to us from Modesto, CA. She was from a strong line of field trial Golden’s. I wanted a retriever that could run at the Master Hunter or Hunting Retriever Champion (HRCH) level as well as be a great family pet. She earned her HRCH with the help of pro Joe Migliore. For the first three years of her life she spent 4-5 months with Joe learning the basics and advanced skills needed to run hunt tests. She excelled. I remember a conversation with Joe, who was a dyed-in-the-wool black lab man, where I asked how Cassie was doing compared to the other 15 or so dogs in his kennel. Without hesitation he looked me in the eye and said “she’s my best dog.”
Cassie was an Alpha dog to the point of being comical. She had two superiors, me and Joe. She obeyed our commands and was willing to learn. My wife and kids on the other hand had no choice but to come and get me to call Cassie in or get her to do something. She totally blew them off. You had to respect her independence. Not many people can get away from ignoring Michelle. Cassie was the best
Despite her unusually strong independence Cassie hated it when I left her presence when hunting. She was fine and dandy with running 40 yards ahead of us when we walked down the dike to Greentree, as if to say hurry up slowpokes. But if I ever got in somebody else’s boat and left her in mine she’d go nuts. I’ve never seen a dog display loyalty this strongly. Three short weeks ago I was hunting with Rick Pierce on the Arkansas River. We had a cripple fly away so Rick and I left to recover it leaving Cassie and Thomas behind to keep hunting. Despite being told to stay she couldn’t stand me not being with her. We were halfway across the Arkansas River when I saw her break for us. The cripple made it all the way to the other bank as Rick and I pursued it. Cassie, wanting to be with me so badly, swam the entire width of the Arkansas River to catch up. That swim was just 3 weeks ago. I thought to myself how can a 10 year old dog do that. She was a supreme athlete, fast, agile, and incredible stamina.
You can ask any of my hunting partners about Cassie and cripples. She brought ducks back that you just knew were going to be lost. In hot pursuit of a diving cripple she’d raise her body out of the water as high as possible and spin in circles to see where they resurfaced. She’d also dive well below the surface to make the grab. Her effectiveness at getting hold of cripples, time and time again, is truly on of the most remarkable things I’ve witnessed in almost 30 years of waterfowling. Cassie and cripples made for great hunts and you just know she enjoyed the chase.
If you asked me three weeks ago how much longer I’d be hunting with Cassie I would have said with full confidence at least another year before she’ll retire and even then she’ll be with me on easy days. Without warning a week ago she lost her appetite and started throwing up. Our vet and good friend Brian Story gave me the bad news, she was terminal with liver cancer. With bilirubin levels as high as he’d ever seen he knew it would be a rapid deterioration. Tonight after spending all weekend trying to keep her comfortable we let her go.
I am so grateful he she had a litter of puppies, twelve in fact. It’s through those puppies and grand-puppies I get to see other people enjoy this wonderful line of Goldens, at home and in the field. Our season ends next week but it is pretty much over for me. I’ll take Thomas out next weekend and on the youth hunt in February but my season ended tonight. Having been through this once before I know as the days and weeks pass the pain will subside and the memories will far outshine the pain. But right now all I want to do is tell her BACK another time and give her a hug, stroke her soft ears, and tell her how much I love her.
She was something special. This is going to be a hard one to get over.
Eric
Sempers Castaway Cassie came to us from Modesto, CA. She was from a strong line of field trial Golden’s. I wanted a retriever that could run at the Master Hunter or Hunting Retriever Champion (HRCH) level as well as be a great family pet. She earned her HRCH with the help of pro Joe Migliore. For the first three years of her life she spent 4-5 months with Joe learning the basics and advanced skills needed to run hunt tests. She excelled. I remember a conversation with Joe, who was a dyed-in-the-wool black lab man, where I asked how Cassie was doing compared to the other 15 or so dogs in his kennel. Without hesitation he looked me in the eye and said “she’s my best dog.”
Cassie was an Alpha dog to the point of being comical. She had two superiors, me and Joe. She obeyed our commands and was willing to learn. My wife and kids on the other hand had no choice but to come and get me to call Cassie in or get her to do something. She totally blew them off. You had to respect her independence. Not many people can get away from ignoring Michelle. Cassie was the best
Despite her unusually strong independence Cassie hated it when I left her presence when hunting. She was fine and dandy with running 40 yards ahead of us when we walked down the dike to Greentree, as if to say hurry up slowpokes. But if I ever got in somebody else’s boat and left her in mine she’d go nuts. I’ve never seen a dog display loyalty this strongly. Three short weeks ago I was hunting with Rick Pierce on the Arkansas River. We had a cripple fly away so Rick and I left to recover it leaving Cassie and Thomas behind to keep hunting. Despite being told to stay she couldn’t stand me not being with her. We were halfway across the Arkansas River when I saw her break for us. The cripple made it all the way to the other bank as Rick and I pursued it. Cassie, wanting to be with me so badly, swam the entire width of the Arkansas River to catch up. That swim was just 3 weeks ago. I thought to myself how can a 10 year old dog do that. She was a supreme athlete, fast, agile, and incredible stamina.
You can ask any of my hunting partners about Cassie and cripples. She brought ducks back that you just knew were going to be lost. In hot pursuit of a diving cripple she’d raise her body out of the water as high as possible and spin in circles to see where they resurfaced. She’d also dive well below the surface to make the grab. Her effectiveness at getting hold of cripples, time and time again, is truly on of the most remarkable things I’ve witnessed in almost 30 years of waterfowling. Cassie and cripples made for great hunts and you just know she enjoyed the chase.
If you asked me three weeks ago how much longer I’d be hunting with Cassie I would have said with full confidence at least another year before she’ll retire and even then she’ll be with me on easy days. Without warning a week ago she lost her appetite and started throwing up. Our vet and good friend Brian Story gave me the bad news, she was terminal with liver cancer. With bilirubin levels as high as he’d ever seen he knew it would be a rapid deterioration. Tonight after spending all weekend trying to keep her comfortable we let her go.
I am so grateful he she had a litter of puppies, twelve in fact. It’s through those puppies and grand-puppies I get to see other people enjoy this wonderful line of Goldens, at home and in the field. Our season ends next week but it is pretty much over for me. I’ll take Thomas out next weekend and on the youth hunt in February but my season ended tonight. Having been through this once before I know as the days and weeks pass the pain will subside and the memories will far outshine the pain. But right now all I want to do is tell her BACK another time and give her a hug, stroke her soft ears, and tell her how much I love her.
She was something special. This is going to be a hard one to get over.
Eric
Last edited:
