I hate to do this........

[hounddog]

My girl friend told me the other day that either my hounds had to go or she will.








I sure am going to miss her.


hounddog
Jim Umbarger

[tenntreedog]

Hey Jim if she dont have her own car pack her suitcase and call her a cab.

[Bunnyblaster]

I always look at it this way........

.....as long as I'm not putting a financial strain on our household and...............

......as long as I'm taking care of my other responsibilities which includes making time for family and not just leaving all the time to go run dogs then there are much worse things you could be out doing.

As long as I was fulfilling those things and she still doesn't understand then I'd show her the door too but we all know there are some guys out there that put this in front of other more important things and that's not right either. You have to find a balance that fits for everyone, give and take.



Sorry you guys couldn't work it out houndog. Maybe you'll find someone that's a little more accepting down the road.

[DRamey]

Jim, did the same thing back in the '80's, but it was with my canoe. I missed her for a while, too. Paddling, or her? Hmmmm....Finally found one who likes the canoe. Also feeds the hounds, hunts, looks hot in camo, but can't shoot a lick. Nobody's perfect!

[Dave Swiger]

Jim, Sorry to hear this. This sort of thing happens to other interests. I have played Bluegrass music for over thirty years, You cant count on your hands and toes the number of wives/girlfriends who have shut down good musians with this altimatem. Bunnyblaster said it right. Man you don't want to be with someone who can't see your passions in life. Good luck to you man.

Dave Swiger/been there, done that

[hounddog]

Been married twice and lost all my hounds both times but never again. Can't say I won't ever get hooked again but she better know how and like to clean kennels, feed dogs, and run them on a regular basis, along with holding down a full time job. You know it's bad when you think more of your hounds then your partner.
I'm just messin with you guys but if it came down to that, she goes before my dogs.
Sometimes the boards get slow so I figured I try to jump start it again.
BTW thanks for the advise, I may need it one day but as for now, they make girl friends everyday. Nothing personal towards you ladies.
Can't live with em and can't live without them.

hounddog
Jim Umbarger

[FlyinSoLow]

Story Time from a Girls View Point:

My boyfriend was always away hunting.
I did not like hunting, though I ate all game meat, I was gun shy and had no interest in hunting what so ever.
I didn’t like that he was out hunting as much as he was and I complained but I wasn’t too bad, it was his life, I knew that when we started dating, and he could have been off cheating on me instead of just hunting…

One day he confesses that He always wanted a beagle. Now he never had a dog (I had at least 3-4 at a time since I was born but they were all Boxers, Dobermans, Pit-bulls and breeds like that), but his dad’s family was all into raising beagles when they were young men but everyone of them got out of it because of lack of time, money, they all worked, ect ect.

Well, he knew he could not get one because he was never home, he worked a lot, and his parents did not want a dog or to watch the dog he got, and they also went away a lot. We decided, together, we could get a beagle and share custody of it. And this way we could work out whatever issue arose with keeping a dog and we figured one of us would always be there to have the dog.
I wanted a lemon, 15”, male. He wanted a tri, 13”, female. He wanted the dog to live outside I insisted the dog live in the house…. So he got the pup he wanted and she lives in the house! But I did get to name her!
I should also mention that I wanted a pet, he wanted a hunting dog!
The puppy went with me to work every day (I trained horses and gave riding lessons at the time so she hung around the barn with me and the kids) and once he got home from work the pup and I went over to his house.
His parents ended up loving the dog, and his mom who hated all dogs or the most part is now the one that spoils her the most. If we don’t yell at her often she will make our beagle into a blimp with table scraps and treats!
So it all worked out.

I ended up spending most of the time with the puppy and grew to really love her, so of course I went with them to watch them run her and train her. I was getting hooked.

Then the boyfriend told me that if I wanted to go along and watch her hunt I HAD to carry a gun, because if she ran a rabbit past me and I didn’t shoot at it I would wreck her training and it would confuse her and make her think she did something wrong, of course I didn’t want THAT so I learned to shoot and BF got me my own shotgun!

I now know this was probably a bunch of B***S*** he fed me to get me to go with him, but I love him still anyway.

End of the story:
It has only been a year and a half since we got the beagle but now I hunt EVERYTHING with a season. I don’t hunt alone because I’m a chicken and might shoot myself, but I enjoy every second in the woods. I don’t complain anymore, and everyone is happy! Plus the Bf and I spend a lot of time together. Now I LOVE shooting!

I’m out of horses because they are so expensive, hard to keep, and the economy sucks, but now I have a new hobby to pursue thanks to the BF! I also want to get a Labrador for duck and goose season, so that’s my next project.

I ended up getting quite a few more shotguns, a rifle, and an inline.
BF got someone to reload all of his shotgun shells for him (that’s my job now) and I never complain when he goes hunting (and he does go a lot without me still too) Plus when he is away I have the beagle to keep my company.

And best of all I got a ring out of the deal!

All of this because my Boyfriend wanted a beagle and hunts way to much!

[Mapel Valley Kennels LLC.]

I suppose after 17 years of child support i finnaly got lucky with mine she helps me in anyway she can, trials dogs for me and has become a big member of the pack. She evens has a jacket that i got her that says "Shorty-Supervisor" I found me a hollar honey i hope i never lose. Not to mention little emily the future ceo of Mapel Valley Kennels. There is lots of good women out there willing to compromise with our passion, I have never looked back. Jim, my best advice for you is pack the bull horn pull your hat down a little tighter shift gears and keep on trucking

[Joeyman]

I'm no Dr.Phil here so..........heres my Dr.Joey 2cents

Seeing that she is just your GF better to get out now rather after you get married and have a kid. If she's like that now she'll probably be worse after you two get married. And why she giving you an ultimatum I hate that sort of stuff. Its her or the dogs.......lmao thats some straight up B.S. I know I said to get out now but I also think sometimes you should try and work it out. If you can't then I say get out now and run. But sounds like their is more to it than just the dogs. Who in their right mind would tell you I'm leaving if you don't get rid of your dogs.....What the heck

I really don't know what i'm talking about........lol I'm just rambling on

[mtnwaykennel]

I reckon i am lucky. My wife has no problems feeding the hounds ect... she just gets a little attached. lol hard to cull when my wife keeps tabs on every dog. She will not run with me anymore but that is ok. Love her anyway

Bill Woods

[hounddog]

I'm no Dr.Phil here so..........heres my Dr.Joey 2cents

Seeing that she is just your GF better to get out now rather after you get married and have a kid. If she's like that now she'll probably be worse after you two get married. And why she giving you an ultimatum I hate that sort of stuff. Its her or the dogs.......lmao thats some straight up B.S. I know I said to get out now but I also think sometimes you should try and work it out. If you can't then I say get out now and run. But sounds like their is more to it than just the dogs. Who in their right mind would tell you I'm leaving if you don't get rid of your dogs.....What the heck

I really don't know what i'm talking about........lol I'm just rambling on

Thanks for the advise Dr. Joey and all, lol but I'm almost 52, have two very successful daugthers and 3 grandchildren. I've been single for 6 years now and not sure if I could marry again. I enjoy the dating part but with a full time job, a house, a farm, beagles, field trials, making wine, I just don't see any extra time.lol I guess I'll just have do what Jimmie said.
Man, life is good!

hounddog
Jim Umbarger

[T LEE]

Bill , you are lucky. My wife can't stand dogs. If anything happend to me....she would open the kennel doors and let them all go.

[ddetar00]

Okay... I will chime in here.

I had just gone thru a divorce... not over dogs... did not have any at the time... New girlfriend comes along, we hit it off pretty good,
year later getting merried. 1.5 years later we drive to ohio to get a cpl hounds (oh should mention she is roughly three months pregnant at
this time). She does not understand nor question my obsession for getting these pups, she just goes along.

Three years later.... she has her own set of briar bibbs, muck boots, can tell which hound jumps and which ones leading. Pretty good
videographer so far as well.

Now she embroiders hats with beagles and kennel names on the front, little saying on the sides...
This past Sunday she was given a cute lil branko female with some pretty decent ink in the pedigree... so now she becomes a houndswoman.

The worst thing I can do at this point is buy her a gun and let her out shoot me .
Like BunnyBlaster said...we have to set boundries

This is fun post so far... we all love our partners and hope that most have the oppertunity to take them with when running hounds as I do, but be
aware that one day it will be expected that they go... not just an oppertunity to do so... and then your in trouble.

[FlyinSoLow]

This is fun post so far... we all love our partners and hope that most have the oppertunity to take them with when running hounds as I do, but be
aware that one day it will be expected that they go... not just an oppertunity to do so... and then your in trouble.

I guess my guy has me pretty well trained already... perhaps he should go into wife training business
I know, completly understand, and ok with the real life fact that he needs to hang with the guys and do whatever it is you guys do.

Besides, I'm like one of few chicks around that goes hunting and don't mind gettin dirty... and a 20-1 man to woman ratio just aint that fun... so those types of situations I'm MORE than happy to sit out... I just go when its him and me.... I have no desire to go hunting with 'the guys'
And I dont like hunting with the bow or flintlock, so there is a huge chunk of Deer season opened to him, plus he belongs to a hunting cabin where he runs away to or weeks on end

Plus, when his brother or buddy calls and asks to go hunting, they always invite me, but I know the truth is they are just being nice, and thats ok too.


I'm sorry but spending 24/7 with your partner is NOT good or any relationship.
Space is important tooo!

[Mapel Valley Kennels LLC.]

Marissa, Your man is lucky.Things are what they are and dogs are something you understand or dont.Try explaining why you haul a dog box all year.People just dont get it if they aint in it. I quit trying to explain it years ago.