Positioned prominently over my desk at work is a small sign that reads "Lord, let me be the man my dog thinks I am!". Oftentimes, when I'm hunting or training or just messing around with one of the boys, I realize that the bond that I have, while not necessarily created, nurtured or strengthened, is indeed a powerful thing. They may act full of themselves and think of themselves as big, tough wolves out in the field, but when the you-know-what hits the fan, they usually come flying back home to daddy! I remember hunting the "Noll Ditch" in North Dakota one beautiful October afternoon. Ace was working some scrub oaks on the slope leading down to the small creek. We had two pheasant in the bag already and he was definitely interested in that clump of twigs and grass. Suddenly, I heard a snarl and a quick nasty growl from Ace- and then the afternoon quiet was shattered with a fight to the death (or so it sounded and I thought)! I yelled to Ace to get out of there and ran in with my gun ready to shoot the lion, boar, tiger or monster he'd cornered. The commotion stopped and Ace came flying out of the brush- eyes wide, tongue out and acting like a bear was right on his stubby tail. He ran up to me, flew around to the back and stuck his head between my legs- "Go get him, Boss. He's right there!" he yelled. Out the other side of the brush pile and up the side of the ravine flew the biggest, widest, snarling-est Badger I'd ever seen. I let him go. I checked the dog over and found no bites or rips, but I did sense a pretty hefty sigh of relief as I ran my hands over him. I realized that, to him, I was his world and safe place all in one. Pretty big responsibility. So, yeah, I hope I can be some of what he thinks I am......
