Our 4-legged friends. Hunting partners. Family members. Our dogs. One of the most important contributors of having the hunting trip of your life. Adding an 8-week-old puppy to your family is something so special. Having the ability to train for the athlete to do exactly what you dream of it accomplishing in its older years, is priceless. The Signature Lodge wouldn’t be the same without the blood, sweat, and smiles our dogs put on every season. This is what our dogs live for. In this blog, we would like to tell you how special our dogs are to us.
Our Lodge Dogs
Over the past 11 years both The Signature Lodge and The North Platte Outpost have gained and lost many of our furry best friends. However, with each year, and each dog we have, special memories are made that we never want to forget. Something that separates us from other places is our “lodge dogs”. If you have ever heard one of the staff members saying those words, it is exactly how it sounds. These dogs have been at the lodge longer than most of the staff members. They have been through thick and thin with us. A couple names that might sound familiar or you had the opportunity to be in the field with are Donna, Lady, Bridgett, Smokey, Cletus, Tee, and our newest member Zuma. Without them, our lodge wouldn’t be the same.
The guides who make it all happen
In addition to our lodge dogs, we are also thankful to have the best guides who bring their best friends with them to the lodge every season. About every season we will have about 2-3 full time guides that will stay for all 3 months and who will bring along 4 to 30 dogs. We are also grateful to have local guides who take time out of their work-schedule to come out to guide with dogs of their own. With the full time and local guides, some years we will have up to 80 dogs in house! Having that many dogs, we are fortunate to have a wonderful dog kennel that can house and accommodate up to that many.
Being prepared in the field
When the beginning of the season starts it is important to us to have as many dogs ready as we can. The reason for this is when weather reaches a certain temperature we only run several dogs for a short time period. Being cautious and watching out for our 4-legged friends is the most important thing to do when running in a field. Due to the hot temperatures, heat stroke & rattle snakes are factors we must keep in mind. If it gets to that point our guides have the knowledge to get the dog in the best state as fast as possible. Thankfully these conditions only last a couple weeks out of the season, but when the weather gets cooler the dogs become a different type of athlete.
The enjoyment of watching dogs work!
Starting as early as the end of September or end of October, the weather can get below zero. You might think this is not safe for the dogs, but in reality, it’s heaven for them. Their body can handle these temperatures like a champ. It allows them to run for miles without having the possibility of dehydration or fatigue. One of the coolest experiences you could have in the field is hunting in the snow! When we tell you this, trust us. This is because when hunting you have more time to watch the dogs find the scent of a pheasant. When they do locate where the bird is, it feels like you are watching the flush in slow motion. It is one of the only times you will be able to watch every action, second by second.
Thank you to our 4-legged friends
There are no words for how appreciative we are for our dogs at The Signature Lodge. They make our time in the hunting world 100x better than what it could be. If you’re a dog owner and they are your everyday outdoor buddy, you know what we are talking about. They are your best friend, your companion, your co-pilot, your hunting partner. This blog is for all the dogs out there. Thank you.
