Tia's Grouse.
Many of don't know that I had a German Shorthair Pointer before I had Gordons (I often muse while bathing and grooming my Gordons how much time and money spent on clippers, scissors etc if I would have stuck with Shorthairs). When I lost her I said to myself I would get another. I looked for almost 3 years before I found one that caught my eye. I first saw her when she was 6 months old at a hunt test I was judging and her name was Pearl. I followed her career for a better part of 3 more years striking up a friendship with the breeder/owner.I told the owner that when she bred Pearl I would be definitely interested in a pup. As luck would have it Pearl was bred not long after and I was able to get the pick bitch of the litter We named her Tia, Shooter's made for Scimitar. Tia finished within 20 shows and with 5 majors including a 5 point GSP specialty win in Atlanta to finish.

Tia was about 10 months old during her first grouse and woodcock season and she did quite well. Tia, now almost 11, is an excellent gun dog and a thrill to hunt over and this season was no exception. Although she can not take the rigors of hunting everyday she takes full advantage of the time she is on the ground.

This past fall I was hunting with former Gordon owner Bill Bell and Eric Raifsneider who owns a litter mate to my Cutter, in one of our favorite spots when Tia went on point on a woodpile. As Bill, Eric and the other dogs approached they could see the grouse holding tight. Before they could get the bird to flush Tia went and grabbed the grouse, snapped it's neck and delivered the bird to me. It was my first grouse of the season and I didn't even take a shot. While that little stunt would have ending our day at a field trial or hunt test in hunting it is all about conservation. It was probably a good thing the way I was shooting this fall  ---Mick Osman

 Tia with Mick,