I apologize to you guys for never getting back to yall on this.
I did however, get the chance to go up there, and even though I have terrible geolographical/navigational skills and made a 2 1/2 hour drive take approximately 4... It was well worth it! We took along the pup I had already decided to give him, and a 9 month old female who was supposed to be bred nicely (although as of now, there is no evidence of any papers at all.. ) that I called Crazy Su, she was hotter than a fire cracker and had no shame in showing it as she'd make an attempt for anything that breathed. Mainly, I wanted Bill's opinion on her and the whole situation involving her registration.
Turns out, as Patrick said... He does like to talk
and his phone line stayed busy nearly the entire trip there, so I had a hard time reaching him for directions to his house. I was having problems remembering them and took several wrong exits off the innerstate only to circle around back onto it and repeat the process.
I finally made it there about an hour before dark and when we pulled up you'da never thought there was a whole dog yard behind his house! Well, atleast not as long you were in your vehicle with the windows up.. It was plenty obvious when we got out and heard the barking. I just left my hounds in the car
As much respect as I had gained for him on the phone, it only grew and solidified. He had just starting feeding, and during his rounds we got to meet every dog individually, hear their story, how they were bred, the whole nine yards! I was soaking it up! He knew over eight generations back atleast on every bulldog, and if asked I had know doubts he could go back farther.
We seen not only some very nice bulldogs, but he also showed us some mighty fine examples of working stock in the Australian Cattle Dog, Border Collie, Australian Shepherd, Belgian Malinois, Cane Corso, English Shepherd, and even what I learned to be a Hanging Tree Dog. In all of these breeds, including bulldogs, he could name dogs he produced either behind, or from the stock we seen, that had titled here, were in the hall of fame there, worked for the military, or were successful hog/ coyote dogs, or APBTs. To say the least it was pretty impressive.
One thing that stood out about Bill, it didn't matter if you were talking dogs, horses, his kids, or even about him, he liked em all the same. He was what he preached. He lived his life how he liked his dogs. He didn't expect anything from them that he didn't expect from himself or anyone else.
After seeing his dogs, I showed him Crazy Su, five paces out of the car, and with hopes of getting her papers still high, he started talking about a male he wanted to her put her with that would match the ped she was supposed have well
Su hadn't even seen another dog yet, but she could hear em, and she could smell em. She wanted physical contact. Despite not knowing her lineage for sure, she sure screamed well bred bulldog in everyother way. I put up Su and took out the pup we'd brought him, after he broke down his pedigree discovered some of his own blood in there, he told me about his experience with those dogs personally, which I thought was really cool. It wasn't until then that he finally fully realized I was gna give him the pup without expecting anything in return.
The pups he had originally planned to offer weren't doing so well, and he wasn't going let anyone take a pup home like that. I told him it was fine, and that I understood. He mentioned a breeding he had coming up, and that was more than enough for me.
Anyway, I left Bird Dog, the pup, and we got a hotel for the night because it had gotten kind of late. Deciding Su would probably enjoy some one on one indoor time we brought her in the room. Haha.. Su however, did not believe it was one on one time.. She was fully ,after seeing her reflection in the room's full body mirror, convinced that there was not only another dog in the room, but one that was just as willing to get her as she was it.
I covered it up, but never thought about the mini fridge having a shiny, black.....reflective surface. Su did. She tried to eat up that dog too! Finally, we ended up putting her in her crate so she would quite pacing and looking for dogs. She didn't like it, and whined for a bit, but finally settled down.
***
Well I ended up never getting Su's papers, or even being able to contact the guy. I believe he gave me a false name to go with the address (which I know was "invalid"). I traded him a sister of Bird Dog for her, and he said he'd have Su's papers by the weekend and wanted to know if I'd swap him now, keep the papers on the pup, and exchange them once he got Su's. It sounded reasonable, except I realize now, I'd rather have my pup to go with her papers than Su without papers. We found Su a home anyway, and well.. live and learn.
Just a couple days ago I gave Bill a call just to catch up and check in on Bird Dog. He had let me know sometime between visiting him, and that phone call, that the breeding he planned didn't take. I had been bummed, but let it go still happy with the new friend I'd made. Bill on the other hand, hadn't let it go. He tells me that he had just planned to call me as soon as he got back from town. He told me I could have one of the pups out of a particular pen I had seen the day we rode up there. Then he mentions an adult male he also has that I could take if I liked him better, that the choice was mine
I told him I didn't expect anything like that, but he had already made up his mind. Honestly.. I didn't have a problem with that one bit!
So.. I plan to head up there again this weekend, and hopefully I'll make better time lol. Idk which dog I'm going to pick. I figure, if I like the older dog and he likes me, I'll get him. If we don't click then I'll go with the pup. I think.. just have to wait and see... Well.. Thats about how it went.
