AKC champion standard poodle Clapton, of Louter Creek Hunting Poodles, sports a Historical Continental Clip while fetching a duck. Photo: John Carelli
Poodles get a bad rap as frilly leash candy. For this, we can blame the French.
Forget Best in Show. The poodle has hunting-dog roots, which were developed in central Europe—particularly, in the area that would become Germany—in the 16th and 17th centuries. But during the 18th century, the breed became popular among French nobles, who, vainly imitating their own ornate hairstyles, had their pets’ coats elaborately clipped and primped.
It’s little wonder that when the American Kennel Club first registered the poodle in 1887, it fell into the non-sporting group. Over the years, the poodle’s hunting instincts had diminished, because it was bred for companionship and as a show dog. Poodles also have hair instead of fur, which—given enough Aqua Net—makes it possible to sculpt them like topiary. But it’s also interesting to note that they are the only non-sporting AKC dogs eligible for retriever hunting tests.
Searching online for a Virginia breeder of hunting poodles, I came across Four Oakes Kennels in Danville, which produces the pudelpointer—a cross between a poodle and an English pointer. Close, but no zigarre. Fortunately, I also came across the story of Charlottesville-area hunter Jason Pittman, who had acquired his dog, Walker, from Louter Creek Hunting Poodles, near Atlanta. Louter Creek is the South’s premier breeder of these specialized dogs. They are ideal for a hunt. Their webbed feet make them good swimmers, and they demonstrate agility, obedience, and eagerness to complete a task, such as fetching a bird shot out of the sky.
“Guys would laugh when they saw Walker come out of the truck,” Pittman said in the Garden & Gun article. “My joke was ‘Laugh now, but you’ll be crying after you see him work.’” In AKC competitions with Pittman, Walker has earned Junior Hunter and Senior Hunter titles.
I spoke with Rick Louter, who owns and runs Louter Creek with his wife, Angie. The couple has been breeding poodles as working dogs for close to 15 years, during which time they have also trained about 200 of them for water-fowl and upland-bird hunting. In early April, the Louters were in the midst of putting 12 seven-month-old standards through a four-month program.
“A poodle makes a fantastic bird dog,” Rick Louter tells Unbound. “They’ve got such a good nose—I’d put ’em up against any of the more popular hunting breeds for that alone. There’s more to it than that, of course—and people are catching on. We are seeing an uptick of poodles in hunting trials.”
All dogs, except those corrupted by humans to behave badly, deserve praise. But I challenge any breed to both rock the show ring and fetch a duck like a poodle.
Devils Backbone trade marketing manager Elizabeth Van Noppen shares a tent with June, a yellow Labrador retriever, at the brewery’s basecamp in Roseland. Photo: Devils Backbone Brewing Company
Many years ago, in a different life, it seems, I steered a little aluminum boat with an outboard motor across the glistening surface of a lake. The memory is so vivid that it includes the oily smell of the exhaust swirling around my head and mixing with piney puffs of the soft summer air. In the prow of the boat stood my deep-chested standard poodle, Muddy, staring resolutely ahead while the breeze ruffled his ears and curly chestnut-brown coat. He looked so heroic that it was comical.
He sprang from the boat when we reached our destination, a rocky little island studded with trees. I secured the skiff, grabbed my fishing pole, and joined Muddy on dry land. Within 15 minutes I had hooked my first catch. As I reeled it into shallow water, the fish, a decent-sized bass, came into view, and my dog splashed toward it, furiously wagging his stubby tail. Muddy lunged toward the fish as I lifted it into the air, and I gently pushed him away, not wanting the hook to snag him.
After I freed my catch from the line, I held it up for Muddy to inspect. He sniffed it, barked at it, and finally, licked it. Catching the fish had been fun. Witnessing Muddy’s reaction was pure joy.
These scenes played in my mind like a home movie when I hatched the idea for this magazine’s cover story last January. Then, a few weeks later, a co-worker emailed me a link to the Devils Backbone Brewing Company website—specifically, to the page calling for entries to a photo contest called Adventure Dogs. Clearly, something was in the air.
When I called Marisa Black, Devils Backbone’s marketing director, I could tell that her enthusiasm for the subject of adventure dogs, and their owners, matched mine. She was a little breathless on the phone. “We’re really overwhelmed and excited by how many people have been interested in the contest,” Black said. “We got the idea based on how many people come to our brewery with their dogs, a lot of them after a day of hiking.”
Limited to residents of 15 states, including Virginia (of course), the contest started—and people began sending in photos of their dogs, along with heartfelt accounts of spending time outdoors with them—ran from February 25 to April 1. According to Black, the final tally reached 6,054 entries and 86,674 votes. “That’s way, way more than we ever expected,” she said.
The winners, which received between 3,000 and 4,000 votes each, are Archie, a golden retriever, Pokie, a Jack Russell terrier, Clementine, a bulldog, Brody and Valor, labradoodles, and Murphy, a collie. The dogs will be rendered by an illustrator and have their images printed on cans of Gold Leaf Lager. The beer, in 15-packs, hits the market June 1 and will be on shelves for four months. For each sale, $1 will be donated to Devils Backbone’s charitable partner, Washington, D.C.-based City Dogs Rescue and City Kitties. The nonprofit rescues animals from high-kill shelters and fosters them until they are adopted.
Black says the contest has inspired her, and confirmed the genuineness of the connection between dogs, their humans, and outdoor adventure (and beer, natch). “It’s been really cool to hear from the owners about how dogs enhance their lives, about the special relationship they have with them,” she said. “The heartstrings part of this has been endearing.”
I can relate. It’s been 14 years since my fishing adventure with Muddy, who crossed the rainbow bridge, as they say, on July 24, 2017. I will never forget that day, and I will always love Muddy.
Flushing a chukar partridge on an upland hunt, Clapton, an AKC Champion standard poodle, proves that the breed can do more than look pretty. Photo: Louter Creek Hunting Poodles
Science has proven the extraordinary connection between humans and dogs, but perhaps the best evidence of the bond is easier to find—when people and their pups get outside and play.
Golden retriever Aspen (foreground) loves to kayak with her owner, but half-brother Koa prefers hiking. Photo: Samantha Brooke
Earlier this year, dogs made headlines for astonishing outdoor-sporting feats, much to the joy and gratitude of their human friends.
In mid-March, the story broke about a stray Tibetan mastiff-Himalayan sheepdog mutt that joined guide Don Wargowsky, of Seattle, and his climbing expedition in the early days of their month-long ascent of Baruntse, a Himalayan peak. Before the final push to the top, the dog—later named Baru, after the mountain—put in for the night at basecamp in Wargowsky’s tent. He left Baru behind, planning to rejoin her on the descent, and set out in the pre-dawn darkness. But when the climbers reached about 22,500 feet, Baru was waiting for them. She stuck with them all the way to the 23,389-foot summit, and was adopted by a Nepalese local at the end of the expedition.
On March 17, Thomas Panek, 48, of South Salem, New York, became the first blind man ever to complete a half-marathon. Taking turns leading him along the 13.1-mile course in New York City were yellow Labrador retrievers, Waffles, Wesley, and Gus. “You probably don’t want the dog who wants to cuddle by the fireplace as your running guide,” Panek said after the race. “But there are some dogs who just love to run.”
As any dog owner and outdoor enthusiast will tell you, there are also dogs who love to swim, fish, camp, hunt, compete in agility trials, and lead the way on mountain- biking rides. For every outdoor adventure—with the exception of sheer-face rock-climbing, perhaps—there is a dog that will join you. We’d like to introduce you to just a few from the Charlottesville area, and their owners, too.
Pippy, a terrier mix, can run the trails for hours with her owner, Gordon Wadsworth, and Wadsworth’s wife, Emily Hairfield (wearing pink socks). Photo: Gordon Wadsworth
The trail runner: Pippy
Breed: Terrier mix
Owner: Gordon Wadsworth
Adventure: trail-biking
Gordon Wadsworth and his wife, Emily Hairfield, see the trails they bike through the eyes of a dog. And they owe it to their tireless terrier Pippy.
“Her love of the forest and being outdoors totally changes our mindset,” Wadsworth says. “Whatever is going on in our life, being outside, life is good.”
Wadsworth, a professional mountain biker and three time national champion, and Hairfield, also a competitive rider, had been looking for a dog to join them on mountain biking trails for about a year when they saw a notice for a wire haired female terrier-schnauzer rescue in 2014. They called the shelter in Raleigh, N.C., asked a few questions, and had to have her.
They climbed in the car on Valentine’s Day and drove seven hours through a storm to bring Pippy home.
“We knew we wanted a dog that could handle bikes and running, and terriers are good dogs for that,” Wadsworth says. “She has outshined what we expected.”
Pippy is pooped! After running the trails with her owner, Gordon Wadsworth, and his wife, Emily Hairfield—both competitive cyclists—the terrier mix chills out. Photo: Gordon Wadsworth
A scruffy salt-and-pepper pup standing a foot and a half tall and weighing about 30 pounds, Pippy has faithfully followed Wadsworth and Hairfield for as many as 25 miles through rugged terrain. Her average run is 8 to 12 miles, Wadsworth says, and she always shows great trail manners.
Wadsworth credits Hairfield for training Pippy to stay out of the way of her riders as they’re exploring the outdoors. Pippy checks her speed when the bikes are climbing and dutifully sneaks aside as they tilt downhill. Wadsworth says Pippy started hiking and running before making the transition to hanging with humans on wheels.
“She is a great size for it—she’s amazingly healthy,” Wadsworth says. “It’s less about the bike training than just being outside with the family. You have to have everyone in mind when you’re on the trail with an animal. That’s the goal—it’s about family.”
When Ragged Branch distillery co-owner Alex Toomy hunts, his black Labrador retriever, Bootlegger, is completely in tune with him. Photo: Amy and Jackson Smith
The go-getter: Bootlegger
Breed: Labrador retriever
Owner: Alex Toomy
Adventure: Wingshooting
Alex Toomy was duck hunting with his dog Bootlegger when the wind started “blowing like crazy,” he says. Toomy, co-owner of distillery Ragged Branch on Taylor’s Mountain, sent Boot to retrieve a duck, and the male black Labrador retriever promptly brought it back.
Another duck was down, as well, but it was in high chop in Lake Anna. Toomy was worried his loyal hunting dog might drown if he tried to retrieve it. He told Boot to stay put, and the dog obeyed.
“He is just a really intelligent dog,” Toomy says. “He can figure out what’s going on in any different situation and just go with the flow. He never goes running off.”
Boot was built for hunting, Toomy says, coming from a line of duck dogs in Delaware. He’s on the small side for a male lab at about 70 pounds, but he’s relaxed, obedient, and a great swimmer.
“I’ve hunted with other dogs that are crazy, and he respects them when they are going to retrieve,” Toomy says. “A lot of times dogs are a pain in the ass to hang around [with] when hunting—guys yelling and screaming at them. It’s very stressful. With Boot, it’s not like that.”
According to Toomy, Bootlegger knows where to position himself during a hunt, waiting along the banks prior to shots fired or sitting quietly in a blind or walking through fields. He looks to the skies as soon as he hears the sound of a safety click off, and he waits to retrieve until he’s released.
“The key to making a great hunting dog is, when he’s a puppy, keep him in with you all the time,” Toomy says. “Other- wise, you have to blow a whistle at him all the time, and he’s like a robot.”
Visitors to Ragged Branch, about 15 miles west of downtown Charlottesville, know Bootlegger for more than just being a great hunting dog. He’s the distillery’s brand ambassador and “official greeter,” Toomy says.
Happily traversing any terrain, the three amigos, Jewels, Zeiss, and Leica (left to right) get their paws wet. Photo: Lynne Brubaker
The tireless trio: Leica, Zeiss, and Jewels
Breed: Border collie
Owner: Lynne Brubaker
Adventures: Agility trials, exploring
For border collie owners without acres of land and hoofed animals to herd, there’s only one thing to keep the canines capable—agility courses.
Collies like photographer Lynne Brubaker’s Leica, Zeiss, and Jewels, are working dogs. According to the American Kennel Club, they’re constantly on the move, looking for something to do. They’re quick-footed, balanced, fast, and focused.
Indeed, a border collie holds the current speed record for the Westminster Kennel Club’s Master Agility Championship.
And while Brubaker’s collies aren’t record holders, they’ve held their own in competition. Leica, a small, black and white female, is 11 years old. She’s now in retirement but was “quite successful” during her career, Brubaker says. Zeiss, a large 7-year-old, is in semi-retirement from competition after injuring his shoulder. And Jewels, a 2-year-old female, has just begun “trialing.” The young red and white collie started training at 8 weeks and is tougher in temperament and beefier in body than the rest of Brubaker’s brood.
Zeiss leaps while racing through an agility-trial course. Photo: Lisa Jacobs
“You are constantly training the dog, learning new skills,” she says. “There are always new things to learn in agility as course design changes, and that requires different kinds of handling techniques.”
When they’re not working on agility or competing against other doggy daredevils, Leica, Zeiss, and Jewels stay fit hiking the trails around Keswick, where Brubaker has friends with farmland. They’re partial to hiking Montpelier, as well, but avoid the more difficult area hikes like White Oak Canyon. “I take them to places where I know it is really safe for them,” Brubaker says.
Brubaker takes the time to capture photos while she’s on day hikes with her collies, and the dogs take the time to stay mentally sharp and physically fit. Sometimes the lot of them will jump in Brubaker’s Airstream for overnight adventures.
“It makes life very enjoyable having a dog in it,” she says.
A faithful companion since his rescue 8 years ago, Jack the hound dog catches a scent while his owner, Brennan Gilmore, tries to catch a fish. Photo: Sanjay Suchak
The fisherman’s friend: Jack
Breed: Hound mix
Owner: Brennan Gilmore
Adventure: Fishing, boating
Brennan Gilmore doesn’t have much time left with his best friend and fishing buddy, Jack. The 10-year-old hound was diagnosed with an aggressive form of cancer only a few weeks ago.
Gilmore’s been taking Jack on adventures since 2011, and says he plans to make the most of the coming months with his pup. “We’re going to spend this entire spring giving him as much fun as he can have,” he says.
Gilmore met Jack at the SPCA in Rockbridge County. He was looking for a traveling companion before taking off for the Central African Republic. For two years, Jack prowled the dangerous jungles and streets of Bangui alongside Gilmore, who worked at the embassy there.
The 70-pound dappled hound dog was happy to be home when he and Gilmore returned to Virginia, his owner says. Gilmore, who runs Clean Virginia and competes in bass tournaments in his spare time, has taken Jack hunting, camping, and hiking over the years. But their favorite activity has always been fishing. “He prefers the fly fishing because we’re out moving around,” Gilmore says.
Jack also happens to know his way around a hootenanny. Gilmore dabbles in bluegrass music, and Jack has become a talented singing dog.
Gilmore says he spent a good amount of time training Jack while the pair patrolled Central Africa, but mostly he’s been a natural for outdoor sports. He no longer wades into the fishing hole to scare off Gilmore’s fish, he’s figured out the grass mats on tidal pools aren’t good for standing, and he’s learned the hard way that a slick dock can send him careening into the water after jumping off the boat. He even mostly stays away from lures as Gilmore sends them arching back and forth at the end of his fly rod.
“He’s super chill and used to being around fish,” Gilmore says. “He knows his way around the boat.”
Gilmore says he couldn’t ask for a better companion in the outdoors.
“Being out in the natural world with a dog, it draws your attention to things you wouldn’t otherwise see. He is constantly searching the woods for interesting smells,” Gilmore says. “He is definitely my best friend.”
Aspen the golden retriever takes to a kayak like a fish to water. Her half-brother, Koa (shown at the top of this story), prefers terra firma. Photo: Samantha Brooke
The boater and the hiker: Aspen and Koa
Breed: Golden retriever
Owner: Samantha Brooke
Adventure: Kayaking, hiking
Samantha Brooke immediately pegged her male golden retriever, 6-year-old Koa, for a boater. She started putting him in her kayak when he was just a puppy, trying to get him used to the feel.
But from 6 months on, Koa couldn’t sit still in the boat. He’d stand up, wobble around, shake the whole kayak.
Brooke’s 65-pound female retriever Aspen, on the other hand, came to boating naturally. Brooke was camping with friends in western Virginia when she tried to leave the now 3-year-old pup on shore as she kayaked out to take pictures. Aspen, Koa’s half sister from the same mother, wasn’t about to be left alone.
“She started racing after me,” Brooke says. “She likes to swim but is not the strongest. I thought she was going to drown. As soon as she got in the kayak, she was content. That was day one of her kayaking story.”
Brooke says she, her husband, and their 6-month-old son had their eye on goldens from the beginning, looking for dogs that would be good with kids and willing to go on long runs. Aspen and Koa have fit the bill as far as the family’s concerned, but they “are not big into endurance sports,” Brooke says.
Aspen and Koa are fine with some light hiking, their owner says, often going as many as six miles, but Aspen’s true love is the kayak. Whereas Brooke tried to entertain Koa on the boat with toys and bones, Aspen sits or lies quietly while they glide along the water.
Brooke says Aspen and Koa have made ideal companions for her lifestyle as a full-time PricewaterhouseCoopers consultant and part-time photographer. After a long week of consulting, sometimes on remote projects, Brooke says the chance to head outdoors with her pup pals is the ideal release.
“With my dogs and my son—it allows that forced downtime,” she says. “In the world of consulting, that reset is very much needed, and it allows you to set that boundary.”
A speedy Whippet in full stride. Photo: Getty Images
The right dog for the job
Looking to have some adventures with your canine compadre? Make sure your pup is a good fit for your favorite activity.
Doga: Bulldog
So you’re into downward facing dogs, and your dog’s into lying around. Doga is definitely for you and your best bud. If you’re more interested in the “dog as prop” style of the practice (some folks prefer to pose actively with their dogs) the docile, zen-like bulldog is the perfect partner.
Frisbee fetch: Whippet
Whippets hold most of the world’s records for Frisbee fetch, and it’s no wonder—the American Kennel Club says they’re exceptionally athletic due to their deep chest, trim waist, long neck, and slim legs. In other words, if you want a good disc dog, you must whippet.
Hiking: Burmese Mountain Dog
Dogs love hiking—except they just think of it as walking. Depending on the difficulty of the hikes you’re planning, a Burmese mountain dog might be the perfect companion. They excel on short hikes through rough and rocky terrain, according to the veterinarians at PetMD.
Swimming: Newfoundland
Newfoundlands are in the AKC’s working group, and the breed experts say they’re just as comfortable “working” in water as on land. The large dogs originally come from the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, the area from which Labrador retrievers also hail, and were bred to tow ship lines in harbors.
Trail Running: Weimaraner
Most dogs love to run, but each breed has its specialty. Sure, greyhounds are lightning fast, but they’re not ideal for the trail.
For long, steady runs, the AKC says the Weimaraner’s a winner, owing to its high energy and medium, muscled build.—S.G.
