Advice From A Vet: Knowing When To Say Goodbye To Your Hunting Dog

The bond between hunters and their dogs is one that never breaks. Here’s some advice from a veterinarian on knowing when to let them cross the Rainbow Bridge and honoring their legacies.

As a veterinarian who has dedicated much of his life to caring for hunting and bird dogs, there’s no relationship quite like the one between a hunter and his dog. Whether it’s an English Setter gracefully working a field, a Labrador splashing through icy water to retrieve a mallard, or a German Shorthaired Pointer locking up in a beautiful point, these dogs are not just pets. They are our teammates, our companions, our friends. For many of us, they are part of the family. As a result, knowing when to say goodbye to our hunting dogs is never easy.

Hunting dogs are built with a drive and passion that goes beyond what we typically see in the average pet. They live to work. And when they’re working, they are at their happiest. They run, point, flush, retrieve—not for praise or treats, but because it’s in their blood. It’s who they are. As hunters, we get the privilege of watching them do what they were born to do, and in the process, we form a bond that’s as deep as any human friendship.

I’ve watched strong people, lifelong hunters, break down in my exam room when it’s time to say goodbye. And I’ll tell you something else: it never gets easier, not even for me. Even after years of doing this work, I still carry the weight of every dog I’ve helped cross over and every family I’ve sat with in those final moments.

Hunting Dogs Are More Than “Just A Dog”

When people outside the hunting world hear “bird dog,” they may think of a working animal—a tool, even. However, anyone who’s spent time in the field knows these dogs are so much more. They teach us patience, make us laugh with their antics, and challenge us with their stubborn streaks. Bird dogs humble us with their dedication.

Hunting dogs are there before dawn, tails wagging with excitement as their owners load up the truck. They crash through cattails and leap over barbed wire. They push through thickets most of us wouldn’t dare crawl through all for the love of the hunt and the joy of working alongside us. They curl up with us at night, worn out and content, and snore softly at our feet.

Every season we share adds another chapter to our story with them. Every covey rise, every successful retrieve, every long drive home with a dog in the back seat deepens the connection. They are woven into our hunting memories and, over time, into the fabric of our lives.

But no matter how strong or driven our dogs are, time catches up to all of them.

How Will You Know When It’s Time?

As a veterinarian, one of the hardest—but most important—aspects of my job is walking alongside owners when their dog’s hunting days are done. Sometimes, it’s old age. The once tireless legs grow stiff, the eyes dim, and the hearing fades. The spark that once lit up a field begins to flicker. Other times, it’s cancer, kidney failure, twisted stomach, grass awns, or other issues that steal them too soon.

One of the most common questions I get from owners is, “How will I know when it’s time?”

Here’s what I tell them.

You know your dog better than anyone. You know what brings them joy. At some point, you will notice that joy start to fade. The dog who once lived to hunt will no longer want to get off the couch. They may struggle to eat, or be in pain that medications can no longer control. That’s when it’s time to have a hard, honest conversation.

I always tell owners that our dogs give us their best every day of their lives. In the end, they count on us to give them our best, to love them enough to let them go peacefully when the time comes. It’s the last, hardest, and most loving gift we can give them.

Grieving Our Hunting Partners

Some folks outside this world don’t understand the depth of the grief we feel when we lose a bird dog. But that dog was there for our best days and our worst. It saw us through breakups, job losses, and health scares. It was there when the world felt heavy and we needed a reason to get some fresh air.

And unlike a lot of pets, a bird dog carries the memory of the hunt. We remember the first rooster they pointed, the time they broke ice on the river for a retrieve, the way they grew from clumsy pup to polished pro. When they’re gone, they leave a hole not just in our hearts and homes, but in our hunting life.

Crossing The Rainbow Bridge

A lot of you have probably heard of the Rainbow Bridge. It’s the place in heaven where our pets wait for us, healthy and whole again, tails wagging, ready to greet us when we arrive. I don’t know what the afterlife looks like, but I do know that the bond between a hunter and his dog is too strong, too pure, to simply vanish.

This idea of the Rainbow Bridge isn’t just about the hope of reunion. It’s about comfort. It’s a reminder that the love we shared with our dogs mattered — that it was real and meaningful, and that it lives on, even after they’re gone.

I like to believe that when we pass on, there will be a familiar figure waiting for us at the edge of a golden field. Maybe it’s that old setter who taught us patience, or the lab who never quit on a tough retrieve, or the pointer who always knew how to find birds. I like to believe they’ll be there, young again, eyes bright and ready for one more hunt together.

Honoring The Memory Of Our Dogs

After we say goodbye to our dogs, we’re left with the question: how do we honor them? There’s no one right way, but here’s what I’ve seen over the years.

Some hunters keep a special photo on the mantle or a framed collar on the wall. Others spread a handful of ashes in their favorite cover or at the edge of a beloved pond. Some people plant a tree, donate to a rescue, or simply tell and retell the stories of their dog’s best hunts, keeping those memories alive.

And many, when the time feels right, bring home a new pup—not to replace the one they lost, but to carry the legacy forward. The new dog will never be the old dog, and that’s okay. Each dog teaches us something different, and every season we spend in the field shapes us in new ways.

Cherish Every Moment

Whether you’re still in the prime of hunting seasons with your dog or facing the heartbreak of saying goodbye, know that you’re not alone. Every hunter who has loved a bird dog knows the depth of this bond and the pain of this loss.

It’s okay to grieve. It’s okay to miss them fiercely. And it’s okay to believe that one day, we’ll see them again, racing towards us across the Rainbow Bridge, eager for another day afield.

Until that day comes, cherish every moment. Watch them work with wonder. Let them sleep at your feet. Laugh at their quirks. And when the time comes, love them enough to let them go with dignity and peace.

They gave us everything they had. They deserve nothing less from us.