Newest Addition ~ "Fetters Setters ~ Not Just English Setters" ~ Rescues Are a Lifestyle, Too

Count Mortimer,
SPCA Raid Rescue,
July 1989 ~ still
alive and well and
as bossy as ever
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Through the years, John and I have always had other types of dogs as well as our English Setters and Springer Spaniels.
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More often than not, these have been rescues of one type or another, directly from shelters and other places, strays and even one or two which were dropped off along the road near our home.
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On our newest page, "Fetters Setters ~ Not Just English Setters" (easily accessed by clicking here), we will be featuring a number of our other pups, both past and present. Another future addition we also are planning ~ either on that same page or on a separate page ~ is a series of stories about English Setters who have been rescued by knowing and caring individuals, some of these setters which have gone on to win important championships ~ which perhaps helps to prove the theory that there are no "bad" dogs, just incompetent owners.
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We feel it is important to call attention to the plight of abandoned, lost and homeless dogs everywhere, no matter what their breed ~ as well as to the many fine animal welfare organizations out there who do what they can to rescue and help these poor animals in the interim ~ and do so while always being strapped for funds and supplies themselves.
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The first piece there, written by John, is the story of Count Mortimer (pictured above) who was brought home 20 years ago this month after being recovered in an SPCA raid at the tender age of four-weeks-old. Presently weighing just seven pounds, he has developed a stylish Osthaus-style point ~ and although he is not much of a bird dog, he is deadly on bugs.
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"Mort" is still alive and well and is one of the great joys of our life ~ as well as a great joy and nearly constant source of amusement (and even awe at times) to all of our English Setters and other dogs as well.
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"The Rumors of My Death Have Been Greatly Exaggerated ..."

Since the mid-1990s, John and I have been highly amused by the resultant "rumor mill" ~ such "stories" in circulation (for whatever reason and with most originating with those who certainly knew differently!) that John was "bought out," "no longer breeding," ad infinitum, ad nauseum.
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Yes, some even going so far as to suggest that John was dead! (Don't worry though, we know who you are ~ and have received even more reports of these rumors as recently as last week!
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As Mark Twain once famously remarked, "The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated."
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With a family heritage of five generations of breeding exceptional English Setter gundogs to maintain ~ and even though such matters as family affairs and other business interests frequently intruded ~ John still worked diligently in protecting, perfecting and improving upon the George Ryman-based lines the Fetters Family had become known for.
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As John has stated before on our pages here, there are no "short cuts" to breeding quality shooting dogs in a consistent manner ~ and once achieved, the lines must be protected and improved upon with the introduction of the occasional "right type" of blood.
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One of the results of John's endeavors are shown in the photo above in the bottom photo, Fetters-bred "Grouse Greta," at 16-months old in 2009 ~ along with a comparison photo of Ryman's Racket Boy, a setter bred by George H. Ryman himself.
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Though female and male, they are near mirror images in conformation ~ and the other standards George H. Ryman set and which the Fetters Family has maintained ~ are present as well.
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To learn more, see John's most recent piece, "Breeding the Lines, a Successful Long-term Strategy" on our "Fetters Setters ~ History and Heritage" page, easily accessed by clicking here.
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"... moving through the coverts like phantoms ..."

Over the years, John has received hundreds of letters from all over the world ~ testimonials to not only his exceptional skills in breeding exceptional English Setters, but also to his hunting and guide skills as well. The first letter we've selected to publish and share from this vast series of tributes to John and the Fetters Family English Setters opens by talking about actually "living the upland shooting life" ~ as has been practiced by John for decades ~ and the Fetters Family for generations before him.
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It is the very first publication on our "Fetters Setters ~ Testimonials" page, which can easily be accessed by clicking here.
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Latest Addition to the George H. Ryman Story

George H. Ryman during a moose hunt in Canada with his famed guide,

Chief Big Game Guide Par Excellence Willie Commando, in background

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While George H. Ryman was certainly known far and wide for his famous Ryman Setters, he was a multi-faceted individual with many other interests and past-times.

One keen interest and past-time of his which many may not be aware of was his penchant for Big Game Hunting at his Canadian camp.

John has written an introductory piece to this side of George H. Ryman: "An Introduction to George H. Ryman as 'Big Game Hunter'" which we have just published on the "Fetters Setters ~ The Ryman English Setters Story" page, which can be easily accessed by clicking here.
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Other stories about George H. Ryman are in the works including not only about the subject of his famed setters, but also about other aspects of his intriguing life, including more about his Canadian camp, big game hunting and last but not least, his famed guide, Chief Big Game Guide Par Excellence Willie Commando, shown in the photo with George Ryman above.

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Bon Bow-Wow Appetit ~ Rainy Day Homemade Dog Treats

Rainy Day
Dog Treats,
the "hardest"
part is the
baking ...

Rainy Day Homemade Dog Treats, one of the easiest and most versatile recipes out there ~ developed in our own kitchen by The Lady of the House and the best part is, the "hardest" part is the baking.

Not only are they easy, but the recipe can be adapted in any number of ways to accommodate your pup's favorite flavors and foods ~ and also to accommodate whatever you happen to have on hand.

The main ingredients ~ besides the "flavorings" ~ are flour and rice, the latter ingredient being an especially healthful and nutritious canine treat.

See this highly adaptable and easy-to-make recipe on the "Fetters Setters ~ Home, Hearth, Hunting, Family, Fashion and Fun" page, easily accessible by clicking here. Happy canine dining!
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The "Classic" English Setter ~ What Exactly Does That Term Mean?

The "Classic" English Setter ~ a term used far and wide ~ as an accurate description or not?
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The Fetters Family also used the term "classic" when describing setters, however the attributes they were referring to ~ particularly when it came to John's Great-Grandfather ~ may surprise some and be a breath of fresh air for others.
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John has just completed the first piece for our "Fetters Setters ~ The Classic English Setter" page, easily accessed by clicking here. In this first piece ~ entitled: "The 'Classic' English Setter ~ What Does That Term Mean?" ~ he shares just a few of the intriguing words of wisdom passed onto him by his Great-Grandfather when it came to setters (or "Shooting Dogs," which was his Great-Grandfather's favorite tried and true term for them ~ and a term widely in use by most hunters of that particular period in time).
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It is a piece any lover of English Setters ~ particularly those who love to hunt over them ~ should be sure not to miss.
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A Tribute to Mr. Stu Ward, Great Friend and Indefatigable Hunting Companion

It is never easy to weather the loss of a great friend and shooting companion, especially when that person has become a father figure to one in later years.

It also can be just as difficult to place some of those memories on paper in tribute to such a person ~ and such a person indeed was Mr. Stu Ward to John over many memorable years.

We have just published a tribute to Mr. Stu Ward on the "Fetters Setters ~ Tributes and Memories" page (easily accessed by clicking here), and it should be said that it is only the beginning of a number of pieces we will be sharing about Mr. Stu Ward over time.

As anyone familar with the "Fetters Setters ~ Tributes and Memories" page knows, the pieces there are just as much devoted to those still with us ~ as well as to those who have passed on ~ and we deeply regret the passing of Mr. Stu Ward on a daily basis here.
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New Additions to the Fetters Setters ~ History and Heritage Page

We have finally been able to make available here a small portion of the Fetters English Setters History and Heritage, which can easily be accessed by clicking here.

In the on-going unpacking, sorting and re-organizing of the massive Fetters Family English Setters histories mentioned here earlier, we found several photos of early English Setters bred and owned by the Fetters Family which we are sharing with you now.

Included in this initial collection is a photo of John's Great-Grandmother, Mary B. Fetters, posing with a female Orange Belton. We will be sharing more of the Fetters Family English Setter histories with you on the Fetters Setters ~ History and Heritage page in the near future.

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New Blog Page ~ Our Dogs ~ Hunting Scenes and Other Photos

Long overdue, however better late than never, is the addition of the newest Fetters Setters page, Fetters Setters ~ Our Dogs ~ Hunting Scenes and Other Photos, which can be found by clicking here.

As stated elsewhere on our pages here in the past, many of our records and other items were placed in storage sometime ago due to extensive travels necessitated by both business and family affairs. One of the wonderful aspects of having a number of these items under-foot again is that it has been almost like re-connecting with family and old friends in a sense.

We have been in the process of retrieving these treasures and unpacking, re-sorting and re-organizing them for sometime. The initial photos on our newest page are only the beginning of a vast amount of material which we plan to share here.

We have foregone any captions on the initial batch of these as most are relatively self-explanatory. We may or may not add written information in short doses at some point in the future, depending on when we feel the need and as time allows.

While styles and fashions come in and go out with time, the beauty of a well-conformed English Setter in the field and at home near the hearth are indeed timeless.
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Beauty as well as stunning ability are attributes the Fetters Family English Setters have been known for through five generations: a setter must possess brain and stamina to hunt everyday under adverse weather conditions and in any type of cover encountered. These outstanding qualities are continued in the bloodlines we breed and maintain to this day.

We hope you enjoy these photos as much as we have enjoyed going through them and sharing them with you here.


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The Strange and Sad Tale Regarding Ryman's Nutmeg Sprint ("Meg")

In the mid-1990s, Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West wrote at least two separate letters to John in which they demanded a refund from John for a dog.

For a dog John was NOT the breeder of and in fact, for a dog John NEVER EVEN OWNED! But which Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West kept insisting they were going to return to him despite these more than obvious facts of the matter!

Just when you thought you had heard it all ...

The strange and sad tale of Ryman's Nutmeg Sprint ("Meg") ~ an English Setter whose name relatively recently came back onto the scene when Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West managed to dream up and publish even more false and inconsistent stories (along with a number of their now-notorious forged and fraudulent documents as "proof" of their over-the-top accusations).

After recently having an opportunity to review a number of Fetters Setters archived documents, we felt it was time to set the record straight regarding this poor dog whom Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West first attempted to make into a center of controversy (and the apparent subject of an attempted scam) as early as the mid-1990s.

Truth can indeed be stranger than fiction ~ and the full sad, sad story surrounding Ryman's Nutmeg Sprint ("Meg") can be found by clicking here.

Unfortunately, this is not the only English Setter which Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West have endeavored to manufacture numerous falsehoods about.

Although we feel the falsehoods surrounding this particular dog are without a doubt one of the strangest tall tales Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West have managed to manufacture to-date ~ we feel this story also provides an arguably disturbing insight into the true character and on-going patterns of malicious and fraudulent behavior of Rick and Chris Taylor of Setters West.

We would also like to take this opportunity to express our genuine appreciation for the many letters and expressions of support and encouragement. Once again, this "saga" is far from over and a final and official resolution to these matters grows closer with each passing day.

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