Zip Zap: The True Story of a Dog and a Dream

By Mike Gaddis

Book Overview

On the heels of his highly acclaimed novel Jenny Willow, Mike Gaddis reaches again into a half-century love affair with pointing dogs and upland birds to retrieve the true-life story of Zip Zap, his greatest English setter. Gaddis swore to be painfully selective in choosing the puppy that would accompany him as he pursued his dream of competing in horseback field trials. He knew the smallest female of the litter was special, but he didn't fully realize her potential until he let her loose in the field. Her lightning speed earned her the name Zip Zap, and she grew to be the most brilliant bird dog Gaddis ever owned. In this absorbing memoir, Gaddis celebrates the dog's indomitable spirit and tells the story of training and developing a superior pointer, from her first unrefined runs in the amateur puppy stakes to victorious performances in major championships. Evocatively told and set against the plantation quail hunting and field trialing legacy of the Old South, here is a rich, powerful memoir, certain to gain favor with anyone who has shared the destiny of a once-in-a-lifetime dog.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0811701964
• ISBN13: 9780811701969
• Release Date: October 2006
• Publisher: Stackpole Books
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 1.3" x 6.3"

Customer Reviews

Thank you, Mr Gaddis

I have lost count of the birddog books, stories and training, that I have subjected myself to over the years. But it is Zip Zap, which I have appreciated the most. Why? Mr Gaddis is so refreshingly frank and honest in this book. How many bird dog authors willing attest to the days when their dogs do more wrong than good, which we all know only too well can happen!! How many would attest to the under currents and human frailties of high class field trial participation. His easy reading style of descriptive writing almost has you able to smell the autumn breezes, to sense the wind that the dogs are scenting, to feel the angst of a lost or hurt dog and to know the loss of a beloved fourlegged companion who has been with you through thick and thin. Dispersed throughout are training examples which make sense!