Stephen Nappe and ZinToday I got the sad news that Stephen Nappe's tracking mini wire "Zin" is gone. He was 14.5 years old when two weeks ago his body finally succumbed to diseases of old age. It is an enormous loss for Stephen as the man and his dog were inseparable.
Zin was purchased as a companion dog, but he proved to be a very gifted scent hound, and was a tireless bloodtracker and hunter. As a member of N.J. Beanfielders, an all-breed hunting club, Zin helped farmers rid their fields of destructive woodchucks. In doing so he earned a Working Certificate from American Working Terriers Association. Zin then earned his Junior Earthdog title in July 1996 and his Field Championship in October 1996. He was twice in the Dachshund Club of America top ten for field trial dachshunds.
A natural bloodtracker, in 2003 Zin won the Deer Search Annual Blood Tracking competition. He was the only mini dachshund to ever do so. He weighed only 9 pounds but he had a big heart and enormous tracking drive. He recovered 42 deer in his tracking career, which started when Zin was 6 years old.
In Stephen's own words: "Those of us, who are fortunate to have owned many dogs, know that only one or two become that special one – a dog of one’s lifetime. Zin is that dog. He is and will always be my Hero".
Zin was purchased as a companion dog, but he proved to be a very gifted scent hound, and was a tireless bloodtracker and hunter. As a member of N.J. Beanfielders, an all-breed hunting club, Zin helped farmers rid their fields of destructive woodchucks. In doing so he earned a Working Certificate from American Working Terriers Association. Zin then earned his Junior Earthdog title in July 1996 and his Field Championship in October 1996. He was twice in the Dachshund Club of America top ten for field trial dachshunds.
A natural bloodtracker, in 2003 Zin won the Deer Search Annual Blood Tracking competition. He was the only mini dachshund to ever do so. He weighed only 9 pounds but he had a big heart and enormous tracking drive. He recovered 42 deer in his tracking career, which started when Zin was 6 years old.
In Stephen's own words: "Those of us, who are fortunate to have owned many dogs, know that only one or two become that special one – a dog of one’s lifetime. Zin is that dog. He is and will always be my Hero".
Zin with his canine family.
I'm sorry to hear that he's gone. A man's One dog is a rare gift.
ReplyDeleteI had a mini dachshund that I dearly loved, and still do, that was killed by a thug speeding down our country dirt road.
One of these days I may get me another little fellow, and train him up right like you all have done with yours.
Regards,
Albert A Rasch
The Rasch Outdoor Chronicles
Proud Member of Outdoor Bloggers Summit
Southeast Regional OBS Coordinator