Buon Compleanno, Happy Birthday to my best buddy! Two years old today. He has been an absolute joy in my life. So sweet, smart and very affectionate. I am looking forward to many more years with my fellow.

I realized today that I have never put his story down in my memoirs. So here is the short version!

I started duckhunting in 2009. I got married in Italy, to my late wife, in 2010. In late 2009 my wife, then girlfriend, was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, given 6 months. She/we didn’t agree with that outcome, but we splurged and got married in Cernobbio Italy, on Lake Como. The day after we got married, I saw this beautiful dog across the park from our patio. I went over to see him and played with him for 15-20 minutes. Fell in LOVE with him! Told my wife, I am getting this breed when we get home. She said “there is no way in hell we were getting a 90 pound hound dog in our home!” Welcome to marriage, I thought! Next day, on a boat ride across the lake, she said, “I have the perfect name for our dog. We will name him Rigatoni and call him Rig”. She had looked the breed up online the night before and realized that he would be a great addition to our family, and a great hunting companion for my me. Got home and started searching for a breeder. By the time we found one, she declined. Had to put it off   until she got better. After she passed, a lady that Was helping me find a Bracco, called and turned me on to a breeder in Telluride, Co. Got on her waitlist and drove to Colorado and got Rig. He is super special to me for very obvious reasons. He is the dog she named.

He will see his first duck hunt, as an observer, at the end of this year. He is very affectionate, super smart and very very loyal. Great companion and friend and his hunting instincts are ingrained.