27 more days

[Casey Harner]

Before I get married to my best friend Bailey Stephens. For all the married beaglers, how do you manage your time with the mrs along with your job and your hounds?? How's it done?? Bailey means the world to me, but my dogs keep me from going insane and its a stress reliever to get out and hunt/run.


Any advice would be nice!

[The Asphalt Man]

Just don't let the dogs take priority over your wife and you will be fine.

[Swampman]

Casey,

My wife and I will be married 30 years come November with four wonderful children.
I told her that running my hounds helps me unwind from a high stress, long hours career.
I did cut back for several years when my kids got into sports, etc. during their school years.

Now after 30 years she asks me nearly every day after work if I'm running hounds because she hates to see them in the kennel.
I even take a week of vacation running hounds with my Dad and good friends on the Island.
Don't get me wrong, I do vacation with her as well.

My Father in law told me before I married her that there are two words to a long and successful marriage and those two words are YES DEAR!

Remember that a marriage is give and take and it is a continuous work in progress, not always easy, but always worth it.

We just returned from a weekend at the cabin where I ran snowshoes with the hounds and she stayed next to the woodstove in the cabin reading a book.

Good luck!

[jlboomer]

my advice is get her involed with the dogs to. Until i had my health problems my wife was as muched involed in my kennel as i was. I got her some dogs of her own and she loves it as much as i do. She's the one pushing me along now to get back into it. Like the others say you gotta make time for the family but if you get everyone into the great sport then it becomes a family thing. Plus i got really lucky in finding my wife wish you the best.

[rabbitatfarm]

First, congrats Casey. I've been married for 30 years, kids are out of the house, and I retired three years ago, so time to run is not a problem. By now she should know how much your dogs mean to you. l agree; get her involved. Mine used to go when it was warm and the pups were just starting. She doesn't mind me running them and hates to see them just sitting in the kennel. Once your wife sees how your dogs relieve the stress, she'll be supportive. Communication is the key to a good marriage. Best wishes to you both.

Larry

[likeemfast]

Casey,
My advice would be to just sit her down and tell her how it's gonna be. Your the man she's the woman, lay down the law. Make sure in your ceremony the Pastor includes for her the part where she will love, honor and OBEY! It's as simple as that. You do what you want, and she does what you tell her. Also let her know your expectations of what she's supposed to be doing while your enjoying your time in the woods, like laundry, cleaning, ya know the standard housewife duties, and also make sure she knows dinner should be hot and ready when ya get back from the woods. Make sure also your about a hour or so late for the wedding because you were out running hounds, just say you thought ya had time for one more race and it turned out to be a good one. This will also make it easier for ya throughout the marriage when your late for birthdays, anniversaries, etc, since ya set the standard of how things will be from day one. These are just a few tips that should help ya along on your new journey. Hope it helped. keep us updated how it works out. I'm sure we will all be excited to hear.

[barnold1]

When you have kids, get them a pup while they're young and get them involved. The wife can't deny that quality time you spend with the kids running rabbits.

[sammiller03]

My advise is know your wife. Simple things like helping around the house can buy you alot of brownie points for running dogs. Also i have two young kids , I often take the whole family to run and dnt over do it. just be smart about it. My wife knows the dogs are here to stay and after her and the kids they are my top priority. Just remember to also not grumble to much when she wants to go do her things.


sam

[warddog]

Casey, I can't tell you or advise as all people like dogs have individual personalities. What I can say is after 37 years of marriage with this wife I have learned that my dogs were a hobby and NOT something that was at the top of my priority list in life. I have hunted and ran dogs my entire life and spent many a night in woods following the coon hounds while my wife sat at home. My first wife of 3 years didn't think sitting at home was very entertaining so she found other things to occupy her time and it wasn't reading a book while I did what I wanted. My wife now comes from a hunting family BUT not one that lives and breaths it so she was aware of weekend hunting. We have been married for 37 years now and like others have said it is a give/take situation. She has absolutely NO desire to run dogs and could care less about the ones I have nor do I have any desire to run all over the country shopping and sight seeing as she enjoys. People are different in their likes/dislikes and from my experience in my two marriages both must respect each other to the point of allowing each other to be themselves. I can tell you that my hunting and running of the hounds isn't even close to what it used to be and I learned that there were much more important things in life than all the time and money I used to spend on my dogs, hunting, running, trialing and all the equipment that goes along with it. I'm not suggesting that I gave it up as I doubt that will ever happen but rather I removed it from towards the top of my priority list of being happy in life to one that I do when I have the extra time and the money. I have found over the years that what I thought I had to live and breath was merely the icing on the cake that had been put together at home with love, respect, responsibility and truthfulness as ingredients.

[mybeagles]

Ensure your wife has recreational opportunities as well. If she sits at home watching the clock while you run dogs your doomed. If she is active with friends and family everyone is happy.

Limit the amount of dogs you keep. Better to have 2-3 good ones than a kennel full of dogs that split the run time. You can keep 8-10 when you retire and can run everyday if you want. Easier on the finances too when not feeding 10 dogs and all the associated expenses.

If your wife feels loved and appreciated you will have more liberty to run than you need.

[Rcoff]

Communication is the key. Set it up before the marriage so she understands beagles are a part of what makes up you. I would let her know that there are certain days that you expect to run, such as Sat mornings, and thurs. nights or such, whatever suit both your schedule and try to stick to it. Marriage is compromise both ways, you may have to give up something to run, maybe she will, but most marriages fail because they will not talk and resolve their problems.
Thanks,
Bob

[Rowco Beagle Kennels]

I have been married to Anne, the most wonderful woman in the world, for 51 years on this Saturday. Before we got married, I took her hunting and fishing. I told her, "these are things I do and I will continue to do. Later she told me that she loved to shop and would be doing that and I would need to furnish the money. I hunt; she shops; the rest of the time we are very good friends. It has worked for 51 years and our friendship is deeper than ever. Bobby

[likeemfast]

Casey, I bet that was the fastest 4 weeks of your life!

[Casey Harner]

Tomorrow is the big day.

[Norshore]

Best of luck Casey.