Tribute to Paul Long, Friend and Mentor

by John Fetters
© 2010 Fetters Setters, all rights reserved

Photo to left, Professional
Dog Trainer, Paul Long with
Cage of Training Pigeons

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VIEWMONT — Charles Paul Long, 87, of the Brian Center and formerly of 3395 Startown Road, died July 25, 2003. A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Salem Lutheran Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends tonight from 7 to 8:30 at Warlick Funeral Home. Born in Middlesex County, Mass., he was a professional bird dog trainer. Survivors include a step-daughter, Virginia Adeline Richardson of Lincolnton; three grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren. Memorials may be made to Salem Lutheran Church, 3410 Startown Road, Maiden, NC 28650.

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Charles Paul Long, or "Paul" as he was more commonly known in the shooting dog world, first became interested in bird dogs as a young school age boy. He would walk by the kennel of famous dog trainer Elias Vail on his way to and from school. The dogs at the Vail Kennel captured his interest and when Elias Vail noticed Paul hanging around the kennels quite frequently and seeing the young boy had an on-going interest in the dogs, Vail offered Paul a job which entailed cleaning the kennels, feeding and watering, and grooming.

And in the early 1930s, a young fellow who had been Elias Vail's kennel boy refused to let severe physical handicaps dissuade him from becoming a professional bird dog trainer himself.

A great friend to my grandfather and great-grandfather, he became a great friend to me as well as one of my most valued mentors.

Although he did not specialize in any one breed, Paul had much to do in Irish Setter training and was given credit for his involvement in training ninety percent of the successful Irish Setters that came upon the scene during the early 1930s to 1940s.

It was indeed none other than Paul Long who piloted the Irish Setter Sally of Kildare to an unprecented twenty recognized field trial wins between years 1935 and 1941. Sally was owned by Patrick W. Hehir, long time Fish and Game Director of the State of Massachusetts.

Paul Long was legendary ~ a legend in his own time and still yet today ~ another crafty, old-school professional trainer with over forty-five years of dog sense under his hat.

He apprenticed under the likes of Hall of Famer Mike Seminatore, the acclaimed "Dean of New England Bird Dog Trainers," and the renowned gun dog trainer Elias Vail, before aspiring to a stellar career of his own, also writing "Training Pointing Dogs ~ All the Answers to All Your Questions" in 1974 ~ still a valuable and much-referenced source of information to this day.

Paul was associated with the development of a number of all-breed pointing-dog greats, of particular note the Irish Setter Rufus McTybe of Cloister and Ike Jack Kendrick; Britt of Bellows Falls, the first Brittany field champion; and the English Pointer Colonial Lady, depicted in the vintage Coca-Cola Company series of commissioned paintings of the ten greatest pointing dogs of all time.

Pictured above, Paul Long at his dining room table

reviewing rough draft sent to me by Rick Van Etten

for the upcoming April/May 1991

Gun Dog magazine article about my setters

Pictured above, Paul Long with wife, Virginia,

standing in front of numerous photos

of champion Pointers Paul campaigned on the

Field Trial circuit in his long, distinguished career

Pictured above, taking a break from field training,

left to right: Gale Stevens, Paul Long and me.

Photo taken by William L. Fletcher, owner

of Ryman's Allegheny Josh

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