Nice topic this. Alot of our younger hunters will do well to read your thread, and just not bin their hunting companion once they have run them into the ground. I keep mine on light duties , just ticking over mainly ferreting and mooching about and leave the heavy duty work, lamping and the pre ban stuff to the younger members of my squad. Alot obviously depends on the workload you have given your dog over the years and if they have managed to stay relatively injury free.