The Additions to the Family

As you have seen Brandy was with Bruno 11 years and was always at his side even to every trip to the vets. After the loss of Bruno she missed him as much as we did. We thought she was getting use to being with out him until 4 weeks after loosing him she howled all night. So it was to clear to us she needed a new friend to ease her loneliness.

We searched for a friend for her but could not face a liver and white one but we found "Lucky" the last in the litter at Wenskip. We renamed him Bracken in honour of Bruno’s Dad.

His parents are Fern and Beanz and was one of a litter of 13 he had been named Little Lucky. A livley little boy who has helped Brandy, Sue and I go forward and is keeping us on our toes and making us smile and laughing. Bracken came from Wendy Skipper at     http://www.wenskip.co.uk

No we could not forget him, although we now have Bracken, Bruno will always live on in our thoughts.

Was it the right choice to get another dog? YES.

Will he replace Bruno? NO NEVER.

Bracken has grown, he is now 4 yrs old. He has what is known as "Fifith Toe Anomaly" were his fifth toe stops growing at 3 mths but his claw continues to grow. This leaves him with his dew claw and three pads, it does not affect him but we have to keep trimming that claw.

 It is now July 2010  the years have passed and Brandy still misses Bruno. We cleared the shed out last year and found Bruno’s old bed she took one sniff at it and walked away she would not come back to it, who says they don't know what’s going on.

Brandy has become unwell with a lung problem causing her to be short of breath; also her arthritis in both her back legs is giving her more problems, the joints are so stiff they will not go back even under general anaesthetic whilst she had an X-ray for her lungs. She is having problems walking and breathing.

On Friday 9th July 2010 we sadly had to say goodbye to out little girl, her quality of life has deteriorated quickly, she does not want to walk and is panting continuously she struggled to get to the grass to wee. It had always been our intention when the time came to let her go at home but due to other commitments we had to take to the vets rather than have the vets.

As those who have had to go through this will know it is very hard walking through the vets door knowing she will not be coming out. We stayed with her to the end; she was at peace at last.

We collected her from the vet and took her to The Lincs Pet Crem as we did for Bruno. She has been laid to rest alongside Bruno, amongst the trees in our garden so she will always be with him. Her grave will be marked with a stone from Crowland Abbey as Bruno's is.

Bracken has become very clingy since losing Brandy so we have decided to get a little girl for him. She will be Bramble another Liver and white Springer,

Bramble finds this entire website updating very exhausting for a little girl

Bramble is now 2yrs old and a full and VERY active member of the family, Bramble and Bracken often meet up with her mum and dad Chloe and Archie for runs and also stays with them when we cannot take them with us on trips.

She would have been the perfect match to have puppies with Bruno. That is what we regret, not having put Bruno to stud, but would we have been able to give him all the attention he needed? So may be its best this way.

Time has flown, Brambles mum Chloe, has had a second litter, another set of beautiful pups. 

This Summer (2013) we entered both Bracken and Brambles into a small dog show for fun. Bracken won a 1st in best working breed and Brambles won 1st in "the dog the judge would like to take home" Bracken also got a "Reserve in show" award. As we said it was just for fun and not affiliated to the Kennel Club.

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