Memory Lane

Whenever I see a picture of our Sheltie, Brandy, I think what a gorgeous dog!

Fighting Canine Cancer

We received a catalog from Orvis and on the cover was a picture of a beautiful Golden and the caption help fight canine cancer! The cover dog, Dylan, is a cancer survivor.

It seems that Orvis and Eukanuba have teamed up to double canine cancer donations.

For more details, you can go to: Orvis/Eukanuba Canine Cancer Campaign

Having lost Brandy, Jake and Danny to cancer, I can honestly say that this is a cause worth donating to. Coop's battle with cancer is going well, but more research and better treatments are needed.

Our online donation is on its way.

Jake

While living in NC, I saw an ad in the paper asking for people to adopt homeless Goldens. I always liked Goldens and knew that too many dogs end up in shelters, so thought why not ? Looking back I did not realize just how traumatized a rescued dog could be.

Jeff had always wanted a red Retriever named Jake. When I called Neuse Golden Retriever Rescue and was told that there was a dog named Jake, I knew it was fate. When we first met Jake, a large red coated Golden, he did not walk, but crawled on his belly. My heart broke and I wondered what cruelty he had been subjected to, to be too afraid to walk.

Jake had large soulful eyes that always appeared haunted. We had Jake for 9 years and I could never erase the sadness in his sweet face. When we brought Jake home, he was terrified. A loud noise or sudden movement would send him scuttling from the room.

Jake taught me patience and Jake taught me that some wounds never heal. Trust is tenuous and when our vet said a nail had been intentionally driven into Jake's leg, we knew that all the love in the world might never be enough to make him feel safe.

Surprisingly, after all the abuse Jake endured, he did learn to love being near people. Jake loved to be petted, but not hugged.

Jake and Brandy became inseparable. Brandy taught Jake that jumping on the bed was ok and that toys were meant to be played with. Jake never learned to play fetch, but he would happily chase after Brandy.

At 90+ pounds, Jake was a big dog who brought much happiness into our lives. Jake had a white spot on his chest and I nicknamed him my "pure of heart" boy; even after all the abuse, Jake retained his Golden heart.

Jake's sweetness and gentleness were echoed in Danny's personality.

Brandy

AKC registered Sir Brandon of Stonehenge (Brandy) was the first dog that I ever owned. Brandy was not just beautiful, but drop dead GORGEOUS.

When we were out walking Brandy, people would often stop and comment on how handsome he was. One woman once asked if she could hire him as a stud for her female Sheltie.

Brandy did not walk, but seemed to prance. He was very intelligent, fearless, proud and an Alpha male. Brandy loved to bark - it could be at a leaf blowing by or a stranger at the door.

Life with Brandy was an adventure, you never knew what to expect. When I look at Cooper, I see the same zest for life that was such a part of Brandy's personality.

Brandy hated to get his feet wet and I can still picture him jumping over puddles on rainy days. Bath time was a nightmare, he would whine from the moment he saw the hose.

When Brandy was 10 years old, he was diagnosed with bladder cancer and given 3 months to live. Brandy survived for 6 months and never slowed down.

Jeff had already moved from North Carolina and was living in Connecticut when it came time to put Brandy to sleep. Driving alone to our vet and saying goodbye was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. I can still remember holding him in my lap as his life slipped away.

Jeff's Dad called that night and said, I feel bad that you are all alone and having to go through this. I remember saying, "I'm not alone, I have Jake...."

Brandy & Jake

Long before Danny and Cooper were part of our lives, we had two other dogs, Brandy a Shetland Sheepdog, and Jake a rescued Golden Retriever.

Both of these dogs passed away in the middle of May. Every year when I flip the calendar from April to May, their memories immediately come to my mind.

This week I will share some stories about these two special dogs.