Brandy was found as a stray wandering the streets of Warrington, a chubby Corgi x Collie girl who had evidently been someone’s pet – surely she would be missed, and claimed.
But no-one came forward for Brandy. After her seven days as a stray were up, she was taken on by District Dogs Rescue, Warrington, who had her spayed and endeavored to find her a home.
Happy, bouncy Brandy was estimated to be between eight and ten years old, and her poor arthritic joints played up dreadfully in the kennel environment. Under District Dogs’ sponsorship, Brandy came into foster with the Oldies Club, and made her first appearance on this site.
Within a few short weeks, the offer of a lovely new home came up for Brandy. Judith was not at all put off by Brandy’s arthritis – or the life-long commitment to its treatment – she just wanted a dog to love who required gentle exercise and would live alongside her resident pet cats.
Days later, home visits were confirmed and plans were set in motion to get Brandy to her new home, four and a half hours drive away. Brandy’s foster dad kindly offered to take Brandy home and was delighted by what he found when he got there… A huge garden and lawn for Brandy to roll around on and a new mum and dad that were obviously going to love and care for her, Brandy would want for nothing.
The next day we received a lovely letter from Brandy’s new mum, she said…..
Dear Kelly and Jim,
Well, Brandy and I have had our first night, first breakfast, first walk and first adventure!
Most important to start with – she’s just lovely, and I think she’ll be perfect for me – I hope I’ll be good for her, as well.
She was a sad little girl when she woke up this morning, the nightmare hadn’t gone away, she was still in a strange place with a strange woman and without her Jim, and she was a bit woebegone and needed cuddles. Then she discovered that there was food, which brightened her universe a bit, then we went into the garden, and she absolutely loves that, rolls around on the grass in delight. She was rejecting all her toys, so I showed her a ball I’d bought yesterday, and she enjoyed that.
Later in the morning, we went for a walk on the common, and she was so good. We met three dogs, whom she was desperate to play with. I didn’t feel I could let her off the lead, so she couldn’t, but she was so friendly and confident. In fact, she was so perfect that when we got to the middle of the common and there was no-one else around to distract her, I did let her off, and she was great, and much more physically capable than she seemed yesterday, when she was very stiff, poor girl.
We came home (via, in Brandy’s case, a large and extremely muddy puddle, containing a stick she decided she couldn’t live without, then through the long grass to clean her off!), It is such a blessed relief having an older dog who knows what is expected of her, and she is so ready to be friendly, already starting to follow me from room to room.
I’ll keep you posted as Brandy and I get to know each other.
Warm regards
Judith
10.05.05 – another update from Brandy’s proud new mum! :-)
As we enter our third week together, Brandy is still the perfect dog for me. She is just so loving, and so good and well-behaved – the only exception being when she gets a whiff of water, when she becomes selectively deaf and will do no more until she has had her swim!
Because she’s so friendly towards people and other dogs, taking her out is a delight, and totally stress-free – she seems totally bombproof and is never fazed by anything.
I do wish Brandy could talk. It seems so strange that she wasn’t looked for, when she’s obviously been cared for and trained, and she has a confidence that wouldn’t be there if she’d been abused.
Warm regards
Judith