Me..“Shall we get a dog? There’s a dog here on Facebook – second hand Mallorca. Looking for a new home…” That was the start of an amazing adventure in 2011. My beautiful Breton boy of 14 years old, sadly went over the rainbow bridge last week. I was his 4th owner – a spurned hunting dog, passed from pillar to post because he was gun shy. He was to become the heart and soul of our lives, and was joined by 3 more permanently as companions, but also became the foster dad to some 30 or 40 rescue Bretons that passed through our doors on the way to their new homes. He was kind and gentle, but exuded a strength and dignity that the other dogs respected. He showed the rescues where to toilet, how to behave, always gentle, never aggressive and using body language and nudges to show what was needed. He lived to race the mountains and run through the valleys only to snuggle up on the sofa, loving human contact and the many visitors we had before COVID. Sadly he developed arthritis in one hip and dysplasia in his elbows, which became more and more severe. We tried stem cell transplantation which helped a little, but he was never going to get better. He survived severe peritonitis from a piece of bone which ripped his intestines and made a full recovery in 2017. He continued to soldier on but his days became more painful despite medication and rest and finally we made the decision to let him rest permanently. He died peacefully at home, lying on my lap surrounded by all of his family, canine and human, leaving a legacy of nearly 100 adopted dogs that he sowed the seed of in my heart, and that he shaped, and guided on the journey to their new homes. RIP my beautiful boy, never forgotten and with us forever under the wind chimes you so loved.
Rico
2007 -
2021