The Love of My Life

For Christmas 1999, my husband promised me a Cocker Spaniel puppy. We looked at pet stores and several breeders, but could not find a single puppy. Then on January 7th, 2000 we found an ad in the newspaper for a Cocker Spaniel puppy. The last one left.

Hubby wanted a male dog. He said we'd name him Brutus. I just wanted a dog. 

We had to drive an hour to a small town to have a look. All the way, Hubby said, "we are just looking".

We arrived at the Haldane's, a very nice family. They showed us to their utility room, where in a box made out of wood and lined with newsprint and a red blanket, hopped a very excited little angel. "It's a female", they said, "born on Novemer 11th, Remembrance Day." My husband was giddy, "can I hold her?" She was just a little bundle of fur and she snuggled into him and gave him puppy dog kisses. He was immediately wrapped round her paw. 

We paid the $200 for her and took her off to her new home. They had given us some left over puppy food and assured us she was potty trained. On the drive home, the puppy continued to give puppy kisses to Hubby as he would try to wiggle away from her. 

The Haldane's had said she didn't have a name and just referred to her as Puppy. We named her Brandy~puppy. We already had a soft plush bed and some chew toys for her. But, we were not prepared for a puppy.

This was a Sunday night and we both had to work the next day. How would we contain her? My parents volunteered a child's playpen. It was old, with wooden bars, so we lined it with cardboard. Surely, a little puppy so sweet would never be able to get out.

She got out. 

The cardboard was not in any way strong enough to contain Brandy~puppy the Super Dog. We would let her roam free, but we had to keep her from going to the second floor. We piled the packed boxes of our Christmas tree and ornaments at the bottom of the stairs.

It was not enough. Hubby would come come to find Brandy~puppy the Wonder Dog sitting happily at the top of the stairs. 

We bought a kennel. Brandy's house, we called it. She loved it. "Go in you house!" we'd say. In she would run, legs flying in all directions, waiting for a milk bone.

Now, Brandy is now going on 13 years old. She is able to roam our house and we no longer use the kennel. She thinks she is human. She brings immense joy and happiness to our hearts. She has had some health problems over the last year but she remains the love of my life.