Meet Brandy!

A few of you (especially on the Patreon discord) have been waiting for this moment for a long time. ^^

Meet our puppy Brandy! She's a Bouvier des Flandres, aka a Flandrian cattle dog (think a heavy-built labradoodle). You guys here on the Patreon Pride helped make her coming into our lives possible. ^^ Thanks to your support, you're helping us put together a good-sized "puppy fund" for her future vet visits and (heaven forbid) any emergencies, as well as some extra for treats and toys. Brandy, Ras, and I all thank you! <3

Who's Brandy?

Brandy's story starts back before the pandemic in the US hits full swing - early March. Ras, my husband, and I have talked for the last 3 years about getting a dog and this year we decided to take the plunge. I just discovered the breed (I'd never heard of them before) and the more I researched, the more it sounded just right for our situation and what we wanted in a dog. Smart, family-oriented, eager to please, on the larger/stronger side (but not HUGE), no drooling, "hypoallergenic/non-shed" hair, and adaptable. I eventually found a small time breeder about an hour's drive from us and she was super helpful in answering all our questions. After some more deep thinking and discussion about the commitment we were getting into, Ras and I made the decision to put down a deposit. Then the waiting game began.

Disappointment. A month later (April), we learned that the mama dog only had 2 pups (sisters) and both were spoken for. But we held out hope and decided to bank on the breeder's second mama. She'd recently been covered and we played waiting game #2 - and this time we were the first ones on the waiting list. This whole time, I texted and called the breeder on and off with questions (and she sent puppy pictures - whee!). Figured I might as well do research in the meantime. 

More disappointment. In late June / early July, mama #2 had a false pregnancy. She showed almost all signs except getting bigger - and also went into false labor for several hours. Poor thing. Turns out she'd become infertile at some point (doggy menopause) and this was the result. So... the third and final mama that the breeder had would be our next chance. In spite of the disappointment, we felt this was worth waiting for. Third time's the charm, right?

It was September 7th at about 1:30 in the morning. Ras and I were just getting settled into bed when my phone goes off. "You guys up??" My heart started racing. And sure enough, my feelings were right. It was finally puppy time! Brandy was born pretty much right before that text came through. The breeder called me and told me and Ras all about what was happening. It was mama's first litter and she was being so good. "She's gonna be the cleanest baby in the world the way mama's licking her off," the breeder said. We had to go see her right away and the breeder said we could come out that very day (in the afternoon). So we did. 

This was the first of many visits. We went almost every other weekend to see her and get to know her and her parents and other "family". The breeder has a beautiful home out in the country and her small pack of dogs roam freely in the house and the pasture. When we finally met them all in person we knew for sure we'd made the right choice. I'd never met more cuddly, intelligent dogs!

Brandy started out about the size of a guinea pig. And only grew from there. We witnessed her opening her eyes for the first time. I personally gave her her first drink of water, and we helped her get her first shots. This was magical in and of itself. 

Welcome Home!

Halloween came and it was finally time to take Brandy home! She rode on Ras' lap the whole way and had no trouble whatsoever. She eventually settled and fell asleep on the way. 

A week has gone by since then, and Brandy turned 9 weeks old today! She's so very smart and sweet, loves and wants to learn, and is so happy to be with us. It's like she's always been a part of our lives. And frankly, I'm not sure how we went so long without her. 

Welcome to the family, Brandy!