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B J's Story
December 11, 1989 - February 6, 2002This is a story about a runt - a beautiful, strong, spunky and independent runt. She was 1 of 12 Springer Spaniel puppies born, by caesarian, December 11, 1989 in Phoenix to Brandy and her beau. Because Brandy was fighting for her own life, my brother Allan, his wife Shari and daughter Kristen bottle fed all 12 puppies and cared for them as any good mother would. They fed them goats' milk and honey every 2 hours to start with and finished just in time to start over. Being in Phoenix that year for Christmas, we had fun feeding them too. All 12 puppies lived and the runt became known as Brown Head, since she did not have the traditional white stripe down her forehead. Brown Head was the hardest to feed as she kept tossing her head but she also became Kristen's favorite - often being carried around the house by her. When we decided to give one of the puppies a home, Kristen wanted us to have Brown Head. So when they were old enough to leave, 4 of them flew to Omaha. Brown Head then became known as BJ for Brandy Junior, as her brown head markings were much the same as her mother's. Sister Martha moved in right next door and sisters Cocoa and Shelby to South Dakota. BJ was fine boned with a cute head and little feet. Banjo quickly potty-trained her and they became buds until Banjo moved to Denver to live with a great Williams family. Martha and BJ soon discovered that they lived just over the hill from each other and very quickly became best friends. Roxy was their mentor and BJ's idol - what Roxy did, BJ wanted to do. Roxy was very special to us and many others in the neighborhood - she was very social, taught them how to hunt, how to roll in "perfume" and protected them against the wild. Roxy, BJ and Martha became a team, with Roxy the leader. We were all saddened when Roxy eventually moved to Missouri and later passed away. Knowing the love that we shared for her, Chris and KC gave us some of her ashes to spread here. BJ was very smart - sometimes even spooky smart - and she taught us well. She started out very independent but soon changed and loved it when people came to visit - wagging her whole butt. Of all her tricks, shaking "hands" was her favorite and she loved her treats. When she came in the house, she'd lift one paw and then the other when you asked to see her feet and then turned and stopped so you could check her back feet. Uncle Bill always said she was the only dog he knew, that understood "let me see your back feet". One of her legacies is her responsiveness to kids - performing the tricks they asked of her and teaching them not to be afraid of dogs - something I think she learned from Roxy. She loved to be covered up, especially with Jerry's t-shirts, and liked her head on a pillow, just like a person. She loved to ride - in cars, on Dad's golf cart, on a ferry or in a horse drawn carriage on Mackinac Island - it didn't matter, as long as she got to go with. She went on several road trips to Phoenix and quickly learned to go potty on a rope and looked forward to her walks there with Mom. When little, she used to sleep curled around my neck. As she grew older, she continued to sleep with us - in our own bed, at friends or relatives, in a hotel/motel, on an air mattress on the floor or crawling into a sleeping bag with us in a tent - it didn't matter, as long as she was with us. She loved to have you growl on her tummy and would come running over and lay down so you could. After chewing on my bingo dauber, she was the only puppy we knew with hot pink legs until it wore off a few weeks later. BJ loved her woods and chasing the rabbits, squirrels and deer or on a slow day - even the crows. She used to lay on the hillside just watching for anything to move - I often thought the girls took turns being "on duty". She was especially curious about Stan's squirrels and the Motz rabbit that was bigger than she was. Playing in the snow was always one of her favorites and she especially liked eating it. She also had fun digging in her hole although we were never quite sure what she was digging for. In spite of running on about 30 acres, she always got excited when Jerry asked her if she wanted to go for a walk with him out to the mailbox, even though she could go there anytime she wanted. She was spoiled and probably thought every puppy got to run on all that land, chase anything they wanted and come home to sleep in a waterbed. Besides being a best friend, she was a great companion and we showered her with lotz of hugs and kisses. The more I gushed over her with praise and telling her how beautiful she was - that she was a lady and a princess, the more modest looking she got. We spent hours together just talking and cuddling. "Millie's Book" was her favorite book. She loved to have her picture taken and would actually stop panting just to pose for them. I still remember how good it felt the day I came home from the hospital after my surgery a few years ago - I put on a new nightshirt, that quickly became my favorite, and crawled into bed. BJ was right there with me and barely left my side over the next few weeks of recuperation. It was great. Eventually sister Shelby came to live with BJ and Pebbles and sister Martha moved to Georgia. We were all elated when Martha returned to live with us in June 2000 - BJ and Martha were back together again and picked up right where they left off. The 3 of them became quite famous as The Springer Sisters and they really got excited when sister Cocoa came to visit from South Dakota. BJ became ill early Saturday morning, January 19th, and remained very weak all weekend. Monday we took her to the specialists at Harvey Oaks Animal Hospital, who had been treating her for a sinus/allergy problem, and found out she was anemic and bleeding internally. They did an ultrasound Tuesday morning - she was terminal with a tumor, about the size of a football, growing off one of her kidneys that was also intertwined with her intestines. The odds of a successful surgery were only about 10%. So rather than put her through that, we brought her home to enjoy her final days here - estimated at only a few days to a week or so. We were stunned as she was just out chasing deer earlier that week - our lives went on hold as she became our only priority. We never left her alone, Jerry re-carpeted the house with plastic and blankets and I slept on the floor with her every night. For awhile, she regained enough strength to be able to get up and walk around and enjoyed the fun food we could now feed her. She really liked the McDonalds hamburger & fries, macaroni & cheese, roastbeef, hamburger & rice and ice cream. And oh yes - her snow, which we brought into the house for her to eat. But her very favorite was the filet mignon that Auntie Teresa and Uncle Steve brought her - just seeing them that night really perked her up too. The weather's been nice so we were able to spend a lot of time outside and Martha spent many hours lying next to her. She took a slow stroll down to the evergreen trees that her rabbits hung out by and laid down as if to show us where she wanted to be put to rest. In spite of her illness, she still managed to wag her tail periodically, roll over on her back a couple of times and give kisses. Saturday, February 2nd, her condition began to substantially weaken again and she passed away peacefully on the front deck, overlooking the hills, on Wednesday, February 6th. We lined the coffin Jerry built for her, with her blanket, carefully laid her head on that favorite nightshirt of mine like a pillow, and covered her with one of Jerry's t-shirts. We wrote and signed the following on her coffin - Our Beautiful and Precious We buried her on Thursday, February 7th. It was a beautiful winter morning - sun shining on all of the frosted trees. We loaded her coffin on a sled and gave her one last ride to the resting site she had chosen by an evergreen tree next to her woods and the squirrel feeder. Martha, Pebbles and a cardinal were present as we buried her. Martha gave her her last respects by jumping in on her. We then spread some of Roxy's ashes on top of BJ's grave so BJ and Roxy are now together again and we know Roxy will take good care of her. Then as we just stood there, a flock of about 80 geese came out of the north and circled almost 360 degrees right over us - honking as if doing a salute. It was incredible that they did that at that moment, here in Nebraska in February. We believe it was a sign from BJ telling us she's ok now and in heaven soaring again. I have a great vision of her running and playing there with the rabbits and butterflies. She's with her friends that have gone before her - including Roxy, Dixie the city dog, Buck, Willie, Amy, Uncle Dick, Grandma Richards-Kasper, Charlie, her mother Brandy who just passed away 12/23/01, her chow friend Brandy, Great Aunt Leatha, Blondie, Max, Ranger and Lucy, who she liked to visit in a nursing home. While we miss her a lot and the end of the couch where she used to lay is now empty, there are many things that we are grateful for - among them the fact that I retired and could spend so much more time with her these last few months. I felt there was a reason I was leaving but wasn't always sure exactly what it was - now I know. We really have spent a lot of time together since then and I will always cherish that. I am also glad that she was able to go to Phoenix one last time this fall and spend time with family there. We are especially thankful that Stan, Jean, Cleo, Gary, Craig, Ryan, Jill, Steve and Sara were able to spend time with her here on Thanksgiving and that so many of her and our friends were able to come for our holiday get together. We are fortunate to have just celebrated their 12th birthday in December - complete with party hats and goodies. I am also especially thankful that Mom, Dad, Allan, Shari and Kristen were able to come up from Phoenix and spend the holidays with all of us and that BJ seemed fine during that time. BJ and Kristen still had that special bond between them and she spent every night sleeping with Kristen. She had a great Christmas and loved all her presents. We are also comforted by many great memories, lotz of pictures, a clipping of one of her feathers and her paw prints. She was so special that she was able to do something that I've not been able to -- convince Jerry to miss 2 auctions. As I walked out this morning to take a picture of the new fallen snow, 7 deer got up near her grave and moved further into the trees. BJ loved Roxy, her woods and the critters in it so it feels right that this little runt, who has changed our lives forever, will always be close to them. Love-
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