26/07/2026
Canadian Puppy Champion ColourFast Brandybuck (a.k.a. Brandy)
May 29, 2015 – July 4, 2026
Dear Brandy,
I remain heartbroken. I have found it so difficult to share the news of your sudden passing, due to a freak accident on July 4th. I always thought you might get to be the longest-lived Pyrenean Mastiff in history – you were the healthiest and most trouble-free dog I have ever even heard of. You never even had one sick day in your whole life. Once, when you were young, you seemed “off” to me and I thought maybe you were sick. I took you to the vet and they found nothing wrong with you – the next day you were perfectly fine. To have you leave me so abruptly – without warning or fanfare – has been one of the hardest things for me to deal with. You know I did everything I could to save you, but I only had about one minute and then you were gone. Just like that. Gone. I have been living in daze. I put a smile on for the guests and for a while tried to pretend it didn’t happen. That just literally made me sick. I haven’t been able to sleep, I have had headaches, been nauseous, throwing up and the works. I have felt so bad that you are gone but I just couldn’t talk about. I didn’t want people to ask me questions and have to re-live the trauma over and over – the first time (played over and over has been traumatic enough). I have had to deal with nightmares and lost so much sleep. By not being able to share about your passing, I haven’t been able to share about all the wonderful things that happened before and continue to happen – I’ve been completely blocked by grief. But today is the day to get past it and move forward. The future looks bright – I just am having the hardest time understanding why you are not coming with us on the continuing adventure.
Brandy, when you were a baby, I was told that I wasn’t “allowed” to keep a puppy from your litter. You didn’t take no for an answer. I remember when I used to walk by the whelping box, you used to wave at me. At first I thought it was a fluke – but then I realized you were literally waving your paw at me every time I walked past! When that wasn’t enough, to sway the powers that be, you used to wave AND blow kisses – I could not resist and went to bat for you to stay with us for what I thought would be forever.
I remember when I took you to your first show as a baby puppy. It was your first time off the farm. It was pouring rain and the judge was standing under a tent and sent all the top baby puppies out into the ring in the pouring rain. You did the most beautiful kind of flying trot – it was like you were floating on the air. When the judge was going to hand out the placement ribbons we all gathered under the tent. The judge could hardly come up with the words to say. She was motioning with her arms flailing out in front of her, trying to recreate what she had seen you do. The judge said, “That is the most beautiful puppy I have ever seen.” And then she quickly corrected herself and said all the puppies were beautiful – but we knew the truth. Best Puppy in Show! 🏆
You did go on to be Puppy Champion and won Best Jr. Puppy in Show a couple times too. But as you grew, you did not want to be in a show and you would not pretend like you did. You would never stand still to be stacked. I would fuss over you and I finally had a judge tell me just to leave you alone, that they could still judge you moving… but that was the last show that I dragged you to. You were born to be “Day Guard” – that was your calling – and you could not be that if you were not at home.
As Day Guard, you were so stubborn. You would not come inside during the day - not in any weather (except maybe thunderstorms). Last year, when I bought your mom a cooling jacket, I bought a second one for you so when it got to 38C and you still wouldn’t come in, at least you could remain a little bit cool.
Always the overachiever, you surprised us all in November of 2017, when you gave birth naturally, without assistance to the Miracle 16. You produced the most beautiful puppies and even your daughter Donnamira managed to win Best in Show of all breeds, the one week-end we took her to a show as a two year old. At almost 9, she still dances in the air when she trots – anywhere – like you did as a baby for that judge.
For all that you gave us, you never asked for anything – except your meals. You were always quite adamant that mealtime should follow chores – immediately, without hesitation. Because you were never sick, injured or in trouble – you did not get as much attention as the others got, and you were fine with that. You just did your job every day – day in and day out – until the day your mother passed.
With Éowyn’s passing, you became the elder. You took your mother’s death very hard. You were depressed for quite a while. I started to give you more attention – I think you saw how much attention she required in the year preceding her death. You took over her prime spot in the kitchen. I started increasing your food and splitting your meals into two so you could maybe gain a little weight. Soon, you acted exactly the way she used to every morning panting and carrying on until your meal was provided. Then, you started clocking off work between 6-8 PM – you’d knock on the door and ask to come in, thought your shift was done and went and laid on the cushy bed, queen of the kitchen. Of course by the time you came in, it was already chore time and out you went again - with no way I could convince you to stay inside and relax. In your last 10 months, I gave you all of the attention and extra treats that you missed during the other years when you were too busy being healthy and working.
Last September for my birthday, I took Donnamira to Martinque Beach – her first trip to a beach. 🏖️Donnamira had been so excited about it and must have told you all about it, because after that, you, for the first time in your life, wanted to go along in the truck when we went places. I felt so bad, on Donnamira’s birthday in November – I had promised to take Donnamira along to Halifax and you wanted to go SO BADLY. I’ve never seen you so excited and determined to go somewhere but since it was Donnamira’s birthday I left you at home. I was sorry to have disappointed you but was always promising to take you to the beach.
When Clayton started his work co-op at Musquodoboit Harbour – we had to drive there on 11 different weeks (22 times) – I thought for sure that one of those times, we would get you to the beach, but every single week there was a sign there – CLOSED due to construction. No beach for you. I felt bad.
When Clayton and I had to go to PEI in early June, we thought to stay over one night and make a little trip of it. It was your turn to go to the beach and you’d never had a day off before (except for moving) so we took you along. We hadn’t considered though, that the other thing you inherited since your mom was gone, you developed a lot of anxiety, especially a strong fear of our friend’s riding lawnmower (it used to backfire a couple years back sometimes) and thunderstorms. I had no idea that you would also be afraid of being away from home and especially - the singing sands beach. I think you hated every minute of the trip. I actually wasn’t sure that we were going to get you off the beach alive – it seemed like you were going to go into cardiac arrest. We took you back to the truck and you were perfectly fine. You just wanted to go home. Back to work. The work you loved to do – every day of your life. So, we packed up and took you home. It was exactly 4 weeks later that you left me with barely a moment’s notice. Such a cruel and sudden end for such a well lived life.
Here you are pictured with your boy, on the singing sand beach in PEI, June 6, 2026. I love this picture and now it's on my phone lockscreen and wallpaper. I look at the picture countless times a day and miss both of you every moment. The boy is coming home soon but you’ve been laid to rest next to your Mama – outside the living room window view. Clayton will make you a cross too – you will never be forgotten. ✝️
The emptiness in our home and the giant hole in the Canine Welcoming Committee is quite vast. You were an unassuming fixture of the landscape as Day Guard - your sister Spotty is attempting to cover some of your shifts with some help from your daughter Donnamira (night guard) – you left big shoes to fill. There will never be another Day Guard quite like you.
Today, while I was driving home a short distance, with my plan to write this letter to you when I got home – a song came on the radio, that’s new, one I'd never heard before. It’s called “All Dogs Go to Heaven” by Chris Young. I cried all the way home.
Brandy, I miss you so much and I’ll love you forever. 💞✨
