So, for those who know me in person, they know I’m a dog lover. For you virtual friends...
A few months before I moved into my first house (Summer 2003)
I rescued a one-eyed Samoyed. A cousin
of mine had re-homed him temporarily but as she had 2 big dogs couldn’t keep
him. I got him on 1st February
2003. My cousin had actually driven to
Wexford previously but couldn’t make it as far as the door to give away the
little fur ball. The reason I remember
the day so clearly was it was the date of the Shuttle craft Columbia disaster and
my new puppy was named after Ilan Ramon, a colonel in the Israeli
Air Force and the first Israeli astronaut. Into my life pranced ROMEO...
(Romeo resting after a long walk)
About 6 months following this I decided to get a companion
for Romeo. I didn’t want to have to deal
with puppies so I rescued a male pointer cross and named him JULES. The both dogs quickly became great friends
and spent many years being members of my family. They were inside dogs, chased a burglar from
the house one evening when we came home and loved their runs on the beach.
(Jules saying hello!)
(Jules & Romeo running in the Raven Forest in Curracloe)
(If you are thinking of getting a Samoyed be warned – they need
lots of walking, about 5 miles at least 4 days per week, ideally not on a lead
as when you put a collar and lead on them their nature is to try and pull a
sled, or in the absence of a sled you. Pull
and pull and pull.)
Romeo always slept at night time either on the landing or
downstairs in the hall. In this location
he could keep an eye on both the front and back door. He never slept soundly and always had one ear
open. He was a gentle giant but a fantastic guard dog. The first night Jules was with me,
he got a little basket with an old jumper and a hot water bottle on the floor
beside my bed. He spent the whole night
whining. The second night he whined for
the 1st hour then he was plonked on the bottom of my bed to shut him
up. He stayed there for 13 years!
(Jules after a run on the beach, he went swimming and got cold)
(Max & Jules sharing the bed)
(Max's first Christmas)
(Don't feed the dog under the table...actually it's keeping him away from the other dogs)
(Unlike most Samoyed's Max loves the water)
Somewhere in the middle...puppies arrived. Romeo had fun with my mum’s Cavalier King
Charles – 8 pups arrived but only 2 survived...Brandy & Petra. We hand reared them from the very first
moments of their life.
(Brandy & Petra with Vet (and hunk) Richard Bramley)
(Petra drinking the end of the tea with her daddy and Brandy gently begging from my mam)
As Romeo & Jules were getting old, I decided to get a
new puppy to add to the family. So, on Halloween
night in 2015 Max joined the family (another rescue). A samoyed/pointer cross and living up to his
name he is as made as a hatter.
(Max's first night on the bed)
(Max saying "Walkies time")
(31st October 2015 when Max arrived home)
(Max @ our Engagement party)
(Max's first Christmas)
(Don't feed the dog under the table...actually it's keeping him away from the other dogs)
(Unlike most Samoyed's Max loves the water)
Unfortunately in February 2016 we lost Romeo & in March 2016 we lost Jules but both lived a full and good life, treasured members of our family.
John The Captain Ryan
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