Millie's Story Part 2, Introducing Brenna!

(Please see previous blog for the beginning of this story!)

After a few months I decided to get another dog. I started looking in Dogs Trust in Darlington, but I didn't see any that would suit our household. My dad was in his late 60's and would be walking my dogs for me during the day when I was at work so I couldn't get too young a dog or one that would be too boisterous or demanding. I almost took on an 8 year old golden retriever, but my dad wasn't keen on having such a large, hairy dog in the house! I looked at a working cocker spaniel and a red setter cross but both were already spoken for.

After many visits to Dogs Trust, finally I spotted a small collie cross. She was in a kennel with a border collie puppy so she wasn't getting a lot of attention! Graeme and I both liked the look of her, she was friendly and sat when we asked her to sit! We took her details and went to the office to find out about her.
She hadn't been assessed yet as she'd only just come in, but her card said she was roughly 6 months old. I was a bit unsure about taking on a one so young, but I thought we'd give her a try. She didn't have any history as she was picked up as a stray in Ireland, moved to Glasgow and then to Darlington Dogs Trust so her age was just an estimate from the staff. We were told she would have to be assessed before we could walk her, so they took our details and we ventured home.

A few hours later I got a call from a member of staff at Dogs Trust saying they'd assessed her. Their view of her was that she was young, had no training but got along with other dogs. I was reluctant but Graeme liked the look of her, so we went to walk her. We took Millie along so that she could meet her if we were wanting to keep the little black dog.
So we arrived and took 'Jody', as the staff had named her, for a walk. She was a bit nervous and spooked at a noise, but other than that she was so well behaved! There was no pulling on the lead, she sat when we asked her and seemed quite calm. I wasn't convinced that this was a 6 month old puppy with no training so I checked her teeth. What I found told me that she was at least 2 years old! The plaque was thick and all of her teeth were discoloured, which I had never seen on a 6 month old dog!

We walked back to the centre and told them she was as good as gold and that we'd like to introduce her to Millie. I casually said that I thought she was older but they still wanted to class her as a puppy. I went to get Millie and myself and a staff member introduced them on the lead. They sniffed each other and wagged tails. There was no growling so bared teeth, so we were allowed to walk them together.

We walked them both around the field and they got on really well! We decided she was the one for us.

Millie on the left, Brenna on the right the day we walked her at Dogs Trust

We told the staff we loved her and we sorted out details. As I worked in a vets I didn't need a home visit, just a recommendation from the head vet. It would be a week before we could take her home as we had to attend a meeting with a member of staff and have a "puppy talk". It was a long week waiting to have her home with me, knowing that she was in a kennel when she didn't have to be! We hadn't decided on a name, but Graeme had done some research and came up with a list of names, including Pookie, Ebony and Brenna. The last one struck me and it instantly fit! Brenna is an Irish Gaelic word meaning 'little Irish raven' or 'raven haired', and since she was from Ireland and was all black it fitted well!

The following Sunday finally arrived and we went to collect her. I had bought everything ready, including new collar and lead, new indoor kennel (I wasn't sure what her house training was like, but as it turned out she was well trained), food bowls and bed. We attended the 'puppy meeting' (which none of it applied as I knew she wasn't a puppy!) then waited for her to be brought out. Unfortunately she had caught kennel cough while waiting for us and couldn't be vaccinated or neutered, but because of where I worked and the experience I had I could take her home and sort out vaccinations and neutering later. She was on antibiotics for the kennel cough, which didn't seem too bad.

So we put her in the boot of the car and Greame sat in the back to make sure she'd didn't panic or jump onto the back seat. As it turned out she was good as gold in the car! Not a bark or a whimper!!

We brought her into the house to see Millie and the two of them hit it off from the start!

Brenna on her first day in her new home. She was loving from the beginning!

We took them both on a good walk that afternoon and walked to the next village, Cotherstone. She was so well behaved and you could see that she really enjoyed being out of the kennel! We popped into the Red Lion pub in Cotherstone for a drink and the bar man couldn't believe we'd only just brought her home that day. He said she looked like she'd been with us for years. We couldn't believe we'd found such a super little dog.

However her kennel cough got worse as the first week went on and she became quite ill with it. Luckily Millie had already been vaccinated against kennel cough otherwise I'd have had two poorly dogs! Brenna was almost choking with the cough and was producing very think mucus which sprayed everywhere when she sneezed! It took 3 different courses of antibiotics to clear it up, which can be common as kennel cough is caused by several different bacteria.
Finally she was back to full health and she got her vaccinations. A few weeks after that we could spay her. I took her into work and we put her under anaesthetic. She was in a cradle on her back, intubated with my friend Jennie Doig clipping her stomach up ready, when Brenna woke up and tried to jump off the table!
We're not sure what happened but she had to have gas until she was asleep again! My friend Tanya was doing the surgery and she was already nervous about operating on my dog!!

Finally Brenna was ready for the surgery to begin. After  30 minutes Tanya called me into the theatre. She said she'd looked and looked but could not find a uterus. Brenna did have a small scar on her stomach so it was apparent that she had already been spayed and that it was some time ago. Another reason to believe that Brenna was an adult of at least 2 years old.
She came round after her surgery and recovered well. However a few days later there was some swelling on her wound. The wound itself was healing well but there was a lump at each end. She was allergic to the knots in the suture material! Her body was attacking the suture material as it was foreign and causing swelling and infection. She had to be put under anaesthetic again and the offending material removed. She was stitched with different material and put on more antibiotics!

Brenna posing

So that's how Brenna came into my life. She just slotted in like she'd been here forever. She is a loving little dog but is not without her problems. She's nervous of other dogs, she has a penchant for running off when she feels threatened and if cornered will show nervous aggression. She was attacked by two GSD in the first 6 months with me which only reinforced her nervousness around bigger, more boisterous dogs. She has a strong chase instinct and if not controlled will go after rabbits, deer and squirrels and not come back until she's ready.

Brenna and Millie are very close

In March 2010 I moved to Barnard Castle and started up Born 2 Run Pet Care. The move wasn't too traumatic for the dogs as I'd been living between my dad's and Graeme's for over 2 years. I started agility with her in April 2010 to try and build her confidence and help her with socialisation. She is doing really well, but is so sensitive that even if I say 'no' too sharply or show any sign of frustration, she refuses to do anything, just stands there licking her lips. On some occasions she will jump over the wall at the training ground and run off if she feels it's all too much for her.  I have to adjust my training methods and try to be happy and light at all times. The trainers all understand Brenna's needs and tailor the training for her.

Brenna and I at our first agility competion

She's brilliant but hard work sometimes, but that's all part of who she is. She tests my knowledge and skill a lot of the time and I have to constantly find new ways to train her so that it's always light, fun and well rewarding. She's a star and my little Irish Raven :-)