Beading Divas Bracelets

Remembering Bryn – 16 year old Border Collie, Zen dog 2012/01/15

Bryn the Zen dog with Jim Hoy

The following was written by Jim Hoy.

OBITUARY NOTICE for BRYN – 11/25/1996 – 1/7/2012

Bryn passed away on Saturday January 7th at her home in Tucson. She was two months past her 16th birthday. She is survived by her human family, Dale, Jim, Phil and Charlie who miss her terribly. Also surviving are her pack members, Xan & Bodhi, her Spaniel pals, Fiona, her greyhound and greyhound foster sister, Violet.

Bryn lived in Seattle for most of her life, before moving to the desert of Tucson. There was worry that this Husky/Border Collie might not adapt to the climate change. It turned out that she loved the desert. She spent countless hours lying on the patio basking in the sun.

Bryn was an only pet for three years. When Dale & Jim brought home 8 week old Xan, Bryn sniffed Xan up and down, checking her out. Suddenly Bryn left the room, and returned with her favorite toy in her mouth. She went over to Xan and dropped the toy in front of the puppy. That began a 12 year friendship which ended with Bryn’s passing.

For all intents and purposes Bryn became Xan’s surrogate mother, protecting her and loving her. In her puppyhood, Bryn (being part Border Collie) herded her share of things: cats, other dogs, and sometimes people.

Bryn came to be what Dale & Jim called, “their Zen dog.” She could always sense if someone was feeling upset or down, and would go nuzzle them, in a much needed effort to comfort them.

Soon after arriving in Tucson Bryn took on a new job: helping train rescued greyhounds. Most of these greyhounds had never been in a house before. Bryn showed them the routine and daily life of a house trained pack.

As she aged her hearing slowly ebbed away. But if you could get her visual attention, she would respond to the hand signals which she learned as a pup, which worked well.

She was seldom late for dinner. Feeding 5 dogs can take some time and Bryn would sometimes bark out that as senior dog she needed her food NOW! Then, after eating she would go around to the other dogs bowls and lick them clean, over and over and over!

She loved to ‘roach’ (lay on her back) with the greyhounds. All the other pack dogs would defer to her, as if they knew she was the wise and loving one. She made many friends over the years, both human and canine friends.

After Bryn collapsed on the patio, Dale & Jim took her into the kitchen and made a comfortable bed for her. She was paralyzed by a stroke and a large inoperable cancerous tumor probably figured in her demise too. At one point the pack sat around Bryn, sniffing her. Xan gave a bark, trying to wake Bryn. Fiona lay down on the bed with Bryn a couple of times, as if to say goodbye. Bryn’s breathing became labored. Dale called the vet and made an appoint to have her euthanized. A half hour before they were to leave, Bryn’s breathing slowed until she passed. They were so thankful to have been with Bryn at home, as she made her crossing over the rainbow bridge.

A number of years ago dear friends, Justin and Ray commissioned Seattle artist Grego Rachko to do an oil painting of Bryn. It hangs on the bedroom wall, looking down on Dale and Jim.

Bryn, you will always live on in the hearts of those who loved you so deeply . Enjoy your herding in Heaven.

————Thank you for sharing Bryn with us. She had the best two daddies (Jim & Dale) in the whole wide world