Relatively speaking

This week, I receive an email from a woman who just found my website and discovered that we have Vizslas in common!  She happened to have owned the brother of our Buster (Am/Can CH Kezdet's Adrian Buster Am/Can CD CGC)!!! And surprisingly and amazingly, "Bert" aka Kezdet's Adrian Albert lived so close to us but neither Bert's owner nor I knew of each other until just now, several years after both dogs had died.  If I had only known, I would have loved to have visited and seen Buster's brother.  It turns out that Bert was imported into Canada from New York state to the same person in Toronto from whom we acquired Buster.  Bert apparently developed an overbite by 6 months of age and so was placed elsewhere.  Our Buster was a replacement for Bert but the importer decided to sell Buster at 16 months of age because he was rather tall - although not outside the Canadian standard - and that's when we entered the scene and adopted Buster into our household. From there, Buster went on to finish his Canadian and American Championship titles, American and Canadian obedience titles, and was # 3 Vizsla in Canada in 1992 and sired one litter that resulted in our wonderful Sasha and Jazz.

Bert's forever home was with his loving owner Anne Freeman and her family.  She acquired Bert at 6 months of age in 1989.  "Up to the age of 12.5 he was extremely healthy and we only saw our vet for yearly vaccinations. The last six months he began to lose weight, had a decreased appetite and lost muscle tone in the hind quarters. We had runners everywhere to ensure he didn't fall because he certainly never slowed down!! The last week he became disorientated at times, had difficulty with mobility in his hind legs, seemed weak, confused and would wander and just stare at walls. So pitiful to see, but the discomfort was ours not his. We finally had to make a decision based on quality of life. I still grieve at times when I see his pictures as he was truly a beloved friend and such a spirited character. Once you've been adopted by a Vizsla, no other breed will do."

I am so glad to learn of another relative that has lived a long and healthy life.  Anne and her family said goodbye to Bert on August 28 and the very next day, we said farewell to Buster on the 29th.  I just learned of this fact tonight and can't believe they both crossed the Rainbow Bridge within a day of each other.  RIP brothers.  You are both still greatly missed.

Anne doesn't have an digital photos of Bert but wrote that he looks just like Buster. Here are some photos of Buster to remind me of what they looked like.

Buster below, August 28, 2001 one day before he was euthanized. We love you and still miss you.