The life of two rescue dogs

Brandy and Rocky

I recall always having animals in my life. As a child there was a small white poodle, Dusty a mixed shepherd from the pound, who our parents say ran away, we never did believe that one. I remember Charlie the cat, Shadow the black lab, Shorty the guinea pig and numerous birds, fish, gerbils. I grew up in horse country feeding the horses apples from our trees. Pets were not allowed in my first rented house, when I bought my own house, Phil came with Tavis, a Yorkie. We lost her while traveling in Arizona, which was very sad not to be here with her when she left. After that, we said no dogs, we traveled too much. One day in January 1994, Brandy, my first Irish Setter and my first dog stayed. She never did anything wrong. When she turned 10 in February 1998, we felt another Irish Setter would keep her young and this is where our journey began saving setters.

Hi! My name is Brandy. My original owners wanted to put me to sleep when I turned four years old. I don’t know why, nor do I even know what that really meant. They kept me in the bathroom, but did take me outside for walks. This man was working on their house and said he would find a good home for me. He brought me to his house and called his wife at work. He said there was a dog named Brandy in the kitchen. Well, she looked for a good home for me, but most of the people wanted to keep me outside or only had an apartment, so she decided to keep me. Even though after they lost a Yorkie a few years ago, they said no more dogs. She let me sleep with her in bed and even took me to the park twice a day. When it got hot, she even taught me how to swim. I could barely even run when I came to live with them, since I always stayed in the bathroom. I wasn’t too sure about swimming, so she came into the river with me and then I didn’t want to leave. We have so much fun together, I am so glad they rescued me from my original owners. They leave me at a nice kennel when they go on vacation, but they say it’s safer there for me.
Well, they have had me for four years now and they are looking for someone for me to play with. Which does sound like fun. I call her Mom, she has been calling around looking for rescue Irish Setters, that must be me, but there are none available. I guess that is a good thing. Her and my Dad decided to attend and Irish Setter show in Wayne, NJ and hopefully the will find a puppy there.
They did not find a puppy, but there were dogs to be rescued there from the ISCCC, so of course, that is what they did. They met some really nice people from Connecticut, Kate Seymour, Lynn Hayes, Valerie Roberts, and Cathie Ochs. Cathie Ochs is driving him to White Plains, NY so they each drive ½ way. Surprise, surprise! This guy is huge, but skin and bones! They brought home Spike, which is what his previous owners named him, but changed his name to Rocky. My Mom told me he had no home, just like me, so please be nice to him. Rocky is only two years old and I am going to be ten soon, so he loves to play. I was never much for those fluffy, squeaky toys, so he now has my hand-me-downs. Rocky, had a worse story than I did. He was found in Connecticut in the woods and brought to the pound. Someone came to get him, but only kept him for six months and brought him back to the same pound. Of course, my Mom called up everyone and found out as much information as possible. The owners kids named him Spike from the Rugrats cartoon, so then she knew it was safe to change his name, since they only had him six months. I don’t know how anyone could take a dog from the pound and then bring him back, but what do I know. All of his fur had to be shaved; he was covered with burrs. He also had whipworms, but Mom even cured him of those. He was throwing up and was very sick for about two weeks. Mom brought both of us to be groomed at the Kubacz’s in Jackson, NJ and Randy helped us with information on what to feed him. Mom got Canine ID from the vet and Rocky has gained about fifteen pounds already. The first night he stayed with us, he jumped up on the counter and ate some bread. Mom and Dad have to get used to a big dog around. I never bothered my food or treats, now everything is kept out of our reach. I was always a little heavy, and have been on that diet food. Kate Seymour helped Mom out and said to try carrots and green beans and I have been doing better loosing some of my excess weight. Mom even started putting apple cider vinegar in our food, she said she read about it in the ISCCC newsletter, I think she reads too much!
Ever since Rocky came to live with us, we have been invited to Connecticut for all of these fun things to do. We both got to go to a Setter Symposium, where we got groomed and they let us hunt quail in the woods. My Mom went out and bought scissors, a stripper and clippers and now we get groomed at home instead of having to go someplace else. Rocky is not used to the clippers yet, but I try to be good. Lorry Wolk and Don Storrs were extremely helpful with grooming tips. I am very good at hunting. Rocky and I now hunt birds in the back yard and at the park. We met so many nice people. Rocky was entered into the obedience area; he needs some of that. Then, we were invited to an Irish Setter rescue parade on Mother’s Day. We got ribbons and plush footballs and our picture taken. I do not like the flash, probably has something to do with my first owners, but I’m not sure. Rocky and I are getting along very well now. He is so big, that I can walk right underneath him, and he doesn’t even mind. I wasn’t sure about this big guy when he first came, but you know rescue dogs are the best kind of dogs. The members of the ISCCC have been very helpful with all the questions my Mom has had. Rocky was eating his food too fast and barking at cars and trucks. Cathie Ochs helped us out and told us to put tennis balls in his food and use water to squirt him when he chases the cars and trucks. He has improved so much. My Mom is also learning about shows, obedience, field trials and agility. Who knows where we will get to go, I heard something about the Nationals, not sure where or what those are? I like staying in the hotels, I know I am not supposed to bark at every noise I hear, but I do anyway. I like to protect Mom, Dad and Rocky. He likes to protect me too! I would like to thank the ISCCC for a great new friend and playmate!

Hi! I’m Rocky. I just want to say a few things; I’ll keep it short. Brandy, I call her Sis, didn’t care for me too much when I first came. But, who would, I am quite a bit larger than she is, but now she lets me sleep with her. I have only been here three months and she has taught me a lot, like just scratch on the back door and Mom will come and let me in! When I first came to my new house, me Mom walked me and couldn’t figure out why I kept sticking my head in all the garbage cans on garbage day. Well, later on she found out I had been on my own for quite some time. She took dog food to the shelter here in town, for the homeless dogs, and they took pictures of me and now they are all over the house. Mom comes home to see me every day at lunchtime and Dad is actually retired so he is always home with us. They even put on the air conditioner just for Sis and me. My favorite past time is chasing butterflies; I can even catch them. When Mom and Dad try to leave together I take their socks and shoes even lay right in front of the door, so they can’t get out! The neighbors keep asking when she is going to have kids and she tells them she has twins, with long red hair that smile all the time! One lady told her she is crazy to have two dogs and Mom said she is crazy to have three kids! At least we don’t talk back. Mom brought a book on training dogs and then left it on the floor, well I chewed it up! She didn’t care though because she knew she should not have left it on the floor. Now she got these videos on training, I guess they are for me. I have been doing well, but at first I would not listen and they thought maybe I came from Canada and knew French! I got to go to Cherrybrook the other day; they allow dogs in their store. Well, Mom bought me a football and snood, both green. The store clerk told her there were many toys on sale, but when we looked they were ugly pink platypuses and things and Mom told her that I was Irish and things just had to be green. The snood, that’s a new thing to me. When we went to the ISCCC Setter Symposium we learned all about a snood. Hopefully, Nancy Godbey will make us those nice ones, I know I get fed when I put it on and it keeps me clean but the ones you buy in the store are ugly! Brandy never had to wear one before, but now she does! Well, that’s it for now and just a great big THANKS to everyone at ISCCC, especially Cathie Ochs for picking me up from the pound, getting me on my medication and driving me all the way to White Plains! She spent her entire day driving just for me, she was even supposed to go to the Westminster show. I guess that’s what rescue people do. My Mom and Dad even found a home through rescue for a Rottweiller recently.

Our seven Irish Setters - for more info on the Irish that we have adopted
Since February, 1998 we have helped place over 700 setters, mostly Irish, some English, a few Irish red and white setters, Gordon Setters, a Beagle, Labs, mostly the sporting group. We take care of placing Irish from Maine to Virginia and Irish Red and White Setters on the East coast. We have fostered over 200 of them. In 2004 after loosing two Irish Setters within three days of each other we decided to adopt another Sporting Breed, the Spinone Italiano and that is another whole story!
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