Brady

March 24, 2006

From: Priscilla Harvey <PnDHarvey@AOL.COM>
Date: Fri Mar 24, 2006 5:16:33 PM US/Pacific

My first thought about writing of Brady was to let that up to his forever
home family, but in reading the stories of the other recent rescues I realized
that you all want to know how these Kerries are doing.

Brady came to us through the wonderful group of volunteers first at the
auctions then those who relayed him to PA close to our home. Our first
glimpse of "Purple Collar Boy" (as he was known) was in a crate surrounded by two
free Kerries along for the ride. On the last leg of the journey he slept
stretched out in our crate, exhausted.

The introduction to our Kerries at home was positive. Brady has
responded well to other dogs but is fearful of humans. Brady was very shy and
wanted to approach but always ended up slinking toward us the last feet, within
reach. I had never seen a dog eat so fast.

The list of Brady's problems is probably pretty much what all the other
fosters and adopters are seeing. What is important is how Brady is doing now
and we think he's doing great!

I searched through the Gaelic name book for something appropriate for
"Purple Collar Boy" and Brady just jumped off the page. It stands for a man of
spirit...how fitting for this young Kerry who is fast coming out of his
shell, who is beginning to trust, is running and playing as man's best friend
should, who came from who knows what horrors but each day shows his spirit and
forgiveness to humans.

Brady will be leaving us to go to his forever home soon. He will have
taught us more than we taught him.

I have a thought for the next fund-raiser. Instead of a stuffed Kerry,
how about a stuffed high-volume "puppy miller" doll? It would be cheap, ugly
and have a pack of pins to stick in certain suitable places.

Sincerely,

Priscilla and David
Bowser, Kirby and Brady

Jacob was willing to share his robin, shark and blankie with him! 

The pink is Brady's tongue, not something on the counter.

April 2, 2006

Brady in Jo's arms
At his permanent home in Northern California.

April 4, 2006

An update from the Brady Bunch,
 
Brady is becoming the KBT that we all knew he could be......he has discovered, ON HIS OWN, how to go up and down the stairs. I guess the downstairs was becoming too boring for him!!! He tried to steal my tennis shoes and socks, and his tail is about half way up this morning!!!  We have power-walked in the pouring rain twice already, last night and this morning. this is good for him and good for me since I have managed to gain several pounds in the last year!!

Jo Frederick

From: Moonvinestwin@aol.com
Subject: Brady the Beautiful

When this 10 month old boy was first rescued from one of the Ohio puppy mills he was bathed, seen by a vet,  given a purple collar, and driven by true heroes across state lines to Priscilla and David Harvey's loving foster home in Pennsylvania. The puppy called "male with purple collar" was soon to be given a very noble name---Brady--by David. David researched Irish names and found that Brady meant "man with great sprit"; he hoped that by giving this scared and timid  puppy such a name he would grow, thrive, and claim his rightful presence in the world. The Harveys gave him so much:a loving home, a place to learn to run and play, security, and a  noble name to grow into....

Claude and Jo saw this timid soul on the KBT Website and fell in love. Never mind that they had been insistent with Eileen Andrade over the past 2-3 years that they wanted a female Kerry. Their 14 years experience with their KBT, Ziggy ,convinced them that only a female would do. Old requirements were mere memories as they talked to Priscilla and Eileen about Brady, exchanged updates and pictures, and finally met Brady in person last Saturday after he flew across country to Northern California.   Yes, it was April Fool's Day when Brady came home to Jo and Claude but we now see that as a lucky date (the luck of the Irish?) and not a day for tricks.

As you can see by his pictures....Brady At Speed...Brady is flourishing.  His first couple of days were scary for him and he is still taking some time to warm up to Claude. Men scare him but as long as he can be Velcro Dog with Jo he seems to calm down.  He dashes up and down our stairs, runs to the gate waiting for walks, plays with his Canine Companion buddy Tallulah with much romping and running, steals sneakers and dress shoes with glee, and is learning how to be a puppy in every sense of the word.

The enormity of what the KBT Foundation and the cast of hundreds of volunteers have done to save these wonderful souls is overwhelming.  Indeed, in so many ways they are all "Bradys"!

Jo Frederick

From:Moonvinestwin@aol.com [mailto:Moonvinestwin@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, April 20, 2006 5:10 PM
Subject: Re: Brady
 
Brady is quite the apple of our neighborhood's eye!  He and I take walks around the park each evening and everyone wants to know all about this beautiful boy...He is still skitish around people but is improving daily. He now only barks at Claude for a few minutes and then settles down; men are not his favorite humans!

We get up about 5:30am and after I walk him and feed him he wants to play!!!! He races around the yard and thru the house at full speed around 6:30 in the morning. He is too funny and because it is so early he sounds like a herd of elephants running up and down the stairs.  A new alarm clock for Claude!!!!!!!!!!
He has a healthy appetitie and likes peanut butter in kongs too...

I am working on getting an ok to bring him to work on Bring Your Kids to Work Day...no luck so far but ya never know!!!

We start with a trainer on Saturday...she trains Canine Companions and has agreed to work with us for a few sessions to continue the good work that you all started a few short weeks ago...
 
Fondly,

The Brady Bunch

From: Moonvinestwin@aol.com [mailto:Moonvinestwin@aol.com]
Sent: Sunday, April 23, 2006 8:29 AM
Subject: our first lesson
 
Brady and I survived our first lesson with Carly, the trainer of Canine Companions who has agreed to work with Brady and  us (aka "not so smart humans").  We went to the college campus where Carly had her puppy class and watched them for about 20 minutes. Brady's tail wagged a mile a minute when he saw the puppies..."look mom, KIDS!!"...but figured out that they were in class and waited patiently for Carly to finish with them so that she could lavish attention on him alone.
Carly had us approach her and she and I talked. Without much fanfare she just took the leash from my hand and started wallking him, all the while talking to me. Her basic guidance to me was "act normal, don't coddle him because he will feel as if something is wrong, have Claude ignore him and go about his everyday routine, and of course "Oh, isn't he beautiful!"
 
We came home and took her advice. As soon as Claude ignored him Brady started following him around. For the first time, Brady went into the kitchen while Claude was there and drank water out of his water bowl. Minimum of barking too. So things are improving quite a bit.
 
Brady is quite a chewer---towels, newspapers, toys, shoes, etc.  This morning he chose to tear up the Metro section of the Sunday newspaper. Hmmm, maybe a budding journalist!!!
 

Jo Frederick