I heard my old friend Mr B (Bruno) was coming to town recently so of course I invited myself along for the visit! Those who know me know this is a common occurrence, though what they may not realize, is that it's not just for photo ops. I really and truly love meeting their sleddies, hearing their stories and just being around them.

The visit was arranged with Shannon and Tica, Mr B's second foster home. It's very common in our sleddie world for fosters and adopters to keep in touch and it's that community and support that helps both the dogs and their new families navigate the good times, the silly times, the hard times and the sad times.
Bruno not only left his mark on his foster family, but on me too. While in foster Shannon, Tica, Bruno and I started meeting at Fleming for weekly walks, and his legacy lives on after his adoption because Shannon, Tica and I continue to meet up weekly at Fleming, for almost two years now!

Walking Mr B back then was like walking a balloon. And it still is. 
Being in his presence creates a sense of calm... encourage deep breaths... and being in the moment. He's a man of few 'tells', but if he likes something (like shoulder massages or rubs under his chin) he'll tell you in his subtle way. It forces you to just "be" with him. 

When Mr B was adopted, his new family had two other dogs - Murphy and Goose - who have since passed away. So in keeping with the sleddie theme, his family adopted Dawson earlier this year. Dawson was just a wee pup when he came into care back in Feb 2023 with 13 other adults and pups, all the way from a commercial sledding kennel in northern Canada. It's hard to believe Baby D was so small because he's got legs for days and when he stands up, he's almost as tall as his dad who's 5'7"!
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In true Mr B fashion, he's handled a puppy in the house with patience and gentleness and in turn, even though Baby D is super silly and full of energy, he's very gentle with his big, ol' brother.

We met at our regular spot on a sunny afternoon at Fleming Beach. Tica was there for dog hellos with her friend Bruno and Shannon said her human hellos, holding his chin in her hand... as he moved in closer... and closer... to her.
​When we walked back toward the car, Bruno just fell into walking along with Shannon and Tica, like the old days in this same place.

Until we meet again Mr B.
xo

Mr B, aka Bruno, aka Bru came to town and thanks to Shannon, I got to visit with him and meet his new brother, Dawson!

Bruno looks amazing. His coat shimmers and it's sooooo soft. He played shy a bit, but once he knew that the neck massages were on offer, he let me know that was cool by stepping closer for more. Being his foster family, Shannon got loves and shared some treats and Tica gave him a few big sniffs of remembrance. But the best is the connection between Bruno and his mom. Most of the time he just stands next to hear while she runs her hands through his fur - they're a beautiful match.
Bruno's new little brother is Dawson, who came into care from northern Canada back in February. He's one of Willy's three puppies, and he's also doing amazing. He's got those tall sleddie legs, flippers for paws and teeth like icebergs! He and Bru get along well though his humans are careful that Bruno (who's about 14 now!) doesn't get overwhelmed by Dawson's exuberance for life!

I absolutely love meeting up with sleddies after they've been adopted and have settled into their new home. All too often I only get to see them when they arrive - scared, confused and out of sorts - so these meets ups are so special.

Thank you so much to R + S for opening up their home to sleddies and continuing to advocate for them. They told me they get so many compliments on Bruno where they live... why am I not surprised!

​Thanks to Shannon and Tica for letting me tag along!

xo
​wendy

I've also included some photos of Dawson, aka Baby D (and his two siblings) from the night he arrived...