The Keen Family
Our first love was Dozer - "the Empress Sunny Victoria Dawn" officially, but 'Doze' to her many friends. She joined us at the tender age of 5 weeks. We knew immediately that she was one of us, when, after leaving the Wilkinson's, we stopped in for a burger before heading back to Vancouver. Little more than a handful, our "baby" scrambled over the back seat and into the front to take a tasty chomp right out of Nicholas's quarter-pounder. From that time on his excuse for frequenting McDonald's was "for Dozer"... (gone to the Rainbow Bridge)
Next came Willy and Olive's "Squire Rapscallion Bullwrinkle of Colwood" loving known simply as Norm (after the fat guy on Cheers). Norm is fragile by all measures of bulldogs, but he possesses the soul of a warrior and the heart of a lion. After a hip operation, because of his altered gait, he became better known as Tiny Norm, and signs his christmas cards..."God bless us everyone" just like his human counterpart, Tiny Tim.
We had no plans for a third bulldog. and only through divine intervention (Lolly prayed so hard, God had no choice) we succumbed to "Kramer". Now, this is a manly dog. Huge, handsome, gallant, and strong. He goes walking - he gets attention.
And then came Crusher. She was supposed to be sent to Australia to a lovely family who had once lived in Victoria and actually has our Norm's sister! We had every good intention of going through the vaccinations etc. and prepare the dog for quarantine ...but alas and alack - she took our hearts, our heads, and our home. And that is the story of the bulldogs of 69 - many people from around the world have met our family because we hosted foreign students for years. When there is no one who knows your language, there is no one like a dog to understand your isolation.