Bismarck was one of B.B.’s pups. Actually, we almost lost him also, but my sister-in-law resuscitated him and saved him.

We sold all the pups, but it turned out that Bismarck’s new parents couldn’t keep him because of a change of circumstances. After he was returned to us, we never tried to sell him again because he was such a love. After having him two days none of the family could think of selling him. And, of course, B.B. had no problem accepting him into the family.

After a couple of years we noticed something. Every night when my husband and I went up to bed, one of the dogs would go upstairs with us and one would stay downstairs. It was not always the same dog but there was no apparent pattern. So we decided to watch them closely, starting about thirty minutes before going up, to see if we could see any communication between them. But we could discern nothing. Just one would go up and one would stay. It seemed that somehow they just knew!

Eventually we moved to a farm in Maryland and to save time by putting up fencing, we put up temporary electric fences. For some reason Bismarck ran into the fence. We are not sure but that may have been the cause of a sac developing around his heart.

The only possible help for him was an operation. This was rather expensive but the family vote was all yeas. He went to the Baltimore Veterinary Hospital where he stayed for quite a while. They told us that he would be in his doctor’s office while she saw other patients and he became the darling of all who worked at the hospital.

My sister called one day to see if she could get some information about his condition, not knowing if she would be able to find someone who would be aware of Bismarck.   But the woman who answered exclaimed that of course she knew Bismarck and how everyone just loved that sweet dog.

We had Bismarck for almost a year when he returned home to us. He was surely one loved and pampered dog!