oscars diary gif animated bullmastiff diary

In memory of Oscar, 1998-2004. THE BEST OF THEM ALL. Final update, 19 May 2004.

Big scary bully, I dont think so.

In the summer of 1998 we lost our own beloved Japanese Akita "Cho" to illness and decided to look around for another dog straight away. Possibly for the wrong reason of filling the void, but there you are. We considered many breeds including another Akita; the Akita was too upsetting for us when we saw the various litters and nothing else really seemed to grab at us. We wanted a large or giant breed, we have always had large breeds, they seem to us to have more character. No offence of course to the little ones, it's just us.

One of the last breeds on our list was the Bullmastiff, we had never even seen one in the flesh, so we needed to ask a lot of questions, and we did. We traveled many many miles, looking at litters, but although we liked some of them, again nothing really grabbed at us. Partly as, after seeing the adults fearsome expression, we were dubious as to their character. As we have two children, character was the primary goal.

Many people tried to convince us, and we read all the books. Still not convinced but getting more interested we carried on burning fuel. Eventually we came across a litter not six miles from home and went to see it. For the first time we felt really comfortable with the breeders, Noel de Celis and Karen Simmons of Zammit, who spent a lot of time with us and no hard sell. In fact, we were being vetted as to our own suitability. Why aren't all breeders like that? Eventually a decision had to be made, so off we went to think and consider certain points such as:

Decision made, a resounding YES! There were two dogs available, there was no choice to be made there, we knew exactly which one. Back to see the breeder and then of to spend a couple of hundred on a new basket, a couple of tons of food, enough toys to fill a toyshop, lead collar etc.

Oscar is now on his way to his new home and we are still wondering what we have let ourselves in for. Every carpet in the house is brand new, and so is much of the furniture. Will he chew. What about puddles. He may be only 12 weeks old but he must weigh a couple of stones. Ah well.

First Night.

We put down loads of newspaper and toddle off to bed. He seems to have settled well and he is eating well. There is no crying from the kitchen, a good sign.

Day 1

We get up to find that not only has he chewed nothing, the papers are dry and clean. He toddles off outside to do his ablutions. This is unbelievable. Surely it can't last. He finds the furry monkey we have bought him and begins to suckle it. Every hour or so we march him outside to do his ablutions, no problem. Still eating well too.

Day 2

Still no damage, no puddles and no mess. He eats like a horse and then sleeps it off. Notice too that he has taken his monkey to bed. This carries on all week.

Day 7

Oscar looks bigger already. Still eating well, clean and dry through the night and even appears to know the difference between his toys and our shoes etc. Still suckling the monkey and looks a bit sad. Wake up that night to a strange noise. Is he chewing the kitchen units? Answer no, he is snoring loudly.

Month 1

At 16 weeks he is coming out of his shell a bit, very playful but surprisingly not boisterous. No longer even bother to put down papers. He has never once been in the house, yet he has had no formal house training. Still nothing of ours chewed but his toys are going through it. Suckled monkey to death and had to buy him a new one. The first of many. Weighed him at three and a half stones. Asked the breeder about this and realised he is outstripping his litter mates. He doesn't seem as bold as the Akita at this age. Has a 3 hour car journey to Robin Hoods Bay. Is absolutely perfect but demands we carry him up the big hill. He is too heavy for this.

Month 2

At twenty weeks he is beginning to look rangy. I have never liked dried foods so we consider a more natural diet of tripe. He takes to it really well and if anything , he creates less waste. Seems to be thriving on tripe, so we will stay with it. His house manners and cleanliness are impeccable. We certainly have never seen a pup like this. He is absolutely devoted to the whole family now and has also started obedience classes. He is doing well too. Very quiet still but playful enough. Just bought monkey number 4.

Month 3

He is nearly six months old and the changes are astounding. He is nearly six stones in weight and 24 inches tall at the withers. Has still done absolutely no damage even though he has been left alone a bit, with the run of the house. He also stays alone in the car for short periods and is no trouble. At this point we give up on the hatchback and buy an estate car. The quietness is going now and he is much bolder. He is showing signs of guarding and is already protective to the girls. Classes are going really well until a bout of Kennel Cough attacks him. We now find the Kennel Cough jab is absolutely useless, as it only protects against one of the 30 or 40 strains. It takes three weeks to cure and he has lost a bit of ground. 

Month 4

He is back on his feet and gaining weight fast. Nearly seven stones now. The quiet timid manner is all gone. He is now very confident but calm and watchful. He will take any chance of a game but he is ever alert, the girls are his special charge. Funny really, all the books mention this but, well, you tend to disbelieve it. Monkey number 6 is here now. The big fairy still suckles. He also snores like a wild boar and farts like a dyspeptic Water Buffalo. They didn't tell us about this. He can now be left for a few hours alone, with the full run of the house.

Month 5

At eight months old he weighs just over eight stones and  stands 28 inch at the rear, the front end has some catching up to do yet. He has found his voice too. His guarding instinct is coming through now. He is utterly confident in himself though still very calm about it all. It is not the aggressive in your face way that the Akita had, but a watchful imposing manner with the odd growl to state the obvious " this is my family ". He barks his warnings too and what a voice he has. Still on a natural diet and thriving, though he won't touch tripe now. Also there are one or two endearing traits developing. When I put my foot up on the stairs to tie my laces, there is Oscar, his front paws up too, to have his collar fastened. Sometimes he drops subtle hints like fetching his own collar and standing there, feet up, to have it put on ready for a walk. I swear, he is almost human. Still suckles the darn monkey like a big fairy though.

Month 6

At nine months, we have still had no problems of any sort with his attitude and obedience. We have him weighed and we are stunned to find that he is already near the breed standard. We must hold his weight back a bit to protect his legs. He is about to enter his first show and we have strained a foreleg. This is difficult. We are told not to exercise him too much but we are also told to hold his weight down. Then we are told he needs more muscle. This is why Ian does not want a show dog. Oscar and Ian walk to the Old Oak Inn almost nightly. We are big buddies and Oscar is everyone's favorite. I am happy to settle for this, a happy dog and good companion but no, I bow to pressure from the wife and others and we are off to Sheffield for a breed show ( Northern Bullmastiff Club ). We get a third to two older pups and everyone is happy. Ian realizes though that the days of just being drinking buddies are over. Within a fortnight, Oscar is booked for six more shows. We are now suckling furry monkey number two thousand five hundred and fifty three or thereabouts, he costs more in toys than food.

Month 7

At ten months we are off to the vet again, this time the other leg is strained. Guess what, just when another show is coming. At the vet we weigh Oscar again, we have tried to keep his weight down. Oh hell, ten stones. Karen will be pleased, I don't think. We notice a change coming over Oscar. He still has no idea how big he is and tries to go under things rather than over. It appears that the hormones are kicking in, his household manners are still perfection but he has realized that he also has another function apart from eating and breaking wind. Yep, you've got it, Oscar is a guard dog too. He guards us from the following vicious enemies: clouds, paper bags, aircraft above 50,000 feet, a Pied Wagtail with one foot ( Elaine has been feeding it all winter, it just had the audacity to try a bit from Oscars bowl and he remembers it), dustbins and distant horses. He sleeps on his back all the time. It used to be funny to see and hear, as it always makes him snore. Trouble is, a ten stone bully snoring sounds more like two amorous hippos than any dog I have ever owned. He is still the cutest damn dog I have ever owned and I do not regret one single second of his life so far with us. Oscars sister Sadie-Anna is going great guns and turning heads in the show ring, as is another sister Babes. We changed the car a few months back so he could get in easier. That was a waste of effort. He wombles up to the car, puts both forelegs in the back and then stands there waiting for us to heft the rest in. The look on his face that says " Well come on then " is a sight to see. He seems to think that he is royalty. Actually, to us, he is.  There is lots of hard work to do this month and Oscar has some new lessons to learn after his last show. Lessons like

I must not kiss the judge.

I must not lean on the judge.

I must not turn round to inspect the judges landing gear whilst he is checking mine.

I must not sit down in the show ring, like Mulligan's donkey, and refuse to budge, when I really must stand to attention.

It is not funny to sit with all the other mums and dads, and break wind loud and long.

If I must break wind loud and long, it is not the British way to turn round and sniff it.

I am not in direct competition with the can of air freshener.

The can of air freshener should have the last word.

To sum up the first ten months, Oscar has been a real breath of fresh air, hmmmm!!!!! He is great with people and has no mean ways at all. He will guard when he feels a threat to us, and to the girls in particular. He is a real clown and showman and a wonderful friend. We are even thinking of a friend for him but that is one for the future.

Month 8

At eleven months, Oscar is shooting ever upwards. He is already taller than all the adult males we see at shows, he is heavier than most but doesn't look it, although we now have managed to keep it under control. He is still round the ten to ten and a half stones. We seem to be at the gangly teenager stage, all legs, teeth and clumsy, oh so clumsy. His show career is developing too and I am not sure if I am pleased or not. We have made lots of new friends and really enjoy the open shows. After all, we are only in it for the fun of it. Champ shows are not for us, its too serious. There haven't been many changes in Oscar this month, he is still a big fairy, the mist clears every now and then and he realizes what he really is, then it is off to suckle that damn monkey again. Had a letter from the manufacturer today, we have bought so many of them, we have been offered shares in the company. He still won't get in the car himself, front legs only, then Ian has to heft the rest in. We must look bloody ridiculous. We are about to knock off the obedience classes, he has gone as far as he can, the advanced class would only demean a Bullmastiff. He is obedient and trustworthy, why make him perform like a poodle. We have noticed that the cat has taken to getting in his basket with him at night, I have had words with him about this but he seems to think it is normal behaviour. He is an excellent timekeeper, he knows just when the pub is open and then tells Elaine to make me take him, I wish.

Month 9

Well here we are, the magic year old. He is slowing down his growth now, as far as height is concerned. Hopefully, he will start to fill out and muscle up. We have done a few shows and have had more first than anything. He is in Junior now and still taking firsts. We notice that he does better at breed shows than open shows, why is this? A fair number of the judges he has been under have made a point of telling us we have a  really big boy on our hands, and that he will be a slow developer.  The slower the better as we are still enjoying puppy hood. We have noticed a couple of changes this month. His head is beginning to split and take on the real Bully shape, his head seems to be his best point from the show point of view. The other thing is more to do with behaviour. He is still the perfect gentleman, housedog and companion, and during the day we use him as a rug. At night, it is almost as if someone has thrown a switch. The minute the sun is down we are on guard. And he means it. The brain hasn't caught up though. We are still guarded from low flying aircraft, the moon, the wind, a tree that we have had forever, the dustbin, a Pied Wagtail ( does he ever dislike it ) with one foot and the hose pipe. Oh yes Karen, I thought you said they don't cast much. Oscar has decided he wants to supplement his own diet. Particular favourites are Prawn Crackers, Poppadums, Chicken Tikka Masala, Chow Mein, hot curry ( although this does add to the dyspeptic water buffalo syndrome ) and oranges. That has to be the funniest thing on earth, the sight of a Bullmastiff sucking on a sharp orange. The face he pulls makes him look like a bulldog chewing a wasp.

Months 10. 11. 12.

These have been confusing months for Oscar. At twelve months he begins to realise that " trying it on " is a tad more fun than being the baby of the household, and in return has received the odd verbal reinforcement of discipline. Oscar has never been allowed upstairs but on occasions decides to just womble on up to see what's going on. On other occasions we have had the fright of our lives when we have been joined in bed by a lonely bullmastiff. There was the occasion when I awoke, unable to breathe, an iron band gripping my chest crushing the air out of me, unable to see anything and unable to move my arms. THAT'S IT thinks Ian. Heart attack, is this the end. Then this huge pink tongue covers my entire face, leaving me dripping with slobber. I resurrect myself from the dead to find eleven stone of Bullmastiff sat on my chest.

Also at this time, the girls are given two rabbits by a certain lady of tea bag fame. One day, my youngest was sat in the garden brushing her rabbit when up comes Oscar. There are a few of us in the garden and we watch with some trepidation. No worries, Oscar joins in and begins to wash the poor thing. Its not funny, I have that particular tee shirt. At this time, Oscar is suffering, he has runny eyes and a runny nose. Off to his favourite vet, Oscar actually cries when he realises its not yet his turn, to find that he suffers from hay fever. Later that day, whilst washing his favourite rabbit, Oscar gives an almighty sneeze, covering the poor thing from head to toe.

There are no shows for Oscar for a while. We entered the gangly stage at twelve months, and although now, at fifteen months, he is looking more bully, we will wait a bit longer. It is also very hot and Oscar  suffers badly in the heat.

He has been working hard on his guarding instinct and finally seems to getting the hang of it. Visitors at the front door are welcomed with open arms provided we are there too. " Guests " in the fields behind the house are not welcomed in the same manner. To approach the house from this direction would not be a wise move. The "big daft child" of the daytime walks becomes "special forces" when walked in the dark. He is not aggressive or unstable, he is just a bullmastiff, big, brave, protective and loyal. Now we understand that all the stories and books we have read on bullies are accurate. These dogs are everything they are claimed to be.

As a finale to this period, there was the day when the whole family, in the company of breeders Noel and Karen are sat in the rear garden. A certain amount of messing about is going on, of which Oscar is a large part. Noel who Oscar thinks a great deal of, picked up my youngest daughter, pretending to drop her over the fence. In a split second, the expression on Oscars face changed and the warning issued was stunning. No attack, although I am sure if "orders" had not been followed.............. In a trice his whole manner changed. An almighty bark, a deep rumble and a real change in posture gave Noel a bit of a shock. As soon as Ali was back on safe ground, Oscar was big buddies with Noel again. Amazing.

The final chapter of these months came with the dreaded time of hip scoring. With great trepidation, we booked Oscar in and took him to the vet. It all seemed to go OK and we settled down to wait for the results. To our great delight, they came back at 4:6. Another testament to the care taken by all the major breeders involved in the bloodline.

Month  13.

This is it, month 13 of his life with us, he is 16 months old. You might have guessed what month 13 would bring. Disaster. Oscar has developed a limp on his rear left. It is quite bad. Veterinary diagnosis presents us with everything from growing pains ( yes, he is still growing up and out ) to a strain, to arthritis to OCD. Three weeks of painkillers solves nothing. We decide to give him a last week of rest. He has had three weeks complete rest and he is bored rigid. Even this does not dampen his sunny nature and he endures this without complaint. We see that when he awakes, he cannot bear to put his foot down, but within 5 minutes, it is as if there is nothing wrong. However, something is obviously very wrong and at the fourth visit to his favourite vet, it is time for a referral to a specialist. Off we go to Solihull and leave Oscar early in the morning. As we have to pick him up that afternoon, we spend a day in Birmingham. I am sure there are worse places, but, to be honest, I cannot think of one offhand. We collect Oscar late that day to hear the worst. we are told that Oscar is a little straight in the back legs and this is causing his thigh and shin bones to rest together at an awkward angle. This is causing his cruciate ligament to take all his weight and it is beginning to go. The one good part, if at all there is one is that the cruciate is 80% intact and can be repaired, hopefully leading to a full recovery. However, the awkward angle of his knee requires corrective surgery to change his weight displacement. This entails breaking his leg in two places and cutting a wedge out of his tibia. A plate is then inserted pulling the head of the bone into the correct position and screws put in place to hold the whole thing together. The whole thing is as barbarous as it sounds but we are told this is the best thing for him.

After losing our Akita, thanks to the worst veterinary practice on earth, and being driven to the depths of despair by the antics of our insurance company, we contact both the surgeon and the insurance company well in advance to ensure a smooth passage. Same old tosh from the insurers, they are a real nightmare to deal with, evasive, incompetent, obstructive and at one point, damned ignorant, Hi there PET PLAN, I promised you a mention.

Finally, after much argument we get it sorted out. We also learn that his show career is probably over due to the nature of the operation.

Month  14.

The month begins with Oscar heading back to Solihull, this time for his op, going under the grand name of Tibial Plateau Leveling. We leave him Friday morning after a heart wrenching farewell ( Ian thinking he probably won't see Oscar again, this feeling courtesy of the vet that killed our  Akita ). We ring up late that day to find the operation going on.....still. Two hours later, we hear that the operation was text book and had gone superbly. We can collect him the following day. On the Saturday, we collect him and are utterly stunned by the sight of him. We had been told that he would look a mess, but were not prepared for anything like this. His left rear leg was completely shaved, including his thigh and half his flanks, the whole thing covered in a shaving rash. He has a huge cut, the entire length of his leg, two metal plates in it and thirteen screws. A huge bandage tripling the width of his leg ( no cast due to the stitches ). As the door opens and we see him for the first time, a huge grin lights up his face, which changes to a look of despair when he wants to come to us and realises.................. he cannot move an inch. We get him to the car, after what seems an age and somehow, between us manage to get him in, and home. As I write this, he has been home for about eight hours, and we are utterly exhausted. We know that we have weeks, even months of a battle to help him cope. At least, we know his prognosis is a full and complete recovery.  Our thanks go to Oscars breeder, Karen Simmons for her superb support through this difficult time and thanks to all our friends for the support they have given.

Oscar's acceptance and sheer guts throughout have been incredible to observe, even the tremendous pain he must be in has not dampened his spirit or sunny disposition and rather than put us off being dog owners, has sold us more than ever on this wonderful breed. So much in fact, that Oscar is  to have a playmate on his recovery. Actually, he will have one tonight too, we are going to sleep with him in front of the fire.

Its all happening this month. Oscars recovery after only one week is amazing. He is so confident on his leg that the worst bit is keeping him still. We had a slight panic when his leg swelled badly but were assured that this was normal and expected. Oscar's little brother arrived too.  Youphoria Dream Maker ( to be confirmed ) or Eric as we know him. We have been lucky  with our breeder, again. I have never seen pups better cared for or prepared for the big bad world. Eric came to us from a good friend, Dave Brett, to whom all the credit for Eric belongs. When we collected Eric, we needed a truck to cart away all the stuff that Dave sent the pups off with. When Eric and his litter mates were very young, they had to be weaned off their mother (Bunsoro Red Molly, one of my favourite bullies anywhere) , and my eldest daughter was privileged to help Dave  rear them. The transition here was fairly easy, Oscar looking on in bewilderment at this TNT powered bundle of energy and the pup looking at Oscar thinking " Are you my mummy ". Within 4 hours they were sleeping together sharing the monkeys, version numbers 401 - 402. As a pup, Oscar was as laid back as he is now, Eric is completely the opposite. It took Oscar a year to realise that he was indeed a Bullmastiff, Eric knows exactly what he is and takes great pains to let us know. He has been here for 12 hours and we are exhausted. How did Dave manage to cope. It was easier for Noel, Karen helped him a bit.

Month  15

Well, here we are then. Oscar is 18 months old, and although the show career is over due to his leg injury, Oscar is still a wonderful specimen and a credit to the breed. Everybody that meets him is amazed at his gentleness and superb temperament. These traits shone through following the enormous operation required to save his cruciate which involved, among other things, breaking his leg in two places. Despite the intense agony he must have been in, his nature never once faltered, even with the arrival of 13 weeks old Eric. They have accepted each other in the best possible way and complement each other, the quiet, gentle, watchful and steadfast Oscar, huge and powerful, utterly reliable yet capable of giving a fearsome warning to would be transgressors, and the nuclear Eric, hurtling from wall to wall, bouncing off the furniture, into everything, and eating everything in sight, not to mention trying to hump everything in sight. Funny, he only tried it once with Oscar. As we had been dubious the day we brought Oscar home, so too were we on the day of Eric's arrival. Now we are actually getting on with it, all we can say is that it is a further enrichment of our lives.

Oscars recovery is coming on great now, a month to go, and we can start to exercise him again. He must be bored rigid. A strange event too this month, the arrival of Eric caused an instant cessation in monkey suckling. I suppose for Oscar, his signifies the end of puppy hood. He has certainly taken responsibility for Eric who looks on him as a favourite uncle.

Month  17

We are a little worried about Oscar's recovery rate at present. He should have had the all clear two months ago on the site where the wedge of bone was removed. His cruciate ligament is absolutely fine and that part of the op has been a success. However, Oscar has been given another two months ( which is up next week ) for the break to heal. We will either be told that everything is fine or that he will require a bone graft to aid the recovery. This is all down to him stretching one day, as he stood up and stretched his leg, there was a sickening crack. We thought at first that his leg had gone, but after rushing him half way across the country we were relieved to find the x-ray show that he had actually broken one of the pins in his leg. However, the relief was to be short lived, as it was the pin right next to the break, and this has allowed a loosening of the plate in his leg, which in turn has allowed movement at the break site and hence slowing the knitting together process. And still, he has been a gentleman throughout. It is now nearly 6 months since he has exercised off lead, and it must hurt him to see Eric allowed to run about. However, once the break is healed, he can go straight in to full exercise, according to the surgeon. HHHMMMM, I don't think so.

Oscar's character is changing quite a lot now. He is still the perfect companion, obedient, quiet in the home and gentle with the kids, but he is almost an adult now and this is reflected in his bearing. He tends to walk tail high now and gone has the shambling walk, he knows exactly who and what he is now, a BULLMASTIFF. The monkeys haven't been discarded though, and it is hilarious to watch this big, tough powerful dog still suckling, this trait has been passed on to Eric too. They are fast becoming a double act, Oscar the favorite uncle, and Eric, the tearaway nephew. There is another side to this, they are already showing teamwork when it comes to house and person protection. Although there has been the odd jealous moment from Oscar, he seems to welcome Eric's company and is quite happy to share his toys and even bones with Eric. With a bully at either end, bones don't last long either. Another of their comical routines is to both squeeze into the same basket, it doesn't matter which way up or who is on top of who, as long as they are crammed in together. Its that bully TOUCHING thing again. Ah well, fingers crossed for his ( hopefully ) final visit to the vet.

Month  22

Oscar is now 25 months old and becoming a proper adult, though there is still some way to go yet. We had some good news a few months back. We applied to the Kennel Club for permission to show him again, and it was accepted. This is major news as it is the first application of this kind, following a conformation altering operation. At this time too, we had the final visit to the vet and received the all clear. We have been building him up muscle and stamina wise for some months and at the 25 month stage, you would not believe the difference. Recovery is complete and he can do all the things he used to do, jumping ditches and fences and generally charging around the fields and woods. It hasn't all been plain sailing, he has been left with a nasty scar where his bandages had been to tight and it has killed all the hair follicles, and another huge scar at the operation site. We have had another bout of Kennel Cough, both dogs, wet Eczema caused by a gnat bite, and Oscar has had an ulcer in his eye. We have survived all this and are still ploughing on. Oscar has made his return to the show ring and incredibly, is doing better than ever before. His head is absolutely huge, as is he himself. I haven't seen a full grown male his size anywhere. The guarding instincts are fully developed and he really is a superb dog. The breeders have become firm friends away from the dog world and Karen still uses cheap tea bags.

In respect of showing dogs, Ian still isn't impressed though the family enjoy it. Through the dogs and showing, we have made some great new friends all over the country and have a great group locally that enjoy a good drink and a meal and these events have become a monthly ritual.

Eric is growing fast too and though not as tall as Oscar is built like a tank, and has the 12 month old behavior pattern of a very dominant dog. He isn't as strong as Oscar in the stamina stakes, but physically is even now a match for Oscar. So far there has been no clash and Oscar is top dog. It is a situation we are monitoring all the time. The dogs are great pals though and hopefully we have no worries. Touch wood..

Month  33

OK. So a big jump onwards to Oscar's 33rd month with us, which makes him a three year old. Physically, he is just about mature though he is showing signs of one last push. A dome has appeared on top of his head which usually means that it is about to change shape. His male adult "cheeks" have arrived and he looks the part. His weight has remained constant for some time so we accept that he is at his final weight, and weighs in at a massive 68kg. This is much more than normal for the breed, but there again he is much bigger than most of his breed. Temperamentally, he is still the same Oscar, a kinder, more gentle laid back dog, you will never find. Ninety-nine per cent of the time, he is in his hippy mode, but when the need arises, or he feels  a threat or afront, he becomes the dog to suit the looks. Very calm but very assertive. He has become inseparable to Eric, most of the time, and there is no sign of any problem between them. For all Oscar's laid back ways, he is still the dominant one of the pack and Eric always defers to him, a respect that Eric offers to no other dog, regardless of breed or size. They play and rough-house together, but when Oscar has had enough, a quick woof and cuff round the ear with one of his massive paws is enough to end it. Health wise, it has been reasonably satisfactory, except for the eye ulcer which reappeared and required a small operation which has now thankfully cured the problem. Apart from that, everything with Oscar has been rosy.

Showing has been off the agenda for some time now, and thank goodness for it. A large percentage of the dog world (though certainly not all of it) is competitively dishonest. I can't say we weren't warned of this by breeders and friends when we started, but it still comes as a shock to see how deep rooted it is. Basically, if you aren't in a position to do favours, you don't win much. This isn't sour grapes you understand, both dogs have done well in open shows (we decided at the start that champ shows weren't for us), but I have seen other people win and lose with such blatant dishonesty, that quite frankly, it has sickened me. However,  there is a brighter side to the coin. Following our withdrawal from showing, we became, quite by accident, involved in Bullmastiff Rescue, a move that we have found to be ultimately more rewarding and worthwhile and very much a bitter-sweet pastime.

Final Chapter

I regret to say that both Oscar's and Eric's diaries have become neglected and not been updated for some time so it is now, with a heavy heart that I must write the final chapter. On Sunday 16 May 2004, Oscar took his last walk with us, on a beautiful day, over the Derbyshire Dales. We hadn't planned to take him as it was perhaps a bit too far for his leg, as over the years it has gradually become weaker, but typical Oscar decided he wasn't being left behind and was in the car and settled before we could get Eric in.   A short way into the walk and Oscar wasn't coping at all, and eventually decided he was going no further. We were lucky enough to meet somebody from our own village just finishing their walk and were parked nearby who kindly ran me back to get my own car. We were finally able to get Oscar down to the road and into the car and then home. In the early evening he was quite listless, though so too was Eric and we put this down to the heat. At bedtime he had perked up quite a bit and was looking a little like his old self. Sometime in the night, Oscar passed away peacefully in his sleep. He was just a week past his sixth birthday. In his few short years, he has never needed to be disciplined or chastised. He has never shown aggression to animal or human, he has always had a sunny disposition regardless of what traumas life has thrown at him, the massive TPLO operation, two bouts of entropion, the arrival of Eric into his life, the times he has had to be left behind as his leg wouldn't take the days rigours. Not once has he shown jealousy to Eric when Eric has been along in Oscar's place. He has guarded and protected my family with utmost and single minded devotion to us and been the best dog I have ever met. In Oscar I count myself fortunate and at the same time unworthy of everything he has given us.

No matter where Oscar went, or who he met, he left a lasting impression of all that is good about the Bullmastiff breed. We know so many people, who, having met Oscar, now have a Bullmastiff looking after them. Everywhere we go, we remember the day that we took Oscar there, and what he did. We laugh and cry at the same time over the things he did, and the things we will never do again. We remember the sparrow with one leg cheeky enough to eat out of his bowl, the fluffy clouds that posed such a threat he had to guard us against them. We remember him being served in a restaurant from his own silver tray by  a waiter with a wicked sense of humour, and the nursery children hanging off his neck as he walked by at hometime. We remember the millions of furry monkeys he suckled to death. We remember the aftermath of TPLO with Oscar confined to an area of the dining room, with Oscar listening intently as the kids took turns to sit in there and read him stories, so weak that only his tail could move, and that never stopped. We remember Oscar.

Its heartbreaking to watch Eric. At first he would keep going to sit by Oscars body. Now he sits and looks at the place where Oscar is buried. He also goes round all the places Oscar used to sit to see if he can find him. There is more but that is Eric's story.

I know how many of you reading this have enjoyed Oscars story. That much I know from the hundreds of letters I receive about him. It is part of Oscar that he has influenced so many people and been such an ambassador for his breed. For us, it's been a pleasure to share him with you.

Remembering Oscar, the best of them all. Miss you mate. You will never be forgotten.

 

THE END