Just before Christmas 2001 when she was 10, Bella lost an eye from Glaucoma. She had been tested clear by Tony Read when doing his Goniodysgenesis research and tested again for Gonioscopy by Professor Bedford later in her life and had a perfectly clear certificate, why she still developed the disease cannot be satisfactorily explained to me, not even by the eye panellists!! She was expertly operated on by Peter Renwick for whose skill and attitude I have a great deal of respect. She coped well with this and once the socket healed over was as beautiful as ever, at least to us. In February 2002 we found a small tumour at the top of a front leg near the site of an old shoulder injury, where she had suffered from some stiffness and arthritis for a time. We were advised it was a slow growing type and we didn’t want to put her through amputation as well as what she had just gone through. She lived through the next spring and summer at a pace belying her age and with a great intensity as if she was savouring every second. She even slept profoundly deeply and snoringly! In October 2002 the tumour mushroomed and secondaries spread everywhere. Despite pethidine and steroids, sleep and movement became increasingly restricted and then practically impossible. She was part of the FCR Society cancer survey , so on November 15th 2002, at their request to help with research, and with our blessing, I took her heavily sedated to Jane Dobson at Cambridge, to be put to sleep forever in my arms. On her last morning despite now being ravaged by the disease and struggling to even stand she, true to form, devoured a dish of liver with great excitement. Even though we still have 4 other dogs the house seems quiet and empty without her presence, the sun does not seem to shine as brightly. I miss her profoundly, but we will always remember her with laughter, love and awe!

We also attended flatcoat fundays, meetings, seminars, Nefras have a go at gundog training days and when we lived in Lancashire went to Merseyside Gundogs. Whatever we did Bella was keen. She had a good nose, was a brilliant marker and was practically fearless and raring to go. In the right experienced hands she may well have been a very good gundog and less of a lunatic or a clown. Some people may have shown her much more and certainly much better, but no-one could have loved her more or enjoyed her more than all our family have. She has introduced us to new activities and firm friends. She has changed our lives forever. Bella on the right in pictures below, age 6 and age 10.