I just wanted to give a quick update on Barney. As always he's doing well. Wintering in Mass., summering in Maine!

Here's a recent picture. Note, he has full run of the house, including the living room couch.

He's happy and healthy. And, as you can see, he's made one young lady very, very happy.

Keep spreading the dog love!!!!

Nora, Jim, Megan and Barney

I was recently on your website, looking for the exact date we got Barney (August of 2003). I found Barney's picture and had to laugh. The original description said that he probably wouldn't get any bigger than 30 lbs. He's weighing in at about 50 lbs.-even with frequent walks and low fat diet. He's just a "stout boy". We prefer not to use the "f" word in his presence -fat. It might upset him. All the neighborhood kids know that Barney is constantly dieting, and they say to him "you're looking slimmer Barney". He automatically rolls over and waits to have his tummy scrubbed.

He is (and always will be) the center of our family. He still walks Megan, his human sister, to and from school. And the kids are still shouting out for "Barney!!!". He also enjoys watching Sunday kids soccer games, visting his grandmother, sleeping under Megan's dinner chair, swimming in our lake in Maine, and rolling in anything smelly. The Vet and kennel people are all Barney fans too. When I call to make and appointment, they say "oh sure, we can always fit Barney in". We recently had some renovation work done on the house. Barney oversaw all work by getting right in the middle of the workers, sometimes sitting on their tools to get their attention. He's become very good at helping the furnace repairman, as well as the plumber. Everywhere he goes, he is pampered and patted. It's amazing how one stout bagle (beagle/basset) can elicit so much good feeling.

He's my constant campanion, sitting at my feet while I type this. I don't know what we did before he came to us. Please keep up the good work. And know that there is a family, particularly a little girl and her dog, who have been given one of life's most precious gifts-love.

Nora, Jim, Megan and Barney (McKenna)

My apologies for taking so long to update you on Barney's progress. It was actually Megan who reminded me to send you a picture. She tells everyone about Barney's foster mother, how nice she is, and that she took great care of Barney and found us for him. You've really left an impression. Maybe she'll be a "foster mom" someday.

Anyway, attached are two pictures we took of Barney today, at a Lake in Maine. He settled right into the McKenna family. His grandmother comes and visits him regularly, as well as aunts, uncles and friends. His playmates are two labs that are the same age (friends of ours). He walks Megan to school every morning, then he and I continue around a local lake. When we get within sight of the elementary school, all the kids call out "BARNEY!!!!". He's a celebrity. If we walk down without him, the kids get very upset, and Barney mopes for the rest of the day. He even hosted his first superbowl party-of course he was rooting for the Pats.

I think I can safely say he's a very happy, health member of the McKenna family.

Cheers to you and Save A Dog - You've all given our family a wonderful gift.

Nora, Megan, Jim and Barney