Brandy Pankonen Obituary (2024)

Brandy Pankonen …….born May 5, 2011 and passed January 22, 2024 Brandy was a rescue dog who came to us from Texas. She looked like a hound dog beagle mix. Big brown eyes, soft velvety ears, long muzzle, and the brown mark on the top of her head rumored to be the Thumb Print of the Duchess. Our son and his military buddies rescued a couple of shelter dogs who were scheduled to be put down in the next few days. Brandy was a wild escape artist from the beginning; no fence was too tall for her to climb. She got along very well with the other rescue dogs in the house. A few years later she came to live with us (Grandma and Grampa) in Wisconsin as our son changed duty stations. What a joy she was….trampling my flowers while chasing chipmunks around the back yard and digging big holes in the lawn trying to retrieve the escaping chipmunks . She would sit like a statue waiting patiently for squirrels to leave the safety of their trees, then with a burst of speed, chase them across the yard matching their zig with her zag. Most got away unharmed. She kept us active by walking her every day. Her field of dreams was a few blocks away, an empty lot where she loved to run freely through the field and check for rodents. She never caught one there but had to sniff each hole she came across. Brandy would lay in her pet bed guarding the house from the patio doors as we left to run errands. She got so excited when she heard the car pull up, and ran to greet us at the door. She was very protective of the house and barked at other people and their dogs as they walked by. The fierce bark turned into a gentle whine when greeting other people and their dogs outside. We kept dog treats in the garage so when a friends would enter the house with a treat in their open hand, Brandy would sit patiently waiting for the treat, and on command would take it gently from their fingers. Brandy knew how to tell doggie time. Every day around 9am when the busses had passed and the morning traffic slowed down….she began to whine and look at you ….waiting for the words……Do….You…(the whining and jumping would start) Want…to…Go…(race to the door)…. For…A…Walk (her head would turn right and left at every few words). She was so excited for a walk that we could hardly get her collar and leash on her. Brandy got along very well with her fur baby brothers and sisters during her lifetime…Finley, Randy, Moose, Soda, Mittens, and Penny. She loved to play with the laser pointer toy at the end of the day. She loved to chase that red dot (the Red Bug), outrunning the other dogs with her low center of gravity. She loved to have her belly rubbed and would plop down in the middle of the floor for you to rub it. She would figure out which hand held the hidden treat by smell alone. She would give you that unexpected kiss when you bent down to tie your shoes, and buckle her in for a car ride. She was not the best traveler at first, getting car sick, but loved visiting places like Texas and New York. Her favorite place to stay was Wisconsin. We are heartbroken over the loss of our sweet girl. She was a wonderful dog and will be greatly missed. Brandy we will meet you at the Rainbow Bridge. Brandy was a Rescue Dog who Rescued Us. Sending All Our Love to You…..Tom, Val, and Sam