Norman.

Banacek Rag Wort.

We have loved Bearded Collies for ever and finally got our first Beardie in 1996. Namely "Banacek Rag Wort" from Mr & Mrs K Jackson.

 Being a fun loving dog, we felt he needed a name to remember so we aptly called him NORMAN.

Every where we went with Norman, he caused a stir. Everyone wanted to ask what breed he was and could they stroke him. He soon became quite famous in our neck of the woods and everyone knew his name.

Herding, they say is instinctive in the breed and it certainly was with our boy as he frequently herded the children in the local parks who were busy minding their own business and playing their games amongst themselves!

Not knowing too much about Beardies when he first arrived, we were astonished to see how very clever Norm was and also how stuborn too. It seemed that as soon as we showed him a new trick, he was ready to learn the next and his eagerness never left him.

This is how our love for the Bearded Collie grew. Norman was always one of the family and he grew alongside our daughters, always being part of the equation in the Oakes family. As the girls moved through school passing exams, having birthdays,making friends,(and boyfriends!) Norman was a part of it all. He was invited to family birthday parties and was always the mascot for Lydiate Rose Queen parade each year.

 In March 2008 we lost our boy to that terrible condition "Addissons disease" After a long battle  and much heart ache, we decided enough was enough and let him rest.We miss him desparatly but more importantly, fondly. Norman brought us great joy, pride and satisfaction. He taught our daughters about resposibikity to animals and showed us all a huge amount of love and loyalty. Such.

Although our story ended sadly with Norman, little did we realise that just around the corner (literally) was a whole new Beardie chapter about to unravel into our lives..... 

	My lovely beardie boy
In the middle of it all Christmas morning.	Norman aged 2
Normy boy delivering his birthday baloon to Jess our daughter.	1999 The Oakes family
My Little Christmas Cracker.	A typical Beardie Christmas...where's mine, where's mine.

Fed up posing for the photographer, Norman adopts his usual pose...THE DISH MOP LOOK.