My friend Alfred Nestor was in security in Liverpool, England, until he retired. He worked with a guard dog; his regular dog was named Von. Alf is writing a book about Von and their adventures in the graveyards, docks, streets, canals and hospitals of Liverpool. Von died when an infectious illness swept through the kennels of the security firm which owned him, but Alf has never forgotten him, nor will I. His stories are wonderful. Alf asked me to use the hospital story here to show what kind of character Von had. I have also included the story he wrote about the day they met, so that you can see how deep this understanding was between the man and the dog.

--- Sue Ann Harfst
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I've been thinking about your 'findagrave.com' site, and I think that it would be an 'Honour' to have Von added to it.

Von was a Doberman, light brown, and with a white flash on his breast. We think he was about 12 years old, when he died on the 6th January, 1985. He died peacefully, after a short illness.

"To the Everlasting Memory of 'VON', Who was not just a Guard Dog, but a True Companion and Friend.

He risked his life many times to save mine, and we enjoyed many Happy Adventures together.

A Dog, with a Big Heart who Loved People, and Gave his Best at All Times.

Rest in Peace, my Old Friend, Your Memory will Live On ...

--- Alfred Nestor
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I had been in Security for some time, and had used security dogs of all types over that period, from Alsatians, Rhodesian Ridge-backs [used to hunt lions in Africa], Dobermans, and even Tyrolean Mountain Dogs, and whenever the Night Patrol Drivers met up, I often heard them mention one dog, called Von, that they all regarded as a lunatic, and they all seemed to agree to avoid using him if at all possible, so I was intrigued about just what was wrong with this dog.

When I looked at him in the kennels, he did seem different; for one thing, he did not look very impressive, he was smaller than the other Doberman dogs, he also had floppy ears, and seemed to look scruffy, and also, unlike the other dogs, just sat there looking at you through the wire mesh of his compound. But I did notice something which the others did not have, and that was a look of intelligence in his eyes; even though all the other dogs were all highly trained, this dog, Von, had a special look in his eyes that I liked.

At that time, we were all allowed to pick our own dogs for our night patrols, so I looked at this dog, and he looked back at me. He seemed to be judging me in some odd way, and after a few minutes, I made my mind up, I would use Von on my night patrol ... So I went to the kennel office, collected the dog harness, and returned to the kennel to collect Von.

On opening Von's compound gates, I was going to attach his harness, but something told me that in this dog's case, it was not needed, so I simply opened his gate, and walked to the security vehicle, opened the back door, and Von just walked from his compound, and climbed into the back. This was different from any past experience with other guard dogs, as there was always some drama when you collected the dogs at the start of your shift, but not with this dog, Von.

I closed the back door, climbed into the driving seat, and was soon on my way on my night patrol of Liverpool.

Normally, when you have a dog with you in your van, they are either bouncing all over the back, or fast asleep, but not with Von, who sat behind the wire mesh behind me, but on the passenger side, and was just looking out of the windscreen.

I stopped the van, and looking over my shoulder, I watched Von. He turned, and looked at me, and I was struck again by the look of intelligence in his eyes. Something told me that this dog was indeed very different, so after a few minutes, I decided to break protocol and have Von with me in the front, so I climbed out of the driver's seat, walked to the rear, opened the doors, and Von just sat there looking at me, then, without me saying anything, he slowly climbed out the back, and I walked to the passenger door, opened it, and without any word from me, he climbed onto the seat, and sat down, looking out the windscreen.

This was to be our routine for many years, for that night, I decided that Von would be the dog I would use. A bond had formed between us, we were two parts of a whole, a Team, and were to be companions on many adventures in the future.

It was not long before Von became truly my dog, and I was the only Security Officer who would use him, so much so, that when I was on Holiday, or off for some reason, Von would be rested, and not used by anybody else, but just given exercise by the Dog Master, John, and I would even 'pop' in to the Depot, and with the Security Firm's permission, take Von out on runs in my car into the Countryside, and I have many happy memories of Von and myself, running around like lunatics in the fields and forests around Merseyside.

My first impression of Von had been correct, we did not just 'work' together, but became true companions, and as readers of my 'Von' stories will be aware, we had many adventures together, and the old saying that 'A man's Best Friend ... is his Dog' turned out to be very true in our case.
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A Christmas Party at the Children's Hospital!

My Security Manager had thought it would be nice to take Von to the Children's Hospital, and this was cleared with Head Office as well as the Hospital Authorities, so off we went in my Security Vehicle, and were soon at the Hospital.

Von had been polished and sprayed with scent, much to his annoyance, so was in one of his 'funny' moods, which worried me a little, for though I knew old Von was as safe as houses with anybody, unless he thought I was in danger, or was told to sort 'them' out, which he usually did in style, but when Von had one of his 'funny' moods on him, anything could happen ... usually to me!

Now readers who have read other 'Von' stories, will know that Von was a very clever dog, and always seemed to understand what was expected from him, so this was to be no exception, but, with Von, there was always a twist, where he showed that he was his own dog.

The first Ward we entered was full of older children, and Von was soon the centre attraction as he moved from bed to bed, and made lots of new friends, for he had a way about him, of looking like a cuddly puppy, instead of the raving lunatic that he could be at times, and he also behaved himself, by not passing wind, which was my main worry.

The Doctors and Nurses were very nice, but there was one Doctor who was treating a young boy, which made the little boy cry, and Von gave this Doctor one of his 'special' looks, and having seen the 'look' before, I thought that I would watch out for Von taking revenge on this Doctor, but Von just moved away, and played with some other children ... but I noticed, he kept an eye on this Doctor.

We then moved to another permitted Ward, for there were some Wards we could not enter where some children were very ill, so this one had Children in it that were almost ready to go home, so once again Von was a riot, as these children were able to get out of their beds, and Von enjoyed being a horse, as children sat on his back. I was very proud of Von, for he was helping these children to get better, and not feel too sad being in Hospital over Christmas.

Later, once we had finished our Ward visits, we were invited to the Staff Canteen, for something to eat, and though Von was a Dog, and in normal times would never enter a Hospital Canteen, an exemption was made regards him, and he was regarded as a Security Officer, though a rather hairy one.

While I was talking to some other Nurses and Doctors, I had not seen the Doctor that had made the little boy cry enter the Canteen, but Von had, and I did see him slink off, but took no notice, for Von tended to slink off at times, and so I carried on talking to the Staff, and enjoying my meal.

Von, in the meantime, had gone low on the floor, and crept up to this Doctor who was having a cup of tea, and Von crept under this Doctor's table, watched by other interested Nursing Staff, who had watched Von's antics, and it was only then, that I myself noticed were Von had gone, but did not know what he was up to, not recognising his target as the Doctor who had been given the Von 'special' look.

Von suddenly jumped forward, and pushed the Doctor's chair, sending the poor man flying, and his tea shot up in the air, covering him with the contents ...

I was horrified ... my God, Von had flipped ... I would never hear the last of this, as I had visions of Von clearing the Canteen, leaving injured on the floor behind ... but, I need not have worried, for Von just sat there looking innocent, as if butter would not melt in his friendly face.

The Doctor 'victim' picked himself up, and it was only then that I recognised who he was, and 'knew' that Von had indeed made good his 'special' look, and the Doctor dried himself, and looking very embarrassed, and making his apologies, left the Canteen to change into a clean white coat ... never realising that it was Von who had knocked his chair from under him.

There was laughter from the other Nursing Staff, who thought it very funny, but did not understand why such a nice dog like Von, had done this, until I explained to them the reason, which made them roll about in laughter, for it turned out, they also did not like this Doctor either. Von was the 'Toast' of the Canteen, but I left early before the Doctor found out the truth ...... !!!