PORT CHARLOTTE — When it came to choosing his best friend, Mark Keen selected a Brittany spaniel. Lyra was only 6 weeks old when he picked her out of a litter.

When she got big enough, Keen would take Lyra with him on hunting trips. Brittany spaniels exhibit a natural instinct to point, extending their tail, raising a paw and aiming their muzzle toward game. While Lyra was excellent at determining their next target, it was Mark who would have to wade in the mud or duck into the brush after a quail or a pheasant.