Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Independent UK
The Independent UK
Lifestyle
Peony Hirwani

Buster the Boxer: Trampolining dog from John Lewis Christmas advert has died

John Lewis

Biff, the famous trampolining dog that featured in John Lewis’s 2016 Christmas advert as “Buster”, has died at the age of 12.

The beloved boxer starred in the advert which followed the story of a little girl named Bridget, whose parents bought her a trampoline for Christmas and hid it in the garden to surprise her on Christmas Day.

As snow falls through the night, an array of animals end up playing with the new toy and when Bridget finally gets her surprise, she sees Buster (Biff) next to it.

Biff’s owner, Jen Patten, announced the news in a tribute to her dog on social media, writing: “Fly high our beautiful, special boy, we shall miss you forever.

“One of our last photos. People say, he had a wonderful life with us, but in reality, we had a wonderful life with him.”

Patten went onto write: “Biffy and I had a really special bond, and no matter what I asked of him, whether it would be new tricks, displays, meet and greets, or photos with children, adults, and animals, he would happily oblige, with the patience of a saint.

“At home, he was pure joy, making us smile every day. I don’t know if you are aware but boxers are known as the clowns of the canines, and even though Biff would be professional at the right time, he never ever lost the ability to make us laugh. We shall miss him so much.”

The dog owner revealed that Biff began having seizures, “which we couldn’t bring him back from, so we had to let him go”.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.