It's a dogs life

My love of dogs began with my first dog, Sam. 1983 - 1991

He was an Elfindale kelpie. Multi coloured: brown with splashes of white and tips of tan. At just five weeks old, I plucked him from the jaws of pig food. He was the first dog I trained to work sheep. He learnt fast and was extremely intelligent.
Sam was an adventurous dog, always up for something. He loved to ride with me on the horses or motorbike. He would play chasey with my pony, Lantana and he slept under the window outside my bedroom.

I remember him getting into a tug of war game with a bungarra goanna over a piece of meat. The bungarra charged at Sam, who tried to defend himself, only to have the goanna, latch onto his tongue. Sam let out an awful squeal, but gained a healthy respect for bungarras after that. Sam was mistakenly shot by a sour old farmer trying to protect his geese.




My second dog was a dingo blue heeler cross, called Sarg. 1984 - 1985

He was smokey grey blue with black patches. Unfortunately Sarg suffered, badly, from motion sickness. He was unable to travel with me out on the farm. Although he wanted to, he would end up to weak after vomiting to many times. Sarg became a yard dog, were he would work the sheep once yarded. Sadly, he never made his first birthday, one morning I found Sarg dead, he had been bitten by a tiger snake.




My third dog was a German Shepherd. Her name was Sharree. 1986 - 1995

Typical black and tan shepherd markings. Her loyalty to me, was without question. She became a fantastic guard dog, not only to me, but also to the horses. Sharree spent her days with me, everywhere I was, she was a close shadow behind. One night, she slipped her collar and for the first and only time she ever did, she wandered off. Picked up by a passer by, who handed her into the pound.

Thankfully I found her three days later, but the pound officer wouldn't hand Sharree over to me because I had no proof of ownership. I challenged the officer to give me commands to tell the dog, if that didn't satisfy him that Sharree was my dog, then I would be happy to leave without her, so was my confidence.

We spent an hour running through commands, every time, Sharree perfectly obeyed me. Satisfied, the officer shook my hand and congratulated me on a well trained dog, but not before giving me a fine for $200 dollars.

Sharree in her old age suffered from hip dysplacia. I arrived home one afternoon, to find she hadn't greeted me at the door, her normal routine. I called to her and heard no reply. I called louder and then a chill shrieked through me, as I heard her soulfully whine, she tried so desperately to get to her feet and drag herself to me. I picked her up and took her to the vets. Sharree was put down that evening, in my arms.




My forth dog, (pictured top) was Terah, pronounced Tear rah. 1995 - 2005

She was a German Shepherd cross, sable in colour. She had been surrendered to the RSPCA and as I was friends with the RSPCA officer he knew that I had recently put Sharree down. He brought this small bundle of tan fluff to me one evening and before I could pick her up, Terah entered my life. She was six weeks old and gorgeous. I assisted in the operation to spay Terah, as I worked at the veterinary hospital at the time.

Terah in her own right was highly intelligent and blitzed her way through puppy school. She amazed dog trainers by her complete obedience. On a cold winter rainy day. It was arranged for me to show off Terah's brilliant ability. I command her to sit in the middle of an oval during a kids footy match. She didn't flinch. The kids ran past her and some even stopped for a pat. The ball bounced near her and all the while she sat, poised, eye contact to were I was standing. It was an amazing day.

Terah, loved the beach, and every chance we got, we were there. Terah travelled with me when I crossed the Nullarbor, and she was jet setted from Victoria to Cairns.
The day Terah died, from a paralysis tick, broke me to tiny pieces. My friend gone.


All my dogs were taught hand and eye commands. As well as verbal, but I rarely used it. These dogs showed outstanding obedience, and I have been honoured to share my life with them.



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