A house with pets is a house with love. Meet Mr Benji my bichon x poodle dog who is now 3 years old. He is my joy, and the unconditional love fills my heart each day. Benji picked me, after my 2 dogs I had for 13 & 15 years left this earth. He is both of them returning to me, I see them when he looks deep into my eyes and listens to every word I say. When I first got him at 8 weeks old, he would fit in my handbag and I took him with me everywhere, where I could of course. He used the doggie door from the first day he came home at 8 weeks, he slept on the bed from day one (I know to spoilt) never peeing on the bed.
He loves the garden, hunting for lizard and walks at the beach. Every morning I spend my first 1 hour of the day with Benji, a walk around the lake, breakfast at home on the front verandah. He has this funny trait, he knows when I am about to take my coffee and breakfast to the verandah, he runs to his bowl nibbles some dry biscuit then runs outside like an excited child.
We all need that pet that give us unconditional love. Having a pet is a commitment and many live to 15 years of life some 10 years depending on the breed.
My first puppy love was a fox terrier named Panda when living in Toowoomba and attending primary school. What joy and fun I use to have with him, the hours melted away when I was with my dog. My dad secured a fenced area next to the garage for him, so he was safe when I was not home. I recall he was only a young dog and one morning he was not in his secure area. I was very upset and didn’t want to go to school (of course get a day at home). No way off to school I went, and I remember at that time I was allowed to ride my bike to school.
On the way to school, I saw my dog dead on the road and my heart was broken. My first love taken from me and I didn’t understand why god would do this to me. Back home I went and cried for so long, never to get another puppy while I lived with my parents.
In my adult life my husband no 1, came home one day with a white fluffy Maltese puppy and I called her Chanel. She was treated like a lady and protected me all the time. One night my husband was away with work and there was a stranger trying to get into the back door of the house we lived in at Paddington in Brisbane. Chanel barked and barked at the back door protecting the leader of the pack, me. I was petrified and didn’t move a muscle while I laid in bed. At the time didn’t think of calling the police.
The next day being a Sunday I went to get the paper and something yummy from the bakery, so Chanel and I go to the car and a rock had been thrown into the back window of the car. I then did call the police and they came and took fingerprints. There had been many break ins in the area that weekend and so happy to have my protector, Chanel.
Chanel was part of my life for many years. We went to live in Perth when she was 2 years old, and once we settled there, she flew over. What a grand life we had in Perth and all the amazing adventures, my shadow always with me and that unconditional love and those eyes would look into my soul. At that time, I was working for an International Cosmetic Company as Regional Trainer. I would conduct trainings at my home for beauty consultants and one day a person left the side gate open, and Chanel escaped and was hit by a van.
My screams would have been heard on the Gold Coast and once again my heart was aching would I loss another dog? Chanel did survive after many months of love and caring, yet she was never the same. We lived in Perth for 5 years and we returned to Gold Coast she deteriorated and became snappy as she was in pain from her injuries. The vet said he couldn’t do anything to help her, medication would just make her sleep a lot. I was pregnant at the time and over the months Chanel did get worse and the vet suggested she go to pet heaven. So, I did the humane thing and had her euthanised. My family offered to take her for me, no way she was my dog and I had to say farewell, that was in 1990.
I swore I would not have another dog, well famous last words, in 2003, along came Chardy a black poodle/shihtzu and another puppy stole my heart. Chardy was my shadow and went everywhere she could go with me. All my dogs went where they could with me. Corbin (my son) and I lived at Arundel in a complex and Chardy had a male dog friend Coco. Coco owner and I would walk the dogs every day, bringing us joy, friendship, and mischief.
When Chardy was on heat, I told Coco’s owner no walking together and best lock them away from each other. First day I came home from work, Coco was in my house, thru the back doggie door. The fence was secure, we couldn’t work out how he was getting thru the fence. Each day that week Coco was at my house, we had to laugh as he was persistent. There was one rainy day and mud all thru the house, again we searched to find the area he was getting in. Then boom up the back corner of the fence under a tree he was digging there. Cheeky boy wanted to come see his girl for sure.
Weeks later Chardy had 2 puppies and we kept the male and named him Budda. He was round, black and those eyes peeking through the fur. He was so adorable there is something about a puppy stealing our hearts. I remember the hours of watching them play in the lounge room, was like a play area for a child, well there where my fur babies. Taking 2 dogs to the beach and saying ‘walkies’ budda would turn in circles and chardy would cry with excitement. So much fun watching them run on the beach, yet they would come back and be just on my heals all the time. Chardy loves the ocean and would come out with me for a swim, budda was a sand would wait for us, crying of course.
These 2 black, fluffy dogs where in my world for 15 and 13 years, lots of fun times at the dog beach, dog park and if you wanted to find me, just look for the dogs as they were with me 24/7. They slept with me, swam in the pool, sat at my feet in the office, protected me if someone came to close, they were my world.
I loved Chardy so much, then she got sick and was time for her to get her angel wings. It was recommended to me that best to euthanise them together, as Budda had separation anxiety and would not thrive without his mum of 13 years.
We keep our dogs alive to be healthy and happy not to struggle with sickness. At times they suffer for a while as we just can’t make that decision that it is their time to leave this earth.
Please don’t think I wanted to do this, I did it for quality of life for them. My heart was very heavy that day the vet came to my house. My best friends Debbie C. was there with me, I cuddled them, told them I loved them so much and they were my world. I held them in my arms as they went to sleep, when the pet funeral people came to collect them, I couldn’t watch them be taken.
I walked outside and cried like a baby, my marriage was over, I was living in a toxic abusive house and now my puppies where gone.
It was then I realised it was time to step leave the marriage and be happy!!
Ciao for now and remember “self love, self care & a little selfish” is good!
Debbie Majella