In 1990 I finally moved into a home with a back yard and decided to buy myself a little dog. I wanted a dog who needed a home. I knew someone who worked at the local RSPCA and asked him to keep a eye out for a small dog. After a few weeks I was told of a little black dog who came in. She was aloof but the gentlest of dogs which she maintained for the whole of her life. Jessie was about 2 years old when she came to live with me and I soon found out why she was found by the RSPCA. Jessie loved to run and boy was she fast. I used to take her down to the local beach where the river entered the sea. She had the river on one side and the sea on the other so she couldn’t run out onto any roads. She loved to run so she chased seagulls and many a time she just ran concentrating at getting her goal and ran straight into the river. Jessie also was a good ratter who patrolled the garden and occasionally a rat or mouse would enter the garden to eat the fallen fruit off the trees. My cat, Rosie didn’t have a chance to catch anything. If she found a mouse, Jessie would take it away from her and kill it. Jessie wouldn’t sleep in a kennel so I had a basket on the back verandah in the daytime and at night she had a basket indoors. In the last year there we still went walking, me slowing in front and Jessie about 3 metres behind me. I think she just went with me, because when it was time to go home she would be out in front leading the way. When she got too tired I used to carry her for a spell. Sadly, Rosie and I said goodbye to Jessie last year after 15 years. I have another small dog now and whilst Penny is just a puppy Rosie has accepted her too.

Author: Gail Sutherland
Country: Australia
Age: 49
True story: Yes
Rating: 14 paws up
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