I took Monty for a walk this evening which included some off lead time at the local oval. We were on our way out but Monty had to say a quick hello to a couple of dogs so I let her. I was nearby and I thought she knew where I was but after the dogs did their goodbyes she ran around with her ears pricked up and I knew she was looking for me. It was dusk so she probably couldn’t see me as easily as normal and as she’s getting quite deaf, my calls to her were pointless.

I could see she was getting a bit stressed so I had to walk up to her and wait till she looked in my direction, wave my hands at her and she finally realised where I was and off we went.

I’ve had Monty for nearly 11 years now. When I moved into my house my dream was always to have a dog. I had expressed this to some friends and not long after a four-year relationship ended a friend was around at my place one evening and she told me about a dog that a colleague of hers had to give up for various reasons.

She arranged for us to meet around at her place and I’ll never forget it. I was standing out the front of my friend’s place and there were around four other people there too. My friend turned up with Monty and she immediately ran up to me. I knew then that this was the dog for me.

One week later she became mine and I brought her home. I’ll never forget those first few days where she kept going to the front door like she wasn’t sure that she should be there. She’d also lie on the floor near me and look at me with her brown eyes and I felt a bit sorry for uprooting her from her previous home which was a loving home but I thought that at least she was coming to a new home with someone who loved her.

We’ve had our differences over the years with holes appearing in the back yard in places that shouldn’t have holes in them like the lawn and certain areas of the garden but there’s been so many benefits that outweigh the hole digging.

She’s forced me out of the house for walks and I’ve met people in the local area I would never have otherwise met.

She’s also been a beautiful companion to JJ. As he doesn’t mind telling me quite often, he loves her more than he loves me. I know this is to just get to me but he does love her a lot and gives her lots of hugs and always says a long goodbye to her at night while trying to sneak a peek at the television if it’s on.

Even though she’s pushing 13 human years and she is getting deaf and quite a bit slower she still loves her walks. She still acts like a puppy when I get her lead out and she knows that she’s going out for a walk. I’m really dreading the time when we have to say goodbye to her and when that time comes I don’t know what I’ll do because we’ll miss her like crazy.

If I do get a new dog I’m pretty sure I will adopt one rather than buy a puppy from a pet shop or breeder.

Pedigree are sponsoring a dog adoption drive and at the time of me writing this 861 dogs have been adopted. That’s got to be good. If I was to adopt a puppy in South Australia right now there’s a choice of nine dogs from their website with their stories. Nooo, I’m not looking now, nooooo.

Please note that this is not a sponsored post. I am a dog lover and want to see unwanted dogs go to a good home just like Monty did.

Monty, Montsta, Monts, Monty girl – you don’t feature that much in my blog and it’s not because I don’t love you. I just take you for granted I suppose. So this is for you.

I consider you my first ‘child’ and sometimes when I’m talking to mum on the phone I mention you as her black furry granddaughter. You came along in my life when I’d recently split up from a long-term boyfriend. A friend came over for dinner one night to help cheer me up after my breakup and she told me that a colleague of hers had to give you away and asked me if I was interested. I’d been saying for a while I wanted a dog therefore I was definitely interested so she arranged for us to meet.

When you got out of your previous owner’s car I was standing in the front yard of my friend’s place with about four other friends and you came straight up to me and I knew in that instant that I would keep you. I picked you up a week or so later and we went home. I’d offered to pay for you and your previous owner declined that offer so I bought him a slab of beer for you. I’m sure he thought of you while he was drinking it. Unfortunately he committed suicide about a year ago so I’m glad you were living with me and didn’t have to live through that disruption.

The first few weeks you were at my place you used to give me a questioning look with your brown eyes as if to say, what’s going on here? Why am I now with you? You started off sleeping in my room at a basket at the foot of my bed but when I went away in 2000 you became accustomed to sleeping in the back room which is where you still sleep now in your basket. This means you can run outside through the old cat flap you can squish yourself through and patrol the outskirts of the property watching out for any intruders or just barking at passersby.

In 2001 there was a big change in our household when JJ came along. I always used to think you didn’t take that much notice of him but I now know that you love him as much as he loves you even though you’ve gone down a notch in the pecking order of our household.

You’ve been an absolute bonus to me. It’s true what they say that a dog is ‘man’s’ best friend. You love me unconditionally. Even after I’ve yelled at you for digging a hole in the garden, or digging up part of the lawn you still love me, and I still love you after I’ve fixed up your mess. How could I not adore those beautiful brown eyes begging for forgiveness.

You make me go for walks with you and it’s good for both of us. A year or so after I got you my jeans were a bit looser and it’s because I went walking with you every day. This is why I’ve dubbed you my personal trainer. Because of you I’ve made friends with other local dog owners – pity you couldn’t introduce me to a cute boy through his dog but I’m sure you’re working on it. I sure am!

You are a very cute animal and very soft to the touch although I do wish you didn’t drop your hair all over my house.

My only other gripe is the barking. I know you are telling anyone who comes near the place that this is your territory and they will only enter at their own risk but do you have to bark during the night at someone who walks past our place and doesn’t even come in? Having said that, I think you have scared away potential burglars. Our next door neighbour got broken into recently and I’ll bet they didn’t try our house because of you, so I guess I’m prepared to put up with a bit of barking.

I sometimes wonder if you realise you’re a dog Monty. You like to be amongst us humans and if you’ve been banished outside you make it your mission to get inside. Luckily with kids around your job of getting inside is made a lot easier. And because you are so cute and slinky when it comes to trying to stay inside, you more often than not get away with it. I also like the way you turn people around that don’t like dogs too much. You seem to know who these people are and make a point of putting your head on their lap so they’ve got no choice but to pat you.

Well, Monty, hopefully we will have you for many more years to come. We love you.