This morning, under what could be mistaken for a pile of laundry but is actually his bed of old shirts and crochet rugs in our room, wearing his favourite jacket ‘cos the night was cool, is our Diesel-Dog aka The Deez, Woofy and innumerable other pet names.
Four years ago today Diesel awoke in a concreted, caged kennel at our local Coffs Harbour RSPCA shelter… He’d had a tough month leading up to that morning. Presumably misadventure led him to be there.
Two days prior to that day, the G.O. and I had returned from our four-month trip driving around Australia. During the last leg we’d decided after many kilometres of conversation that it was time for us to adopt a rescue dog, specifically a working dog breed. As we drove from South Australia to Victoria, I perused the Australian Working Dog Rescue website, locating a two-year old Kelpie-cross candidate in my old home town. We could detour there to pick her up. But sometime between stopping at my sister’s place in Melbourne and my Dad’s in NSW the dog was returned to her owners. On our last night for the trip Dad had the local paper open to the RSPCA page… he too had been thinking about adopting a dog.
On the Sunday that we now know was Diesel’s first birthday, we looked up our local Coffs Harbour RSPCA adoption website and saw a goofy little black face and blurb for a one-year old Koolie named Diesel. Oh, how in retrospect I wish I’d screenshot that photo.
From Dad’s, 390 km away, I called the shelter on Monday bang on opening time. Yes, the dog was available but they couldn’t hold him and were closed the following day. So, on the Wednesday morning having arrived home at Taylors Arm the day before we drove another 80 km and arrived as they opened the doors… The rest, as they say, is history.
With precious little input from the RSPCA – “you need a fenced yard not on the main road” – we pieced together Deez’s history. At the shelter he’d been microchipped & desexed, received four weeks of basic obedience training and two scant cups of kibble daily. There was lingering evidence of injuries: faint scars on his legs, broken teeth and soreness in his hips. He was small, skinny and hungry. His October 10th birthday suggested he was a Christmas puppy. He loves babies and children and once in Coffs Harbour in our first months together he nearly dragged the G.O. into traffic pursuing a woman with toddlers and a pram. He loves to chase trucks, motorbikes and cars… the noisier the better. He dislikes kookaburras, magpies and flies. He’s relaxed if he’s tied up with a lead but despite the G.O.’s best training efforts pulls badly when walked with one. He enjoys his dinner and any of ours he can cadge but will leave food if he’s eaten enough. He loves the beach and river… but doubtful he’d encountered either, and hates the garden hose. He’s obsessed with balls, and his teddy bears are his mates. Our only criteria… a cat-friendly dog. Sigh. Despite being cat-tested in our presence by the RSPCA, Deez enduringly detests damn cats, so it’s a good thing that Soossie the share-cat is content to reside fulltime with our neighbour.
Over the past four years Deez and I have done our best to wear down the G.O.’s preconceived acceptable dog behaviour notions… and the G.O. has mellowed considerably. Deez is now allowed to: be indoors whenever and wherever he wants; ride inside the cars not just in the back of the ute; wear canine-clothing… he particularly rocks his denim vest; have two beds indoors, in the living room and our bedroom; use the verandah futon as his day bed; come up on to the lounge to watch TV; snuggle with us on our bed on cold mornings on his blanket or on hot afternoons on a sheet under the fan…
Prior to Diesel coming into our life it had been a long time between dogs. Deez inherited my old dog Bo’s raincoat and crochet blankies… I’d held onto them for 13 years, and a water bowl belonging to the G.O.’s previous dog, Sal, from a dozen years earlier. For many years our thoughts on adopting a dog were that we should wait until we were not working, had quantity & quality of time to spend and had done with travelling to a greater extent. But on the road as we drove around Australia, we encountered many people with four-legged travelling companions. Dog Friendly is good business.
These days we muddle along. Some days in our downshifted life are busier than others and the Deez although we play three short games of dog tennis each day gets less attention than he’d like, i.e. fewer on-demand throw and catch the bear/ball games, and copes by taking more rejuvenating naps. But other than an occasional day where we have no-dogs-allowed business to attend to offsite, we spend our days in proximity. On his best days at home, Deez gets visitors. He appreciates visitors especially those who will throw a ball/bear, and in turn likes to reciprocate the visits where he makes himself quite at home in their home: after all these are friends, no?
In past years my daytime fears were inevitable future heartbreak & loss of an irreplaceable fur-kid and my night-time dreams were often ones where I couldn’t take care of my dog Bo who had gone to the rainbow bridge in 2003 after a long, good life. The night before we brought Deez home was the last time I had that dream.
Despite our heartfelt wishes we cannot give our four-legged besties extended lifespans but with responsible and care-full dog companionship we can make a difference by giving them the best lives possible while they are with us.
#gotchaday #adoptdontshop #dogsareforlife #rescuedogsrule
daleleelife101.blog 
Diesel sounds like a lovable character who when necessary helps you create mischief all in the cause of creating entertainment for him…
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Thank you… a wonderful description. Deez is certainly a character, loveable… and enjoys being part of the action and household ♡
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Love how much you love your fur baby .. my old boy will be 16 in a few months and is not very well but there’s no one in the world who is more loyal than that boy ♥️
He’s always sore and arthritic nowadays but he will still coming running to get a treat and a cuddle 💝
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Thank you. I know dogs have practical applications and useful professions but imo they are best as fur-kids…
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I love Deez! He’s my..-counts on fingers- fourth favourite dog! My small twerp, Mogi, is number 1 of course. Then Ani, then Sam, then Deez. And I just had an ‘ah hah’ moment. Just as we have online friends, we can also have online four-legged friends! I love reading about all three digital dogs so keep the posts coming. 🙂
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Thank you… the Deez is in fine canine company. Digital dogs rock… It’s great that so many doggos share their antics with a little human help of course. Especially great when one is sadly dog-less.
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Yes, I suspect that’s part of the reason cats /and/ dogs are so insanely popular on social media. Quite apart from all the other awful things wrong with aged care, the thing that makes me so determined never to go there is the thought of having to give up my small friends, or not allow myself to have any for fear of what might happen to them.
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I agree, best to age well at home in good company of four-legged ones.
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Hear, hear! Mogi and Da Boyz agree. Hugs to Deez. 🙂
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Deez mate, happy birthday! I think of you as my smaller brother from a different mother – after all, we look so alike: shiny black fur, big pointy ears, long pointy nose, golden brown eyes…. Mum’s looking forward to bringing me over for a visit, and we’re hoping that the February meet up will still happen. We were just talking about you the other day, and imagining you helping your Dad in the shed, wearing your smart denim overalls (Mum really loved those, but I think it’d be tricky finding a pair to fit me). I’m really glad your life has evolved to the point where you can avail yourself of all the rights and privileges of a beloved doggo. Especially the part about beds everywhere…. All the best, mate, your friend Mouse xxx
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Hey Mouse, kind of you to take time on your holiday to think of Deez. We hope you are finding and enjoying the best of the FNQ dog friendly scene in the hopes of following in your paw prints one day. Bit warm for the overalls but next winter they’ll be back ♡
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Aunty Dale! Hello! *Wag wag wag wag*. I am carefully selecting suitable venues and destinations for you and Diesel Dog to enjoy. Speaking of which, take a look at this place, which Dad wants to try for breakie tomorrow:
(https://ozmosiskitchen.com.au/)
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Looks very cool. The Green Breakfast Bowl would be my choice… but perhaps a side of bacon to share of course might be in order too!
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Mum says Green Breakfast Bowls are not holiday food as far as she’s concerned, far too sensible and healthy!
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What a lucky dog he is! Thank you for the wonderful tale of his rescue and life. As our oldest Aussie dog is 11 now, I dread the day we will lose her. The grey muzzle and morning stiffness just remind me to love her each day and appreciate the time we have.
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We’re a lucky trio to have each other ♡ Older dogs are bittersweet, they keep our heartstrings finely tuned.
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Happy Birthday Diesel!! And well done on training the GO to let you up on the bed and into the back of the car. Time and patience seems to be what is needed to train humans! It must have been wonderful to come from the sterile shelter to the love, attention and stuffed teddy bears with Dale and the GO. Many happy returns, and I hope you get a nice juicy bone as a present.
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Thank you. Bones usually get buried and forgotten in the garden… maybe in the hope they’ll grow… So we had a bbq… kanga patties for the Deez, who hopes you’ll visit one day… and throw a ball or bear 😀
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Oh, wouldn’t that be wonderful?! One day….
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Who doesn’t love a good dog story! I can’t believe it has been four years since your big trip and getting Deez. Wow. I would love to have a dog again one day, and rescues are the best. They seem to know when they have hit the jackpot and gotten a good home. Give him a tickle on the chin from me. xx
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We can’t believe it’s been 4 years either. We talk about “when we do the next trip” but at the moment it’s just conversation, and I imagine a lot of places and things will be quite changed. Deez is my first rescue dog, and although I’m a believer that dogs find you, right place, right time… if we are ever in the position to do it again, that’s the way I’d like to go.
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I made up a theory about the Central Committee of Cats. When I was thinking about getting a cat, I noticed some cats checking out my place. I never saw them before or since. My theory was that it was members of the Central Committee deputised to make sure I was a suitable owner. Not long after they reported back there was a notice in the school newsletter that a family had kittens to give away. I came home with two!
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Hahaha… that is a fantastic theory. There is definitely a more-to-it than meets the eye energy at work.
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Lovely dog story. Deez is a darling and I’m glad the GO came around on those rules. As I said somewhere else, I’m reincarnating as Deez.
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He does get the best of R&R with not much responsibility… but what he has he does his best… greeter, exercise buddy, bestie 🙂
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Happy belated birthday to Deez. He’s a fine specimen!! Ya gotta love those eyes, and that glossy black coat. Outdoors, on the beach, flopped out on the floor – he’s a photographers dream. Ha ha!
I relate better to dogs (and deer) than I do with most people. Rescue or not, they do find their way to us… just the right one when we didn’t know we needed them in our lives. I’m happiest when there is more than one in the house too. It’s best just to own that and go with it!
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It’s like that sometimes isn’t it… at least we have the solace of our four-legged ones 🙂
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