Memories of my dogs –Pepper , Angus Mctavish , William and Raine.
Since 2000, I have had a number of dogs, which have mostly been Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. A number of these animals have died, and I wish to honour their unique personalities and loyal companionship by writing about them.
On April 1, 2000, I saw Pepper, a cross between a Terrier and a Cavalier, for the first time at his then Croydon Park home. I fell in love with him and was able to collect him on April 18, 2000, during the school vacation.
I purchased a bed for Pepper at the then pet shop on Kogarah Station. He looked gorgeous with his head poking out of the bed- a cute little bundle, who soon learned to love his new surroundings. His unique sense of timing saw him sit at my side gate awaiting my arrival from school .Then, he would bolt down the side path so fast –he was excited that his master was home. When I opened the back door, Pepper would fly in for a pat and many cuddles. Pepper was an affectionate animal.
Pepper developed his favourite spots, both inside the house and outside. All of my dogs have since done the same. Late one Saturday afternoon in early October 2000, he managed to get out of my backyard. I discovered that he had dug a hole under my rear aluminium fence –“the new Berlin Wall “
My rear neighbour found him in the street .Pepper, incensed at being discovered, had to re-enter my property exactly as he left it , under the fence . He could not be lifted over the fence. By mid -November 2000, I had a concrete path put down to prevent future escapes. The concreter thought that “ I was spoiling Pepper’s fun, as he would not be able to get out “….
For our walks around the Moorefield Estate in the winter, Pepper wore a red tartan lambs wool coat .He looked gorgeous in it –but he did not walk – he pranced. He was a graceful and attractive animal. Pepper’s front paws were part white and his rear legs a rusty brown.
Peps, as he became affectionately known, began to sleep at the side of my bed. The front verandah had been surpassed for a superior lambs wool rug in the bedroom.
In my long hours of preparing and marking school work, Pepper would lie on a rug under the kitchen table. One could hear comfortable snoring as he lay asleep.He often took to sitting on my feet, and when I worked on the computer, he lay on the floor alongside me or behind the chair. Angus, William and Raine also kept me company in a similar manner.
My elderly father adored Pepper, whom he called Tinker. He sat at my Dad’s feet as he watched television. They were a very happy duo.
Pepper loved going for walks and car trips. The signal was his lead, and he would run up and down the hall way awaiting his treat. Harold, my long standing friend and fellow free spirit, usually walked Pepper in the Wetland Corridor which was near my home.
One afternoon in late May 2001, I discovered that Pepper was not well. I took him to the vets where a lump was found on his chest. Pepper was operated on on June 14, 2001. Sadly, the news came back from pathology on June 22 2001- an aggressive cancer with 3 months to live. I was devastated.
Against hope, Pepper had chemo at the Animal Hospital at Strathfield. This was to ultimately prove unsuccessful and is something that I would never undertake again. On August 21 2001, Pepper passed away at home. My little prince was gone forever.
He was a proud, intelligent and mischievous animal. He loved the ladies and they loved him …. I will always remember him fondly, and the 16 months I walked with him “as he so happily wagged his tail.”
I collected Angus, a tri -coloured Cavalier, from Karen Paul on December 5, 2004. Karen,a Cavalier breeder in Bargo, Southern Highlands , was not going to show Angus any longer at dog shows, and wanted to find him a good home. I was delighted to take him. Angus was uncertain at first in his new home . He now had two Blenheims, William and Raine,for company.
Angus had a beautiful nature. In the last year of his life, he became very affectionate and always wanted more and more cuddles.
Angus was a proud animal and he always walked regally.. I always felt that I was walking with King Charles the Second. When he sat on the back seat of my car, he surveyed” his kingdom” –looking to the left and to the right.
My elderly father adored Angus and Angus spent the last 6 months of my Dad’s life sitting on his knee. When Angus passed away in July 2008, this link to my late father was gone forever…….
All my Cavaliers have snored, but Angus possibly snored the most- gentle snores, deep snores, and short snores.
When I was given Angus, I knew that he had a grade 4 heart problem. By January 2008, his heart was beating much faster and his medication was again increased. His teeth were cleaned under anaesthetic at the Animal Hospital, Strathfield.In hindsight, this should never have been done.
Angus died unexpectedly on July 4 , 2008- he had been with my dog breeder, Rhonda, whilst Harold was in Sutherland Hospital having a hip operation. Near Heathcote, on my trip to Wollongong to collect him , I saw a beautiful rainbow. Every time I now see a rainbow I think of Angus McTavish, my wonderful Cavalier.
William, a Blenheim, came to me as Tory on March 17, 2002 at the Castle Hill Showground. I wanted a companion for Raine, whom I had become the owner of in September 2001.
I immediately changed the name to William, after my great grandfather, William Field. William was born in Wakefield ,Yorkshire, England in 1831 and emigrated to Australia from Liverpool, England, on “The Antelope. ” He arrived in Melbourne in August 1853.
William lived up to my William’s characteristics- “a real life scallywag.” When he was naughty, I called him Willie in a loud teacher’s voice.
I knew that William had a heart problem, which needed immediate surgery if he was to live a good life. This was done by a vet at Sydney University and afforded William a wonderful healthy and full life for the next 11 years. However, tumours on his wind pipe cruelly took him from me on August 6, 2012.
William was not initially a loving dog ,but he became one in old age. He loved Anna and kept her company at Rhonda’s place when she looked after my dogs for me when I was away. When Anna passed away, William loved sleeping then with Marietta and a number of other young female Cavaliers. William always loved the ladies. My William was William…….
Food and William went together. William guzzled his food very quickly and he attempted to take food from other dogs. William loved ruffling up his bed – oh, he wanted it to suit him ! And his snoring at times – it was enough to keep you awake all night.
When William passed away, I received a card with the following message: ‘William was a very lucky creature to come into the world and to be loved by such a special person. I am sure, thanks to you, his almost 11 years here on earth were very happy ones .“ Rhonda wrote on behalf of William , in a card to me “ Thank you for my wonderful life. Without you, I would not have had a life. I could be a scallywag, but you would not have wanted me any other way. “
William’s passing on August 6, 2012 was unexpected. I buried William on August 10, 2012, with a letter I wrote on August 9, 2012, on the plane travelling from Darwin to Sydney I shed quite a few tears on this flight ……
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Oh, William, you always had a mind of your own – a dog with attitude, but a unique and beautiful Cavalier. .
Raine, a Blenheim, was born on April 8, 2001. Rhonda bred Raine and she decided to call her Raine after April rain- she chose to add an “e” to her name.
Harold and I collected her from Rhonda at the Erskine Park Dog Show on September 16, 2001. Rhonda remembers Harold, in his broad Yorkshire accent, saying to her, when we collected Raine, “ she is bloody beautiful.” Rhonda took a step backwards – but Harold, a likeable larrikin, loved all of my dogs.
Raine had strong personality traits.She was a miss, a toffy- nosed dog who would almost stick her nose in the air. She was often happy with her own company. Raine knew what she wanted and had a mind of her own, and although the smallest of my dogs, she kept the other two Cavaliers firmly in line. After all, she was Miss Raine.
She had her favourite hiding spots at home and was very good at developing new ones. Towards the end of her life she was deaf, so it was often a challenge for me to locate her.
Raine was a beautiful looking dog. She and William both made the honourable mentions list for the Daily Telegraph newspaper pet of the year award in 2003.
Sadly, in September 2011, Raine had to have her teeth out and this resulted in her tongue hanging out. She then wore baby’s bibs to assist her so that she did not slop water and food everywhere. Whilst she had lost her good looks, she was still Miss Raine to all who loved her.
Raine was a great mate for William and Angus, and since late 2008, Marietta, a tri coloured Cavalier. She was a loyal, loving and devoted companion who gave me unconditional love. Raine loved her walks and she loved to keep me company.
Over the past few months, Raine’s health had been declining. I could see her getting slower and she was failing quickly. It was her time to go … that time came on Sunday night, March 31, 2013. She had been at the vets for a few days as she was very ill. She died peacefully in her sleep.
There will never be another Miss Raine –her unique personality, her gentle snores, and her amazing style. She was one unique Cavalier.
Since October 8, 2012 I have had Harry – he will be a future story……
Postscript
* Some of my dogs have been committed to artistic works. William, Angus and Raine were painted by a local artist, Bruce Sharp, and I gave this to my father for his 91st birthday in 2005. Jan Kellaway painted a china plate in 2010 which featured William, Raine and Marietta. .
*My story is written as a tribute to the many years of devotion Rhonda has shown to the Cavalier, King Charles Spaniel breed. This is not only in her capacity as an owner, a breeder, showing her dogs at dog shows , but in her role as Cavalier Rescue. Cavalier rescue is how I first met Rhonda in 2001. After Pepper died on August 21 2001, I was devastated and decided to get a thoroughbred Cavalier. I contacted Rhonda in September 2001, and the rest is history………
In memory of:
Pepper birth date unknown -died August 21, 2001
Angus 7 March 2001- July 4, 2008
William November 2 2001 –August 6, 2012
Raine April 8 2001- March 31, 2013
September 30 2013
Anniversary of Harold’s passing in 2011
This story was an entry in the Hurstville Discovery Writers Group October 12 2013
