“A beautiful and gentle soul”

It’s a sad day when a family pet dies. Particularly one that has been a part of the family for many years. Our beautiful Bonnie was way more than just our pet dog, she was a loyal companion and best friend. I know that a lot of people who have dogs will say exactly the same thing, which is why I don’t expect you to feel this the way I feel about Bonnie’s passing but at least you may be able to relate.

We are all aware of the fact that most dogs are loyal and friendly creatures, but because I’m biased I’m just put this out there; Bonnie is one of a kind. She was a beautiful and gentle soul with the emotional intelligence of a human being.

Bonnie was first rescued from a puppy farm and found to have been in such a state that the Shelta owners were just about to put her down before my Nana and one of her granddaughters adopted her. Bonnie grew up in Nana’s house which was on the Gympie farm property owned by her eldest son. She was a Border Collie – Poodle, a true farm dog.

She loved every day roaming around the farm property, chasing after sheep, though she spent most of her time by Nana’s side. I remember going up there in the summer holidays and it being so hot and sweaty. The house reeked of dog! Little did I know that would soon be our house.

Nana got very sick in late 2015 and after one of Mum’s visits up to Queensland she decided to bring Bonnie back to Melbourne so that we could take care of her; Nana passed away in early April 2016.

Poor thing went through a few big changes during this period. Her mum (Nana) was no longer at home (she was in hospital for the remainder of her days). Then Bonnie had to get used to the new cold weather, new life in the suburbs and a new-ish family. One of the most heart-breaking things is the sight of a dog crying. That’s what I mean by emotionally intelligent, she knew something was wrong.

But thankfully she had my mum who - I think she was aware - was connected to Nana. If you’d have asked me who was her ‘person’ I would have said hands down, mum. But over the years she’s built strong connections with all of us. She was such a friendly girl that she loved anyone who gave her a pat.

When we first got her (our first ever dog) we got her pampered. Washed, haired cut, new collar, new dog coat, new bed and even new toys. We were so overjoyed to finally have a dog. We’d been pestering dad about it for a long time.

Although she was of course a farm dog, I think she got used to her new home pretty quickly. She just wasn’t exactly street wise. We had to teach her to stop at street lights as well as make sure she did her business outside not on the bathroom floor (though even that was technically very clever of her when you think about it).

Bonnie also had to acquaint herself with her new furry house mates (our cats Hamish and Muggles) who were not too pleased by her sudden existence in their household to say the least. I mean Muggles warmed up to her a little faster than Hamish who tried to attack her several time if she did so much as walk past his line of sight. Poor Bonnie wouldn’t hurt a fly let alone protect herself from a cat (who in fact was half her size). For weeks all we heard was her howling because she’d apparently got to her dinner before Hamish had got to his. He only just recently began to tolerate her being around. Though he made it pretty clear who was king. Muggles on the other hand, became friendly with Bonnie over the last 2 years. Even playful. They were best buds!

Although Bonnie was already 10-12 (human) years when we first got her, she was always very playful. Her favourite game to play was fetch-the-ball-and-never-give-it-back-no-matter-how-hard-they-tug. Trying to get a ball back from that dog was like trying to pull a brick out of a wall. She loved her woollen doll that we got her too and would sit for ages chewing at it until it was completely destroyed. She played like a puppy full of so much energy.

Oh, and her most favourite thing in the entire world was a W.A.L.K. That’s right we could not so much as say the word without her going completely ballistic. Or just taking out her leash or a plastic bag from the draw was enough to get her jumping up and down. she was nothing but a pure joy to watch as she trotted along the footpath, tail wagging violently. Well… until she paused to take a dump under a tree. That wasn’t so pleasant (thank goodness, I never had to take care of that).

Bonnie never did much wandering on her own but if she did, she was smart enough to find her way back home every time. And every time you’d hear a bark (the only time she ever barked) at the front or back door as if to say, “I’m back”.

I will never forget those beautifully, big, shiny eyes that would stare up at you lovingly as she waited for you to give her a pat. Or all those times she sat beside me at dinner begging for food even though her bowl behind her was already full. Or when she would sit still in the corner of your vision until you looked at her, to which she would respond by wagging her tail vigorously “Hello!”. Bonnie wanted to be wherever the family was. If we were watch tv, shed sometimes lie on the sofa with us. If mum was dropping me off at dancing, she would sometimes hop in the car with us.

The best feeling was when we came home from school and she would come bounding up to us with excitement, “You’re home!”. She would then lie in the doorway of whose’ ever room was occupied – she was like our guard dog.

Unfortunately, Bonnie was always very sick with an untreatable heart condition. You would often hear her coughing and panting and chucking up on the floor. She also had quite a bit of pain (arthritis, I think). Bonnie was going blind and deaf on top of all this. In short, she was an old dog and Friday night was just the last straw. She wasn’t breathing properly and couldn’t even bring her body to lie down. I’m happy that we got to say our goodbyes properly that night before mum took her to the vet.

Bonnie lived almost 14 years. She had a good and happy life and now she is finally able to rest in peace. She was finally relieved of any pain and simply went to sleep. Which is all I could ever wish for her.

The house already feels quieter, bigger like something is definitely missing. Even the cats notice it. Bonnie brought both light and warmth to this household as well as unconditional love. I don’t think I will ever come across a creature as incredible as she was. Which is why her lovely spirit will forever live inside our hearts. We will never forget her.

We love you Bon-Bon! xx