Australia Day 2021 I drove down to Bega to meet the loveliest little dog, Ava, and brought her home. She’d had a very rough first year of her life, in a DV house and then locked in a small concrete yard for a few months before being rescued by Animal Welfare League to a beautiful halfway property Cobargo Pets Retreat.
She was wary, so very wary, and it took me weeks to build trust with her. I had to trick her into entering the house even – I had a rope on the door, I’d throw treats and hide in the kitchen, and pull the rope to close the door when she came in.
But once that phase passed we were besties. Wherever I walked her little nose would smoosh into the back of my calf. She was still wary of new people and would take days to warm to them, but once she warmed to you she was all over you.
It didn’t take her long to take over my bed either – she was a pillow hog! More than that, she’d somehow manage to push herself under my head most nights so I was sleeping half on the pillow, half on Ava. She had the cutest little snores.
She came to several markets and was a star, happy to meet anyone and everyone as long as her daddy was nearby. She looked to me for everything, and she was my everything. I called her “boss lady Ava” and she was – she ruled. I’m not supposed to have favourites but she was my favourite by a long way.
She got me through COVID, she cuddled up while I worked through all the business complexities that gave us, and she was my wingman for all that time of working from home for my day job. Colleagues would love to see her in our team video meetings.
Her little head was at ‘tail height’ of others, she’d close her eyes to walk past them or when they walked past her – it was just the cutest thing ever! If the sun was out she was sunbaking, but if even a small cloud came over she’d ask to come inside… and ask to go back out when the sun returned. She may have been small but when asking to come in or out of the back sliding door she’d jump up and tap it. There are marks more than halfway up the door!
And belly rubs… oh how she loved belly rubs. If not from a human, she’d drape herself over another dog and move back and forth. If not another dog, she’d use a step, the edge of a bed, anything just for soft gentle belly rubs.
She was the happiest little Vegemite, her little tail wags were adorable, her smile infectious, her little licks heart-melting. She was simply the best little mate I could have hoped for. I can say without doubt she achieved ‘Nala level’. She’s now resting with Nala and Jessie.
My baby Avaleigh, we were meant to be here for each other for five, ten, or even more years. We were each other’s rock. I don’t know how I will face bed, or life, without you. Thank you my little potato for making the last 21 months wonderful. My heart is broken and I will miss you like crazy forever. Andrew.
