Coco was the first pet that I really owned.  I don’t think calf club calves really count.  I also kept some chooks in town for a few years.  But although they were characters, not really pets.

Anyway Coco was the first pet I bought for myself and looked after myself.  She survived my divorce, having to spend time at Mum and Dad’s.  (Thank God they looked after her)  Leaving farm life to become a city dog.  Being dressed up by my daughter Lauren, and wearing funny hats at Christmas time, and took it all in her stride. 

She was a fantastic guard dog – she had an awesome bark.  Kept cats well away from the property, provided the best exercise programme ever and whenever I got home she was waiting at the door happy to see me.

Sadly she died a couple of years ago of a twisted gut at the age of 8, which was all very sad and quite devastating to be honest.  I wasn’t even ready to think about another dog until quite recently, when it started to seem like a good idea.

So now Billie a black spoodle has joined the McFred family.  She is 5 months old, we have had her for 3 weeks, and she is an absolute delight.  She has already let Lauren dress her up in doggy shoes.  She has started my exercise programme (well needed) is getting us dog trained, so we know when to take her out to the toilet, teaching us to put our shoes away and is always waiting at the door happy to see me when I get home. 

So you can’t ask for much more than that really.  And I am very happy we made the decision to get another dog.   And the other night Lauren heard Brett call her buttercup.  So I know I am not the only fan.