Goodbye Kelly

Mum and I are sad because Kelly, the big black Great Dane who lived next door, died last Tuesday 28th November 2017. Kelly was 15 1/2 years old, which apparently is a very good age for such a big breed of dog to reach, but recently her people saw that she was not a happy or healthy dog anymore so they took her to her vet to say goodbye to her. 😥

Kelly and I were barking buddies …every time anyone walked along the side path of my people’s kennel Kelly would jump up at one particular place along the fence where she could see over and bark at them. Then I would bark and jump about at our side gate while looking up at her and barking back, then I’d run up onto my verandah and jump onto the chair which Mum called “the barking chair” so I could see Kelly better and continue to bark at her while she barked at me. This would happen at least twice a week, when the garbage bins were taken along the side path to the front yard, and when they were brought back in again the next day. Kelly and I both enjoyed this and we did it for many years …even after Mum eventually moved the chairs so there was no longer a chair in the right place for me to jump on to bark. It was an exciting event for both of us dogs. 😀 Sometimes Kelly also barked at other noises she heard …like when someone would open a window on that side of our people-kennel. I don’t think Kelly liked the squeaky noise the windows made. And then of course, there were the possums! We both always barked at possums and bats that liked to hang out in the trees along the fenceline.

I only ever met Kelly once “dog to dog” …one afternoon when Mum took me for walkies Kelly was in her front yard with her people, helping them with some gardening. As soon as my Mum said hello to the neighbours and Kelly saw me trotting past Kelly raced out to “greet” me, body slamming me and knocking me over in the process. Her people yelled, “NOOOOOOO Kelleeeee!” but she paid them no notice, and Mum said a bad word …it all happened so quickly and unexpectedly. After I picked myself up Mum told me to sit and stay, which I did, while Kelly came back and sniffed at me (her momentum had carried her to the other side of the road so it took a few extra seconds for her to stop and turn around). Kelly’s dad jumped over the garden, pulled her away and held her tight while Mum and I continued our walkies. Mum had met and patted Kelly lots of times before on her own. Even a few times when Kelly came to visit our front yard on her own and Mum took her back home again Kelly was always friendly, happy and very well behaved …Kelly just got a bit too “intense” when around other dogs. I didn’t mind though, we still indulged in our weekly barkfests on bin days (or any other time she heard a noise at the side of our people-kennel).

Mum took some photos (with her old camera, so they’re not very good) of Kelly in May 2005. Because Kelly’s yard is up much higher than mine, when she peered over the fence she looked like a VERY tall dog!

I miss my barking buddy. 😦 Even after she eventually went deaf and couldn’t hear the noise of the bins, the side gates or the windows anymore so she no longer appeared at the fence, I still always looked for her at the same place where she used to look over and bark …and even though Mum told me Kelly has crossed the rainbow bridge, I’ll still look for her.

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