Bear Cabrera- Collins 1998 -
I�m a Jack Russell, from a puppy to age 3, I lived in a house in the posh suburb of Mont Albert, I was an indoors dog weighing 11 kilo�s and belonged to a lady who let me sleep in her bed and she would tickle me on the belly and let me eat Smarties both of which I really liked, there was a cat there too, that�s probably why I�m jealous of cats. Then a little baby came along and from there I had to sleep on the end of the bed. So my early days with a toddler around is probably why I like children, but I get upset if I hear children crying or screaming. My owners had to go overseas to work and were going to send me to live with their Grandma and her dogs in Cairns, but as fate would have it, my future took a different direction. I was adopted.
As soon as I arrived at my new home I ran around sniffing and investigating the entire place and my new owners just loved me, I was rapt, they made me an insulated, padded box under the house, it even had a curtain, I didn�t care that I had to sleep outside, I loved this place, lets face it I was 21, leaving home, and had my own pad and a whole new world to explore.
I�m pretty clever I passed a dog IQ test and scored �highly intelligent� I can be trained easily (with treats) I�m a real sniffer dog, I have to sniff everything and anything new that comes into the house, and if something is snuck in without my knowing when it does it appear, I go and sniff it out. I even know when my owners are going to go out and leave me on my own, I go and sit on top of their clothes, they can�t hide anything from me. I always let them know what I want, and if they can�t see me sitting there trying to tell them, I give them a nudge with my nose. They say canine�s don�t have very long memories, I do, I remember everything.
I�ve got a lot of responsibilities, when I first came, I looked after a Grandma, I jumped into her bed every morning, I took her for walks and sat with her all day, I even knew when she was having a bad day, I protected her, I loved my Grandma, she went into a nursing home and the very 1st time I went to visit her, I sniffed my way right to her feet without anyone showing me the way. I still go and see her from time to time, she doesn�t remember me, but I�ll never forget her. I mind my Grandpa all day too, I like doing that �cause he gives me lots of tit bits and lets me out the front where I can bark at other dogs and the postman, then he lets me in and covers me with my blanky. When no-one�s home I have a huge responsibility, I have to mind the house.
love to lounge around and enjoy a little comfort, but I love to be active, whatever my owners want to do suits me. I go for a walk with my mum everyday and on the weekends my dad comes too, I pass all my buddies on the way. I love going to the creek, I love to swim but they don�t take me there in winter, we pass by the school
and the children call my name and I give them kisses through the fence. I�ve got lots of soft toys and balls that I play with indoors, but when it comes to outdoors, well, I�m a bit of a sports dog; I play soccer, football and basketball. Soccer is my favourite and I play everyday with my dad. Once I played so hard that I sprained my leg, they had to take me for walks in a jeep. I love to bask in the sun, in summer I get freckles and then they fade in winter. I�ve only been in 2 dog fights and been bitten by a Huskie and a German shepherd, wouldn�t you think they�d pick on someone their own size?
Most people think I might be a bit ferocious but actually I�m a bit of a scaredy cat, I�m afraid of thunder ,lightening, heavy rain, ceiling fans, people arguing, the f word, hitting, babies crying, drums and fireworks. I get a bit jealous if mum and dad are kissing.
I get over excited whenever I hear the words go, chocolate, car, walk, soccer, take, bone, and tucker. I�ve got this really fabulous Aunty Barbara, I love her, every time she comes, she brings me a treat, talks to me and gives me attention, she even buys me a pressie for Christmas, one day I nearly went home with her, but they wouldn�t let me.
I�m pretty good at making my own bed too; I can spend quite a lot of time getting my blanky just right. 4 of my favourite things are my blanky, soccer ball, bones and chocolate (dog chocolate of course).
I understand, when they say to me, �not now - tomorrow� I know that means not to bug them anymore, I have to wait. I�m a creature of habit and follow the daily routine, if they don�t stick to it; I�m very stubborn and soon let them know.
My owners are continually trying to get me to lose weight they�ve only managed to get me down to 10kilo�s and I can�t lose any more, I think it�s my Smartie up bringing and all the tit bits I get, anyway I�ve been given the nicknames of �wombat� and the �barrel� by quite a few people, my owners are sure I�m a Jack Russell cross Corgi.
Life�s pretty good, I get to sleep inside now, and I�ve got my own couch and a good hide out under Grandpa�s bed. My pad under the house is just used for hiding in with my bones; sometimes I sleep there in summer when it�s too hot inside.
Don�t tell them I told you this, but I�ve got them right under my paw!
Last updated by Judi on17 July 2004-07-18