After Bertie died we were a one-dog house for a short time, then took onboard two visitors. They were with us while their owners travelled extensively, something like four months. And then after that we minded another dog, on-and-off, and then another one.

So our kelpie Fry hasn't really been an only dog for much of the last 6 months. He'd be fine being an only dog. He's loyal, and likes to accompany me whatever I'm doing. Mostly. If I start a power-tool he slinks off back home and I'll find him waiting for me, apologetically, at the back door. He longs for the occasional days when we round up the sheep, and he is able to directly help.

He knows what "Finished!" means, but he wants so much to keep on telling the sheep what to do that usually I have to grab his collar and steer him back to the buggy, and tie him up. Otherwise he tends to burst back on the scene just as I've tipped a large ewe and am trying to trim her hooves. Fry suddenly sticks his face up close through the fence and re-invigorates the sheep. Think a 60kg energizer bunny with the power abruptly turned back on. I take a kicking, Fry gets his feeling hurt by my bad language, and the sheep is far less co-operative than the grudging acquiescence I got first time. So, better if he's tied up 10 metres away.

But still, there's downtime when it’s a bit boring for him, and another dog would be a good thing. And I missed Bertie a lot. Fry is reliable, steadfast and solid, but the extraordinary randomness and madcap adventure that Bertie brought to the day is something I have missed.

I looked at the dog rehoming services. There's a whole industry based on intermediaries offering a dog rehoming service. It’s a culture shock, complete with its own language and ideals. (I won't go on about it, I'll just say: "Furever home"). Some of it looks really dodgy: pseudo-charities where the paid employees are family members, and volunteers do the actual work. And extraordinary costs….In Victoria, $1200-$1500 is not uncommon as an asking fee for a popular dog breed, or puppies. Unpopular dogs are cheaper. In Tasmania the same types of dogs are $200-$300. Clearly a market-driven price model.

But even the big recognized charity organisations are out-of-whack with what you might expect. One household name gets plenty of publicity about being deluged in abandoned pets post COVID-lockdowns. But if you check their website, there are zero dogs available in the nearest city to me. None. In Melbourne they only offer the sort of fighting dogs that shouldn't be released back into the community.

But ignore all of that and try and apply to receive a dog. You need to supply enough personal information to allow identity theft, answer an intrusive, detailed 10 page questionnaire and supply photos of your property. And agree to let someone onto the property to inspect it. As we own a dog already we were expected to attend more than one interview accompanied by our current dog. But no guarantees the dog would still be there when we arrived for the arranged interview….and so on.

I did go through a couple of applications and got nowhere. None of the agencies I dealt with ever came back again at a later date, so clearly I would have to freshly re-apply every time I saw a dog they had available.

As many people do, I gave up looking at these services. I said to my wife, "I think one day someone will just ask us to take on a dog."

And that's what happened.

Two weeks ago we heard about Kobbie. He's a Jack Russell, from a litter or so ahead of Bertie, so same parents. His family had moved house, to a new property with no fencing, they were busy, and they thought it was only a matter of time before something bad happened to him. We swapped notes, and they were pleased to pass him on to a family that loved Jack Russells and could offer him a good life. He was five hours drive from where we live, so getting him here was an adventure, but here he is!

Initially he was pretty shellshocked at the abrupt change, and I think it will be quite awhile before we see his full personality, but he is a lovely dog. He was a bit agitated and anxious the first couple of days, but we have stuck to a routine and he knows what's going on and his role. Fry and he had a few issues to sort out, but they seem to be getting on pretty well now. This evening the two of them were busy together, and came in together.

He's not used to vehicles, but he hates being left behind. He likes to sit on my lap, but I am not allowed to hug him….except when we are driving in the buggy. He can't be trusted with sheep, and he's tied in when we visit the geese. He is gobsmacked at the cows, astonished at the river. We've had a few hot days and gone swimming, but he hasn’t yet, but he paddles in the shallow water examining white rocks. He has no idea about rats or hunting, and Fry isn't a great teacher!

He was very skinny when he arrived, but he's already put on weight and looks good.

I am thrilled to have him here.