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Meet Tessa a seventeen year old border collie bitch, who adopted me when I visited the SSPCA rescue centre at Reay, Caithness.
Typical of this breed of dog, she was a loyal and faithful companion and who amazed/amused me with her intelligence and learning capacity.
Tessa was a creature of habit and her inbuilt clock determined feed, exercise, play, rest and bedtimes. Though she was not a voluble dog
she had her own inimitable way of advising me of her requirements. The only time Tessa barked was when continually ignored at official playtimes.
Tessa was introduced to agility at the age of five and took great pleasure in her weekly training sessions, she retired from this activity at nine years old, though she did miss the
doggy socialising.
Tessa an elderly lady, (in doggy years) always refused to accept the limitations of age and insisted on at least two walks a day and as much play as I could tolerate.
Tessa had some new companions in her later years, Carol my wife, Katie the cat and Trouble another border collie. The addition of "Trouble" to the family re-vitalised Tessa in her old age and he generally defered to the old lady, letting her go first through doorways and waiting for her to get the ball on alternate throws (though if she was too slow off the mark, impatience finally got the better of "Trouble" and he retrieved the ball and dropped it in front of her).
Tessa passed away in early January 2009 and is buried on the cliffs overlooking the Pentland Firth where she had spent many happy hours sniffling for rabbits, her grave is marked with a simple slab of Caithness slate and as I look at her resting place I remember her companionship and vitality for life.
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| Tessa in backyard | Tessa in Greengeo field | Tessa at Haymaking |
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| Tessa on Greengeo cliffs | ||
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| Tessa and Carol | Tessa and Trouble | Tessa and Katie |
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