A dog called Cookie
by Wendy P, Mentone
“Hey Arch, want me to get you a dog?”
“Not yet Wend, not yet. Got to sort a few things first.”
For about two years, some time after my uncle lost his last dog we had had this conversation every few months. Me asking, Archie saying not yet.
After the auction of Archie’s house in Burwood, my husband Chris joked to Arch. “Hey Arch, we need to get you a dog now!”. “Yep, yep!” was the reply!
Chris felt bad. All those times I had asked Arch, and now that he had said yes I missed it. “Wendy! Wendy! Arch said yes!” Chris excitedly shared with me!
So then came the mission. One I gladly accepted.
The brief was short — a border collie, of course, to match the Blue Commodore station wagon he always had, and a number of other items firmly associated with Archie. He also wanted a dog around a year old. Archie wasn’t keen on the puppy stage but wanted as much time as he could.
Every day I scoured the rescue sites. There were many beautiful dogs, even one I considered bringing down from Darwin. But none that quite fit. Months in, I was checking the Trading Post (back then it was quite acceptable to sell a dog this way) and a seven month old Border Collie needed to be rehomed. His owner was a young man who was moving out of home and couldn’t manage a dog too. Seven months? Archie had said no younger than a year but I thought I’d check it out anyway.
Chris and I drove down to Mornington, where this dog was living. We had a chat to the owner.
“What’s his name?” I asked.
“Well, he doesn’t really have a name” came the reply. “Well, it’s sort of Chopper, but we don’t really use that”.
Strange I thought, this dog was beautiful, and Chopper did not fit at all. He was so gentle and sweet, and had the most distinctive markings, with one side of his face white, the other black. We decided this was the dog for Archie and planned to pick him up the following week. After meeting Cookie we had lunch at Red Hill. Looking out onto the grape vines and rolling hills Chris and I wondered what his name should be. I saw a Kookaburra. Cookie, I thought. Black and white, like a choc chip cookie!
“Arch, I’ve found you a dog!”, the best phone call to make.“Right Wend, good, good. How old is he?”.
“Oh just under a year I think”.
It was a bit of a stretch but I had a good feeling about this dog.
The following week we picked Cookie up. He hopped up in the back of Chris’ Jeep. Quiet but happy to come with us. He met Benji (our Cavalier cross) and Benji approved too. We had organised to have him neutered that week, then take him up to Mansfield the following week. My cousin Nicky worked as a vet nurse at the vets that we took Cookie to. All was fine but some time later Nicky told us that Cookie actually had a bit of a turn during the operation and we nearly lost him. But a fighter from the start, he knew there was somewhere he needed to be.
We rang Archie to let him know that we would be up on the weekend.
“Good, good” said Arch. “How old did you say he was Wend?”.
“Oh about 9 or 10 months I think Arch”.
“Right” said Archie.
Bringing Cookie to Archie was something I will always remember. Cookie was shy. Archie was shy. But as we drove away leaving the two of them to get to know each other my heart was full. I can still vividly see Archie standing waving goodbye with Cookie at his side at the gate, Archie’s hand on his head.
I left Archie with the papers from the vet.
Archie looked at the details and said “Hey Wend, it says Cookie is 7 months?”
“Really?” I replied with a cheeky grin.
Cookie was all that we could have hoped for Archie. He was an absolute delight. He never misbehaved and was Archie’s mate from that day onwards. He did get a bit cranky at the next door neighbour but Cookie will tell you it was well deserved. Archie and Cookie were a set. No-one would ever say “is Archie coming?”, it would be “is Archie and Cookie coming?”. They were inseparable. I’m sure the whole town knew of Archie and his awesome dog Cookie.
Cookie loved the tennis ball and the hose equally. If we went up to Mansfield the boys would spend hours throwing the ball for Cookie. And what a treat it would be for Cookie if Arch turned on the hose! He would jump at the water with a big grin on his face! For many years Mansfield suffered from drought conditions so it really was a special treat.
A couple of years after Cookie came to live with Archie we got Mani. Mani and Cookie would spend hours playing and hanging out. Cookie even taught Mani how to bark at the possums at night — thanks Cookie! Whenever we arrived at Mansfield, Cookie would run to the back of the car, waiting to greet Mani. And if Archie was in Melbourne and came over, there was great excitement when Mani (and later Mollie) saw Cookie at the back door.
A few years back, we held a big party for Archie for his 80 th birthday. Because there were going to be so many people, it was best to leave Mani and Mollie at home.
When we arrived at Mansfield, Cookie ran to the back of the car as always. When Mani and Mollie didn’t jump out, Cookie was disgusted! He was dark on us for the whole weekend!
When we were packing up to go home, Cookie jumped in the back of the car. I’m sure he had decided that if we didn’t bring the dogs to him, well he was going to come to them! We had to drag him out!!
Over the past few months Cookie had started to get slower. He was a bit stiff and enjoyed resting near everyone but wasn’t as active as he once was. He still managed a short walk with Archie but winter in Mansfield is bitter. The cold didn’t help with his stiff joints so sometimes Archie would wait until it was a bit warmer before taking Cookie out, or just hang out at home.
On Monday night I got a message from Mum. Cookie was having real trouble standing and his back legs just couldn’t get in position to stand. Archie had taken Cookie to the vet and the vet confirmed that Cookie was in a bad way. Archie bought Cookie home with some pain relief and planned to take each hour as it came. The next day Archie, Mum and Betty stayed with Cookie, giving him cuddles, gently talking to him and trying to get him to eat and drink.
But it was time.
In true Cookie spirit he gave nobody any fuss and died later that day.
Cookie was always Archie’s dog. But he was also everybody’s dog. He gave so much and asked for so little. I can’t imagine visiting Mansfield and not seeing Cookie come up to the gate when we arrive. And there is a shadow missing next to Archie.
Thank you Cookie for your amazing generosity, your warm and loving spirit and the companionship you gave to Archie for so many years. Like Sooty, like Willy, like Daisy, you take pride of place in all our memories. Our hearts are broken but they are also full of the love you gave.
Run free beautiful Cookie, your job is done.
