Inverness (Nessie)

Nine months after Nisea passed away in April 2007, we decided we were ready to welcome a new Scottie into our family and started looking for breeders in New Zealand. We quickly realised how scarce they were in this country. We had contacted Judy Sargent from Juscot kennels and asked to be on the waiting list. The good news came through a phone call from Judy in August 2008: we were to have a female puppy who we decided to name Inverness. Inverness was a bit wild so was quickly nicknamed "little Loch Ness monster" and from there Nessie.

6 months later our son was born. Those were interesting times with a newborn baby and a puppy Scottie. They both grew up amazingly well together, our toddler always respectful to Nessie and Nessie showing the patience of a Saint with him.

Nessie was aging well over the years. She loved her food so when one Sunday morning in July 2019 she refused her breakfast, we were wondering what was wrong. She refused it in the evening too so we took her to the vets on Monday and within a day were given the dreadful diagnosis of liver cancer. We said goodbye to our beloved companion two days later.

"Nessie was our happy-going-along girl, growing up alongside our son. She was inquisitive, playful with other dogs and LOVED her food. I can remember a time when she would not have been next to me in the kitchen when preparing food. As she grew older, she became a papa-girl, preferring Paul's calmer nature." - Christine

NESSIE PUPPY (2008)

TERRIER INSTINCT

Nessie loved digging throughout her life. Our vegetable patch never really had a chance to grow.

Her other favourite sport was to spot possums or the neighbourhood cats and give them a good tell off with loud barks. Frequent visiting hedgehogs were a prickly curiosity.

Later on we had chickens who were surprisingly safe with her (as long as I gave a treat to EVERY one, so dog-treat for Nessie and a handful of grains for the chooks).

NESSIE THE SOUS-CHEF

I was never alone preparing dinner; my faithful sous-chef was always close by to make sure that things were done right and dropped food was picked up promptly.

Nessie was obsessed with food and there was nothing better than having a toddler in the house, praying the god of dogs that the little one would be clumsy and drop something. A challenge for the adults too because not every food fed to a child is ok for a dog!

THE BIG OUTDOORS

Nessie was very active when she was younger. From running around in the backyard chasing off birds, to saying hi to other dogs during our walks, to nice walks on the beach trying to catch seagulls. She is the only Scottie we had who wasn't afraid of going into the sea.

FIRST DOG SHOW EVER

Our son's school had organised a dog show as part of school-day and our boy was proud to show Nessie. Little did we know then that some eight years later we were going to do this for real.

AGING

As time went by, our Nessie grew older, greyer and plumper. By then she also preferred a much quieter life

A NEW ARRIVAL

With a more sedentary life, we thought that Nessie would like a companion, so we called Judy Sargent again and in April 2018 we were delighted to get a puppy we called Skye.

Nessie was initially not impressed at all by that new "thing" but very quickly she let Skye sleep with her on the same bed and they soon became good friends, enjoying keeping an eye on the property and making sure the world was as it should be (according to them).

LONG MAY YOU LIVE IN OUR HEARTS

By 2019 Nessie was obviously getting older but this never stopped her doing her favourite activities, although at a slower pace. Then, one Sunday morning in July, she didn't want her breakfast. This was very unusual, she loved her food, so we kept and eye on her; she was less interested in things and in the evening didn't want her food either, so we decided to take her to the vets for a check-up the following morning.

The devastating news came on Tuesday: liver cancer and it had spread. We had the options to try surgery and treatments or to let her go. Nessie had lived a happy life and taking her through extensive medical treatments to gain a few more months much less pleasant, we just didn't want this for her, so it is with a very sad heart that we let her go to doggy-heaven and join Nisea on 24 July 2019. Rest in peace, my girl.

Albannach