Alex Stone finds Waihekeans who have a special relationship with their dogs.

When suddenly earlier this year our beloved dog Daf died, leaving her sister alone and us disconsolate, I realised how much she meant to us. It got me to thinking about those people on the island who have a special relationship with their dogs, those people for whom the dog is more than just a pet. 

Taking up ownership of a dog comes with a certain set of responsibilities, but the returns by far outweigh them. Well treated, a dog provides unconditional loyalty and the promise of a companion who will always be there. There’s also that saying that “the best therapist has fur and four legs”. I set out to find people on Waiheke for whom their relationship with their dog is at a level above mere petship. I found dogs who serve a greater purpose in their relationship with their owners. They are people for whom – as wildlife photographer Roger Caras once said – “Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole”.

Full story in this weeks Gulf News… Out Now!!!

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