Archer, Arlo, Mango, Ash + Adam
How did Archer, Arlo and Mango come into your world?
Archer we have had since he was 10 weeks old. I still remember the day we picked him up from the airport. He was our little baby and still is today at nearly 9 years old.
Arlo we adopted 5 years ago, as a 4 year old ex racer. We knew we wanted a second dog and originally planned on another border collie, but after learning about the greyhound racing industry we knew we had to rescue one of those speedy noodles.
Our little lady Mango we’ve had for nearly a year. She is so funny, hopping after and chasing us and the boys around the house. We often joke that we thought we were getting a second dog when we got Arlo, but we actually got a cat and that Mango is more of a dog than he is. She is such a little devil, getting into everything, stealing the boys toys and food from underneath them.
They are such tolerant dogs though, who learned pretty quickly that she was part of our family and we take care of her... no matter how many times she tries to preen their tails while they sleep!
How would you describe their personalities?
Archer is your typical cheerleader, he has big Miss Australia beach babe energy.
Arlo on the other hand is the quiet, tall and dorky model type. It's always the Archer show. He's the party boy who stays up late with the gang, while Arlo prefers a lovely hello-how-are-you pat and then would love it if you left him alone.
We joke that even though Adam and I love each other deeply, Archer is my soul mate and Arlo is Adams soul mate.
Mango is like a tiny little chihuahua thing- she has to be with you all the time, eating what you're eating, playing with whatever you're playing with. Rainbow lorikeets have such sassy energy and she is definitely the boss of the house now.
If they could tell us all something about you, what would they say?
Archer: Mummy lets me get away with anything because I'm her baby bear. Daddy gives the best heads rubs.
Arlo: Mummy is so loud and annoying like Archer. Daddy is quiet and calm and gets me.
Mango: Mummy lets me get away with anything because I'm her little birb. Daddy gives the best head rubs.
What do they love to do the most?
Archer loves when we are outside gardening all day and he gets to be wild. He will dig himself a cool hole to sit in under the tree, eat the passion-fruit that has fallen off the vine and chase the balls we throw for him until the stars come out.
Arlo on the other hand hates those days. Why would I be outside when I can be inside on my beds? Arlo loves a walk once we are all awake and then spending the rest of the day on one of his beds or the couch, with us all in the lounge watching a movie together. Anything outside with people is Archers best day, while anything inside without people is Arlos best day.
Mango loves riding around on our shoulders while we go about the house and then sitting in the bushes with us outside while we garden. She also loves sitting on the window ledge with us while we shower. Anything we do, she wants to do too.
What's everyday life like with your pets by your side?
Never boring. They are always with us, always making us laugh, always giving us love and comfort. They are our buddies and our favourite thing is spending time with them, going to sleep with them in the bedroom at night and then waking up with them in the morning (usually with cuddles on the bed together).
How has having your pets changed your life?
Having little creatures around you that rely on you and trust you to keep them safe is such a special thing. That relationship you form with them as they come to know you and you know them is just so incredible.
Having had Archer from a pup he has been with us through so much. He has been there through the job changes that have taken us far from home, friendship changes, the house moves and the other ups and downs that come with life. He knows us so well, and is so clever that he can tell when we are sad or upset. If he can see us crying or sense a change in the energy he will jump up onto our chests and lick our tears away. I never knew when we got him as a puppy how intuitive he would end up becoming and how deep the relationship we would form.
The bond we have formed with Arlo is just as special. Watching him come out of his shell and trust us after spending years in the racing industry was so beautiful. When we first brought him home he was so timid, so unsure of everything around him. We still remember the first time he jumped up on the couch and rest his head on Adam. He lay there receiving pats and we could see he finally felt comfortable with us. Once he knew he was safe his true personality started to shine and we quickly realised what a cheeky boy we had on our hands. We always thought we could never love another dog the way we loved Archer, but then we got Arlo and we knew we had so much more love to give. It was like I had my little buddy and Adam had his little buddy. Archer and I are loud and busy, while Adam and Arlo are more reserved and relaxed.
We each have our own heart dog.
Having Mango has been a fun learning journey. She is such a silly little thing, with such a big personality. I feel like people look at birds and think they're just birds but having Mango has shown us just how unique they can be and how strong a bond they can form with the people around them. We know her different calls for when she is chirping for us to come get her, chirping because she is hungry and chirping because she is excited. She is always on our shoulders or hopping around on us while we sit on the couch. She is the biggest clown and we are so glad we found her and could take care of her. She has added a whole new level of fun to our family.
