At 8 years old, Cayde was a farm rescue. His home farm was sold, and his owner swiftly dropped him to an adoption shelter, no longer having a need for him. Upon arrival at the shelter, Cayde was covered in grass spurs embedded in his skin, and required a multitude of vet trips to have them removed. He was in such a state that he could barely walk, some thorns had lodged in his throat making it painful for him to bark and breathe.
When Bec + Tim came to adopt him, they were told another family had already enquired, but decided against it because of the amount of work that would be required to ensure that Cayde made a full recovery.

Thank heavens for Bec + Tim! Bec is a vet nurse and Tim holds a degree in animal behaviour, together they were perfect.
Since finding his forever home, Cayde has now made a full recovery.

Photos courtesy of Cayde’s humans @adventureswithcayde

Tim booked in a session with me as a surprise birthday gift for Bec, although the secret didn’t last long!
The timing of our session worked out so well, that when we got together in Belair National Park it was their one year “gotcha” anniversary with Cayde. Happy anniversary!!
Cayde’s humans kindly answered some questions for me so that I can share their one-of-a-kind story here with you.

How would you describe Cayde's personality?
Cayde’s personality has become very snooty. Now that he has had a taste of the good life, he expects all the finer things all the time.
"Oh, you’re opening the fridge? There better be a carrot (his favourite vegetable) on the other side of that door for me".
"Oh, you're turning on the kettle? That's very close to the treat jar, better have one ready or I’m gonna give you 'the look’!".
He’s a very smart but very cheeky boy, who knows exactly what ‘Cayde, come here!’ means, but whether or not he chooses to respond is complete up to him and his mood. He might back to you but if he does it will be at his own pace.

If Cayde could tell us something about you, what would he say?
Cayde would say we’re the best. We’re always there for him when he needs a cuddle, and we know what he wants and give it to him within reason. He would also say 'they don’t give me enough dentastix. One a day is NOT ENOUGH!’

What’s everyday life like with Cayde by your side?
Everyday life with Cayde is pretty routine, because if it's not he throws a hissy fit. Anything new and exciting is met with apprehension, and unless he is convinced by it, he’ll crack the shits and demand to go home at once and have things return to normal. Sometimes we listen, and sometimes we try to get him to broaden his horizon, like going to the beach, or making new dog friends. We have however given up trying to get him excited about playing fetch.

What does Cayde love to do the most?
Cayde loves to explore - preferably off lead (if safe, and okay), as he was a farm dog and is used to having large open spaces to explore. We try to take him to places we think he’ll enjoy, like Belair, or walking trails in the hills. He is also just as happy to walk to his favourite park around the corner and plod about, sniffing all the places, wizzing on this and that, ignoring the other dogs and people, just doing his own thing. It’s sometimes hard to know whether he likes getting out and about more than he loves simply sleeping on the couch between us.
Fun fact: when on the couch he has to make sure that a part of him touching the both of us. His butt against one of us and a paw resting on the other. Very adorable.

How has having Cayde changed your life?
Cayde has definitely changed our life for the better. We love the constant love and affection he gives, and his cheekiness keeps us on our toes. He’s not perfectly behaved, he has his quirks and dislikes, but that just makes him even more special to us. He’s taught us how to be more patient and understanding, and he has a special place in our hearts where he will always stay.

Thank you Cayde, Bec + Tim for welcoming me into your world and sharing your story. Cayde is such a special boy, and he definitely earned his Dentasix that day!

x Dani.