Tommy

remember when Tommy first arrived at our house in spring of 2016, he was a tiny bundle of fluff, and he was so adorable that everyone said he looked just like a teddy bear. He was so small he managed to leave his playpen by squeezing himself under the sofa and escaping into the living room – his first taste of adventure! He became attached to us all immediately, and very quickly learnt that he was an important and loved member of the family. The first day we got him home, I had left the house and come back barely 10 minutes later, and Tommy was already jumping up and down and wagging his tail – he knew we were his family already.

As a puppy, Tommy was very adventurous and full of energy. I remember the day he discovered water – instead of drinking from his water bowl, he decided to stamp both his front paws in it, splashing all over the room. Another day, we returned home to find toilet roll strewn all over the floor – hmm, who could the culprit be? Tommy definitely had a mischievous side, and it was best to keep your shoes hidden from him if you wanted to keep them safe! At first, Tommy wasn’t supposed to go up on the sofas or the bed, but this rule was overturned pretty much immediately –In fact, he soon had his own special place on the sofa! He was very agile and almost cat like in some ways – he would sit up high upon the top of the sofa - a perfect spot for being able to see both the front door and the garden. This remained his favourite spot for his whole life, despite out growing it and eventually completely squashing the sofa cushion!

Tommy absolutely adored going for walks in the countryside. His favourite places were Headley Heath and Norbury Park. He had an independent side to him, and would like to explore and take his own routes, before suddenly appearing again. His main aim in life, aside from fiercely guarding the house, was to catch a bird or a rabbit or a fox – he never managed this, or even came close, but this didn’t dampen his enthusiasm for trying! He also loved going on walks to the river, and he became a very good swimmer (despite his fear of swans!). He was also brilliant at football, and catching the tennis ball before it had bounced was his special trick.

Tommy did have a knack for getting in to trouble – he had to be rescued dramatically from the river once, and another time had to be rescued from a fox trap cage once, after venturing into the wrong neighbour’s garden during one of his outings. He had a love of exploring, and would slip out of the house to explore the neighbourhood – he always came back soon enough though! He did love relaxing at home too though, and could be very cuddly and affectionate. He loved tummy tickles and having his head scratched, and would often jump on the bed in the middle of the night to be closer to us. He could also always be counted on to give the best greetings at the front door when you arrived home. He also had a toy penguin which he was inseparable from, and liked to cuddle up to in the evening – so cute!

Tommy had a fantastic life, and brought so much joy and happiness into our house and our lives. He was deeply loved by his family and he was such a character with a bigheart. He was also incredibly loyal and protective of us all. When Tommy passed away, it felt so shocking incredibly sad, and like we had been robbed of enjoying more years with him. He truly was a member of our family. However, we are so glad that he went quickly and he didn’t suffer. His whole life he was fit and healthy, and enjoyed a really high quality of life up until the end. Tommy, we will miss you so,so much. Thank you for the 10 wonderful years, and being the best doggy we could ever ask for!