Ralph was a tiny puppy who grew to live a luxurious long life of mateship, camping and being snuck into hotels inside suitcases so he didn’t have to miss a moment with the family who rescued him from the pound at eight weeks old.
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Jakara Doyle, Grant Kirby and their son, Riley (22), fell in love with the terrier cross Maltese, who had been surrendered to the Greater Shepparton Animal Shelter along with his mum and litter mates in 2009.
The family, who welcomed a daughter, Nevaeh (12), since then, sadly had to say goodbye to their little barking protector of 15 years this year.
“His job was to look after his people and he took his job seriously. He was loyal and devoted to his people,” Jakara said.
“He definitely thought he was a great Dane although he only weighed 10kg.”
Ralph’s love and loyalty were reserved for his family.
He was never too fond of strangers, particularly when Nevaeh was younger, refusing to let any strangers between them.
“Even as a puppy, his nickname was ‘Old Man Ralph’, because he was like a grumpy old man,” Jakara said.
Despite his distaste for other beings, Ralph had a lust for life and adventure.
“He loved to hang out the window while driving everywhere with Grant,” Jakara said.
“Ralph came on adventures with us his whole life. Camping was a favourite family pastime .
“We even snuck him into a few hotels by putting him in the suitcase.”
On one winter camping trip with Grant at Stringy Bark Creek, the pair slept in a swag.
Come morning, when the swag was covered in a layer of ice, the precious pooch refused to get out of bed until it had thawed.
On another whole family camping trip, everyone got out of the car for a look around, forgetting to do a headcount when they piled back in.
They had driven half a kilometre when they noticed Ralph’s absence and swiftly turned the vehicle around to retrieve him, where they were met by their four-legged bestie bounding up the road towards them.
Perhaps that’s why he developed a mudflap-biting ritual every time he jumped out of the car upon returning home from any car ride.
“He would run halfway down the driveway and then come running back to the car and bite on the mudflaps before running off down the driveway again, woofing the whole time,” Jakara said.
The pup struck gold with his adoptive parents, getting to sleep in their bed every night of his blessed life.
“He may not have been a lap dog, but he was definitely a nap dog,” Jakara said.
“He came to nap with me every time I napped.”
As a mischievous puppy, Ralph had found joy in excavating the family’s backyard with his paws, as many puppies do.
Another of his most-loved outdoor activities was to lay on the grass soaking up — or absorbing — the sun, a pastime the family nicknamed ‘zorbing’.
Ralph shared his furchildhood with three cats, whom Jakara says he “tolerated”.
The animals shared a food bowl because Ralph decided he liked cat food more than dry dog food.
“Ralph knew when it was his dinner time and if we didn’t comply quickly enough he would start to hassle the cats until he got his own way,” Jakara said.
Despite Ralph’s pestering, the family’s eldest cat, Fatcat, took pity on him as his ability deteriorated with age.
“Fatcat became known as his seeing eye cat as he lost much of his sight in old age,” Jakara said.
“They would go walking down the driveway together and Fatcat always kept an eye on him.”
Tired out from a full and long life, Ralph was called home this year.
Jakara said a Numurkah vet had come to the family’s home to send Ralph on his journey over the rainbow bridge with dignity.
“I’d like to mention the excellent service of the staff at Numurkah Vets,” she said.
The family have decided to build a memorial garden in Ralph’s honour at their Katandra West home.
They have laid him to rest at the front of the property, “so he can guard his family for all of eternity”.
Senior journalist