CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
The Klein family from Betoota Downs say they are beginning to think their 19-year-old pet cattle dog ‘Pumpjack’ is having them on.
Obviously being so long in the tooth now means that Pumpjack bumps into hallway walls and rarely answers to his name.
His ability to smell also seems to have faded, given his lack of interest in the territorial scents that permeate from the local trees and signposts.
His once razor sharp instinct to protect the family home has also now waned to the point that the Klein household would be an easy target for cat burglars.
But for whatever reason, he still knows when dad is sharpening the carving knives.
As is universally accepted by all family dogs, the ceremonial act of sharpening the blade before cutting up a cold roast or leg of ham means that it’s time for a spontanous feed.
Pumpjack has expected this since his first boxing day in 2005.
And while he’s starting to slow down in every other aspect of life, it can still be guaranteed that he knows when this is happening.
Whether this is happening at 6am in the morning while making lunch for the day, or late in the evening. Whether it is happening on the other side of the house, or on the deck. Pumpjack is there. And expecting some offcuts to be thrown directly into his mouth.
The family has two theories about this. Either he’s just grown lazy in age, or he has a 6th sense that guides him to the scraping sounds of a narrow blade running across diamond-coated steel.
“He’s taking the piss” says dad, as he begins working his way around the bone of some champagne ham.
“He knows exactly what’s going on. He just too old to give shit about anything but gorging himself with high quality red meat”
“I get it. I’m a bit the same, old boy.”
