To All The Dogs I’ve Loved Before: Miley

I experienced a couple of firsts this year. The biggest one was David and I retiring from our jobs as air traffic controllers! And in February, I was bitten by a dog for the very first time. We were staying in an Airbnb in Adelaide, and the owners had a pretty excitable Kelpie in their backyard. One morning, as we were heading out to lunch, Maggie started barking as we walked past. Having met her with her owner present the day before, I thought it would be a good idea to extend my hand so she could smell me and remember that I was a familiar face. Unfortunately, my hand wasn’t just unfamiliar to Maggie — it also got in the way of her powerful jaw, and she chomped down on my hand mid-bark, her teeth penetrating my skin quite deeply in a couple of places.

I was shocked. My heart started pounding, and adrenaline flooded my system. I gasped for air, as though I’d been winded. It was the tiniest of bites, and I’m not even sure she did it on purpose, but I felt shaky, teary and scared. I hurried back to our lodging to put a Band-Aid on the wound and, running late for lunch, we briskly walked to the restaurant as I held my hand protectively close to my body. I felt terrible. Had I provoked the dog? Was it my fault? Did I need to see a doctor? Yes, I definitely needed to go to the doctor, and it turned out that I also needed a tetanus shot.

The next time I saw Maggie, I was nervous as hell and stayed far away from her. In fact, I was a bit anxious around dogs for the next few weeks. Which made me really sad because I love them so much! Over the following months, I made a concerted effort to confront the fear that had crept into me. I didn’t shy away from meeting dogs. I petted and played with them when they approached. Slowly, I began to feel less fearful whenever I saw a dog. Or, rather, I was still a little fearful, but I refused to let it stop me from being friendly. I’m sure they could all sense my trepidation, but they were all very kind and lovely and I didn’t experience any more incidents.

I’ve always loved dogs. I grew up with them and always dreamed of having one of my own. But because of work and our commitment to fulfilling an insatiable wanderlust, David and I couldn’t have a puppy while we lived in Dubai. Every now and then, we’d take a dog out from the rescue shelter for a day trip, which was fun for us (and hopefully for them). I even tried to convince David to foster a dog for a few days at a time, but he sensibly pointed out that it wouldn’t be fair with our gruelling work schedule.

Now that we’ve finished working, we still travel too much to be responsible pet owners. We’re not planning on settling in one place for more than a few months at a time, and it doesn’t feel right to bring a new little creature into our world when everything is so chaotic. Recently, I was talking to a friend about this, along with the fact that we need to be a bit more mindful of our finances now that we’re no longer earning an income. Splurging on fancy house rentals while we’re gallivanting around the world just doesn’t make sense anymore. That’s when my friend told me about the amazing world of pet sitting. I’d heard of pet and house sitting before, but I had no idea there were websites where you could register to find pet-sitting jobs. It’s just like Airbnb, but so much better — free accommodation, and as an added bonus, we get to spend time with some beautiful dogs!

So, when we were planning our trip to Australia a couple of months ago, I went online to find pet-sitting opportunities in Melbourne and Adelaide. I applied to a couple of listings but wasn’t successful, perhaps because we didn’t have a history on any of the major sites. But I do have a pretty stellar five-star review on Airbnb, so I added that to our profile, and we got the next job we applied for. The listing read:

“Hello, our family is travelling to Queensland over Christmas and will be leaving behind our lovely seven-year-old Staffy, Miley. She’s really easy-going and extremely people-friendly, needing little more than walks, food, and water. She’s well-socialised with other dogs, doesn’t have independence issues, and can let herself in and out of the house with the dog door. She’s also great with kids. Our place is a short walk to shops, restaurants, bars, and other amenities.”

I do love all dogs, but I’ll admit I like some breeds more than others. I’ve never been a huge fan of sausage dogs, Corgis, Bull Terriers or Staffordshires. Dachshunds and Corgis are just silly (come on, seriously, they’re ridiculous), and Bull Terriers and Staffies seem aggressive. Right? When I was growing up, I remember hearing horrifying news stories about people, including children, being mauled by these dogs, which made me nervous around them. Later on, my youngest sister, Pieta, owned a beautiful Staffy named Subby, and I realised that aggression isn’t inherent in these dogs, it’s trained into them. In fact, the two dogs we owned as kids were a Rhodesian Ridgeback and a purebred Doberman, both known for being vicious guard dogs. But Duchess and Jessica were the gentlest, most loving dogs you could ever meet. Yes, you could train them to be aggressive, but if you raise them in a loving household, they become the sweetest pets.

So, despite my reservations about pet-sitting for a Staffy cross, we applied to look after Miley, and we got the job. I’m so incredibly grateful that we did because Miley turned out to be an extraordinary dog. The gentlest, most loving, easy-going, sweetest, most cuddly snuggle-bug I’ve ever met. I liked her from the start, but after eight days looking after her, I absolutely fell in love. I’m not joking when I say I had recurring fantasies of running away with Miley and living a beautiful life together somewhere in the countryside. When I wasn’t daydreaming about that, I was trying to figure out how to tactfully tell her owners that, as much as they might love Miley they could never love her as much as we do, and would they consider letting us keep her! What was even more beautiful than my love affair with this gorgeous creature was watching David with her. There’s something so special about seeing your partner be so affectionate and caring towards an animal.

Staffordshire Bull Terriers are medium-sized dogs with big, muscular bodies, short, shiny coats (that shed hair everywhere!), and hearts that brim with love. Originally bred in 19th-century England for bull-baiting and dogfighting, they’ve been unfairly stereotyped as aggressive. In reality, they’ve evolved into affectionate, playful family dogs who are gentle with kids. When we were first introduced to Miley, the owner’s toddler walked up to her and slapped her quite hard (grrr!), and Miley just patiently blinked her eyes and took it.

Sadly, Staffies still battle an undeserved reputation for aggression due to their history. The truth is, they’re some of the sweetest, most loyal dogs around. They love their people fiercely and thrive as part of a family. Like any dog, their temperament is shaped by how they’re raised. Poor training or neglect can lead to behavioural issues, but aggression isn’t innate in the breed. While I still may not see Staffies as my ideal dog breed, Miley is my ideal dog, and she’s changed how I view the breed.

Owning a Staffy cross can be full of joys and the occasional challenge. They’re clever, high-energy, and eager to please, making them great companions for active people. Their loyalty and playful nature bring constant joy to a home. However, their strength and enthusiasm require consistent training, early socialisation, and a solid exercise routine. Neglect those, and they might channel all that energy into tearing up your couch cushions. We were told Miley didn’t need much walking and enjoyed spending most of her time lounging or sleeping. What we found, though, was that she absolutely loved walks, running around the dog park, and exploring the neighbourhood. Miley’s been in the family for about five years, but I suspect when Hugo, the toddler, was born, Miley no longer had centre stage and had to play second fiddle to the kid. It was our absolute pleasure to shower her with kisses, walks, treats, and nonstop cuddles and belly rubs. We made her the centre of our attention, and she became the apple of our eyes.

For Christmas, David and I had plans to go to my sister’s place, and even though the owners said Miley was fine alone for a few hours, I didn’t feel right about leaving her behind. I asked if she’d be welcome at my sister’s, and she was. The owner gave his blessing, and we discovered Pet Uber, a wonderful service that lets you ride with a dog-friendly driver for just a few extra bucks! We were able to spend more time with my family, drink wine without worrying about driving, and Miley got tons of extra cuddles at the BBQ. Everyone was happy.

I feel incredibly lucky that our first official pet-sitting experience was such a positive one. I knew looking after Miley would be temporary, but I didn’t realise how bittersweet it would be to grow so close to her so quickly, and to become so attached. Her owners have asked us to sit for them again next year, and I would absolutely love to do that. I doubt I’ll ever love another dog the way I love her. (Also, I still secretly harbour hope we can one day adopt her and keep her for ourselves.) Saying goodbye to her was excruciating. I can still smell her on my clothes and feel her soft ears on my lips as I smothered her in kisses. I miss her sitting on the bed, watching me with those big brown eyes while I shower. And it still feels like she’s just in the other room, smiling and waiting for me to bring her a treat. I will never forget her.