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Eccles Watkins

24/01/1998 – 21/06/2011

Eccles was a large male Golden Retriever, he was my soul mate, my best friend. Eccles loved to help me in the garden, he would drag heavy branches out for me. Out on our walks he carried my umbrella, hat, jacket or newspaper. He liked to carry dirty laundry into the washing machine. The first six years of his life we lived in Glen Forrest, we used to walk the Heritage Trail. Some properties backed onto the trail and one day out walking off the lead he went into the garden through the open gate, past the large blue heeler that lived there, up the back steps and into the house through the dog flap. He emerged carrying a pair of pyjama pants. The lady of the house was most amused and the blue heeler was most impressed. We moved to Bunbury because Eccles loved swimming, he was a powerful swimmer. One day whilst walking along the dog beach Eccles picked up someone’s beach towel and went trotting off heading for home. The lady was very amused.

Eccles loved life, everyday was a new adventure. He could talk (woo, woo) identify articles by name and I trained him to come to the whistle, he was also a great guard dog. He had quite a fan club, everybody we met on our walks loved him. Toddlers and babies in strollers love to pat him, and as one was approaching us I would say “BABY” and he would sit so they could stroke him. Many people shed tears when he died. He never responded to aggression by other dogs, he kept on walking as if “What’s your problem”. I miss him immensely but one day we will meet again and together we will walk over the Rainbow Bridge. A friend sent me the attached poem and I found it very comforting as I hope you will. I dedicate “The Rainbow Bridge” to my beloved dog Eccles.

Barbara Watkins.