Kate Withers
When Geraldine McClure first met her dog Max at a pet rescue, she wasn’t sure he would be the right fit so took him in on a three-month trial.
Three years on, the Churchill resident admits she couldn’t imagine ever handing her adorable bitser back.
Max is a three-year-old Russian wolfhound/Mastiff/Staffordshire terrier cross and has a personality as eclectic as his pedigree.
“He is incredibly social and loves all his friends – both two and four-legged,” Geraldine said.
“He just brings me so much joy. He has the stubbornness of a Mastiff, the smarts of a wolfhound and the sensitivity of a Staffy.”
Despite his obstinacy Max is also quite accomplished on the obedience circuit and is at a class three-level.
“The combination of wolfhound, Mastiff and Staffy can make him both difficult and really rewarding to train because he is so in tune to your signals,” Geraldine said.
Max also has quite the green thumb and loves nothing more than helping Geraldine in the garden with anything from weeding to pruning and construction.
He also doubles as a site foreman and supervises Geraldine during all her backyard building projects.
“I’m happiest when I’m in the backyard building and gardening, so that’s when he’s happiest – when I’m happy,” Geraldine said.
Max loves to expend energy on walks or “zoomies” around the yard.
He also has a penchant for the chickens and is especially enamoured with ducks or “water chickens”.
Weighing in at 40 kilograms, mighty Max isn’t aware of his size but insists on being a lap dog.
“Technically he sleeps on his bed but really he just sleeps on mine,” Geraldine said.
His Staffy sensitivity is often on show and he is “so caring” and intuitive.
“I was in agony with back pain once and when I finally made it out of bed and was lying down, he knew I was injured,” Geraldine said.
“I’m quite ashamed that I used to think Max came from the ugly half of the dog world. I now know that I was so wrong … he is the most adorable creature ever.”
“He gives me so much joy and love. After a long day at work there is nothing better than coming home to him.”
The Express is looking for passionate Latrobe Valley pet owners who would like to tell the story behind their pets and why they matter in their lives.
If you would like your pet to feature in a future edition of this weekly column, email news@lvexpress.com.au with ‘You and Your Pet’ in the subject line.
