Meet Frankie

The Dappling Devil

Frankie joined our family in 2022 and quickly earned himself the nickname “the Dappling Devil”. Wherever those little legs take him, mischief tends to follow. Fortunately, he also has a gentler side that makes him almost impossible to stay angry with.

If there is mischief or mayhem nearby, this sinful cylinder will find it. Frankie is confident, cocky and convinced that every piece of furniture exists for his personal entertainment. One minute he is dismantling the house; the next, he is affectionately licking your leg or curling up beside you as though nothing happened.

The backyard is his excavation site

His backyard tunnelling exploits have caused chaos on countless occasions. Digging, burrowing and following the scent of any creature he can detect are Frankie's favourite pastimes.

This is despite us generously satisfying his voracious appetite twice a day with breakfast and dinner. You might think that would be enough. Frankie disagrees.

Rats, bush turkeys, cane toads—anything moving in the backyard can attract the attention of our sneaky sausage. His confidence is considerably better developed than his judgement.

Then there was the dead bush turkey in our backyard. There I was, bagging up a body and putting it in the bin, wondering how I had gone from dog owner to unpaid crime-scene cleaner. “Are we living with a murderer?” I asked myself. We wanted a sausage dog. Nobody mentioned the possibility of a tiny serial killer.

I'm not saying Frankie did it. I'm saying that “loves cuddles” is not an alibi.

A serious note among the mischief: cane toads are dangerous to dogs. If your dog has mouthed one, our cane toad emergency guide explains the immediate steps and when to seek veterinary help.

On hot summer days, Frankie launches himself into the pool with the kids like a hairy little water bomb. There is splashing. There is swimming. There is a completely unnecessary amount of barking. Apparently, being in the pool isn't enough—he also has to provide the commentary.

The kids wanted a swim. They got a pool party hosted by a sausage with no volume control.

Privacy? Frankie hasn't heard of it

Frankie has absolutely no regard for anyone's privacy. He has worked out how to open doors, let himself in and jump onto the bed with you. The kids' bedrooms are fair game too, especially if he thinks there might be something to eat.

Frankie has also appointed himself head of seasonal catering. At Easter, he ate a chocolate bunny. Before Christmas, he gobbled down our daughter's entire Lindt chocolate advent calendar. Most people count down to Christmas. Frankie ate the countdown.

Both incidents were frightening and meant a drive straight to the animal emergency hospital for treatment to empty his stomach. Chocolate is dangerous for dogs, and these were very much emergency-vet moments.

Did he learn his lesson? Not remotely. We came home with frayed nerves. Frankie came home with the same enthusiasm for anything he shouldn't eat. The only thing he appears to object to is the refund policy on chocolate.

That innocent face

Frankie's chocolate-dapple markings and partly blue eye make him easy to recognise. But it is his talent for looking completely innocent that gets us, however much chaos has just occurred.

For all the troublemaking, he is affectionate and loves being close. The same dog who has been busy dismantling something will happily curl up beside you. He seems to see no contradiction in this.

Frankie may be a menace, but with his affectionate nature and comic confidence, he is a menace our family cannot help but love.

Why there's a website with Frankie in it

Living with Frankie gives us plenty of questions. What will keep him occupied? Is there a toy that will last more than a few hours? And what do you do when a curious little dog gets interested in something he really shouldn't?

Those everyday questions are what we explore on Good Dog Questions. This page is Frankie's little corner of it: the mischief, the quieter moments and the stories we want to remember.

If you live with a dog who causes trouble and then curls up beside you, you will probably recognise a bit of your own household here.

With love from Frankie's family.