Jean and Alan Harrison’s dog holds an extra special place in their hearts. After the death of their son more than a decade ago, they originally weren’t going to replace their former dog, Teddy. But after realising the importance of Teddy during the mourning period, they changed their minds and Sheba, the German shepherd, has continued to help them heal.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Can you tell us why you got Sheba?
Jean: We used to have a little dog named Teddy and when she died we said we wouldn’t get another one. But when our son (David) died 11 years ago, Teddy helped us so much that we thought we’d get another one. She helps us heal. She loves us and we love her back.
Where did you get Sheba from?
We got her from the lost dogs home in Echuca. My husband likes German shepherds. We asked the lost dogs home if they had a German shepherd but they didn’t.
The next day we got a call from them saying they had one but they said it had been mistreated but with love and care it would be okay.
How did she get the name Sheba?
Her name was Shessy but we couldn’t say it so we called her Sheba. We had a German shepherd years ago also named Sheba.
What is her personality like?
She’s very good. She’s a good watchdog. She is really gentle with us. She is very alert. When cars pull up she can hear and let us know. She knows when something’s wrong — like if we are having a bad day. She makes us feel better when we are down. If you are down in the dumps, she will sit there with you, no questions asked.
I hear she loves the water?
She loves to swim in the lake or river. When the sprinkler is on she will bite the water.
Does she like to travel?
She loves to travel. My husband doesn’t work and takes her everywhere in the car.
Does she like other animals?
She doesn’t like other animals. She doesn’t like cats (especially).
