Funny friends: Macca the border collie and pug-cross Vader.
It’s a case of beauty and brawn at Danielle Roberts’ home in Bonnie Doon. Border collie Macca brings the good looks and charming personality, while pug-cross-shih tzu, Vader, runs a tough, no-nonsense security operation.
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Who are the two dogs?
There is Macca — Macadamia Nut — he’s a 10-year-old border collie. Then Vader, a six-year-old pug-cross-shih tzu. Everyone tells me I bought a ‘shit pug’.
How did you get Macca?
Macca came with my partner. He’s an ex-stud dog who one day decided he didn’t want to do that any more and so he was retired and rehomed. Macca is quite well known in Mansfield because my partner used to run a bar in town and Macca was the resident dog. He came from the Stonemans (Inaword Border Collies) in Mansfield. The Stonemans are known for having tri-coloured puppies and Macca is quite special because he carries the multi-coloured gene.
Precious pooch: Macadamia Nut, or Macca for short, is a dun-coloured border collie who is always the “first nose through the door”.
How did you get Vader?
I was living in a town unit in Mansfield at the time with my two sons. I wanted a companion and something we didn’t have to walk too much. I was looking for something that could fit in and I was recommended pugs. The shih tzu helps bring out Vader’s nose and gets rid of the breathing problems. Vader’s breeder lives up near Queensland and from memory he was a grandfather who was only producing a very small number of puppies. I’d read all about being scammed so I put this poor man through his paces.
Is Vader named after Darth Vader?
Yes, we are a Star Wars family and Vader has a little helmet head. He’s been the perfect lap dog and goes everywhere with my two sons (aged 10 and 8).
Big heart in a little dog: Vader is known as the ‘wonky donky’ after a car accident caused him to walk with a permanent limp.
Do the dogs get along?
They are the odd couple. Macca wants pats and Vader is the guard dog. Macca is very gentle — his favourite trick is to walk up behind you and place his head in the palm of your hand. Vader is very alert to intruders.
He’s a villain: Named by Danielle’s sons, Vader has a helmet-shaped head, which matched the iconic Star Wars character.
What’s your property like?
We’re on 14 hectares. It’s a hobby farm we purchased a couple of years ago and now we’re regenerating the land. There are no livestock but we’re avid gardeners. There are plenty of kangaroos, wombats, native birds and two beautiful wedge-tailed eagles who live on the hill behind us. We’re in the heart of sheep country, near Lake Eildon.
