Mourning man's best friend

It wasn't Country Companions.

Nor was it Bush Bachelor.

It was an ad for Border Collie pups for sale near Biggenden.

Arryn Bills, then 26, was working on properties near Dalby and was after a good lead dog.

As it turns out, Kick-Start was pretty well everything you'd want in a working dog.

It wasn't just that he was very loyal and eager to learn.

Even as a pup, the wheaten Border Collie would sit with a stirring look in his eyes - keen to be put to work.

From the first moment Arryn saw him, he knew Kick-Start would be his "prize dog".

Over the past three years the pair definitely built a bond.

"The bond between a bloke and his dog, particularly his working dog, I believe is one of the strongest bonds you have," Arryn said.

"They share everything with you. They're there for long days in the paddock, early starts; they just want to be with you."

Kick-Start worked alongside Arryn day-in, day-out.

From cattle work to fencing, moving hay bales or even just sitting in the tractor cab - Kick-Start was there.

Which is why the past few weeks have been so hard for Arryn and wife Courtney.

On Saturday, June 13, Arryn got a call he'd rather forget.

Kick-Start had been run over by a car pulling off the road.

The result was fatal.

The grieving process since has been tough for Arryn.

"I've only been out in the paddock twice since he's been gone. I said to Courtney I always wanted to be a farmer, but for once in my life I don't want to be a farmer.

"That was it. Then it was true. To go out and to get a new tractor, you just don't want to leave him behind.

"That's what it feels like - you just feel like you're leaving him behind."

The RSPCA said these feelings were completely normal.

"Grieving the death of a pet is a different experience for each person, and there is no right or wrong way of doing it," the RSPCA website reads.

Sadness, guilt, anger, denial and trouble sleeping are all feelings that a person grieving loss of a pet may experience.

The RSPCA said sometimes people may be unable to carry out day-to-day activities and the grief may last varied periods of time for different people.

For Arryn, he's found a few things like marking the loss with a burial in the middle of his paddock has helped him with gaining closure, commenting that "Kick-Start will be the heartbeat of our operations".

Talking to people about the loss and even writing a poem about Kick-Start has also helped.

"It's a common thing that people lose their working dogs," Arryn acknowledged.

"But it doesn't matter who they are, it strikes a chord with everyone.

"Whether you lose your mate five years ago or yesterday, it's all the same.

"Other farmers have said the pain will slowly go, but the memories will last forever."