At Mon Petit Amour Manolo, we cherish the unique personalities and heartwarming stories of our furry friends and their devoted owners.
Today, we’re thrilled to introduce you to Wally, a brave and spirited influencer dog who recently transitioned to using wheels. This change hasn't slowed him or his owner down; instead, they've continued to reach new milestones together!
Wally and his mum, Jodie, have been through a lot together, and their bond is truly inspiring. In this Q&A, we get to know more about Wally's daily adventures, his favorite spots in Sydney, and his journey to recovery with his new wheels.
Q1) Describe yourself in three words.
Fun, Friendly, and Feisty! Can you tell my mum is a writer? She loves a bit of alliteration!
Q2) How did you and Mumma Jodie meet?
We met when my mum decided it was time for her to have a dog of her own. She initially tried to adopt from a rescue, but there were some challenges—like needing her lodger to meet the dog on their one day off. She understood the importance of making sure everyone in the household got along with the new pet, but asking her lodger to spend their only day off at a rescue didn’t feel quite right. So, she explored other ethical options and found a pet store on the Central Coast that was endorsed by the RSPCA. She saw me on their website and instantly fell in love! Mum drove all the way to Tuggerah to see me. The store staff were surprised when she said she wanted to buy me, not just cuddle me. I was there with my siblings, and while mum wishes she had taken a picture of all of us, she’s just happy to have found me. From that moment on, it was love at first sight. She held me with one hand the whole drive back to Dee Why, and we’ve been inseparable ever since.
Q3) Share with us a day in the life of Wally.
Our mornings usually start with a sleep-in because mum loves her sleep! Once we’re up, we spend some time soaking up the sunshine—my favorite! This is also when I get some time in my wheels, which helps keep my back legs moving. I take my role as neighborhood watch very seriously, especially now that we live on a corner. There’s always so much to keep an eye on! While I’m on patrol, mum enjoys her coffee on the balcony and watches me. I even get my own puppuccino from the leftover steamed lactose-free milk (don’t worry, no coffee for me). Once coffee time is over, we start our day. Mum takes a shower while I wait in the bathroom, and then we work from the couch, snuggled up under blankets and oodies. We take a break for lunch and then go for a walk. I always have treats close by! After our walk, it’s back to work until the end of the day, when we relax on the couch, watch TV, and eat dinner. Before bed, we have a little routine where mum expresses my bladder and then we snuggle up together. It’s the perfect end to our day.
Q4) What is your favorite cafe or park in Sydney?
Ooh, that’s a tough one! My favorite café has to be The Grounds of Alexandria. The installations they have are always amazing, and the food and drinks are delicious. Even though we don’t live in the city anymore, we regularly drive down to catch up with friends there. As for parks, we love all the “beach” parks in Sydney, like those in Mosman, Bayview, and Clontarf. Now that we live where dogs are allowed on the actual beaches, it’s a bit different, but sometimes we miss the calm waters of Sydney’s beach parks.
Q5) Share with us a bit about your life in Sydney. We always saw you attending doggie social events!
We were very social in Sydney, especially before COVID. We found an amazing community of dogs and dog parents through my social media account. Every weekend, there was always something going on—a doggie event, a birthday party, or a casual catch-up. Mum used to joke with her non-dog friends that my social life was busier than hers! We loved attending events because we discovered so many amazing small businesses to support, plus events run by Pound Paws supported fantastic dog rescues, which is always a bonus. We’ve won our share of competitions, but we mostly entered just for fun. Things slowed down after 2020, but we have a core group of friends we love catching up with. They even make the effort to visit us on the Central Coast, which we really appreciate. We’d love to attend more events up here, but we’re still figuring out when and where they are. We’d love some Pound Paws events up here—they’re always such fun, but we know they take a lot of work to organize!
Q6) We have seen you at events in your wheels. Can you share with us when this transition happened?
In September 2023, I started having some pain on a Friday night. Mum didn’t think much of it at first because I felt better after some painkillers. But during the week, she noticed I was slowing down on walks, and by Thursday, I was struggling a bit. She thought I was just tired, but when I got wobbly going to bed, she knew something was wrong. By Friday morning, I couldn’t use my hind legs, so we rushed to the emergency vet because my regular vet couldn’t see us. It turned out I had slipped a disc in my spine, something mum thought only happened to Dachshunds, but it turns out Shih Tzus (which is half of my breed) are also prone to back injuries. Mum was overwhelmed with all the information and decisions, but she decided to go ahead with surgery since our pet insurance would cover it. We went to SASH North Ryde, where the amazing Dr. Looi did an MRI to confirm the diagnosis and then performed the surgery. Since then, I’ve been working hard with hydrotherapy and physiotherapy to get my back legs moving again. I got my wheels in November. My physio, Dr. Naomi at SASH Tuggerah, is optimistic about my recovery because I still have pain sensation. The wheels give me more freedom and independence, and I’ve become quite the speed demon!
Q7) We love how you’ve decorated your wheels and pram! What’s your favorite accessory or must-have item?
The number one accessory for any wheels is a license plate—you can’t use them safely without one! I have an official Wally number plate for my wheels and “WALLY” lights across the front of my pram. I also love to dress things up for different seasons and celebrations. Who knows what we’ll come up with for Halloween, Christmas, or Easter? What other celebrations should I decorate for?
Q8) What’s next for Wally?
Well, mum needs to work more on my website, and we’re planning a little getaway down south to visit friends in Victoria. We’d also love to take a trip over to Perth. But first up, we have some fun events coming up that we’re really looking forward to!
