But first, some years ago I owned a greyhound in Darwin by the name of Marvoone, a lovely black bitch who had the loveliest nature and on her day was a very good racetrack performer.

However, my regular trainer had to move to another State so I opted for an old gentleman who loved his dogs which was important to me and I asked him one day could I come and visit my dog.

“Sure,” he said. “What day?”  I told him a Wednesday was my best chance and probably about 5pm when I was finishing work.

“Okay that is good … just come in and if you cannot find me just walk into the house (in those days homes were left open) and she will be on the couch in the lounge”.

“On the couch?” I said. “Yes, she loves watching Skippy at that time.” … and he was not kidding.

And of course I have had other dogs, non-greyhounds, and I swear just looking at the way they wagged their tails at certain times and the look on the faces at other times you knew they were communicating with you.

I bought Monty as a very young puppy in Darwin when he was by far the biggest and fattest in a litter of Maltese-King Cavalier Spaniels.

He became the most affable dog I have ever had, not a nasty bone in his body, not even a nasty bark because he just loved people.

In the last four years I have had a hip replaced and then a knee replaced and Monty would get out of my way going up and down stairs or even wait for me to ascend to descend like he knew I was in pain or could fall.

Well last week after 14 years and he succumbing gradually to a heart and kidney condition, I had to make the painful decision to have him put down.

And just before he was taken away he came over and put his head on my chest and let it lay there for a moment or two as if he knew … I didn’t cry then but I did later, I cried a lot … he was my best friend … so no, animals are not dumb,  take my word for it.