For a long time, the “McField” household was a place where the family’s three cats could roam free, unbothered by any canine presence.
Pepsi, Socksy and Newbie lounged around peacefully in their sanctuary on cat towers and couches, lapping up the serenity and dosing up on serotonin from pats stolen in moments of calm with their owners Melissa McCann, Shaun Greenfield and their children.
But just over a year ago, hurricane Zanzi blew in the door to disturb their peace.
Ms McCann said she had never been a dog person until a career change into support work a few years ago started changing her perspective on (hu)man’s best friend.
“Lots of my clients had dogs, so I was around them all day,” Ms McCann said.
“I just fell in love with them.”
When the blended family of six decided they would try their hand at canine ownership, Ms McCann threw her energy into researching different breeds on a quest to find the perfect pooch pup to join their tribe.
She settled on a standard groodle, a purposely mixed breed of golden retriever and poodle, because it was hypo-allergenic, didn’t moult, had a playful and friendly nature and a loyal disposition.
As a support worker, learning that groodles were often used as wellbeing dogs also appealed to her.
There are three sizes of groodles — miniature, medium and standard, which is the biggest.
Once decided, Ms McCann found a breeder in Cobram, and 14 months ago, Zanzi, now 16 months old, moved into the McFields’ Shepparton home.
That was the day the cats excused themselves from the inside dwellings and chose to live in their outside area indefinitely.
“Zanzi just wants to play with the cats, but 14 months later, two of them still hiss at him if he comes too close,” Ms McCann said.
“He has a lot of energy and just wants to play. He loves his walks.”
At the mention of the W word, Zanzi stops what he’s doing, sits up tall and cocks his head hopefully at us to one side as if to communicate, “Did you just say what I think you said?”
Ms McCann said Zanzi had a penchant for human food, that he loved kebabs and pretty much anything his dog-Dad Mr Greenfield ate.
“Shaun will be eating and always gives him his last bite of food,” Ms McCann said.
“Not me, no way, I don’t give him my food, that’s my food.
She said if the pair were snacking in bed, Zanzi always went straight to Mr Greenfield’s side just waiting for a treat.
“He knows where to go,” Ms McCann said.
As Zanzi got mighty friendly with my leg, Ms McCann said the breed could be well-trained, but unfortunately, her boy was not yet.
“Fixing them won’t stop the leg-humping,” she said.
“The reflex isn’t a sexual one; it happens when they get over-excited about anything.”
Experts say approaching the behaviour with action such as putting the dog into timeout would help them to calm down and teach them to regulate that powerful impulse.
Despite him humping visiting journalist’s legs, Ms McCann said she had never had a single regret about introducing a dog into their household.
The cats, however, probably don’t concur.