'In early 1998 1 went to Perth in Western Australia in order to attend the literature festival, and part of the arrangement was that I should go to Karratha to do their first ever literary dinner. Karratha is a mining town a long way further north. The landscape is extraordinary, being composed of vast heaps of dark red earth and rock poking out of the never-ending bush. 1 imagine that Mars must have a similar feel to it.

'I went exploring and discovered the bronze statue to Red Dog outside the town of Dampier. I felt straight away that I had to find out more about this splendid dog.

'A few months later I returned to Western Australia and spent two glorious weeks driving around collecting Red Dog stories and visiting the places that he knew, writing up the text as I went along. I hope my cat never finds out that I have written a story to celebrate the life of a dog.'

AUTHOR'S NOTE

PART ONE

From Tally Ho to Red Dog

The Stinker

Red Dog Goes to Dampier

Tally Ho at the Barbecue

Red Dog Meets John

Red Dog and Nancy Grey

Nancy, Red Dog and John

Red Dog and the Posh Pooches

Red Dog's Expensive Injury

Red Dog and the Woman from Perth

Has Anyone Seen John?

PART TWO

The Dog of the North-West

Looking for John

Red Dog and Red Cat

Red Dog, Don and the Ranger

Red Dog and the Dreaded Cribbages

The Last Journey

GLOSSARY OF AUSTRALIANISMS