Thanks so much all.
She was a Kelpie-Collie cross who was retired from being a sheepdog at four, after an accident left her with a bad leg and lacking three toes. So she was slightly disabled for the rest of her life. She landed on her three and a half feet with us, going from chained up in shed to sofa surfing, and she never forgot to appreciate it. I don't think I had to reprove her more than a handful of times in her life, she was always well trained and eager to anticipate what you might want.
Was one of those dogs which actually smiled in greeting - I'd have to warn visitors, she's not snarling, she's smiling.
Was highly intelligent, and both got jokes and had natural manners. She would, for instance, seek me out after she had finished her dinner, thank me, then go off about her affairs. If she came in wet from a walk, she'd stand there patiently while I towelled her, then give me a headbut thankyou kiss before running off to get on with things.
A great dog to have on a walk (and being a trained sheepdog, could be walked anywhere without livestock worries).
Oh, we went some places...
Later, when she got deaf, half blind and less mobile she still was up for a walk - even when, the day before, her back end was collapsing under her. And watchdogged the vet, when he came at the end.
A trier to the last.
This morning, the empty sofa is hard to bear.