The pair weren't ready to give up their daily walks, despite Poppy being diagnosed with spinal problems earlier this year, so Mr Irving has developed his own solution to ensure his best mate gets to the beach each day.

"We have always had a run at South Beach for the last 12 years but a while ago Poppy developed arthritis and the vet discovered she had some frozen vertebrae," the 68-year-old Camden Head resident said.

"We are waiting for that to improve but she still wants to go everywhere I go and freaks out if I go without her on the walk in the afternoon and morning.

"So I decided to do the walks with her in the wheelbarrow instead. It's quite tough in the sand and does turn a few heads with people seeing this guy with a wheelbarrow down at the beach

"Poppy really enjoys it though, she's as happy as a pig in mud and absolutely loves it."

The pair make regular trips along the Dunbogan breakwall, around Washhouse Beach and up the hill at Camden Head Pilot Station.

Mr Irving said Poppy was originally his mum's dog, however she passed away earlier this year.

"We got Poppy as a stray in 2009 and the vet said she was about six to eight months when we found her. She's probably 12 years old now," he said.

"We think she might be a mix of Kelpie or cattle dog. I think maybe some Collie as well, but no one really knows.

"She could run like the wind in her early days and she may possibly walk again. It takes a while for the vertebrae to unfreeze, hopefully in six weeks time we will know more."

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