If you’re not careful, you could easily miss the mascot of the New Zealand Army rugby team from 1917.  Look harder at the picture.

That’s her in the front, a wee Fox Terrier bitch named, “Floss.” She came from Sir Walter Long’s kennels in Towbridge and was given to Driver Percy “Ike” Lowndes who taught her to skip a jumping rope, “pray,” play the piano, count to five, sit at a table and order from a waiter!

Her talents took her to hospitals, camps and even the stage of the London Empire Theatre, and she performed for charities throughout the north Island wearing her jersey for the Diggers and raising hundreds of pounds for  disabled veterans.  She was also a dandy ratter, as seen in the image at the right. First and foremost, however, Floss was the much-loved mascot of the World War I Army rugby team when they toured England in 1917.

Despite her good deeds, once she left New Zealand, the law required her to be quarantined to get back into New Zealand. Even a petition signed by 1000 1 NZEF men failed to move the authorities.

She got in anyway.  Her owner smuggled her back to Wellington, but she still had to spend nine months in quarantine on Somes Island before she was released.

Floss was 17 when she died in 1935,  and her bereaved owner, Ike, had her stuffed and put in a glass case at his home. She was later given to the Wellington RSA followed by the Auckland RSA.  Sadly, little Floss’ body has since been lost.