When Andrew Darwood was looking for a friend to join him on what would have been a long, lonely motorcycle ride home from Tasmania to Western Australia, he set his heart on finding a canine companion. 

When he met a little caramel-coated puppy with a white stripe running down her nose at the Dogs' Home of Tasmania, he knew he'd found his travelling mate.

Since adopting Tassie — which he affectionately named her — in 2017, the duo have clocked up more than 20,000 kilometres together, with further trips planned.

Wearing googles and in a secured carrier, Mr Darwood says Tassie is always eager for a another road trip and feels at home on the bike.

Finding a companion

As soon as he saw Tassie at the Dogs' Home of Tasmania, Mr Darwood knew he had found his ideal mate for the roughly 4,000-kilometre trek back to Western Australia.

Mr Darwood had recently helped a friend move from WA to Tasmania, and the prospect of making the trip alone held little appeal.

"I had thought about having a dog as a companion for quite a while," Mr Darwood said.

After two or three visits to the dogs' home, Mr Darwood met six-month-old Tassie, believed to be a Jack Russell mixed breed.

"The first time I saw her I thought, 'She's perfect'," he said.

"A friendly and protective dog."

Unfortunately, Tassie had been claimed by another potential owner, but when a hopeful Mr Darwood called two weeks later he discovered that person had decided to not proceed with the adoption.

"I pretty much went straight away and got her," Mr Darwood said.

Tales from the road

Riding a motorbike comes with ease for Tassie, who quickly overcame some early nerves when she first mounted one.