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Juice – Thank you. We both have very dog oriented families so we are well aware of making the right choice in breed. And I think we are being realistic on what we can offer a dog, I don’t want to get a dog that we can’t look after as it is not fair on either of us. We use to walk our dogs daily (unless it was raining, they refused!) and they were treated very well. However I don’t believe we can look after a kelpie, from what I have read they are extremely high energy! Persephone – Thanks Persephone, I will definitely be taking a step back. I have been researching every breed which has been sending me a little crazy! We decided not to visit AWL today as they were a lot of kelpie crosses and big dogs and I don’t want us to make a knee jerk decision. Very good suggestion on the fostered dogs, I have noticed they tend to have a blurb about their needs and temperaments while AWL just has basic info. I told the man of the house we will know the perfect dog when we see it and it will be right for both of us and the dog! He was talking about a lab last night (and while my neighbours have two in the same size back yard!) I really think it is cruel to not give big dogs a lot of space. It might take 6 months but I’m sure we will find a dog we can help or maybe they will find us!

Thank you everyone for your help. I realised after reading your comments (and a lot of soul searching) I have been looking for a Jack Russell x Chi due to grief and that is not fair to the next dog we have. Her loss was just so sudden it took me a while to accept. And as much as I loved Chloe she wouldn’t have been good with kids she could be very snappy at times. My brother also reminded me today that when we picked up my “pure” Dashound Jessica she was only 5 weeks old, I wish I knew then what I know now. I loved her to bits but she had so many health problems, cost us close to 10k in back surgeries. I have no doubt she came from a puppy farm. No breeder worth anything would let the dogs go before 8 weeks. She was a very clingy dog and really hard to train. The store insist they source from responsible breeders, but I doubt it. Definitely never going to a pet store again!! We have decided to adopt and I have called a few rescue places and we may be visiting AWL tomorrow. I had no idea they have them de-sexed and fully vaccinated when you adopt their puppies, that is a huge help and savings! My fiancé has already fallen in love with a kelpie x. I explained the amount of exercise they will need and i hope he has changed his mind! Dame Aussie – Thank you. I had a feeling. I could only find mix breeds at the pet stores which seemed like a huge red flag. Dory – Oh wow thank you. I have never heard of them before, they look just like JRs so adorable. I will keep a look out at the rescue. Simply Grand – Thank you. Like I said above I really wish I knew this information when I got my last puppies. The more I hear about puppy mills and irresponsible pet owners it makes me so sad people can be like that. You are totally right about temperament and personality, I think it would also be way too easy for me to compare and get disappointed if the dog is different which is not good. Persephone – I was talking to a rescue place today and she was explaining they are getting a heap of puppies in soon from a woman who hadn’t de-sexed her pets, they had already received 10 and know there were many other litters. She doesn’t even know which dog is the father and apparently the RSPCA can’t do a thing to stop her. The rescue organisations are working with her to get them de-sexed but it’s so sad there are no laws stopping this behaviour. They are Jack Russell x ? Do you think these would have a lot of health problems coming from a home like that? They are very cute though. Haredown Whippets – Honestly I think I just loved seeing her happy and she was so snuggly. I am now really looking forward to making a new friend and giving them a loving home. Little Gifts – yes thank you :), there seem to be a few more small dogs in my area now. I found out they had an app too! Really cool. Her Majesty Dogmad – Thank you. We are may be going to Beenleigh tomorrow to have a look. I am seriously considering fostering either at first or after we get a dog. My biggest fear is I will want to keep them all! Willowlane – Thank you. I have never been good with breeds and I think that is what I am having the most trouble with. Just looking at a photo and reading a general temperament hurts my head! Scottsmum - QLD Christina – You sound amazing Christina, If only there were more people like you! Thank you for your advice. :) Juice - Thank you. I just had a quick look at her page they are all so cute. I'll show my partner tonight. :) You have all helped so much. I'll let you know how we go and upload a picture. :)

Hi Everyone. I was hoping to get some advice/education. We lost our two dogs at the beginning of the year and while the loss was and still is devastating we are now looking to give a home and love to another dog. When I found my babies I had no idea about puppy mills or any of the horrible things that go on, I was also 19 and naive enough not to think people could be so cruel! This time around I want to make sure that I am responsible and I don’t support the wrong kind of people. One of my last dogs was a cross breed and she came from a friend of a neighbour, the other was a pure breed from a pet store (not in a shopping centre) so I am unsure where she came from . I have been looking at all the adoption centres in our area and all the dogs seem to be really big breeds or they state the dog needs to have children around or they shouldn’t have children around or they dislike men etc. The problem is we need a dog on the smaller side due to a medium sized back yard and while we don’t have kids now we will be in the next 2-3 years. I have been also been looking into getting a puppy from a breeder and I’m finding this harder than I thought I would. I have been looking for a Jack Russell Chihuahua cross as we really loved our dogs temperament, but I am worried this might just be supporting the puppy mills. Are cross breeds more likely to (or do they mostly) come from puppy mills than pure breeds? Do registered breeders breed cross breeds? What pure breeds would you recommend instead? I was also considering a Jack Russell however I am concerned about high energy and if daily walks around the neighbourhood would be enough. Also how do you find a registered breeder and ensure they are above board? Thank you for your help. :) Melissa