fifi

Gillie at about nine/ten weeks.... and now at 2.5 years

Funny thing is BB, those naughty sheepies walked past TWO merino studs to get to their choice of man !! Norsgkra, I"m with Aziah & BB, if you were busily planning these litters it wouldn't happen, if you've got the time/money/homes and they are matings you would have done anyway, I'd let mother nature do her thing ! fifi

Oh Norskgra, I think your girls are trying to get even with you for moving and boarding them What a sneaky pair of tartlets they are ! kind of like my friends little flock of coloured sheep.......she told them they weren't going to be put in lamb a couple of years ago because of the drought/feed situation.....so the sneaky girls broke OUT of their paddock, went miles up the road and BROKE OUT a nice newly imported $$$$ border-leister ram & brought him HOME with them !!!! farmer came & picked him up, and..............yup.........all lambed !!! You are going to be a busy pair !! fifi

;) Have a good time in the 'big paddock' old girl. Hugs to you Persephone, its been a hard couple of years losing your beloved oldies I bet animals are lining up on the 'other side' to be born or wander into your place where they have a job and are loved. fifi

AWWWW....Norskgra....little christmas flaaarfie pups !!! :-)) fifi

I guess it also depends on your situation - if you are settled and roomy enough for a litter & your dogs home ? fifi

If it was a mating you would have done anyway.....then maybe nature knows best ! I'd go ahead - maybe this time she will hold her prog levels and pop out a bunch of special surprises !! fifi eta DNA test for dad's !!!

:-( I'm so sorry Stef. BG chose you, and was so lucky to have you for her last year. I'm so glad she waited for you to come home. Please don't guilt yourself, BG left for the bridge a loved beautiful girl. fifi

:-)) Cav puppies were made to fall in love with :-)) Beautiful ! fifi

Oh MTD, I'm so sorry it was Savannah's time. She was so beautiful, and I love silverblue's warning to bunnies :D run free & young lovely girl. fifi

I grew up in FNQ and had many GTF's as pets and regulars in the same spots every night. I just adore them :-) fifi

Oh she is beautiful Karen :-)) Unless you were a subsciber to your state's canine gazette over a period of time, AND specifically were looking at litter exports ect. then there is no human way you could have known. You did everything right & were unlucky with scoring the reg breeder of our nightmares. Now Georgea has a clean bill of health, and serendipity has sent you a relie and her sister, LOVE her and ENJOY her for who she is, not where she came from. love fifi xxxxx

Naaaa, wolfies aren't tougher ! big wusses ! and of course being sighthounds - all the usual anaesthetic issues. Mine have had lots of overnight stays over the years after surgery or for observation. but they'd be coming home that night after a routine spey if all had gone well & normal recovery. fifi

Not what I'm saying, sound like a very caring vet - I'm just puzzled by uneccessay overnight stays, that's all. And not just your practice, but any of them that do this routinely. Of course orthapedic patients ect. would stay overnight & more if needed. I just honestly can't see any sense in routine overnighting. fifi

Stormie, the bit in your post that worries me is where you say "its just our choice" don't your clients get a say in what I feel is an uneccessary over service for routine surgery ? I think in 15 years of castrations/speys I've seen two re-sutures and a three seromas, and the odd pulled sutures that were fine. most clients are quite compliant and no vet should ever send home a 'groggy' patient or high risk one. Most owners will phone if their pet is worrying the sutures (we give them ample infomation on dishcharge) and get them to pick up an elizabethan collar. fifi

The song title: HOLD ON TO ME fifi

No, I've never worked at a clinic that did this routinley. Only time I've ever done it is if the surgery was done late in the afternoon due to emergencies, but the client was always phoned to check if this was okay or they wanted to re-schedule for following day, OR dog had had a poor anaesthetic recovery and needed observtion. Normally in by 9:30 & out by 5PM same day. fifi ETA: also just remembered we have kept the occasional dog overnight if supervision was an issue at home, or pre surgery fasting compliance was a problem.

What an utterly beautiful girl, I'm so glad her twilight time was spend with you & your georgous dogs. You can see the gentle love shining out of her lovely old face. fifi

And some links for further research... * http://www.irishwolfhound.org.au/iwcnsw/ NSW Irish Wolfhound club * http://www.irishwolfhoundclub.org.uk/index1.htm The Irish Wolfhound Club UK * http://www.iwcofireland.com/ The Irish Wolfhound Club of Ireland * http://www.iwclubofamerica.org/ The Irish Wolfhound Club of America * http://www.iwcc.ca/ The Irish Wolfhound Club of Canada * http://www.eiwc.org/ The Federation of European Irish Wolfhound Clubs

QUESTIONS 1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc) Owned Irish Wolfhounds for 15 years, registered breeder, but I do more whelp sitting for my mentors than success at home ! 2. Where and why was the breed first developed? origin is Ireland, we know that there are records of the Irish dog that predate christianity, they were developed to hunt wolf & stag in Ireland. 3. How common is it in Australia? Not often seen, the breed in Australia probably numbers in the hundreds only. 4. What is the average lifespan? 7-10 years 5. What is the general temperament/personality? Gentle & loving, capable of being protective if really threatened 'Gentle when stroked - fierce when provoked' is one of their mottos. Wolfhounds were bred to be a capable hunting dog, that could return to the home and be a gentle family companion. 6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult? wolfhounds do best if given free galloping time each day, and will sleep for most of the rest of the day ! A good long walk on a loose lead twice a day will keep them happy. 7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? I do think some first time owners would be okay - if they are dog savvy, willing to listen, have a safe home environment, spend time with their breeder & hounds, AND the support of a good breeder to help them through the learning curve. There is lots to learn about living with a giant breed. 8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? Wolfhounds tend to have a big burst of energy & then crash for the day if given a safe & quiet sleeping area. So as they mature they are usually okay with some alone time. Puppies can be very destructive and if alone with full reign of the house/garden, will certainly occupy themselves with renovations ! a sectioned off room or run with safe toys is needed. wolfhounds are babies for a very long time, and should have some company if possible. 9. How much grooming is required? Wolfhound coats are ideally coarse, so a pin brush or comb every few days is enough. We don't usually bath them often either as it drys out the skin and the coat which is designed to be rough & ready. 10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)? I've found mature wolfhounds to be quite 'knowing' when it comes to the very young or old, ours do nursing home visits and while they have basic training - they are naturally very gentle with the residents, but youngsters don't alway's know their own strength ! and that tail is a lethal weapon at times. 11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of? Some lines do carry health issues, but the biggest threats to wolfhounds are not always through proven hereditary transmission, GDV/Bloat, PSS/liver shunt, Osteosarcoma, heart disease, are present in the breed. 12. When buying a puppy, what are the things you should ask of the breeder? (eg what health tests have been done (if applicable) and what is an acceptable result to those tests so the buyer has an idea of what the result should be) Breeders should test their puppies for PSS/Porto systemic shunt, a blood test is carried out at about six weeks, and a pathology printout should be available that states the reading is within normal range. Some breeders are now DNA testing to prove parentage. An enormous amount of dedication is needed to breed wolfhounds, it can be a long wait for a pup - they are not an easy breed to reproduce, and much blood, sweat, tears, money and sleep deprivation go into each litter fifi

;) Oh Labsrule, that beautiful tribute brought tears here. Why do we love them so much and then have to say goodbye after what to us is such a short time ? Another beautiful DOL dog waiting at the bridge. hugs to you & yours, fifi, danny & hounds xxx

oh Yappy, I remember when you rescued Molly, I'm so glad her last years were spent in love & comfort. Thank you for giving Molly a wonderful life. fifi

:D OH NO Oh god BB, What a tragic shock for you. I saw the title and didn't want to open this, and hoped it wasn't your beautiful Bindi. many hugs from us. fifi, danny & hounds xxxx

:-) aaaah yes....the "you could put a saddle on that thing" or the "how many kids does he eat a day" or the classic in the all knowing voice....its a.....'wire haired great dane' or 'staghound' !!!! And then you get the old Irishmen......aaaaahhhh yesss, a wolfhound, but of course my uncle/father/cousin had one 'THIS' big....(holds hand up to their face) !!!! fifi

Oh Katherine, I"m so sorry. Only just found this too. My heart was tearing just reading what you all went through. So young and so sudden - so much shock with the grief. many hugs from our pack to yours. fifi