tdierikx

I have used Martha Gardener's Eucalyptus Wool Wash on puppies too young to be bathed in the normal dog flea washes... works great, don't need to use a lot, and it's not toxic. Bought a 5 litre bottle of basic dog shampoo for $39.95 at the local pet supply place, and it's working very nicely on the rescue dogs. We water it down a bit due to some volunteers being a little heavy handed with shampoo, and it still brings them up all shiny and clean with no dry skin. I'd buy it again in a heartbeat - most of the other 5 litre bottles of name brands started at $99 and went up from there. This "cheap" stuff is doing the job just fine and it smells nice too! T.

Digital Camera Warehouse has a whole pile of Canon mount macro lens options also... http://www.digitalcamerawarehouse.com.au/category702_1.htm T.

Dingoes apparently are the only dogs that can turn their wrists in a similar way to how we humans do. They also have a different set to their teeth. Trouble, my BYB Lab from Moree, has a smidge of Dingo in her background, which is evidenced by her wrist movement and different set to her teeth than most Labs - she also has certain behaviours that are VERY Dingo. Pickles the camp dog has a great set of Dingo teeth and some Dingo mannerisms - I'm sure she would have the wrist movement thing too if she didn't have a disability in her legs that makes checking it impossible. Tarquin showed off his special wrist movement for you the other day... cool isn't it? T.

I have chew marks in all of the skirting boards and door frames. There is a hole in the kitchen wall and in the kitchen door. Chew marks and claw marks on the wooden floors. All the edges of the coffee table have been chewed, as have some of the shelves on the bookcase. Lost track of how many teddy bears have been disemboweled... I've been lucky with none of them being big cord chewers so far - only sacrificed one speaker cable and one phone cable so far. Have also gotten used to looking for work boots and ugg boots out in the yard... *grin* Pups are always crated in my car, so no major damage there. Do I care about the damage? Nope... 'cos I get all the puppy cuddles I want... hehe! T.

I think we can all understand those thoughts... lol! Photography is addictive, isn't it? T.

You are getting REALLY good at this photography stuff Rach! Yet another batch of "I wish I'd taken those" photos... *sigh* T.

I'm liking your thinking there Katdogs... and don't they give the BEST cuddles? T.

I'm sure we could arrange for her to come live with you PS... *grin* T.

I'm not seeing any staffy in these babies - they are way too finely built. I can definitely see working line builds of ACD, Kelpie, and maybe Koolie (allows for the blue eyes on the ACD or Koolie cross). Their coats are short, but longer and definitely different to staffy or any of the other bull-type breed coats. Trust me, I see LOTS of bull-breed crosses in rescue... lol! If there was any "staffy" in these pups, it would be a heck of a long way back in the genes. I'd be surprised if these pups fully grown will be any more than about 15 kgs and just below knee height to me - which would definitely put them into the "medium" dog category. Whatever they are breed-wise, they are lovely natured and happy little munchkins... with just the right amount of cheek to make them virtually irresistible... *grin* T.

The vet that is now trying to get you to put your dog through expensive and most probably unnecessary surgery was the one that told you to feed it calcium powder, isn't she? At 14 months of age a Cavalier doesn't need any extra calcium if she's getting plenty of bones and the like. Stop the calcium powder and get a specialist to properly diagnose what (if anything) is going on with your dog's knees... and get yourself a different general vet for non-specialist visits. I'm not going to give advice about breeding a bitch that's never proven herself in the show ring... but let's just say I wouldn't do it just because her temperament is good and she looks pretty to you... T.

Nice focus Rach! Loving all the colours in this one too! T.

Great job all! T.

Maybe Cr Pendleton could visit the various pound(s) in Sydney a few times and see the numbers of pregnant bitches and discarded litters of pups that come through the doors? Obviously he's not thought his argument through to the end... simply watching a bitch whelp isn't the end of the process - the pups need to be reared and then homes found for them... and that part seems to be the hardest bit for many people. Another thing to note, has anyone else noticed that no-one is ever offering up pups as free to good home any more - it all seems to be about "making money" off the litters nowadays... T.

I could stretch to Koolie/Kelpie cross for the brindle boy, but really don't want to list Dingo as part of the breed mix on the chip database - do you think we could be safe listing them as ACD/Kelpie? Prospective new owners would be appraised of the Dingo possibility in their genetics. They are the sweetest pups, very friendly and playful. Whoever "bred" and raised them to this stage didn't neglect them socially... which is always a bonus... it certainly makes my job as a foster carer much easier when we get well adjusted pups into care... *grin* T.

But neither the GSD nor the Husky breed have brindle. So if they were a cross of just those two breeds they could not be brindle. GSD crossed with a breed that has brindle can throw brindle, certainly. Tarqin looks very much like my Pickles when she came into care. I'm thinking these guys are tracking to be about her size when fully grown. Pickles is about 15 kgs and would fall into the 'medium size range. They really look like Australian working dog type mix to me - definitely nowhere near GSD or Husky size. T.

Some group shots... Tarquin and Theodore Theodore, Scout, and Fable Tarquin, Fable, and Scout (and Nathaniel's bum) T.

We have names now... and Plan B, you're gonna love these... lol! Fable - largest girl Scout - smallest girl Nathaniel - middle boy Theodore - largest boy Tarquin - blue eyed smallest boy T.

The blue eyes on the brindle pup are the thing that makes me think there may be some Aussie Shep, but I'd be happily reappraised of that if anyone can come up with a better option... lol! T.

Pickles is a Camp Dog... mix of god knows how many breeds... we just call her the Camp Dog. Can't get a more original Aussie dog than one born in an Aboriginal camp... *grin* T.

Which pound? And are there any pics of mum and bubs? T.

I know exactly how you feel Plan B... my Pickles has mobility issues too, and when it came time for her to be up for adoption, I had to formally make her my own. Her complete disregard for the fact that she walks funny and love of every minute of life made me fall completely in love with her. It won't be a bad thing if Pommie becomes a foster failure you know... *grin* T.

If this rain ever stops and I can get them outside for a better photo shoot, I'm sure the learned folk here will be able to pick up a few "breeds" in the mix. So far I'm leaning towards Kelpie/Aussie Shep, but can see Dingo and some GSD throwback. They are relatively fine in build like the working line Kelpie style, and they are short coated. They are lovely pups - pretty shy at first, but quickly work their smooching charms when picked up. It was good to see that they knew exactly what to do with the toys I gave them too, so I'm thinking that whoever had them at least gave them some socialisation and stimulation before dropping them at the RSPCA as "strays". I checked them through the granny flat window last night before I went to bed, and spent a good 15 minutes just watching them all play with each other and their toys - the poops they had done didn't appear to have huge boluses of worms in them, and they had done them as far away from their sleeping and playing area as they could. They are pretty clean in their habits, thank dog! T.

Aussie3 and Esky... you can adopt the blue eyed boy if you can pick what breed mix we can put on the microchip register for him... The chip register only allows for a cross of 2 breeds - and neither of those can be "mutt"... grrr! It forces you to select a first cross of only 2 breeds. I'm leaning towards Kelpie/Aussie Shep, but am seeing possibly a bit of Dingo, maybe GSD way back in the mix, and any number of other things. All of these pups will be advertised as "crossbreed" on PetRescue - but their chip info will have to say some formal first cross... T.

They are all really pretty in their own ways... but the small boy is a bit special, isn't he? I just wormed them... looking forward to poo patrol in there later... not!!! T.

Oh my! Boof is one very pretty kitty! T.