Dju

:D So the tug toy rope things are a good investment then? I had a feeling that the thick ropes couldn't be chewed that easily. But I heard about really tough toys on the market like.. Kong Wubba or something like that, which is impossible for dogs to chew through or something like that.

I'll probably opt for the kmart fold-out kid sofas as well, they're cheap enough to break.

Got our collars form pigdogsupplies.com they're lasting well, and certainly are in the elements daily, made to size. I did see a website called rogue royalty.com.au heaps of nice stuff, but the nice stuff doesn't last long with dogs who like to chew each other collars as a game.

Beds.. ah!! stopped using them as they kept getting eaten, now the dogs have ownership of an armchair each which they don't eat, though i'm thinking of getting them one of the Kiddies fold out lounges about $20 from Kmart see how long it lasts.

That's a really good idea! Our dogs wreck their beds too but they are allowed on the couch and stuff but I may have to copy you and pop one of those in the lounge for them.

Those are a hell of a lot of toys..

I'll check out the collars though, thanks!! :D

So, as some of you know (well, maybe only a few of you), I'll be getting a puppy soon!

Ever the bargain hunter, I've been trawling through ebay and online pet stores, looking for the best prices on the supplies that I need, but how does one know if the product really is a bargain or cheap because it's just crap?

So I was wondering if any DOLers could help me out with this :D

We'll be buying pet beds, grooming products, food bowls, a crate, and most importantly, TOYS (because they tell me Vallhunds will chew down our house), but we have no idea where to start looking.

Has anywhere out there bought something out of those categories that has lasted you and your dog for years? Been great value for money? Have any particular products you'd absolutely recommend to any new dog owner?

Spill those secretsssss...

I reckon the best place for things like that is ebay:

http://shop.ebay.com.au/?_from=R40&_tr...-All-Categories

Dammit, the price went up! I was considering buying one of those crates too.. Does anyone have any experience with the green crates? For some reason the blue ones attract me more but the sizes are ginormous for a Vallhund!

Cassie's puppies have arrived!!

Four boys two girls so far!

And one of the boys is for meeeeeeee~!

Congrats Dju Cant wait to see pictures of your little man!

You must be so excited

Cassie's puppies have arrived!!

Four boys two girls so far! :p

And one of the boys is for meeeeeeee~!

A discussion has started at home because I've got a graze on my leg,

I'm not that aghast against my dog licking my wound aslong as it doesn't go too far (and I have to stop him continuing)....

...My partner is not too keen on it. Now we've both heard the myth about dogs licking your wounds, but a search online has raised both for & against reasons.

Obviously different dogs will have different habits (eating poo etc) but where lies some type of consensus. Have I been sucked into old wives tales?

What do the DOLforumites think on the matter??

I dunno, dogs lick their balls, eat grass and slightly off meat that has been marinating on bones that have been buried in the yard for the last week and a half... do you want all that on your wounds??

My boy is due to be born in a few short days, woo! Feels like I've been waiting foreeever!

Swedish Vallhund. Smarter.

Do we really need a suit for showing? It's hard to find anything whatsoever in a size eight

I'd hope that my breeders would each take back the dogs that they bred.

If one breeder would take them altogether I would much rather that though.

All being two bitches and a dog.

my first is co-owned so would go to her breeder.

I'm not sure to react to the people saying they made arrangements to put their dogs to sleep after they've died! For me, that sounds like a horrible thing to do, putting them to sleep for no reason like that.. I would hope that even if I did die that my doggy would still continue to live a long and happy life well after I've gone. I'd watch him from heaven and when he goes over the rainbow bridge, I'd be standing on the other side waiting for him

Another +1 for Jetpets. They give a breeder discount as well, which is useful, and out of all the companies I contacted for a quote to fly my baby over from NSW, they were actually the cheapest too. I didn't really like Dogtainers that much when I called them.. after I let loose a bit of shock that they were the most expensive pet transport company I'd called so far, it got mighty quiet on the other end :D

I wanna make some bedding for my pup too, Ishy! xD Have any tutorial recommendations for me? I found a nice one for a "condom bed" but that's it

He's adorable!

I didn't choose Lottie, and didn't see her until she was about 9weeks when I got her - she's the love of my life and fits in amazingly with me - we just match so well, and i've been so lucky with getting the most beautiful girl to call my own . My preferences were a blue merle girl... and that's what I got!!!! :D

You should definitely show pics, Undecided XD

I'm secretly keeping my fingers crossed that the dog will have a very defined mask and as much of its mom's color as possible (I love yellow/gray Valls), but I guess I'll have to let my breeder choose for me because it needs to have show dog potential!

I heard that neither the dog's true owner nor the woman he saved claimed the dog in the end

Like this?

http://i51.photobucket.com/albums/f399/cor...Pets/MeandE.jpg

Balls and cuddles are like apples and oranges. Erik loves them both! Which he loves more depends on the situation. He loves nothing more than snuggling in bed with us of a morning, or cuddling up to OH when he comes home from work, or leaping into my arms when I come home. But when we are at the park he has no time for cuddles. Too busy running around. Just the way we like it. He does like cuddle games, though. I pick him up and put him on his back and pretend to eat his belly. He squirms and kicks, but if I let him go he's trying to climb into my lap. The moment I put my hands on him he throws himself backwards and I have to catch him and put him down on his back again for more belly tickles. He has thrown himself backwards a few times when no one was ready to catch him. Apparently he has a hard head.

It's like having a child. Sometimes he's too busy for cuddles, but sometimes it's his favourite thing. He's a lot of fun to play with, but can be a pest when you can't play with him right now. If he gets bored we have to find him something to do or he gets up to mischief. He gives you these cute, bright looks when he thinks he's done something good, and barks incessantly when he thinks he needs more attention. Most Valls I've met have been pretty cuddly with their own family. OH often says "What will we do when we don't have Erik cuddles anymore? We will surely never find another dog as cuddly as Erik. I've never met one. Have you? Having had the cuddliest dog in the world early, we will be disappointed for the rest of our lives." ;) You come to love whatever dog you get, I think.

The cuddle game sounds fun I'm sure I'll love Hugo in any shape and form he's in, and he'll probably be perfect right from the start :p I can't imagine not liking any puppies I get anyways, how can a person dislike a puppy?? :p

There is way more to a good show dog than just looks Djubre - you need a sound, confident pup with a degree of trainability regardless of breed.

I found Howie's breeder by word of mouth and got a good recommendation from another breeder. Its how I'd recommend ANYONE find the right breeder

There's not a lot of mouths around me who could pass on info about a breeder (all my friends bought their pets from shops, RSPCA, or a friend of the family's accidental litter), and I actually joined this website after I found myself the perfect breeder for me There was only a few Vall puppy listings anyways, and Cassie just struck a good cord with me from the start! Maybe I can be others' words of mouth one day then?

I have always chosen the puppies for the new families according to which one is best suited for their circumstances and their needs.

Everyone has always been very happy with my choice for them.

A good breeder is the one who knows the puppies best so its always the best option.

@Poodlefan: It's nice that you have a trusted breeder already, I've been reading all these horror stories on DOL about unethical breeders and how just because they're listed on DOL it doesn't mean they're any good. Scared me for a bit!

Well imo neither of them are absolutely fantastic dog food choices but Advance is definitely 100x worse than Royan Canin. This information alone makes me wonder if your breeder knows what they're talking to me about in general...

I thought heaps of people crate-train their puppies!

IS CRATE TRAINING AN ACT OF CRUELTY - OR KINDNESS ?

As seen by Some Pet Owners :

"Its like living in jail - its cruel - I'd never put my dog in a cage." For many typical pet owners, this is their first reaction. Being human beings, who value freedom, they envision crates a inhumane. Considering your pet as an extension of your human family, you do not wish to inflict unjust punishment upon your 4 legged child. Ask yourself if you would raise a child without a playpen or a crib to sleep in ?

As Perceived by the Dog :

"I love having a place of my own; I have my blanket, my favorite toys, no body bothers me in here, it's all mine." OK, so this isn't a direct quote, but try to see a crate from another point of view. Dogs have a den instinct. The dog crate helps to satisfy this instinct. You see it as closed in - he sees it a security. You may object to being controlled - he only wants to please you and do whatever you wish.

To you it is a "cage" - to him it is "home."

From this website. My breeder told me to get a crate as well because she said that dogs think of it as their special little cave.

(Btw, what is a clicker dog??)

I wanted to clicker train my Vall puppy. You can clicker train any dog, but some are just more creative and quick than others. Erik is extremely fun to clicker train!

Still, I've heard that all SVs are quite snuggly, and that's exactly what I want in a dog. A snugglebum when we're at home, with an active playmate when we're out! I do think that I picked the best breed for me though, the personality that Ausvarg's dogs have is just everything I ever want in a dog ;)

Haha, that's exactly what Erik is. He is currently sleeping in his favourite spot on my legs on the couch after tearing around playing contact sports with great danes this afternoon. He is unstoppable! Plays with the big boys and pretty bold and fearless. Valls are so spunky. ;) His cuddles are about as extreme as everything he does. Never met a dog that is so cuddly. He doesn't just sit on you or with you. He snuggles into your arms and tucks his head in against your neck and drapes front paws over your shoulders. He does it about once or twice a day, which is just right for me. I'm sure you will be happy with any Vallhund. They are all different, but most I've met have been similar enough in their behaviour to be able to see all the little Vallhund things they all do. They are SO SMART!

Your relationship with your dog sounds so sweet! As if I wasn't impatient enough to get my puppy, now you're gonna drive me nuts with the lovely images in my head

Smart, are they smarter than Kelpies? :p My dad is the biggest Kelpie-fanboy ever and I need to knock him onto the Vallhund team somehow!

Oh boy, you're getting a Vall puppy! I got a Vall puppy from Ausled just over a year ago. I did not think we were going to get a choice as there were only three puppies and we were last on the list, but then we ended up getting a choice between the two boys after all. The breeder described their temperaments and sent us photos. I was choosing between a little fiesty pup with the devil in him and a bigger, more pliable pup. I went with the tiger, because I'm a sucker for fiesty animals and the breeder thought he would make an exceptional clicker dog. She was right! He is an exceptional clicker dog. I don't ever even wonder if we got the right boy for us. He can be a handful, and there are times when I'm fed up with him, but we love him anyway and he has taught us a lot. I think that you pick a breed with the best case and worst case scenario in mind. You may decide you want a more mellow pup or a more fiesty pup, but you should be prepared if you end up with the opposite of what you were hoping for. So I wouldn't pick a breed if there was a large portion of individuals in that breed that I didn't think I could cope with. I pick a breed that I think will suit me even if I get an extreme example of the breed. Does that make sense?

When we were getting Erik we were considering getting a Shiba Inu instead, but decided we weren't sure if we could handle how busy they can be. We knew that Valls can also be busy, but expected them to settle when we were settled. As it turns out, I think that Erik is a particularly busy Vallhund. You know, we learnt to cope. I think we would have been fine with a Shiba, though. ;) But my point is, even if you don't get exactly what you were hoping for, you love them anyway and sometimes find out that what you thought you wanted isn't that important after all. Erik is an absolute snuggle fiend. We never thought we were signing up for a snuggle bum, but we are pretty happy to get one anyway.

I've met Ausvarg and her dogs and she's totally fabulous. ;) I'd get a puppy off her in a second. Very happy with Ausled as well, and are finally getting to visit them soon. :D Be sure to drop over to the Spitz breeds thread. Ausvarg and Ausled both post there, and I'm always talking about Erik. ;)

(Btw, what is a clicker dog??) I don't think I'd have the guts to choose.. at the moment, she's getting us a show pup, but I hope it's also a pup that matches my personality as well, though I'm not sure if that's a possibility, now that I'm getting the puppy based on prettiness and not necessarily personality haha. Still, I've heard that all SVs are quite snuggly, and that's exactly what I want in a dog. A snugglebum when we're at home, with an active playmate when we're out! I do think that I picked the best breed for me though, the personality that Ausvarg's dogs have is just everything I ever want in a dog

I'll definitely visit the Spitz thread, if only to post photos of my new puppy when he arrives! :p