Dju

I had that exact thought whilst in the research stage. Now I'm forever saying how lucky we were to get what clearly must be the best dog of the litter. I'm sure it's like the parent thing and all the other owners think their puppy's the best, but there are some days when I'm quite certain that none of the other 9 are as completely wonderful as my boy :D I think so too, I'm so lucky to have found her! We chatted up a storm today, and for over an hour we were both like Vallhund-obsessed little girls, going ballistic to each other over the litter that's due a month away. I feel like I've found my soulmate, she's as enthusiastic as I am :eek: I think James is very handsome I'm pretty sure that with great parents and great raising, all puppies in that litter should grow up to be wonderful. Of course, owner input is important too, you gotta put in the miles to get the perfect dog for you, right?

I didn't know about them either, never heard of them before a few months ago! But I am a big dog sort of person and I wanted something like a GSD or Husky or something like that, a "masculine" dog, and the SV has everything I'm looking for and I won't have to spend a fortune on food for a giant dog that my mom wouldn't let me have anyways! I read into them quite a bit and the "big dogs inside little bodies" were just the perfect match for me.I think she'll definitely guide me along the path if I ever decide to breed one day in the future That would be absolutely wonderful. The advice she's given me so far--no "accidents" with other breeds allowed! But I'm sure every purebreed owner has the same advice. And who would want to taint a perfect bloodline anyways?? I don't want to give my poor breeder "vallhoodles" or something as grandchildren one day!

Sorry, I'm frustrated with all the abbreviations and such too, but I've started using them as well now SV = Swedish Vallhund, yes Also, good news, just asked my breeder and there's no pricechange for a breeding-quality pup! I feel so lucky to have such a good breeder!!

You're probably right :D I just got a text from her and have the best news--instead of having to fly the pup up to QLD, she'll be bringing him up with her so that she can compete in a show in QLD!!!!!!! :eek: I'll probably be able to meet the mom and dad face-to-face too!

I just called my breeder to ask them about this and also expressed my interest in showing the dog one day and she said I'd get a show-grade puppy from her then... but what if the show grade puppy isn't one that best matches me personality-wise?? Will I get an ultimatum--"this pup is best for showing but this other one is best for your lifestyle, CHOOSE NOW!!" or will she forgo one for the other? Gosh maybe I should stop worrying about this. I have no doubt about the temperaments of the dogs anyways, I guess, but I have been fretting about which pup will end up with me--I'll be living with it for fifteen years, it seems like a very important thing to be clear on!

So then some breeders let you choose which one you'd like out of photos? Oh I would not be able to handle the pressure of that, everytime my dog acted up what if I would wonder "Would this situation be different if I chose the other one I wanted??" I think I'm just gonna ask my breeder to do some matchmaking for me--but from what I see, bitch pups are more common than dog pups, so there might only be a choice between two boys or so I would choose by the color/markings if only I knew what they'll look like when they're adult--SV pups, when they're puppies, they all look like light brown teddy bears sans any markings whatsoever!

1. Swedish Vallhund! 2. German Shepherd 3. Australian Shepherd 4. Finnish Spitz 5. Bernese Mountain Dog 6. Schipperke (I think I spelled that right) 7. Akita Inu 8. Siberian Husky 9. Maremma Sheepdog 10. Finnish Spitz In order of preference But it gets a bit muddled around the end lol. But first thing is first, Vallhund!!

This one gets me every time I read it It also really humbles me that in a few months time I'm going to be looking after a dog for basically it's entire life... @Ravenau1: Rudyard Kipling's stuff is just beautiful in its simplicity :D

Woah, so many replies, thank you so much!! I hope the breeder chooses the right dog for us, though I think I'll pretty much be happy with any puppy that will love me enough to snuggle all over me 24/7 But after this thread I will definitely be giving the breeder some more information and hope that she is good at matchmaking! Let's see, what would I need, a handsome face lovable enough so that my grandma who doesn't really like dogs will completely change her mind, a pup that will respect the carpets in this house, and be strong enough to drag the stepladder over to our mailbox so he can retrieve our newspapers... I was kidding about that last one, our chickens get the mail for us.

I'm on the waiting list for a little SV pup from Ausvarg (love you Cass ) one state over and when the pup comes of age (8 weeks I think, around November), I will look to the sky and know that finally.. my pup is on his way here. However, I keep hearing all these tips about looking for a specific puppy in the litter when you meet them, like how you should pick the first one that comes up to you, or the most playful one, or the most obedient one and so on. Some say that the puppy must "choose you" and you should pick a puppy that looks like he's enthusiastic about going home with you or he will never be 100% devoted to you, but how can my puppy choose me if I've never met him before? So many different opinions, I don't know what to believe! Question I have for fellow DOLers is this-- On buying a puppy you've never met. Good idea? Bad idea? Should I believe all the hype?

I was thinking that my boy will certainly be the most handsome SV around ( biased, I know), that showing him would be a really cool experience and give me a little something to brag about. I don't really have plans for him as a breeder but dammit, SV puppies are like cute little teddy bears and I want the chance for Hugo to be a father one day :p OH = Other Half.. well that makes sense now, I couldn't for the life of me guess what that meant!

Have any of you had any thought about what would happen if you wanted to use your puppy for breeding one day when it's grown up? Does anyone like the sound of that for the pup they're getting? Or is everyone just after a friend and I'm the only one getting kid-excited about the future "family" of a puppy that hasn't even been born yet? I've been considering asking my prospective breeder about buying the dog without the desexing contract but considering the amount of trouble I'm already going to so that my dad will change his mind about funding my furry friend's purchase, I don't think a rise in pricetag will make him look more favouribly on the situation. He wants to get me a $50 Kelpie from the flea markets, ffs. edit: also, I have come across "OH" a lot of times on this site, what does it mean?

Has anyone seen the ten dog commandments? So sweet

Thank you so much For any other owners who are reading, feel free to post up any poems you've found that represent your love for your doggies

Hello everyone I have been snooping around these forums for several days now and have seen many signatures with the simple quote "Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot little puppies." (Gene Hill) I really considered using this quote to persuade my father for money to buy a Vallhund puppy from one of the breeders on this website for my 19th birthday present (before everyone jumps down my throat to tell me that owning a dog is a great responsibility and costs a lot of money, I am fully aware and I do have money saved up to look after it for a good year or so, but it would be nice to be able to use the money I would otherwise use to buy him from the breeder for other things, such as spoiling him rotten :D). My dad is really against the whole idea and while he has money to throw around, he would rather purchase a $50 Kelpie puppy from the local flea market from god knows what kind of backyard breeder because he says it will be less of a loss if the dog dies.......... Needless to say, the only sorts of animals he cares about are the ones on his plate. Definitely not going to let him buy me a $50 BB dog, and I will buy my SV with or without his help, but I am no Rockefeller, it would represent a huge chunk of my bank account that could be otherwise spent in ensuring that my dog gets the best start in life I can offer. Nevertheless. As an only (read: lonely) child, I could not find words to express to him how much happiness could come from owning a dog, for being responsible for another being, to look after them as family, and to have a friend who will never judge you. This poem I found when researching more about Gene Hill really touched me today (bit of an understatement; I shed a tear or two I must admit) and I think I'm going to use the second line to try and communicate to him just how much this act of charity on his behalf will mean to me: He is my other eyes that can see above the clouds; my other ears that hear above the winds. He is the part of me that can reach out into the sea. He has told me a thousand times over that I am his reason for being; by the way he rests against my leg; by the way he thumps his tail at my smallest smile; by the way he shows his hurt when I leave without taking him. (I think it makes him sick with worry when he is not along to care for me.) When I am wrong, he is delighted to forgive. When I am angry, he clowns to make me smile. When I am happy, he is joy unbounded. When I am a fool, he ignores it. When I succeed, he brags. Without him, I am only another man. With him, I am all-powerful. He is loyalty itself. He has taught me the meaning of devotion. With him, I know a secret comfort and a private peace. He has brought me understanding where before I was ignorant. His head on my knee can heal my human hurts. His presence by my side is protection against my fears of dark and unknown things. He has promised to wait for me... whenever... wherever — in case I need him. And I expect I will — as I always have. He is just my dog. - Gene Hill, from his book Tears and Laughter Sorry for the emotional blather at the start of the post , I'm feeling a bit depressed that he initially said no to me, but hopefully I will be able to convince him as to why his support is so important to me There is only so much a one can express about years of friendship that a dog can provide, but hopefully this poem can communicate what it means to me and other dog lovers out there.

The Vall is a pudgy-looking thing isn't it? XD At least it would be level with our chickens! Nova is a nice name but the first thing that comes to mind for me is the radio station too lol. Maybe something similar to Nova then, like.. Nuna or Nina or Kova or something along those lines You gotta be comfortable with the name haha, you're gonna be calling it that for hopefully more than 15 years! :D

Hugo will have to make up for his tinyness by being big in spirit.. or something ! Are you looking for a male or female Akita? Know what you're gonna call it? I swear I had Hugo's name picked out before I even knew I'd get a dog! Cats can look after themselves alright, we have chickens here and I'm worried how the dog will take to being bossed around by half a dozen hens! Maybe I can teach it to herd them... would sure make it easier to shoo them into the coop at the end of the day :D

I just realised that there was only one location for Urban Dog Training and that's the location that's closest to me. Thanks for pointing out that website, looks like I'll be bothering my dad into driving me and the dog there after all! I'm won over by the pink website, hahaha. You're looking for an Akita, aren't you? Beautiful dogs, was on my top ten list, but they're much bigger dogs than Valls, aren't they?? It would be great to meet fellow DOLers in puppy preschool though!

$40 an hour! They must make a killing from puppy preschool! I know how important puppy training is though, so I guess there's no avoiding it. I just need to find a better job now so I can afford to treat 'King' Hugo like the royalty he'll be I looked further into Urban Dog Training and they have a course really quite close to my place! Only problem is that I'd have to force my dad into driving me there, I don't think he'll like the sound of that at all lol

The closest we have is some "Positive Response" training school--no school lists prices where I can see though so it's a bother lol! How much do they usually cost--is it a per class thing or per term or semester--I'm so uninformed! Transportation is also a bit of a problem for me too, I don't have a car yet!!

I'm south-east Brisbane, and I think there's a little local puppy school near my old highschool somewhere; I still haven't made any firm decisions though, never having had a dog before I'm not sure where to look and I'm being overwhelmed by information from the internet!

Thank you!! Thanks Wuffles. I have actually heard a lot of good stories from people who have bought from interstate. Will consider it if we don't have any luck with this breeder. I myself am getting a doggie from one state over (or down, technically) and I hope it'll be a good experience, haha. The breed is very special to me and the parents' descriptions of temperaments and so on is just perfect, so hopefully everything goes well with the puppy we'll get from the breeder!

Hello everyone!! I'm new here I'm so glad there's a thread used to express to-be owners excitement about getting their puppies because my own is three months away and already I'm the most excited thing ever! The family has started to roll their eyes at my enthusiasm since the puppy hasn't even been born yet and I'm jumping off the walls--this is my first dog ever. I'm getting a Swedish Vallhund boy from AUSVARG (I found them through this website, they're new breeders, I think? I'm not sure), and it's really my dream dog! At first I wanted something large and cuddly like a German Shepherd or Husky, but a couple of online "breed matchers" have come up with a Vallhund as a result and I've been doing so much reading on them and they seem like the perfect dog for me. A big dog in a little dog's body! These are the parents: Aussie and Skye, who is a month's pregnant and about to go in for an ultrasound! Cross your fingers there's a little boy in there for meeeee