Steph M

No I do understand it may not come down to anyone's fault, but isn't it easier to rule out breeder responsibility if from the get go you know the adequate testing has been done as opposed to not? I wasn't trying to bash breeders, just saying if I were to use it as an example of where full and complete information might help both parties, and on the chance she wasn't up to scratch, my friend would have known from day dot. Didn't mean to cause offense, just trying to convey opinions from the consumer side of the fence.

5 or so weeks is feeling like an eteeeernity. Did get a little shopping done today though, got a nice big water bowl, a cool squeaky duck toy and a bunch of poo bags/poo bag holders. All that's left is a bed, some more soft toys and the actual puppy. Hahaha.

Aw I am sorry for her and your loss, that's terrible. Foxes are devious little sh*ts. She is gorgeous btw. Will keep all of this in mind! And no kids here, touch wood

I like the idea of a guide, I was talking to a lovely high school friend today who found her adorable and oh so sweet poodle's breeder on here and the poor little dog is 9 months old and her back knees are just a wreck and she's facing some pretty crummy decisions. She thought she was on the right track, the lady who bred her was lovely, she paid a good amount of money and did her research on the breed beforehand, she just didn't know squat about the health testing or what to ask. Possibly not the breeder's fault, but the info being readily avail in terms of health tests will make it glaringly obvious where the tests are lacking.

Atticus is a very cool name, can always shorten it to Atti :D

I saw the little freebie bag on a girl on the train and I had to ask what she got and it didn't really excite me, sad the women weren't very attentive. Seems a waste of time for them to go really!! Might see what time the other half gets up and if he feels like a jaunt in to town, won't hold my breath... :laugh:

Hahahaha that sounds great! I know our setter just loves chickens and kittens to bits, but it's not ideal. He'd never deliberately hurt them, but he just licks them if he gets his paws on them, but he never meets chooks these days. He used to carry our kitten around in his mouth and lick it til it would walk out of his bed soaking wet and purring. Very funny, but not ideal. I might think about hiring a few chooks, inbetween 6 monthly inspections perhaps ;) Next door have a huge chook pen, alas it's empty. Shame because we have lots of veggie scraps and I feel so wasteful throwing them out! I might just do that, and start early. Lots of supervision, lots of on leash and find some friends with chooks. Haha. Glad it wasn't THAT odd of a question, haha.

I thought of a good one on the way home! Poo bags, cause you never know....

Odd question, I know. How would you suggest going about introducing a pup to chooks and ducks and farm critters if you don't have much day to day contact with them? We live in the 'burbs, not too many cows and the like around us, but we spent a weekend on the loveliest hobby farm a while back and I was chatting to the owner about another weekend stay and she mentioned dogs are welcome, but for obvious reasons have to be chook safe. Now we'll be puppy parents before too long and the idea of taking poochy along to nap in front of the fire was just too much for my hallmark-card-picture heart. Eventually mum would like to move out of town too, her dream is to have chooks, we're big dreamers in our family. So my question is, short of hanging around the fences of petting zoos at the farmers market, how does one do this? I know a good recall and focus training will be important, but I'd love to be able to get the initial excitement out of the way. Am I even on the right track? Is this even a useful idea? I am mincing my words today, sorry if I'm baffling. It's a Friday and my bed calls so loudly. Heading home to cheap pizza and cheaper wine.

Me too. A guide would be fabulous!

I just bought a pair of cheap nylon collars in various sizes and am hoping blindly. Only about $5 each, so if they don't fit it's no biggie. We're about 5-5.5 weeks off yet. I have a treasure box of puppy stuff and more arrives daily. Poor other half signs for a looooooot of mail these days. Haha.

I overestimated by about 500 or so, which isn't a small amount. Would be nice to have a guide, but I don't know if then you cut off that initial contact and screening/education point? I was under the impression a few breeders really like this screening point and also that perhaps the prices change along the line or from customer/dog to customer/dog. It would have to be optional, really. Surely you couldn't demand someone price and publish their prices online, might be a big ask.

Yeah, cheap plastic one for a while I'd say....

I love love love the Buckaroo one. Thanks guys...

I think that's a fabulous idea, but the issue is finding the sucker. The info is all out there, scattered to the wind, but so is heaven knows what else. It'd be fabulous to see it all in the one place. But that sounds great, if you get it up and running I'd share the bejesus out of that! :D

I like this idea too, I wouldn't have any problem having a go at this. I have to say, as a newbie buyer I copped a fair bit of, I wouldn't say flack, but bafflement from some people when we started telling people we were researching a PB dog. There was two schools, the Oscars Law crowd and the older generation who centred around the 'but there's perfectly good dogs on the trading post or in the pound for 1/8th the price you're looking at' and 'so it's not even born yet? You could go to the LDH and get one now though' The benefits are huge for us, health testing, the opportunity to meet or know about the parents, knowing how they were raised, having some support after and having a degree of confidence in what we were getting matching what we want. In my humble opinion, you would be mad not to advertise these massive benefits? I guess, without sounding like a 'you vs them' thing, the Oscars Law crowd are growing and growing, if the general public knew more about these benefits and how things work from the inside, perhaps that's a start to establish some firm and deserved legitimacy, and weeding out the dregs can't hurt either. Also would love if the breed clubs got on board and advised what's good scores and what to look for and to have it all in the one spot. It can be very hard work finding this info, and even more so to have it relate to Australia. Not everyone knows what they're looking for and where to find it. It'd make life so much easier, from a consumer position. Like I said, I'm an outsider and a consumer, I don't know much about the politics or how this affects the breed as a whole, but I would love to see more info and more benefits advertised.

Just to poke my nose in as a total newbie/puppy buyer, I think this is a great start. I looked through the breeders pages when I was looking and spoke to several who appeared good, but really, what would I know? I ended up speaking to the secretary of the breed club and finding I was quite off the mark, in terms of quality. I guess the reality is it's not purely catering to people who know their stuff and know the circles, any extra info you can find and add to your shortlist helps miles if you're a bit of a newbie. I see the purpose, I don't know much about the politics or implications outside this, just poking my nose in. I'll be off now! :laugh:

Mum's Maltese had one he loved loved loved, used to cover it in wee. I hope no one ever loves me that much. It had to go and he moped for days. Lost his bed AND his loo!

The price on the big ones just makes my eyes water, haha. That's more than we spent on our bed, sans mattress. Haha.

Enablers!

I'm operating on a no super expensive beds til we've all promised not to shred them rule. I do really like them though, they are on the wish list. Long list that is...

Ooooooh they do look nice, but the idea of coming home to $125 all over the floor leaves me cold. Plus, picking up beans is the chore that never ends. One broke at mum's place years ago and you can still spot the odd bean in a corner a year or so after....

A friend of mine just spent $120 on a bean bag bed for a Maltese puppy she's getting in a few weeks, $120!!!! I mentioned I wouldn't be game to spend that much knowing what can happen to puppy beds and she said 'oh she'll only be small, what damage can she really do?' Famous last words?

I'd love to go, but alas it's an off-pay week and I know as well as my bank does, I can not be trusted.

Aw woulda been keen if this was melbourne, mum's/our English Setter is quietly losing it, the poor love. He's probably past the point of being trial-worthy. His health is failing pretty significantly and it's probably not far from time, a shame all round