kiwifeathers

I haven't no! The treasurer on the committee at the local club has them, and I've helped handle them and others before, one of the few breeds I've handled for other people, the others being Paps, Danes and Staffords (got my start showing with Staffords!). Beautiful clean dogs, nice personalties and well trained, at least at shows. Although her dallies broke her leg when they came hooning down a hill at top speed and her big boy slammed into her!

Yeah, I'm not too into really loony dogs either. Usually very sweet dogs, just a bit too much, my IG is loony but then she is small, loony big dogs are a different story. Puppies can be loony all the like but I like a calmer adult dog, they can still be clowns, just not bouncing of the walls! :laugh:. Wonder if this dobe you looked after was a minority or normal for the breed?

Do love the sharp look of a nice dobe! Again I haven't really been around any. What are they like to live with? I suppose the critiera is a little general but I'm not sure what else to put to narrow it down... I think everyone on here is probably biased for their own breed!

Aunty has one and its a nasty piece of work. Nice with the family and people she knows but super dog and stranger aggressive, she's rushed and bitten people. Then again so was its mother, my mum worked with the breeder and we used to go see the puppies when she had litters. I don't know if they are all like that but its put me right off them. I like the look of them, and Activity level wise I like them though, after nice big walks she's done and just lies around in the sun for the rest of the day.

They are indeed, very competitive in the ring. I love some of the colours you see in whippets, once saw the most amazing brindle and white. :) Haha no offense intended! :laugh: As I said, they are probably different when not at shows, I guess they just have their game faces on, or they aren't interested in meeting with strangers, which is fine. What do you mean by primitive in temperament, if you don't mind me asking? Pretty hard to meet more of each when I can count the number of both breed put together in the country on one hand! :laugh: It does make deciding if they are for me a bit tricky...

Wow so many breeds I've never even considered! What are they like to live with? I guess they drool quite a bit? Big thing with the long breeds is I'd be worried about them hurting their backs somehow, does it happen often? I think you should look at a Borzoi, FANTASTIC dogs !!!! Well I do gush every time I see one! Stunning dogs. I've made friends with a trio that do many of the same shows I do to the point where they now drag their owners over haha

Wow so many breeds I've never even considered! What are they like to live with? I guess they drool quite a bit? Big thing with the long breeds is I'd be worried about them hurting their backs somehow, does it happen often?

I love all the ex-racers I've met, only seen just 2 show bred dogs from afar! Again, surprisingly one I haven't looked at as much. How much to show bred greys usually go for over there, out of curiosity? I guess it would be one I'd have to import? Are they being bred here at all to your knowledge? Is there any difference between the show and racing dogs, build and temperament wise?

Blenheim currently, been in Nelson, Welly and Christchruch though! I've been a bit of a wanderer lol. Yes, it was Tina's pair, I'd been trying to speak to her for a few shows because I was curious about the breeds, but she's always so busy but got a chance for a quick pat at a CHCH show and that Ibizan was such a sweetie, and a leaner! I've looked at Whippets, but all the ones I've met at shows have been very bland and personality-less. I like a bit of life in dogs. I imagine they are different at home but it put me off them a bit. I'm sure if I looked at them a bit harder and met some in a different environment I would probably like them. I'll keep them in mind. I don't really mind how common a breed is, its just I do have a taste for the unusual but its not really a deciding factor, just a bonus. I've always had dobes in the back of my mind but haven't interacted with them much, certainly like the look of them. I imagine getting one from a very good breeder is important, for both health and temperament? NSDTR? Huh never even thought about them... I have met one person with a couple once but have never seen them again, not even at shows. Probably would have to import one (which I'm not opposed to at all) I'll have a closer look at them. Thanks for the suggestions. A bit more to add to my list.

Hi all! Haven't posted for quite a long time, but I've been lurking and reading. Haven't really had anything worth saying you see :laugh: Anyway, now I have left the world of study and am seeking a full time job to be a functioning member of society I can start thinking about getting another dog. It will be a while before I get this hypothetical dog, possibly a year or more, as I take time to settle my life down first. I'm lucky that my folks are brilliant and are letting me stay at home until I save money to afford the deposit of my own house, however long that may be! It will take a lot less time since I won't be paying rent, and it provides stability for me which is a huge bonus. So yeah, reason I'm thinking about a new breed is that as much as I love my current dog, and I love the Italian Greyhound breed, her size and fragility is proving to be a big stresser and walking her is a nightmare because I am constantly worried about a large offlead dog crashing into her or attacking her and hurting/killing her. I don't mind that she can't be off lead herself, as a high prey drive dog, but I literally can't take her anywhere, even walking on the footpath in the suburbs, without there being a 50/50 chance of running into an offlead dog. It seems like most NZr owners have no clue these days, at least in my town. Plus I am starting to notice there is a lot of politics and bad blood in the breed, despite its rarity here and I don't want any part of it. It's hard enough starting out in the pure bred dog world for a young person without all that nonsense, and in such a small breed its impossible to avoid really. I know its present in every breed but sheesh, most people trying to start showing would of bailed by now. I love showing so much luckily! Don't get me wrong, I'm not going to just get rid of Breeze, she'll stay with me, or with my folks if that's better for her (she and the family dog are very tight and I do worry about separating them?). I really want to find THE BREED, the one that I will become very passionate about and love to have, show and breed and hopefully put my mark on it's history here, I've researched a lot, but sometimes it seems like info you read isn't how it actually is living with them. (for example everything I read about IG's said they were calm in the house, quiet, didn't need much exercise and barely shed or didn't shed at all, HA tell that to my girl when she's hooning around at 7pm at night, yapping up a storm with her horrible high pitched bark, goes for 2 long walks a day and still isn't satisfied and all the white hairs stuck all over the carpet, furniture and our clothes! Her hugs make up for it though :laugh:) I really like sighthounds, and the ones of met from all sorts of breeds at shows have all been very nice dogs. I met my first Ibizan Hound a few months ago (there is only two in the country apparently)as well as a Pharaoh Hound and I really liked them, and borzoi always make me oooo and ahhh. I am open to all breeds however. I've worked in a boarding kennels with big dogs and at the SPCA for years so I've got experience with quite a variety. My criteria at the moment: -Larger than say a beagle, or a stafford, for my own peace of mind mostly, and because I'd love to have a big dog again (grew up with German Shepherds, mum and dad used to show and breed), I don't mind any size from medium to giant. -Okay with other dogs, either friendly or indifferent. The family Border Terrier is very dog aggressive and I'd rather not deal with it again, especially a bigger dog. Obviously each individual is different, but breeds known for dog aggression are out. -I like dogs that are affectionate and friendly with their people, and bond with the owner but I don't think I could deal with the ones that literally demand attention all the time. I just looked after a lab for the night and he was constantly harassing me for attention and following me around the whole time I was there, and would bark, paw, poke and whine when I wasn't patting him. Couldn't deal with that every day. I need the dog to be able to cope with being alone sometimes, at least with another dog there, so breeds known for separation anxiety are probably out too. - Coat wise I don't mind as long as it doesn't require hand stripping! Grooming the Border for the show ring was agony, never again! :laugh: I would rather not have a heavy shedder if I can avoid it, but I'm not completely opposed to it if the breed fits other parts. I am happy to learn the grooming for the right breed. Don't know if I'm up to poodle level show grooming though haha. -Exercise level doesn't bother me, although I don't want anything that's really hyper or loony, I don't mind dogs that can be a bit silly or a clown sometimes though, that's part of the fun. I'm happy to go for one shorter walk or multiple long runs. More exercise is probably better because I probably could use it myself and having a dog that needs it will make me go out. I wouldn't mind doing some lure coursing with a sighthound, or agility with another breed. I tried with the Border but he wasn't interested in agility at all. One of my friends hunts rabbit and duck and her friends and their dogs are always welcome, so for some breeds I'm sure that would be fantastic too. I liked teaching tricks and obedience to the Border, but I'm happy with breeds like my IG that don't really care for it too. -I'd like a breed that is calm and quiet in the house to a degree. I don't mind some noise (the frequency of noise the IG makes is fine, its the pitch of her bark that kills me) but breeds that are known yappers are a no go. Barking for a reason is okay, I don't mind a good watch dog. - Less health problems associated with them the better - It doesn't matter if the breed is known to be good with kids or not, I don't like them myself, and can't have them anyway, so it doesn't bother me either way. Strangers are the same, as long as they aren't going to be outright aggressive to them, I'm good. - I like breeds that are a little more unusual but that's just a completely selfish preference and doesn't really matter. -Bonus if there are great breeders that are willing to be a mentor (overseas or otherwise) to someone in the breed. This is long enough already and I can't think of anything else right now, will add to it as needed.

I fed my Border Terrier and IG Ziwipeak and a little raw topper or their wet food exclusively for over a year, and both did very well on it. The IG was raised on it and I couldn't of asked for better. Great coat, great teeth, and the IG grew brilliantly. Because it is very rich you only have to feed a very small amount, even less if you feed some raw as well, and it was enough for us to be able to afford it. It's very high quality stuff (and I'm not just saying that because I'm a kiwi!) but it is ridiculously expensive and just couldn't afford it anymore when they rose the price again (not sure if it was the store I had it shipped from or the actual makers) so I switched to Orijen end of last year, which I'm very happy with so far. NZ Natural I haven't used myself but I know other people that use the frozen stuff but don't feed it exclusively (mixed with raw and rotated). From what I've seen its mostly fat and the only freeze-dried flavor worth buying is the Freeze Dried Raw Venison Feast. The Freeze Dried Green Tripe is recommended to be used as a transition food only. Worth having a closer look at perhaps.

I really wish more judges in NZ would withhold challenges personally. Its far too easy to title a dog here in many breeds, and IMHO many dogs I've seen with CH in front of their name shouldn't have it. For some of the rarer breeds all you have to do is turn up to seven shows after the dog is 6 months old. Boom, its a champion. I've only seen three judges withhold a challenge; one for a Bullmastiff that almost took the judges hand off, one for a Rhodesian Ridgeback that the judge couldn't even touch and slunk along on its belly everywhere, and one for an Italian Greyhound who's legs crossed over so badly on the move it looked like it was going to fall over.

Haven't posted much anywhere yet and I'm jumping in a bit here, but OP maybe you should have a look at some NZ breeders and their dogs? Many of the Paps here are pretty dainty imo, if that's what you like, and several breeders here have english, swedish etc lines. It would be easier than importing from farther afield too. Something to consider at least. But I do agree with the others in that you should build relationships with breeders in Aus as well.

Oh my gosh, what a horrible thing to happen, truly sorry for your loss... Nobody deserves this. RIP Buddy. Take care and don't blame yourself either. This is not something you could of prevented and you could of never expected it to happen because it never should! The groomer was plain negligent and needs to face some kind of consequence. After putting your boy to rest I suggest looking into some way to report it when you are ready. As we say here in NZ, Kia Kaha-Stay Strong. The community is here for you.