kelpiecuddles

The portuguese is probably getting on the big side, we are trying to keep the size down to medium or smaller to make travelling a bit easier. The wheaten is basically maximum size, but at the same time I don't want something tiny because I want something robust enough to come running or bushwalking with me.

Could just be the ones I've met but working as a vet nurse many years ago and in all my rescues I've only ever been bitten by three dogs and I blame myself of two of those bites(during attempted rescues of very scared animals), the third was a poodle who just decided it didn't like me and wanted a piece of my leg for itself! Even the nice toy and minis I have met I have found to be often highly strung, but maybe that is more about the owner than the dog.

Bit of both I think. I don't mind the temperament of the standard poodles but they are too big for me and I've never much liked the temperament of the smaller sizes. Bit too fine for me in body type, I prefer a dog that you can throw around a bit in a game or take out bush without feeling like you might break it LOL

Ok. I'll look at the lag otto as well. Any other medium sized ones to recommend? I'm not into poodles before anyone suggests them. I love airedales but they are just too big(and they are terriers too!) I have one of those mobs of critters that are raised so carefully together that they just 'work' if you know what I mean. I have had people ask me how I get them to get along and I'm not entirely sure, I think it's a combination of a carefully chosen puppy(not just the breed but the pup itself) and then enormous amounts of socialisation and training. I always thought it was pretty amusing that my working and hunting dogs' best friend was a rabbit. <

The dog won't be living with the small animals all the time but my dogs follow me around while I garden, etc and the chooks are let out to free range in the orchard so the dogs and chooks meet if the dogs follow me to the orchard, ordinarily dogs are in the back yard and chooks are seperate in the orchard. So if it really didn't work I would simply have to not let the wheaten follow me if I was working in the orchard. I already have to be vigilant with ticks as I take my other dogs out bush a lot. I get the whole thing about the coat being the prize, etc but I'm looking at wheatens because the coast doesn't shed, not because I want a shaggy dog if that makes sense. I have realised the impracticalities for us of having shedding dogs.

Personally I will always favour a breeder who believes in the importance of breed specific health testing. If PRA and hearing tests are reccomended for ACD pups(not up with what the reccs are for ACD) then I would automatically strike the other one off my list. Just my personal view though.

I'd actually seriously consider making up a bed for him but worry about large vet costs when I'm not working much at the moment

Oh, my heart breaks for this poor old soul. Have they done any testing with him whether he is good with other dogs, etc? Other than his eyes any other known health issues?

Yeah I'm fine. I work in a pet supply business and the number of people who have come in talking about stopping their tick treatment 'because it's coming into winter' is amazing.

I just pulled the 4th tick of ME in the last few days. I usually don't get them myself and yet suddenly we have been swamped with them so this is a warning o everyone not to get lax with your tick preventative measures just because it's coming into the colder time of year, they are still very active. I took one off this morning which was a paralysis tick and I suspect had been on me since Sunday and may have been the cause of the nasty headache and lethargy I had for the last two days, since removing it this morning my headache has gradually disappeared whereas even pain killers weren't helping before finding the tick. I am in the Jervis Bay area of NSW.

I'm umming and ahhing over whether to take on fostering. I have a kelpie and a basset hound so like my working breeds and my heart melts when I look at little guys like Broken Hill 377 who is desperate for a spot at the moment but I worry about how easy working breeds are to rehome once they are in a foster home? So I'd love to hear from others who take on breeds who are lets face it fairly common in rescue and aren't the cute fluffies to help me decide if this is something I am willing to do. I only work sporadically at the moment so I'm home a lot and I have a vacant fenced half an acre where I take my girls to run.

Nah I need a 'real' dog LOL I just love the look of the wheaten. I think I'll have to work hard to consider another breed now, I've been bitten by the bug!

Yeah but the little guys are smaller than I want and the big guys are just too big. Wheatens are right in the middle in a size comparison LOL

Oh, can I ask what the lifespan of wheatens is usually like? My main concern is probably their trainability around small animals as we have chooks, rabbits and a cat. My kelpie and basset will lie in the middle of a flock of quails or next to a mumma chicken with her day old chicks, this is one probably my major worry being terriers...

Thanks :) I suspect I would need to keep it groomed fairly short most of the time as we go to the beach and also we get a lot of ticks here and I would worry about missing one in the fluff! Probably clip short and a bit longer around the face, etc, a similiar to the schnauzer type clip if you know what I mean. I have asthma so the main motivation is having less hair in the house and being able to travel without the carseats getting covered in fur as we often take dogs interstate. Actually the price you mentioned wasn't as much as I was expecting so that's OK with me and the same reason I was happy to pay the price I did for my basset too, proper testing and a great breeder. How do kerry blues compare in size?

Sorry, just edited my profile as it was showing old info. We are on the South Coast of NSW

Hi all, I have two gorgeous dogs, a basset hound and a kelpie who are 5 and 9 years old respectively. I am planning to add another dog in the next two to three years as my basset frets when alone and I worry about her having a companion as my kelpie gets older and if the worst should happen(hopefully not for a long time!) Also there are times when I need to take my kelpie places alone and it would be nice for her to have a companion when I do(it's the only time she exercises her excellent basset bark when left without her doggy friend :p ). I have decided that the next dog will be a non-shedding breed and after much angst I happened upon a lady walking her lovely wheaten at a local market and instantly loved the look and the size. So I am hoping to get a few opinions on this breed and whether it will suit me. As you would imagine with two working/hound breeds already I am comfortable with training and from what I understand they can be quite a headstrong breed which is not a huge problem for me, I was also told they will often just 'decide not to listen' LOL which is very similiar to our basset(love that 'sorry did you say something, nope didn't hear a word' look LOL ). Mainly I'd like opinions on how they get along with kids(youngest would be around 6-7 when we got the dog, oldest around 12), other dogs and small animals if raised with them. Both my basset and kelpie were raised around free range rabbits and chooks and have been taught to be very gentle and not chase. Also just on a 'how much do I need to save perspective', what sort of price range am I looking at? It's not an issue for me, I'm more than happy to pay for a good dog but I'd like to have an idea so that I can put some away and keep an eye out for the perfect breeder/puppy. From a maintenance perspective how often do people clip them? I've only ever had short haired dogs so I'm a bit clueless about the clipping side of things :) Any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated, I'm in a rural area and there aren't really shows here. When I was looking for my basset we went to a show and met up with breeders, etc but it's a little harder now that we are out of the city.

If it is Sarcoptes mange then a good soaking (and I mean SOAKING) with frontline spray twice a week for a couple of weeks should knock it off, but you really would need to know if it was dmodex or sarcoptes or something else.

Yep I pay about $27 for 20kg and Beau gets so excited when I walk through the door with a new bag. He knows that it comes in the yellow pack and whines and carries on cos he likes it so much If I walk in which anpother type of food if I haven't been able to get it for some reason he couldn't care less! We don't use much of it either, he has about three cups a day (no other food due to his sensitivities) and he weighs about 40kg.

Well I think for the price Coprice is great, Beau can't tolerate any of those expensive premium foods and on Coprice he always looks great.

Yeah they only come in big bags but the way I see it for $27 bucks it probably still works out cheaper than eukanuba anyway Where are you? I'm happy to go halves or whatever in a bag at some stage if you want to try it I'll use it

I use Coprice working dog when I want to put weight on mine. They didn't do well on any of the premium food either. Nutrigel is also good for helping them gain weight but haven't found that I've needed it with the Coprice.

Hehehe Beau drops them on the concrete too They are such smart buggers!

Well my dogs get an egg about twice a week as we have chooks and they follow me down to the chook pen for their treat! I tap the egg on the ground for Sascha so that it gets atleast a small hole in it and then she'll chew it up shell and all. I give them to Beau whole and he knows how to put it on the ground and use his teeth to 'pincer' it and break it. They love it and if I don't give them an egg they will follow me all the way back to the house with their noses on the egg basket!

I wouln't set foot in upmarket pets, but that's just my choice. Buy him one good quality dry food (you can tick that box already ), add fresh, raw bones, egg, etc. as the other part of his meal and don't feed him anything else. Unless you are actually training him he doen't need treats, especially not junky ones. You might feel mean taking his food away for a few days now if he doesn't eat it but I can guarantee he'll only get worse. Have you thought about what will happen if you have to leave him for a few days or longer. I can guarantee that a kennel (and most sane people I can think of) wouldn't be prepared to cook a dozen different meals fr him to keep him happy. Once he is used to the routine you will find he will be happier as he will be eating proper regular meals.