ellz

I'm saddened but not surprised by the attitude of this breeder. I will say though that whilst the purchase price does sound excessive to some, in actual fact, if it is a Main Register puppy, $1800 isn't so bad. Average price these days for Limited Registration seems to be $1000 - 1500 and Main Registration $1500 - 2000. Of course, the money grubbers are still trying to charge more for blue and blue bred puppies. As an indication of how small the puppy is, my recent litter of three boys....the SMALLEST in the litter weighed just over 3kg at 9 weeks of age. I hope you can get some definitive answers soon and I hope the puppy turns the corner and can be brought back to full health. I also pray that if it is a genetic issue, or even an issue that could be considered environmental, that the "breeder" takes note for future litters.

:laugh: Guess where I spent last night on an impromptu whim on the loooong way home from a show?

I know Marshall's breeders really well. I've stayed in their home and enjoyed their hospitality and I know the effort they put into their breeding program and the pride they have in all of their dogs! I know if you have ANY questions or concerns, they're definitely there to help and love hearing from their puppy families anyway.

Anyone looking for bargains in the Oztrail Gazebo range, check out http://www.snowys.com.au I purchased my Oztrail Compact Deluxe for $179 with free shipping through most of Australia. And that in itself is a bargain because for most purchases I'm looking at a minimum of $70 postage/freight for anything with a bit of size or weight to it being sent to Tasmania.

I've just attacked my Bull Terrier and my Stafford baby with both clippers and rotary sander (I have a Rok from Mitre 10, fraction of the price of a "real" Dremel but just as effective). Both fidgeted with the clippers (the Bull Terrier took two of us to get one foot done) and I think it's the tugging that upsets them. Neither had had nails done with the Rok before, but after the initial checking out, BOTH (one 3 and one 5 months) stood perfectly still and let me get on with it. Result, two dogs worth of nicely blunted nails so no more nail gouges and no more stocking runs!!!

Try Jeanne Skudder (Penita) in Northern Tasmania on (03) 6391 1658 / 0419 113 830 I think she may even have puppies available now.

I don't take deposits and I don't take "pre-payments" of any kind. I don't want a purchaser to be "locked into" purchasing one of my puppies and neither do I want to be forced to sell a puppy if for any reason the purchaser comes up short in some regard prior to the puppy leaving my care.

I can't see where the breeder has misled you. All looks and sounds perfectly fine to me. There is no set time frame for puppies to be registered, as long as they are registered within the first 18 months of their lives. My current litter are 11 weeks old and I haven't even thought about registering them yet. It will cost me more to do so, but that's my problem.

Actually to be honest, I can still see the "funky" ear in that first photo anyway....it didn't change, the puppy just grew. It's still not brilliant in the latest shot. Teething may still cause it to go awry again too so be prepared.

LOTG, I'm with you all the way. When the boys own eyes and personalities, it'll make the down days seem less important. THEN you'll know why you do what you do!

My babies are 4.5 weeks now and on four solid (or milky) meals per day. Their mum is really just a babysitter now and is more than happy to spend as much time away from the babies as she can get. I'd normally not be weaning puppies this young but I'm being led by mum and she has definitely had enough! They tend to grab her for the odd comfort feed but really could be on their own now. I'm leaving her with them though because she can teach the little monsters some manners and they snuggle with her at night now that I have turned the heatpad off!

*passes LOTG a Strepsil*

Pupdate ... 2 weeks old and growing like weeds!

Hahaha....he is a bit.....not even 2 weeks old and already developing a Stafford grin! He has been officially christened....Ronan. Registered name will be Ellz Kiss Me I'm Irish I'm also breaking all of my own rules about not choosing early, not choosing by colour, select the best, etc etc Ronan is staying! My first Stafford was a red dog. My late husband adored him. I spent years trying to breed another red dog and even using red bloodlines, doubling up on red bloodlines and doing just about everything else possible, I never actually succeeded. Long story alert......... This litter is my first since 2009 and my first since Wade died. My bitch is a stripey brindle, the sire is black brindle who has produced black, brindle and pied. The first two boys born were obviously dark brindle with a white collar and white feet and a brindle with a white chest. The last boy was born a good few hours later and I wasn't expecting another puppy because Petal had popped the two out, cleaned them up and had settled down quietly to love them. I heard a puppy squealing so got up to investigate (I was on the bottom of my bed with the trolley Petal was in, a matter of a metre away). Petal had a very soggy puppy in front of her which she was rolling around licking and it looked as though it was covered in blood. Except......the blood wasn't coming off on my hand when I picked the puppy up and my foggy brain realised that there were two puppies in front of Petal....the "bloody one" and the dark one and that a puppy was STILL squealing!!!! So, the first realisation was that there were actually THREE puppies, and then the fog lifted slightly enough for me to realise that I had finally bred a RED!!!!!! So, as silly as it sounds, I truly believe that this little boy was sent by Wade, so that I finally got my red and by my beloved and much missed Woger, so that I had another Stafford boy to love!!! Oh and as Rocky's (the sire's) owner pointed out, to make it even more like fate, the first time any of us set eye on Rocky, it was the day Woger got his title, and Rocky was Res Cc and RUBOB behind him. And Wade was there........

Oh hai :)

Remember the fun and laughs we had the day he took Woger's photos Allerzeit? I don't think I have laughed like that in a long time! :D

Sad news of the passing of dog photographer extraordinaire Michael Trafford. Michael has been known for many, many years for his brilliant work with dogs, horses and scenery. He has been ill for some time, but was optimistic about his recovery. I'm particularly saddened, we enjoyed some lovely "rambles" in the country, chatting about everything and anything and taking photographs. He lent me a camera at one stage and was the start of my love of Pentax. He'll be greatly missed.

Sad news today with the passing of dog photographer extraordinaire Michael Trafford.

When they start taking an interest in mum's food is when I start introducing them to mince slushies, gradually increasing the solid component and adding texture.

I am thrilled to announce the safe arrival of three new baby Staffords. Billy, Cameron and Cooper were born in the early hours of this morning with minimal intervention and after a trouble free labour. Petal is doing a wonderful job (so far) of keeping her babies full, clean and warm.

Puppy breath everywhere!!! I'm still waiting, but am now 200% certain that it's not a very good phantom. Unless you can feel and see puppies doing somersaults that is! :laugh: Petal has been doing a little bit of nesting here and there. She's definitely uncomfortable, poor baby. My son and I noticed last night when we got home after rugby training that she has "that" smell about her. She has milk "all round" and is as tight as a drum. Taking temperatures in earnest and getting even more excited now!

Photo taken just over a week ago (approx 6.5 weeks gestation). We have some absolutely insane boobage changes and unless I'm very much mistaken....I felt some rather hearty little thumps n bumps when I had my hand on her belly last night. So........ Unless we're having one WHOPPER of a phantom......there are Ellz babies on the way in a couple of weeks!

Crossing fingers for my first Stafford litter since 2009, due around March 22. Not doing any testing or anything.....still not convinced it is going to happen so just doing it all the low-tech, old-fashioned way!