Sayly

In SA we don't get our numbers sent out at all! Except for the royal.

I have to decide which one to borrow next week... I would love to steal Maizie because she's little and flarfy and Holly's sis, but Lilly would benefit more from the socialisation!

Have fun Dotty! I'm so excited about sister Maizie hitting the ring! Sure she will be naughty too, all babies are. Lilly is entered for the first time this weekend and she's still not 100% happy walking on lead, so could be interesting.

I would be going with Ruby if the judge (N Karlsdotter (Sweden)) who has bred and shown Irish Terriers was actually judging Irish Terriers!

Wish you were showing him, I'd have to get cuddles every show! Look at his squishiness! Looking forward to meeting him at a DOL meet eventually! OH saw the pic and goes "We will have to have a Bloodhound one day."

Our four dogs do use alot of the yard themselves playing and doing zoomies, however we do notice when they haven't been walked enough or it's been too warm outside and all they have done is snooze. Poppy would be more than fine in a small yard as she would rather spend all day inside, on the bed than do anything else.

Poocow - I don't do much at all. I am slowly starting to do more, I chalk her nose now with a chalk block and that's about it most shows. Chalking isn't that hard if you get someone to show you a couple of times. Promise! Aussies are a nice breed to show, at least here in SA anyway.

I didn't know they screamed either! Sounds lovely. What would the neighbours think! From what I have seen of Tollers, Aussies do tend to have much heavier frames. Except my little midget.

Aussies do a major coat drop once or twice a year. There will be hair everywhere during this time. Obviously Holly is a predominantly light coloured dog and we have black tiles throughout our main living areas in our house. Not a good look! Other than that they aren't TOO bad. I find the Labs or Goldens we have in at work are worse for shedding than Aussies, but the Aussies still drop coat. I prefer Holly's shedding to Poppy (my Bull TerrierX) who has short spikey hairs they are so hard to get off anything. At least Holly's come off. For Holly, who is a show dog, I trim her feet and ears and then wash her before a show. That's it. For a pet I don't think you would need to bother with trimming feet unless they got really long, but around the ears should be groomed to keep it from matting. Behind the ears is the worst place for matts or knots in Aussies. ETA: Between shows Holly doesn't get brushed unless she is dropping coat.

I do agree with you there Aziah. That reminds me re varying personalities, keisha, if you do decide to go with an Aussie, try and check out the lines you want before you pick a litter to get a pup from. Some can be full on while others more chilled out. Holly is a more chilled Aussie, which I am grateful for being my first Aussie and all, but for my next I wouldn't mind one who is a bit more full on. I may regret saying that one day though. ETA: The open day at DOGSA was a great day last year.

Should organise an Aussie/Toller meet for kiesha.

Too cute Rivsky.

Maybe Tollers are just as cute.

We need cute Toller pics! Must say I have never seen a Toller baby.

I see you are in SA. Where abouts? There are some shows down at Pt Elliot next weekend. This weekend there are some in Pt Pirie. I'm not sure when the next ones are on at SACA but there is an open day at DOGSA during November, and I will be making sure there are some Aussies there. If you come down to a show most Aussie exhibitors here are more than happy to talk about the breed and let you meet their dogs. Aziah - Aussies definately aren't for everyone, but kiesha does sound more suitable than most. Tollers aren't for everyone either. There is occasionally a few Tollers out at shows here in SA too.

Aussies have some health issues also - hips, elbows and eyes. All breeders must have dogs hip and elbow scored before they can be bred from, and (I think) all pups must undergo eye checks at 7 weeks. There are also some genetic tests available for CEA, hereditary cataracts and also the MDR1 gene. Aussies which carry two copies of the MDR1 gene cannot be given certain drugs, the main one being Ivermectin which is present in many heartworms/all wormers. Aussies which carry one gene have also been known to react to these drugs. There are ways around it (know the drugs they can't have and don't give them those drugs obviously) and isn't as serious as other health problems, but one that all prospective owners should know about! Ok, the fun stuff! I have only ever had one Aussie, my gorgeous Holly but I handle for a couple of breeders here in SA. The main thing I don't like about Holly is she is noisy when she plays. She doesn't bark at cars/people walking past or out of boredom but Aussies do tend to bark when they play. They main thing I love about her is her loyalty and her love. She adores me and "her people" (the family) and showers us in affection, without being silly about it. She loves cuddles (Aussies will be lap dogs if you let them) and this seems to be pretty consistant with all the Aussies I have met. Strangers - she will give them a sniff or two then tends to ignore them. It takes a while to become one of Holly's "people" but once you are one it's well worth it. I just love the loyalty and her fantastic recall (we have always had terriers so loyalty and good recalls are always a bonus ). The pros about getting an Aussie over a Toller: Ease of getting an Aussie More colour choice Choice on tails! I love Tollers too, so good luck choosing! I'm sure some more knowledgable Aussie people will give you more to think about too. Join us in the Aussie thread if you like. Non-Aussie owners are always welcome (I was in there for a while before Holly became mine). http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?show...p;#entry4020798 Oh and Holly is just 19inches, so she's a little Aussie. Bitches do tend to be much more feminine and somewhat smaller than males. Plus who could say no to this? Or this?

Corny feet, like a hardening and subsequent cracking of the footpads. Photos here. I've not heard of it in Australian irish terriers/ Probably more of a question for Lyndsay but I think a lot of the firey nature of the Irish terrier breeds as a whole, not just the ITs, is nature taking over when nuture (i.e. a firm hand to stop that potential dominance) isn't present. As far as the corny feet, it is present in the breed but hasn't been an issue here for quite some time. Through world wide Irish email lists I haven't heard any dogs having this condition so I don't believe it's a huge issue in the breed anywhere (could be wrong) and while is a breed specific disease it is rather rare these days. Irish are feisty. They are affectionaly known as "red devils". An Irish Terrier may not start a fight but he will sure finish it. Good socialisation is key of course. I haven't had a lot to do with breeders other than Ruby's as she's the only one in this state but I would say her dogs have the correct Irish personalities; firey if someone else starts somthing with them but happy to play with almost anyone if the other dogs are friendly. I have found they accept animals you bring into the yard be it kitten or puppy without aggression and Ruby happily accepts adult entire bitches into the yard with no issue at all. But if a dog had a go at Ruby she would be there to finish the arguament. They are feisty terriers who need alot of socialisation from a young age and most need someone with some good basic knowledge of dogs (Ruby isn't one of these dogs, she was the easiest pup we have had and is really easy to live with BUT she's been very well socialised). Aggression is a no-no, feisty, dare devil nature is what these guys should have. There should be NO aggression towards people, these guys are family dogs and fantastic for kids.

1. What is my relationship with the breed? (ie breeder, first time owner etc) Currently show the family’s Irish Terrier, will be breeding from her in the future with the help and support of her breeder. Also owned a pet Irish Terrier growing up from the same breeder. 2. Where and why was the breed first developed? All round Irish farm dogs; hunting, used as retrievers, guarded the household and baby sat the kids. Also used during WW1 as messenger dogs where their bravery was legendary. 3. How common is it in Australia? Fairly rare. Generally only one to two breeders in most states. Not difficult to obtain a puppy though as they have mid sized litters and easy whelpers. 4. What is the average lifespan? Seems to be about 14. Sources say 12 to 16 which I would agree with. 5. What is the general temperament/personality? Fantastic with people, love their family. Absolute clowns, very sweet dogs with an impish streak. Fantastic with kids! As I said I grew up with one and she was my best friend. Ruby (our current bitch) just adores kids despite not having a lot to do with them until recently, and gets down to their level. Doesn’t jump on them, isn’t too rough. She seems to understand they aren’t the same as big people. Seems typical of the Irish I have had anything to do with. They are great for kids of all ages, happy to have a boisterous game with a teenager but gentle with younger kids. Usually not scared of anything, tough and game. Real dare devils when they want to be. Need a lot of early positive socialisation with other dogs as they can be dog aggressive especially towards dogs of the same sex. Socialisation is an absolute MUST. If an Irish is adequately socialised you will have a great friendly pet who wants to play with every dog they meet! 6. How much daily exercise is needed for the average adult? I would say about average, not nearly as much as my Australian Shepherd! Can vary, they do love to run and run but they don’t seem to need it. A good brisk walk once a day and/or a game of ball in the back yard is more than fine for most, but they do really love a big fenced yard or a well fenced dog park to really stretch out in occasionally. 7. Is it a breed that a first time dog owner could easily cope with? Yes ONLY IF they understand the importance of early socialisation with other dogs. This is absolutely vital. Irish can be naughty and can be a typical terrier, and the majority shouldn’t be trusted off lead. Easy dogs to live with but can be difficult to train if not started young. There are now some competing in agility and obedience around the country. 8. Can solo dogs of this breed easily occupy themselves for long periods? Some may. I would suggest another dog for company as Irish love a good play. Ruby does spend a lot of time entertaining herself in non-naughty ways, happy to run around for no apparent reason. Haven’t heard of any Irish being great chewers, some will dig if bored. Not generally yappy for a terrier. 9. How much grooming is required? For a pet it’s minimal. A brush occasionally and a good strip with a Mars Coat King every month or two is fine. Some people shave them before summer but it lightens the coat and changes the texture. A good strip with a Mars Coat King is better, but shaving them may be easier for some. Their coats may look similar to Wire Foxies or Airedale but the Irish coats are not nearly as thick and easier to look after. Don’t shed too much either. A show dog requires a fair bit of work leading up to a show. If anyone is interested in a show dog I would be happy to go into this in more detail. 10. Is it too boisterous for very small children or for infirm people (unless the dog is well trained)? No, not from what I have seen. As long as the main person caring for the dog is not a young child or very infirm an Irish can happily live in a house with them. As I said above, Irish are generally great with kids and very gentle when need be. 11. Are there any common hereditary problems a puppy buyer should be aware of? A very healthy breed. No genetic tests are carried out on Irish Terriers. The only known hereditary condition is hyperkeratosis (corny feet) which has not been seen in Australia in years. Still present in the breed overseas. 12. When buying a puppy, what are the things you should ask of the breeder? (eg what health tests have been done (if applicable) and what is an acceptable result to those tests so the buyer has an idea of what the result should be) The main thing I would suggest looking at and talking to the breeder about is the personality of the parents. Does the breeder talk to you about the importance of socialisation? Will the breeder help match a dog to your situation? If a first time dog owner let the breeder know and ask for help selecting the right dog for you.

He is fantastic!

Oh MsJ, I'm so sorry. RIP gorgeous Roggie.

Thanks everyone. Obviously I put her in a poor situation, and will be much more wary next time. I didn't remove her after the first growl as I assumed it was her 'hello' rumble, but after the second I figured both were growls and she was taken back inside then. The reason I said wierd behavior is because its not something I had seen from her before.

Thanks Tony, I hadn't thought about her picking up the fact she was drunk and not 100% 'healthy'. That makes alot of sense, she, compared to our other dogs, is so much more responsive to emotions and body language than our other two. As for the leadership, Poppy is the top dog out of our 3 dogs. As a pup she pushed and pushed and pushed for dominance more than any other dog we have had as a family, she took alot of work but I believe she knows her place now. I could be wrong, I'm no expert, as I said, she's the first dog to be my complete responsibility (had dogs my whole life, she's the first to really be mine). She listens and responds to what I ask, she gets off the bed or outside chair when told 'off' and waits until she's told 'ok' before she's allowed on the bed. She stops playing immediately when told 'settle'. She's obedient, happy, non-destructive, just DA due to our lack of socialisation during her puppy hood, and then my poor responses when she socialised later on. :nahnah:

Mum and Dad were sitting our the front this evening and our neighbour came over for a chat. I came outside and had Poppy with me, and our neighbour is a dog lover (they have two, one is a GSD with some issues that I’ve spoken about before, they do have more control over him these days and he is always on leash now outside the yard). Our neighbour had had a little bit to drink and was just a little silly and tipsy. She was sitting down and called Poppy over to her and patted her, and like Poppy does she put her front paws on her lap, neighbour leant down and kissed her nose, talked to her in both a normal voice and baby/silly voice and Poppy was licking her face and neighbour was fine with it, both Dad and I said ‘ah’ when she went to lick her but neighbour said it was fine and kept talking in baby voice. During this though Poppy growled quietly, she didn’t have her hackles up, didn’t seem worried or bothered at all, seemed to be enjoying the attention so the growl confused me a bit. During all this I had my hand on her hip area lightly as I didn’t have a leash on her. She really didn’t seem worried or upset or aggressive at all, but she growled. It wasn’t a really loud or aggressive growl, it was really similar to the ‘hello’ grumbles she does when we get home, but I’ve never heard her do it to another person before. She was fine after that with our neighbour too, shook hands with her, licked her, got pats and cuddles. Her body language all suggested she was happy but the growl did worry me. A bit later, I had Poppy sitting on my lap (I was sitting on the ground) and neighbours 17 year old daughter and a male friend of hers came over to tell neighbour that dinner was ready. Neighbours daughter adores dogs too and she sat down next to me and repeated what her mum did earlier, patted and talked to Poppy. Poppy was sitting on my lap with my arm around her chest. Poppy growled again, this time it sounded like a real growl, but again no hackles up and she SEEMED ok, but growling at people isn’t acceptable. I think she may have been growling at the male friend standing behind the girl, that’s where her attention seemed to be. The only time Poppy has growled at people has been on the street at some males and only when I have been walking her on my own, and the select times she has done that they have been people who worry me like the creepy bogan around the corner, so I just thought she was picking up on my moods/body language. Usually she’s excited to see and meet people at home and has never done anything like this. She always meets people either inside or in the back yard, this meeting was out the front. Also, the lighting out there is terrible and we don’t think her sight is great, but I don’t think this would have much of an affect on her. Mum also suggested that they would have smelt strongly of their dogs, and Poppy is DA (growls at other dogs and will snap if they are in her face), so maybe be responding to the smell. It’s worried me, its not acceptable. I didn’t feel like she was going to bite, but growling is a sign of aggression. I feel like all I’m doing now is rambling on, so does anyone have any advice for me, or some information on perhaps the cause? Should I be looking at a behavouralist’s help? I have thought about a behavouralist for her DA but we have been working around it and apart from missing DOL meets, it doesn’t really affect us a lot if she is DA so haven’t gone down that track as yet. She's the first dog who has been mine to train and look after, she means the world to me.

It's awesome isn't it. :rolleyes: Stripping knives do make it a bit easier with the hair on the body. Do we get before and after pics? Hey once you're done, want to come and do our Border Terrier? The Irish looks good, the Border... not so much.

How scary, especially with the cramping syndrome with the Borders! Thank goodness it wasn't and she's ok!