casowner

Great work and thank you for being such a caring finder, very few people would do that. Poor old stafford man but I bet he enjoyed his stay at Peiradise

I would suggest talking to the people in the breed threads and I don't believe there is a pure black SBT it is just a very dark brindle with minimal markings, in relation to blue SBT's I would suggest searching for some blue links in this section.

Our vet does accounts for large animals but not dogs/cats. I normally don't even get the bill for a couple of weeks, due to the regularity of vists that we have my vet is pretty good. Not sure if they are the same for all customers. I remember racing Jake to the Emergency Vet and on the way rang and explained it was absolutely critical but once we got there the nurse stuffed around asking questions about my details even though they were on file. I explained that it was again critical but she wouldn't budge, by the time we went out to get him he had died in front of my OH and son. Now coming out 5 minutes earlier wouldn't have saved his life but it would have saved my son from seeing his dog die in front of him. To top it off when OH picked up his ashes (and couldn't see through the tears when doing so) the same nurse only gave him one urn when I had rung 10 minutes earlier and spoke to her to remind her that there was an urn and a cremains container, it even said on the bag one of two. When he got home and I asked him about it he said that is all she gave him so he had to go back and go through it all again, no apology or anything

I think with any animal if you breed for one particular quality you generally compromise on the breed standard or quality so continuously breeding for colour would obviously compromise the quality of the dogs that you are producing. Using animals for colour without beginning with perfect/quality animals to begin with means that you aren't all of a sudden going to have a perfect animal with the colour you want. For example I desperately wanted a pony of a particular colour and got so caught up with finding one I didn't see her obvious conformational faults. I posted a pic of her on DOL and they were pointed out to me, I opened my eyes and saw that I was colour blinded and although upset didn't purchase her for all of the right reasons. From what I have read the issues apart from the cour and skin have been that they are generally over sized and have big heads, that is what I have gathered from other blue stafford threads

Marshall Chief

All of my animals have human names except the cat who is called Snickers (because all of my last cats have had chocolate themed names - Toblerone, Nestle and Cadbury) and my older female camel who was named before I got her and her name is Zippy. Well I guess she was a racing camel

Ever since I was young I always wanted an anglo nubian goat with their big roman nose and long floppy ears, they just looked like a big lovable clown. Nearly 4 years ago my dream came true after being on a waiting list for a year I brought home the most adorable little 2 day old baby. Ben loved the movie Shrek and had always wanted a donkey and as we didn't have one back them he looked at the little overload of cuteness and immediately named him Donkey. From day one he would come to work with me dressed in a different dog coat everyday and walked on his harness, he was best friends with Jake and even though they had "teething" problems when they were juveniles they adored each other. Donkey left a trail of destruction and vet bills wherever he went, nothing could contain him and while he was so loving he had an appetite for destruction. In the last couple of years he has managed to break his leg (on a Public Holiday at night, get wedged in the fork of a tree causing massive nerve and spinal damage and had broken into a house and eaten rat bait, then a week later broke into another area and got more. He was destined for a short life, I knew it but he obviously didn't. 10 days ago I found him extremely ill, he had obviously eaten something he shouldn't and for the last 10 days I have been syringe feeding him 6-10 times a day willing him to live. He tried to stay with us but his body was too badly affected from all of his other injuries and it just couldn't fight anymore. I begged him to give me a sign that he had had enough and he cried and rested his head on my lap and I knew I had to stop fighting for him. Making that decision is going to haunt me even though I know it was the right one to make. My son Ben loved Donkey with all of his little heart, he has been heartbroken since we found him sick and I haven't the strength to tell him what I have done. He is still mourning the loss of Jake and there is another tragedy that I found this morning that I can not bear to accept let alone explain. My animals envelop my soul, each one makes my life better and I try so hard to give them everything they need and all of the love that they can hold so losing them just tears al little part of me away with them. So Donkey my friend, please find Jake and tell him I love him and I will find some comfort knowing that you are both together. Please don't eat the bridge as other gentle souls will need it to cross over to the other side. You will leave a legacy of ring barked trees, damaged fences and loving memories. Goodbye my friend, there will never be another to replace you. Seriously mate THERE WILL NEVER BE ANOTHER GOAT HERE EVER

Dogfx, Tracy and Suzanne are lovely Dogfx website

For some balance It has even been unfairly described as somewhat of a "loose cannon" by its detractors in recent years, although most such dogs are a result of either poor breeding, irresponsible ownership or bad upbringing. Still, with proper care, handling and training, the Kavkazskaya Ovcharka can be a well-behaved and obedient companion to those who understand this majestic Molosser. While this wonderful ancient breed makes an amenable family dog, it certainly isn't the same thing as a Newfoundland, a Bernese or a St.Bernard and potential owners should be aware of the breed's history and temperament before deciding to tackle the task of raising a Caucasian Shepherd Dog extracted from the Caucasian.org website Scaremongering about a breed only perpetuates unbalanced views but understanding the nature/traits of them helps educate about this amazing dog

Sorry again Pewithers I am not referring to them as Psychotic at all, in fact I admire the breed very, very highly and I am dedicated to my chosen breed on the CASD however I think that people shouldn't compare them to a maremma. My boy was the most amazing gentle family dog and if you had read any of my posts about Jake before you would see how much he affected our lives. People will make decisions based on what they read so I think it is important to clarify that there are in fact major differences between livestock guardian breeds. I have a great affection towards Maremmas and I was on a waiting list for 2 years with a chosen breeder until finally giving up and finding Jake and it was the best decision I have ever made regarding introducing a flock guardian into our property I don't like seeing the CO classed as a killer or psychotic at all but with all breeds they have their own breed traits that must be respected and managed

Pewithers I am sorry but I strongly disagree about that, the CASD is much more instinctial in the actual protection of property than a maremma (meaning that they will defend quickly and ferociously to what THEY perceive as a threat) and a CO is even more so than a CASD/CAO. I have worked with maremmas but I was not prepared for my CASD even after 20 plus years working with large breed dogs, Seeing my boy in a full drive mode knowing the outcome if I was complacent was quite honestly frightening. Saying that a CO is similiar to a maremma is to me a very dangerous statement I believe. In the right home with the right handling I think a CO would be able to be kept safely but there has to be the right people and unfortunately there are not very many homes that would suit one The Caucasian Shepherd Dog also differs from the majority of other LGD breeds when it comes to its primary drives, because it is more than just a typical livestock guardian which is governed by basic defense drive. Alongside only a handful of other Molossers known for being a "step above" when it comes to the seriousness with which the job of defense is regarded by such dogs, the CO also has an elevated prey drive, which is not a common characteristic of most livestock guardian breeds. Unlike many LGD's whose job was mainly centered around being a deterrent primarily and a "last resort" combatant in addition, the Caucasian Ovtcharka was not only kept to protect the flock and property, but was also expected to chase, engage and even kill those predators that refuse to back off immediately.

My boy was so bloody good at protecting the sheep he used to bring home orphaned lambs, I ended up with 6 this season. I am still bewildered at how he did it as he would have had to get them over/under at least 5 sets of stock fencing with barb wire and they only ever had the tiniest grip marks on their shoulders. One morning we found him about 20 metres from the house in the horse paddock and it had been pouring all night and there he was soaked to the bone with a completely dry lamb. I thought he had been stealing them and it was a newborn so I drove it back up to the ewes and penned Jake up for the day but the next morning he was back with it. We named him Jordan and he was a right pita. We then caught him up there with my baby girl who is now called Panda and it was obvious that she had been abandoned as the sheep had already moved on into another paddock, I look at Panda now with her big fat belly and it reminds me of what a special dog he was. It actually started when I introduced him to a lamb I had found being attacked by wedgies unfortunately Freckle died overnight and the next day I found a dead black lamb in the driveway and the sheep were on the next property. I thought Jake had gone and killed it and brought it back but it was obvious that it had been dead for a few days and after that he kept finding lives ones and the occassional one that foxes had found first. Saying all of that if another animal or person came onto the property without being introduced he would be unstoppable in protecting his territory so he had to be managed very carefully and you could never be complacent with him God I miss my big boy

I am very sorry for your loss I have recently lost my boy very suddenly also and the sense of loss and guilt still overwhelms me. All I can say is to try to focus on those moments, the hand nudging and the look in her eyes when she was with you as those are the memories that you need to hold onto. Grieve for what you have lost but treasure what you had with her, again I offer my heartfelt condolensces

No sorry Mollie I don't, maybe Lilli does as she spends a lot of time overseas with livestock guardians. I have learnt through owning Jake that what you read about a breed isn't necessarily what you should expect which is why I am willing to post about the CASD and not any other livestock guardian breed. I have done a lot of research into the CO as it is a breed on my one day list but my true love lies with the CAO/CASD.

Just another quick comment but if I was to import one (which I am not) I would import one from their country of origin not the USA as the dogs in their homeland are still used and bred for their purpose of flock guarding.

Africa I certainly appreciate that you have researched the breed online and like what you have seen but in reality I personally think that you would not be prepared for such a breed. You live on your own ok that is fine the dog will bond with you and your home but what about in the future when you introduce someone else into that home and you have a very large powerful guardian who may see that person as a threat. Do you have the training skills to handle such a powerful dominant breed and can you absolutely guarantee that dog will not escape? I suggest you read the thread in Rainbow Bridge about the death of the Central Asian to see how the wrong people with the wrong breed of dog can end tragically. I am not trying to put you off, well actually I am sorry but I will advocate for the Ovcharka breeds as I know how magnificent they are but I also know how challenging they are too. If CO's are ever in the country I hope that I would be able to own one if - I was able to dedicate to the training, housing, grooming etc. I second the belief that you should speak to Ovcharka breeders for more insight into their true nature and don't believe everything that you Google Camels are nice and they are different I have 3 but I certainly wouldn't recommend them to someone who wants something different in their paddock either.

Yes they are different, they are much more dominant and difficult. After owning a Central Asian and knowing first hand how challenging they are (and rewarding) I would NOT recommend a CASD or especially a CO to anyone other than an experienced livestock guardian owner. Looks are deceiving and yes they are absolutely stunning but in the wrong hands I would hate to imagine the outcome for the dog and community. CO's are bred for a purpose and are not just a huge fluffy puppy they are a dedicated guardian who takes that role very seriously. I am prepared to wait for possibly years to get another CASD from my dogs breeder as I have fallen completely in love and am dedicated to the breed but they are a breed that you can never been complacent with and you must be vigilant with their training. Genuine questions Africa but have you owned a livestock guardian previously? and why apart from their looks do you want a Caucasian Ovcharka?

There are none in Australia and they are not a breed that is suitable for many people

After losing my three year old CASD in tragic circumstances a few short months ago my heart breaks yet again. To me his behaviour is typical of a CASD he was a flock guardian, naturally distrustful of strangers. I am not suprised he was disobedient as you were not his bonded caretakers and they are a very dominant breed. To me he showed all of the traits that my boy did but I understood him and what being a CASD caretaker involved. Poor boy what an utter tragedy, I am so sorry for you to have witnessed that and my heart is broken for a magnificent boy that lost his life way too soon. Rest in Peace big boy there is a very special place over the bridge for you where the fields are green and the mountains are high for you to watch over us.

A friend of mine in Gladstone has advised me that she has one maybe two bedrooms available, pets welcome if anyone needs it. Pm me for details if needed

Sheridan I am a distributer for the Patio Link one on SA but can get it delivered to you. If you let me know what size and colour and suburb you are in I can get you a price. It will be a little cheaper than going through Patio Link but probably not heaps.

I have the patio link with the adapter for the lock and it is brilliant

I am sorry newfsie, losing a horse has its own special kind of pain. Such a sudden loss of such a special boy. You are in my thoughts. Run free gorgeous boy and take pride of place over the bridge