Alyosha

Good luck everyone - stay warm!!

Woo Hoo! What a sexy waist he has now!

That was me! Breeders need to keep an open mind to entrusting some buyers with good quality main register pups sometimes. I know it's hard with so many scammers, and mentoring can be hard work. But it is an amazing way to get into it. The breeders of my boy still get friendly jokes ringside about "pet dogs" beating them when my boy has a good day. They've always been just as proud of him as they would have been if he was still with them. That's a tough call for some breeders - to let newbies take some of their recognition. If people can't join up and get out and show or trial without some small successes they simply aren't going to keep at it. There has to be some incentive.

My old afghan used to let our day old baby ducklings make nests in his hair... Even when he wanted to get up he wouldn't for fear of disturbing them. Sighthounds are not necessarily small pet eaters!! Any sighthound, like many other breeds, just needs to be brought up with other pets. I've had foster greyhounds off the track and rabbits/guinea pigs in hutches. They can definitely be interested but I've not had an attempted break in. However I did babysit a small foxie x foster who shredded a hutch and killed and ate every single occupant. I think sighthound's reputation with small pets is largely undeserved. If you look to a good greyhound adoption group they have their breed's reputation formost in their mind and will match hounds to families properly, especially those with other pets. Greyhounds or whippets sound like a possible match here. Borzoi may be getting too big, but if that's not an issue the coat is easy. Girls shed theirs twice a year but not if desexed. Otherwise they'll lose a bit at the start of summer. Salukis can be fantastic with small pets as well.

Falling asleep could be a good option by the sound of it... And yep Diva, am weakening... But the car has decided it needs a new and expensive part right now so the odds may be stacking up against us getting there! I actually looked at flying up, even me plus one dog as excess baggage is probably around the same amount as petrol. But then having no transport between airport and showground etc becomes a pain in the butt. And thanks PixieMeg - will have a look at them. If I get up there I'll let you know, would love to catch up! BTW - four foot fences are what keep them in at home!

Great news Whipitgood! Maybe there was something not quite right with her the first time? A low grade infection or something? You seem to have got it sorted perfectly - can't wait for puppy photos!

@ IW4ME She also reminds me very strongly of my Mum's old girl - right down to the colouring and the eyes. And she was from a purebred (working) blue Cattle mum, out of a tan coloured pigging mix dad - who had a smooth coat. So I gather the wirey coat can spring up from generations past, as well as the colouring. She is lovely.

Can anyone tell me whether there is any camping nice and close to Durack grounds in QLD? I'm trying to sort a way to get to my National and camping looks like one of the best ways of cutting costs... Any thoughts? I hear that you can't camp at the actual grounds which is a bit of a blow. That would've made life nice and easy.

I prefer ones that are the same width all around, they seem to wear coat less. Any other coated sighthound people opinions? So Ruthless, in that sense you could still be right perhaps?? :D Mine are 2 inches wide, martingales with satin lining to protect neck coat. Anything fur or felt lined matts up long coat.

This is a baby Tiger (bear in mind they can be darker or lighter): Little but deadly. A hatchling Eastern Brown can contain enough venom to kill 20 people. :D If you see them about during colder periods they can be slower but sometimes that makes them cranky as well...

Baby Eastern Browns have stripes. They are born around Christmas time and they look like this: And this when they have grown big enough to lose their stripes (probably start of winter or been through first winter) but they are still very small:

Nope. They've read the At stories...

WOO HOO!! Well done to both you and your handsome boy.

Price going up $500 due to demand??!! Run. Run away!!

Dammit, I forgot Komondor and Clumber Spaniel - thanks Lilli!!!

Well. Aren't I being educated tonight. I always thought that Weims were blue... That is, dilute black. Ooops. Sorry guys. I had a big "Ohhhh!" moment reading the colour genetics...

Borzoi - well der! Hortaya Borzaya / Chortaj (definite will-do for import and recognition when I get filthy rich!!! ) Oh, and the Stepnaya Borzaya as well!! Taigan Irish Wolfhound Pekingese (shh, don't tell anyone I love the polar opposite to the rest of my favourites!! Short legs? Squashed face? Love them!! ) Silken Windhounds?? Some lovely types being fixed in this breed now...

WOOHOO for the Wolfhound!!! I need all the celebratory smilies for that one! ;)

Well done!! Photos??

The LDH home is the upper end of the spectrum in Australia. Other shelters are very different - the RSPCA and Govt shelter in Canberra have rehome rates of over 90% for dogs. I don't know if a National average is available.

42!!! What a handsome boy! Thanks for sharing the hunt photos, they are lovely.

What?! Rottie x poodle?! I'm too horrified to google. I did google, and I'm regretting it now...

Most people don't know what they are!

This is a lovely thread guys. :D I had wanted a Borzoi since I was 10 years old (I'm not saying exactly how long I waited but it was over 20 years...). I ended up with an Afghan for about 13 years and he was my boy . We shared lots of good and bad together. After he had been gone for about a year I suddenly decided to look at Borzoi again. My first online search found a breeder with a litter, 2 girls and 8 boys. I emailed asking about a girl - I thought I didn't want to have another boy yet, it was too soon after losing my Affie boy. After a few emails and conversations they told me they thought a boy could suit out family better, being soft and smoochy. They had just the pup in mind and sent a photo: I was hooked and was off to visit with my then 10 year old daughter in tow. They were nearly 7 weeks old and I had a couple of boys to choose from but the breeders had guessed right and the smallest, funny looking runty boy was the one who kept coming back to me. I was sold. All the way home I drove my daughter nuts, singing at her "I got a puppy, I got my Borzoi, I got a puppy, I got my Borzoi!" over and over - she's never let me forget it! A few weeks later I was back up there to pick him up, in a disbelieving cloud that this precious bundle was actually mine. He sat in a box strapped into the front seat right next to me - he was so tiny and peaceful! He is my heart dog, my boy. Doggy love of my life. Sometimes he is so like my old Afghan that my husband or I refer to him by the wrong name, but he's more simple, less challenging and even more devoted. His nickmane at home is "Old Yella" as his favourite spot to sleep is at my feet, or one the mat beside my bed where I can roll over and put a hand on him if I need to during the night. My devoted boy Boris, giver of the worlds biggest 'zoi hugs and tug-o-war fanatic:

Well done Liz! We do still see Res Challenge ribbons around up this way. I have a couple that I keep from memorable wins - like you have had. Sometimes a Res Challenge is a big deal! I have a little one from when my girl won R/Ch from the puppy class out of an impressive line up of adults that I greatly admire, including a Gr Ch. It's a little ribbon but pretty special!! I have fringy pale purple ones from the Canberra Royal which are nice too! Having only been in showing a couple of years I still value some of the wins that don't seem so big to seasoned campaigners. I don't think it hurts a club to have a couple of ribbons around for folks in this situation - it's very encouranging for us newbies sometimes!! I know they cost but a small quantity can last a long time when only a few people want them.