pip1981

so sorry. Have fun at Rainbow Bridge Ellie...

My childhood dog Jelly (Blue Heeler/Kelpie/Border Collie X born in '87) lived until she was 16. She lived outdoors her entire life with no canine company, did not get anywhere near enough exercise, and was fed by a neighbour when we went away. She visited a vet twice in her life, once to be spayed as a pup, and once for a minor skin condition. She had no vaccinations, and was only wormed when she showed signs of having worms. She was fed on cheap dry supermarket dog food and table scraps only, including everything except lettuce and tomato, which she would leave (not a salad lover apparently), and she frequently ate cooked leftover bones I couldn't bear to treat a pet this way ever again, but I guess my parents didn't know better or value animals the same as I do now, and to be honest, Jelly didn't know better either, and she always seemed a healthy happy girl.

Ok, for starters, what on earth were you doing still awake at 2.23am!!! :D You're one crazy chicken! Lol You may be new to it all Bindii, but I think what you said made perfect sense. Lol, you're always afraid I'm putting my poor girl down, I know she's the best dog in the world silly! I guess, as Icemist hinted at, we all have different interpretations of skittish/soft. Well, for me, they can mean different things to different dogs I guess. With Dakota, I would never refer to her as being afraid or wary of any living creature, especially humans and dogs, however she has always been nervy with sudden movement and noise when everything is otherwise peaceful. To provide some examples.. At home, she might be asleep on the floor, near one of us, we might jump up suddenly, or even just move (unexpectedly to her), and she will literally jump to stand. Or, being that we live in a new estate, there is often building noises, banging, nail guns, etc. Unless it has been going on for a while, she is very jumpy at the sounds. If the OH, throws something across the room, for eg. the remote, or a cushion, she cowers, and we HAVE NEVER thrown anything at her. And, in a recent development (since NYE fire crackers at a caravan park), she has become terrified of all loud cracking sounds, literally almost losing control of her back legs and crying, trying to hide under chairs, etc. In an exciting noisy environment, like Kepala, these characteristics don't show up. Except maybe in her yelping when a dog surprises her in play (which we like to call 'the drama queen'). Anyway, we love her all the same, but I think typically, a Sammie should be a little more laid back than Dakota...lol. See you soon YAY!!!!

Hi Bindii, You've brought up something here that not everyone might understand. Im not being picky here, and we all have our opinions, but I don't fully agree with your comment here, and I will explain why, after some gives a crack at some questions below. not just for Bindii, anyone can have a crack this Skittish or soft... what definition do you give to this? and before making a judgment, could there be underlying factors (reasons) why a dog is skittish or soft? Is it hereditary? If a parent of a dog was skittish or sofy, why would you knock a puppy back? Hi Icemist, nice to see someone else is having a boring Saturday night...lol Just thought I'd respond as my girl, Dakota, has been quite skittish (and by that I mean jumpy at the slightest movement/noise) ever since I can remember, and has only recently become scared of thunder cracks and other unusually loud cracking sounds. She was the shiest and smallest puppy of her litter at 4 weeks, maybe this is where it started, although she had come out of her shell by our 6 week visit. However, I don't think it's necessarily hereditary, as neither her Mum or litter sister are this way at all (nor any Samoyed I have met). In saying that, I don't think we could ever be 100% sure that the trait wouldn't be passed down, so maybe Bindii is justified in her opinion too. Just the same, a dog with a more stable temperament could still throw a skittish dog, I really don't think there are any guarantees beyond basic demeanor. I guess it's possible in Dakota's case, that something frightened her as a puppy, maybe even after we brought her home, but there is nothing we can think of. We did, in our naivety, mollycoddle her a little as a pup too, so maybe that did it, who knows. Cheers, Carissa

Poor Ben I'm sorry you had to go through that ordeal with him, you did the best you could...

Kelly, you could still come along to meet all the other gorgeous Sammies, if Buffy doesn't mind that it....lol Oh, and yeah pulling is exactly what Dakota will do, and I'm worried I won't be able to cuddle and take photos of the other Sammies if she is pulling my arm out of it's socket! But, I'll also feel guilty if I don't bring her....lol I wish it was a 15 min trip for me, it's gonna take me ages to get there!

Great pics CF! Have to ask, I haven't read the whole meet thread...who is the cute Pug? Gotta love a pug!

Thanks for the nice comments guys! She is always a very happy girl when we go away, well, always actually! And, yes, Mallacoota is indeed lovely, I've been visiting there almost yearly for about 15 years, and hope to continue the trend! We just love it, the only downsides for camping there with dogs, are the ticks, and that being surrounded by National Park, there are many places you can't take doggies. But, having said all that, it's still worth it!!!

Hi everyone, we're back from our camping trip, had a great time, I have posted lots of pics of my girl in the Photos section, you can see them here if you like.. http://www.dolforums.com.au/index.php?showtopic=193853 So, looks like I can make it to KCC Park tomorrow to see all the Sammies!!! Can anyone suggest what time would be suitable for a spectator to arrive, and would it be better if I left my super excitable girl at home? Thanks Welcome Spirral: Your Sammies are lovely! Haza: Good luck finding a puppy!

We just got back from nearly 2 weeks away at Mallacoota, and I thought I'd share some pics with you all... Daddy fishing in the background.. "I haz a big stick!" Relaxing at camp.. Snoozing in the tent Easter morning, Mum has to make a fool of me.. No choccie for me, toy instead! My very furry mode of transport I love digging in the sand at the beach! Running free with Mum at Pebble beach

Great pics guys! I'm glad it looks like you had a good time, even if we are a bit jealous...lol! A belated Happy Birthday to you, Pointees! I hope Bronte, Charlotte and Henrietta are feeling better soon... I'm about to upload some pics from our beach holiday!

beautifully written for a beautiful boy, so sorry

so sad....so sorry k9angel

oh, and Bindii, you and Fletcher can protect Dakota and I from the scary show lady....LOL

The Samoyed Club of Vic. website says that Mr. R. LOPASCHUK (Canada) is judging in August, not that I have any idea who that is...lol.

Oops, I was wrong, Kepala is on the 11th and I will definitely have to miss that, as we'll be camping. But, it means I can come to the Parade day! YAY! Something else to look forward too...I'm gonna come along and mess up everyone's grooming with cuddles, heheh, just kidding, I'll try and keep my distance...LOL (will have to think about whether to bring Dakota or not, she'll probably pull my arm out of it's socket being surrounded by beautiful Sammies she can't play with)

Thanks SnoPaws, I just checked their website...not sure if I can go, I should be back from holidays then, but I think the Kepala meet is on the same day, and Dakota LOVES that, so if we are home we'll go there.. but I notice there is a championship show at the same locaton in August, I'm sure I will come along to see that, I'm guessing nearly everyone and their dogs will be there too!

So sorry carlibud...poor girl was so young...at least now she is free from pain. Take care of yourself

lol SnoPaws, don't be sorry, I'm such a dill Maybe I should have just looked this info. up somewhere... I don't want to wait until 2013!!! lol, and I can't go to Brisbane, so, yes, maybe I will come along to this Parade you speak of...what happens there? Is it run by Vic. Samoyed Club? And, same as above, are pet Sammies welcome to come along? Do you have to be a member of any kind to attend? Oh, and most important question, when is it? lol Cheers

Hi Kelza, welcome to DOL, lovely to meet more Sammie people!! Do you know if the dates for the Melbourne National next year are already confirmed? I'd love to go along and see all the Sammies in one place! Sounds like my idea of heaven! Where abouts in Melbourne will it be held, and are pet Sammies welcome to attend and visit too, or would it be best to leave my girl at home? BTW, Sonnet is adorable! Icemist: I had a look at Star's profile, she is indeed a beauty, but I wouldn't expect anything less from Mistral's sister, hehehe. My girl Dakota also has a sister named Star! I can't wait to see how things go for your breeding program, and see the puppy pics of course!

I'm so sorry

Well, I'm going along, to 'blindly' participate at the end of April. I'm looking forward to it, even if only to see if Dakota reacts as I expect her to. I agree with some in the notion that even a 'small step' might help. And, if it is concluded that it is not possible to gauge 'amicability' via a simple experiment, then that is still a result.

I'm so sorry you had to experience this terrible event badboyz, what a freak thing to happen! Charm was a gorgeous girl.

Thanks mita, I will be sure to suggest that compromise, sounds good. Dogmad: Thanks for that, I will do what I can to sway her thinking, but in saying that, she doesn't work full time and lives close to work, so I don't imagine her dog will be outside all day (as in a 9hr work day). Maybe only for a few hours at a time in between her part-time shifts and her OH's shiftwork. I imagine, like me, she will make special arrangements in both extremes of weather. Thanks for your thoughts Bedazzled

Hi, thanks for the replies, sorry mine is delayed, I've been a little absent from DOL. Haven't had the chance to speak to her further about things as yet. Nicolatu: I love the idea of Jap Spitz, for obvious reasons...lol, but I'm honestly not sure about the level of grooming they'd be willing to undertake. And, living with a Samoyed (another spitz) myself, I'd be very honest with them about the amount of hair they can expect about the place..hehehe. Personality wise I think a Japanese Spitz would be great for them, so I will mention them (just not sure if the larger size will be an issue). (Then I can dog-sit...lol) Off to have a bit more of a read... Mita, I thought this would be the case with a lot of small breeds, that's why I wanted to do some firm research before suggesting breeds to them. I agree on the set-up you suggest, but I honestly don't think this girl would allow a dog in the house without supervision. Gayle: I really like the Lhasa Apso, a friend has one, do you keep yours in a short clip all the time? I know our friends have let the grooming go a little bit, and ended up not noticing a growth on their girl's back. She was a little matted before they even realised I think. Personally I'd definitely be willing to do frequent brushing on this breed, thanks to the non-shedding quality!! Have you found your Lhasa to be good with children? I imagine this couple will eventually start a family, but maybe up to 5 years away, at a guess.