mr.mister

I don't know, my childhood dog was a Miniature Poodle and one of the most vivid memories I have of her is that she stunk. Not a rotten, unhealthy smell, just a really strong 'doggy' odour. She didn't have any ear or skin issues either. My Border Collie, on the other hand, always smelt beautiful. He never had a doggy smell and he was fed on high quality kibble. He did get bathed once a week though from memory. Or was that once a month? I can't remember.

I tried that but it keeps telling me I don't have permission to start a new post. I think I'm a forum failure! Are you trying to start a new post or post a comment? Because you can't start a new post in a post, so to speak.

Awesome end to the story!

To me, something along the lines of Stafford x Bull terrier with possible GSD. But really he could be anything.

You don't sound horrid at all, you sound concerned about your dog's wellbeing. Have you considered teaching her tricks and jobs to keep her brain occupied? Kelpies are very active dogs but like other working breeds are also highly intelligent and enjoy a mental work out just as much as a physical one. You can probably teach her tonnes of things around the house and can give her a set of 'chores' to do as a daily workout. You never know, you might end up with one helpful dog. I was going to post that video up from a DOLer of a dog that does the laundry, but couldn't find it. If anyone can post it up that would be awesome. :D eta: My old BC had unbelievably high drive, and he was obsessed with tennis balls. We used it as a reward after a training session.

Not my intention to do myself any favours. My intention to get some breeders to understand where the majority of buyers are coming from, but it seems that just wont happen. Once again, I will not be calling this breeder, because I do not wish to give away a non-refundable deposit on a pup I have not seen, and has not even been born, so can people stop telling me to call them. I've been following this thread since its start. As far as I know, nobody can automatically extract your bank details and withdraw non-refundable deposits when you call them? If you take the time to call, after having a chat you can always say no thanks, not interested - there's no way you can be forced into putting down a deposit over the phone. I have great respect for breeders. What they do is not easy and is done for the sheer love of their breed. They want the best for the animals they bring into this world and to be honest, when I'm looking for a pup, I pull out all the stops to show that I'm worthy to own said pup. Because I know I have it in me, so why not show it? It seems to me that this has become an issue of principle to you, which really is the wrong way to look at the situation. ACD's are not an easy breed, and it says everything to a breeder when a potential puppy buyer makes an actual effort to prove that they're suitable. If they can't be stuffed calling, that's the buyer's problem. I suppose it just comes down to how much someone actually wants the puppy. That's just the way it is. As someone else mentioned, build a bridge. Swallow your pride and put some effort in - you'd be surprised where it gets you. Sorry if that sounds harsh.

Probably the strangest I've met is an ACD cross Bull Terrier, which I guess isn't that odd. She was short coated with blue roaning covering her with no white patches/markings. Big strong head that was pretty much smack bang in the middle between the Bully's extreme roman and the ACD's short, stocky stop. She was a sweet natured girl. On another note, advertised for weeks and weeks in our local paper was a Pug x Italian Greyhound puppy! What the!? Maybe the two extremes blended together to great a 'normal' bodied dog?

Hahaha, odd indeed! I had a dream that I had puppies once.

Years and years ago my parent's friend had a group of German Shepherds as guard dogs, and they were always 'just having litters'. One litter was born with some sort of deficiency, and their legs were all stiff or something (I can't quite remember, but they weren't quite right). The lady went up to the house to get something, and upon returning found the bitch finishing off the last puppy - she'd eaten them all, apparently.

I very much have to agree with this.

d'aawwwwwww

Yes, I'd heard of the alternate name and figured that would be the go-er - but had no idea they would have to have a recorded history of herding. Does that mean that breeds like the Shiloh Shepherd have a history of herding? I don't know a lot about them but thought they were bred as companions?

Donning flame suit. I guess playing the devil's advocate here.. but if everything were to be done 'by the book' so to speak (health testing etc), and genuine hard work and effort being put into lines, is it really that bad to create a new breed? From what I've read the 'Mini Aussie' isn't going to be affiliated with the original Aussie. There are people out there who are putting the hard yards in to get them recognised by a control body, no? Fair enough I'm sure there are plenty of unscrupulous breeders out there keen to cash in, much like the oodle craze, but I'm also sure there are just as many responsible people out there, too. Just an opinion.

Oh wow I really hope I can go to this! Will be in Melb overnight saturday and someone else is the transport so it's out of my hands whether I get back Sunday in time or not.

Same thing happened with my aunt and uncle, after showing them DOL and the breed pages, they still went and got their "Spoodle" from a 'highly recommended puppy farm' You can take a horse to water...

I have been told that the pup (a bitch) will be desexed fbc, which I think is great, but am also going to take it with a grain of salt as my sister has a habit of 'forgetting' to desex her animals - that being said though, I imagine the fiance might be a bit more vigilant. Sis rehomed her entire male rottie a few years back to some backyard breeders, much to my frustration.

No, I decided to come to Dol before considering saying anything. Hence the above remark. Feel free to take the thread off on a tangent though if you wish. I guess I have learned that I must keep my opinions completely to myself.

I have assumed from the earlier posts that it is indeed also aimed at me.

I don't know where you got this from? I hardly know the guy. I'm not going to bash him, or criticize him, nor berate him from wherever the hell he got the pup. However I don't think I should be forced to keep my mouth shut on issues that I think matter. Doesn't mean I'm going to bash someone around the ears with it! Quite a number of times I've seen a new DOLer post about their brand new papered blue Stafford, and get a million and one replies about why they shouldn't have bought it. What's the allowance here that I don't seem to have? And again. I hardly know the guy and don't believe I said I would even be confronting him on the issue. So all those telling me to leave him alone, chill. I haven't uttered a word to him about it. My question was, "Is a Blue Stafford Breeder Unethical?" - not "Should I go and verbally bash my sister's fiance?". For crying out loud.

Sigh. Yes, I thought so too. :rolleyes: It's hard enough to get people to buy from registered breeders. It only confuses the hell out of them when you tell them they shouldn't buy from specific registered breeders as well. I thought blues weren't able to be shown because it's physically impossible for them to have a black nose? Ruthless: I am hoping that that is the case, as I don't know the prefix or the heritage of the pup. Hoping.

I remember when my aunt and uncle were looking for a dog - I excitedly steered them to DOL and the breed pages. They thanked me kindly and I figured that because they were intelligent, reasonable people, they would follow the advice I gave them. Several months later I hear from them that they got an oodle from a breeder. Over Christmas time, I tried gently to bring the subject up. I asked my aunt if she was aware that their dog had come from a puppy farm. "Yes, of course!" was her answer "But a very highly recommended one!" :vomit: I could shoot whoever gave her that advice. So, I then asked her if she knew what happened to the parents of the pups that come from puppy farms. What conditions they live in. She paused, admitted she didn't, then said she didn't want to know. Sigh. It's true, people just don't want to hear the negatives. My aunt happily turns a blind eye to the fact that the parents of her dog live in shocking conditions, are not health tested, and are bred until they expire. I just don't understand how they made the mistake even after I showed them dol. :rolleyes:

So, I heard recently that my sister's fiance went and bought himself a stafford pup from a registered breeder. I was very impressed, until my mother excitedly told me that the puppy was blue. I automatically had sirens going in my head, but then thought I'd go and visit the ever wise DOL before I said anything stupid. I have no idea what this breeder charged for the pup, so I can't make a comment on whether he was ripped off or not. Is a breeder who specifically breeds blue staffords unethical, or should I be proud of him that he went to a registered breeder rather than a backyarder? I am aware that blues can't be shown, and that due to their popularity and 'rareness' :rolleyes: that there is a lack of actual quality within the colour - so a breeder specifically breeding for the colour wouldn't be aiming for breed betterment. Also, I've heard of a number of allergy and skin issues related to blues? On the other hand, should I just be happy that he's gone to someone who I presume health tests their stock and somewhat goes by the book? I don't know. I'm confused.

That photo.... I truly hope they catch the b***ards, and that they get everything coming to them.

But what about overpopulation? There are enough dogs dying in shelters, why add more to an overflowing population? And AFAIK, very few, if any, byb'ers will bother to health test their stock, nor desex them or offer a desexing contract. At the very least, *ethical* registered breeders breed to improve, encourage responsible dog ownership, have desexing plans and often don't breed all that frequently. I'd rather them adding to the canine population than a byb'er. Just playing Devil's Advocate.. Sure,but you say"Ethical" registered breeders.Not all are,yet all are taught here that BYB is THE dirty word. I still don't believe "backyard breeder " always means unethical. I know of people breeding to most of the criteria you mention and whos dogs are in high demand,to pre approved homes only,with waiting lists,because they breed seldom and only from healthy stock,for specific purposes. And yes,At the very least,they also breed to improve,encourage responsible dog ownership,don't breed very often at all and monitor health as an ongoing responsibility. I also know of more than several pedigree/show breeders who miss out on most of the criteria you mention. Its not right to tar every one with the same brush. Again,surely its about welfare. As I said, very few (if any) byb'ers test their animals. There may be a minority that do, but I imagine it is safe to say that it is most probable that the majority of registered breeders test their animals (actually I can't quite remember so if someone can remind me: is it mandatory for registered breeders to test their animals/litters, or else they cannot register the litter with their control body? not sure), and the majority of byb'ers don't. There is a reason Backyard Breeder is a dirty word - because the decent majority of them have given themselves a bad reputation. It didn't just fall out of the sky as gospel. I have met plenty of people who genuinely love and care for their little mongrel fluffies and the subsequent ones they breed. But, they don't even know what health testing is (or many think it's just a vet checkup) and I take serious issue with that, no matter how well cared for their little dogs are.

But what about overpopulation? There are enough dogs dying in shelters, why add more to an overflowing population? And AFAIK, very few, if any, byb'ers will bother to health test their stock, nor desex them or offer a desexing contract. At the very least, *ethical* registered breeders breed to improve, encourage responsible dog ownership, have desexing plans and often don't breed all that frequently. I'd rather them adding to the canine population than a byb'er. Just playing Devil's Advocate..