Beth.

I'm so sorry to hear about your relatives dog - healing vibes being sent out I work at an emergency vet clinic, and we often have parvo cases in , just lately we've had 3 older cases - 12 months and older - and all these dogs have been fit and strong enough to pull through (and 1 of them hadn't had any vaccs), so i've got my fingers crossed for the little man to fight it and have a speedy recovery . Keep us updated on his progress

I can't really find words on how Lottie makes me feel.... She makes me feel complete.... She makes me feel like i'm the only person in the world, i'm her all and she's my heart..... I feel soooo sad when I think about the day she's no longer with me..... Right at this moment we're lying on the loungeroom floor watching movies and every possible part of her is touching me.... They expect so little, yet give so much... I wish everyone could experience the love that a dog has to give.... Lottie is my Life, and the best thing to have happened to me in a long time

a pup that may not be of show quality is hardly faulty, it could be as something as minor as a mis mark, a bit too much white for example. Something that has no bearing on the pups ability to live a long and normal life with it's new family. I agree Rebanne. In danes there are some colour 'faults' which mean the dogs cannot be shown (correct conformation aside) - merle, merlequin, fawns with brown masks, mantles with breaks in the blanket, blacks or blues with too much white therefore there is no requirements for these dogs to be on the main register - you cannot show them and it would be highly unlikely they would be used in a breeding program. Therefore they go on the limited register and go to great pet homes. I fully agree too!!!!!! Lottie is a mis-mark for the breed - she's missing some colour around her left eye, but that doesn't make her a worse quality dog?? She is the BEST dog, very healthy and happy, full of life and I don't see how you could call her of worse quality?? 'Faulty' is a little harsh (I told her she was faulty and it serverly damaged her self esteem ), so now she's referred to as 'Unique' :D . She's from a great breeder, who told me all about the heartworm injections (ivermectin) and the effects it can have on collie type dogs, she's been desexed, and I reguarly send my breeder updated photos of my 'Faulty' dog :D Back to the OPs list you were given - My breeder recommended foods - told me what Lottie was on - which I slowly changed her over to what I had planned to feed her, vaccination details, etc, all which i think was very resonable, so keep looking and i'm sure you'll find a great breeder who will fit what you want

I am feeling such overwhelming sorrow for a truly amazing person and the beautiful babies that have crossed the bridge I hope for a fast recovery, and the help and support of all these amazing people around you in the very very hard times to come Jed!!!! All my thoughts and prayers are going out to you!! To all the people who are helping out in this hard time, I applaud you!!! If anything at all needs doing, please let me know as i'm quite close to the area and more then willing to help out in anyways that I can!!!!! RIP beautiful babies

Australian Shepherd - Own one and will always have one!! Rottweiler Border Collie Bernese Mountain Dog Bearded Collie Australian Kelpie Golden Retriever (I really want to have a Golden in my life at some stage!!). I think that's it - I think i've found my breed though - the Australian Shepherd :D

Yay!! Lottie is on 2 t-shirt!!!! I would absolutely LOVE it if oneday I was walking down the street and saw a person with Lotties picture on their shirt I think that would be pretty awesome!!! Great work with it all!!!

I can understand where the small dogs owner is coming from as well - i'm like that with Lottie, and she's not a small dog (it doesn't help that I live in a small town where dogs rush out from their yards :D very scary!!!). The other day I was at a dog park (I don't usually go to them, but Lottie had behaved SO well on her walk, it was a little treat for her as she LOVES playing with others!!!). Anyway, on my way out as I was leaving, I had Lottie on her lead and a Weimaraner was bouncing ALL over Lottie, and Jumping right up onto me towards my face!!! (I saw this women come to the dog park - which is situated near a busy road - NO LEASH, NO COLLAR just opened the door to her car and she bolted up and down the fenceline of the park ). Anyway, she said to me 'Oh don't worry about her, she's a Weimaraner, it's what they do!!'. I promtly replied, 'No, this is what YOU let her do!!!! with a very disguisted look on my face, said a very loud 'uh-uh' to which the dog stopped for a second, and left very quickly shaking my head, watching her dog go on to harass others in the park!!! Some people just have no idea!!! It just made me so mad that she blamed it on the breed, and not on her lack of training - I guess that's easier :D :D Sorry to the OP, i'm not reffering that you or your dog are like this AT ALL :D :D , just another dog park story......

YAYAYAYAYAY!!!! Look at my gorgeous girl!!! I nearly thought there wasn't going to be one of her BUT THERE WAS!!!!!!! THANKS SOOOO MUCH ROCCO!!!! Beautiful beautiful pics!!!!!

I had a great time as well, even though Dexta (the Rotti) was SOOOO excited about everything around her!! and with little Astro wingeing at everything - and THANK YOU to who ever held Astro for me (i'm sorry I don't remember who it was), it was really lovely of you I can't wait to see the finished products, and the single shots as well!!!!

Yep, another cockroach here as well Actually she's sound asleep in that position as we speak!!!!

I agree with this Gayle, and also add... No, I didn't chop off half her tail (she has a long bob tail) No, she is not a husky cross dalmation ! (merle with blue eyes!) Yes, she can see out of her blue eyes... what colour are yours! Blue? Can you see fine? Hahaha, Agree with what you and GayleK said..... I get asked about her tail ALL the time!!!!! I just start the conversation with that now There was a party next door the other night (I live where there are alot of uni students) and this drunk guy came up to the fence and said - oh look at the MONGREL with NO TAIL!!! NOTHING BUT A MONGREL!!!!! I was pretty p**sed off!!!!!!

LOL - I have had people ask me if i've shaved Sophie! Because she's not fluffy enough to be a German Sheperd? Or asked me what she's crossed with to not be blacker. Sigh. SHES A PEDIGREE GERMAN SHEPERD! And no, Chase's blue eye does not make him a Husky. Lol. WTF!? Haha, I got asked all the time when Lottie was a pup if she was a Husky and if not SURELY she's crossed with one!!!

Oh my turn, my turn!! get ready for some photo overloads.... I LOVE THIS THREAD!!!!! (i've been trying to post all afternoon but my internet died!!!!) I've wanted my own dog for as long as I can remember - last year my friends would take their dogs to the beach or to the park everyday, and I just couldn't wait to get my own!!! Once we knew for sure the uni was moving out to Gatton, I was on the hunt for my puppy!!! I had been introduced to the breed the Australian Shepherd, and fell in LOVE!!!! I emailed a few breeders, and really had my heart set on a blue merle bitch. Unfortunately I wasn't having any luck, as I was really hoping i'd get one over the 3 month holiday - when I got an email from a breeder saying that someone had pulled out a little mismarked blue merle girl!!!! She sent me some photos and I fell in love. Lottie is over 7 months old now, and she is my heart, and I couldn't imagine what my life would be without her in it!!!! She makes my day so much better, just little things she does.... like when she wakes me up in the morning with her head on my bed (and I was this tough girl whos dogs would NEVER sleep inside most nights she makes her way on my bed!!!), and I love how much her bum wiggles when she sees me!!! Lottie was meant to be and I'm so lucky to have her in my life!!!!!!!! She goes everywhere with me and is just such an awesome little dog :D :D This is a photo from the breeder at 6 weeks and I knew from then she was MINE!!!!!...... I had her transported up from NSW and this was the first time I saw her - she was in her little cage SOUND asleep, and I was a little worried as it was a decent size trip for her, but she came straight to the cage and started wiggling her bum and licking me - LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT!!!!!!!!!!! The 3 photos below are of her first day with me..... And my beautiful heart girl about 2 weeks ago.... I'm pretty much in Love, hahaha

When I started researching I loved the look of a blue merle in the Aussie Shepherd!! I also didn't choose colour over temperment/quality, but I feel so lucky to have found a blue merle bitch of great quality (in my eyes anyway) and temperment (even if she is a mismark )!! My next Aussie I would love to be Red Merle of show quality, but we'll just see when the time comes, and again I won't be choosing colour over the rest, it would be a bonus though....

That they are born with no tails, not docked!!

Hahaha, I was wondering where this 'off-topic' thing was, then it appeared on my forum thing the other day, then I was thinking, had I gone mad wondering where it was, and if it was there the whole time??!! But I must have made my post number..... (if that made any sense at all, it does in my head )

This thread has me in tears as well Lottie being my first dog, and just 8 months old, I just can't and don't want to even think about her not being with me, that's the worst part about ownership of a pet.... I'm crying thinking about it having to happen. I work at an emergency vet clinic so I see quite a number of euthanasias, and it never gets easier... I'm also studying vet science and think that'll be me one day, and I'm going to have to be the strong one to be there to comfort my client and see them through such a hard time!!! . We had an older cat when I was at home who suffered renal failure, and it was the first time I had seen my dad cry, was a very hard time!!! The second was my little Rat - and I SOBBED when I had to make the hard decision to let him go..... People say 'but it was just a RAT!!!', but if you've ever owned a rat, you'd understand!! My rat was just like a little dog, he'd come running when he was called, would follow me everywhere!! RIP Ratty - you were taken too soon!!!! RIP all you beautiful souls that have passed!!!!!

Thanks for the welcome!! I didn't manage to get to the beach, but went for a nice big walk around my suburb (lots of bush track type things), with Lottie (my dog), and Dexta and Astro (my sisters dogs), and they all walked REALLY well, no pulling, no playing on Lotties half, she thinks every second of every day is play time, haha!!! and they all stayed in their own spots!!! Now to go to obedience tonight.....

Hi Everyone!!! I'm definately another who needs to join the dog log if you don't mind..... so tomorrow is day one, and I see a long walk along sandgate beach happening.... (i've been SLACK lately with taking Lottie for walks, me and my housemate usually just drive the dogs places.....). It'll also hopefully help me get back into shape (which DEFINATELY needs to happen!!!!!!) Beth and Lottie....

I got Lottie about 6 months ago now, and I can't believe just how much I love her!!!! It's CRAZY!!!!! She's my 'first' dog (always had family dogs) and she's definately my best friend in the whole world, I love how her bum wiggles SOOOOO much when she sees me (I swear it's going to fall off!!), I love how clever, yet cheeky she is, and I LOVE seeing the beautiful dog she is becoming :D She was sick last week (luckily I work at an emergency clinic with the most AMAZING vets!!), but I just couldn't stop worrying every minute she was away.....

Oh, I can also bring my sisters Rotti along with my Aussie Shepherd, she'd LOVE it, hehe!!!!!

I'm available too!! (that's if you still need some doggy models ). I've PM'd you!! And Sunday would suit me better as well

I got Lottie speyed about 4 weeks ago (6 1/5 month old bitch) and paid $170 all up - but I'm in a small town which offers a rebate if your dog is registered through the council!! Which I think is a great incentive - Saved me $40 I think, might not be a lot, but it is to a uni student!!

How Gorgeous!! Bec you take the most amazing pics!!!!! Any chance you're in Brisbane, I'd love for you to take some photos of my girl!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks everyone for the good thoughts, It's lovely to have so many caring people out there during this time!!!