fiveplusone

Well bred Miniature Poodle! It doesn't have to be kept in fru fru clip. One will be athletic enough to play soccer with the kids, go on long walks and be a great family pet. Avoid white and they'll cut the bathing in half. As long as they are up for a decent walk every day and some obedience training, I reckon they'd love one. I know a few adult men who won't have any other breed as they grew up with poodles. Actually when she was telling me what they wanted my immediate thought was mini poodle. I never suggested it though as knowing her husband I can just imagine his reaction, however I have emailed her with what you said. Maybe if I can find a nice photo of a mini poodle thats not in a fru fru clip and they may think about it!

Thank you for all your replies. She is very open to what I have been tellling her. She didn't understand about the problems with cross breeds but was very receptive when I told her to go for purebred and why. They aren't hurrying into it, infact they won't be doing anything until the new year so they have time to research and pick the right dog for their family. They want a small, non shedding, fluffy dog. She was adamant they didn't want a rescue, they want to have a puppy...not for the cuteness factor but simply because they want to know the history of the pup etc. I will let her know about TT's and see what she thinks. Thanks again, I knew I would find the help I needed here

The attraction is that the kids friends all have one. She may be open to suggestions but I've only ever had GSP's so don't know what to recommend to her. No way she's going to go for a GSP!

Wow, sounds like quite a dog *Adds to list of dogs to reccomend to people who want a small dog* Thats what my friend thought too.....until she googled and came up with a $2000 price tag! is this true???

Thanks everyone. this is the info I needed. She has since emailed me and spoken with her husband and they really want to do the right thing so are very open to suggestions for breeds and to buying from a registered breeder so I am glad she told me they were wanting a puppy before they went out and bought one! I am just disappointed I can't sway her to get a GSP....I just want at least ONE friend that has one too!

A good friend told me today her kids have fallen in love with all their friends small fluffy dogs...so after much thought they are going to get one. I have no doubt they will be a great family for the right dog but I was able to have a chat to her about purebreds vs crosses and where to buy dogs from and she is very open to all I have said....and I said I'd help her find the right dog and breeder. They aren't hurrying into it and they won't be getting a puppy until the new year so we have a bit of time and I do think after our talk she really wants to do the right thing and get a good puppy from a great breeder. I asked her why she wasn't just getting a maltese instead of a cross breed and she said she had been told maltese don't have good temprements. I am sure someone will be able to tell me otherwise and I can put her mind at ease. So for a family looking at a maltese x shitzu what breed of dogs should I be getting her to research? They have two active young boys (10 and 12). I told her I would give her the DOL website address so she can look at all the different breeds but would like to help her narrow it down to start off with. Any suggestions?

Keep coming here and checking every half hour or so hoping for some good news.

Uncle Albers.

Any pet insurer who pays 100% of the bill also charges a $100 excess, unlike insurers who pay out 80%, and who don't charge an excess at all. So things like ear infections, hotspots etc, a vet visit won't be much more than $100 if that, which means you aren't going to get much back if anything, if you are required to pay a $100 excess. However if your insurer pays out 80%, you get to claim on every vet visit and get most of your money back. You need to work out the sort of cover that will suit you best. It's horses for courses. Very true. For me, the policy is for the expensive things like Chemo or surgery. If a vet bill came to $100 for an ear infection I wouldn't even worry about the insurance but for surgery or treatment that came to $5000, then I know I am only going to pay $100, rather than $1000 with a policy that only pays 80%.

Does your RSPCA cover include accident and illness or only accident and what's the annual premium like? I will check them out tomorrow anyway. Thanks for that They have an option for accident and illness which is what I always have. My older dog costs about $500 per annum and the puppy will be about $460 per annum if I decide to go with RSPCA again. That is for their top cover option of 80%. The best alternative I have found is PIA and their premium would be around $370 per annum with $100 excess per condition. I've just taken out a PIA policy, Accident and Illness. I'm paying $37.60 per month for $15,000 cover with a $100 excess per condition. They also pay 100% of the bill rather than 80% like a lot of other policies I looked at.

He's 11 months old. GSP...not sure if they are prone to doing cruciates though? My other GSP's never had a problem.

I'm going to be taking a policy out with Pet Insurance Australia and saw that you can get your vet to peform a cruciate ligament exam to then apply to have the six month waiting period reduced for this particular condition Had anyone done this? Were you successful in having your waiting period reduced? Just wondering if its worth doing, even though its only going to cost the price of a consult (I'm assuming, or will vet charge extra for having to fill out forms etc?)

My GSP does it too....sorry no pics though

Brilliant. That made my day! ;)

I think I may have a bit of a crush on Martin Clunes Theres something really attractive about a man who gets so gushy over dogs

Only going for a day! OH going over for work so his fare and fare for car will be paid for so thought we'd tag along seeing as it will be school holidays and we'll only have to pay for the extra 3 people. Don't think pup would cope on his own in the car e ven in his crate so I think OH will have to go on his own as don't really want to leave Hugo home alone all day particularly with weather being so awful lately.

Are you allowed to stay in the car with them?

Woo Hoo....Hugo gets to go to KI!! None of us have been before so looking forward to it! Where are good places to go that are suitable for dogs? Anywhere that we won't be allowed to go with him? We are desperately trying to sell my car so we can get a 4 wheel drive but if we don't manage it by then can we still get to lots of places with a normal car? Thanks for your quick replies

Might be a dumb question.....but can you take dogs to kangaroo island? I'm thinking no because you would have to take them on the ferry? OH is going over for a day for work and thought me and the kids could tag along but I don't want to leave pup home alone all day with the potential of bad weather.

The only soft toy that survives here are home made "skinz" which are known as "road kill" in this house. they are essentially stuff animals that have no stuffing! I just bought some fur material from fabric shop and sort of sketched out a flat animal figure and then cut out and sew around edges. He can pounce and chew on them, tug on them throw them in the air and death roll them and they are all still intact! For non soft toys, blue kong, Cuz ball (but the feet get chewed off pretty quickly) tough by nature (same company as cuz ball) ruffian octopus (but his little legs are all gone!)

Sorry I should have added he's only 10 months so still on puppy amounts.

I'm not looking to change food but just was thinking about quantities etc and wondered what dry food is the most "concentrated" (for want of a better word!) ie often have to give huge amounts of cheap supermarket dry food vs only having to give a smaller amount of premium high quality dry food. Just so I can compare apples with apples, I have a large breed male (27kg) who currently has 2 cups morning and night.

GSP puppy zoomies I swear he wasn't on drugs.....even though he looks like it!

Tough by nature toys. Bad cuz and good cuz ball and the octupus and another dumbell type one that I forget the name of and he has a few more ordered. They are just about the only thing I've found that lasts longer than 5 mins!

I'm in (with the 13 year animal mad daughter in tow!). Sunday is the 19th (not 18th) is that the day you are planning on? (just checking because the 18th, Saturday is the day my eldest flys overseas so wouldn't be able to get up your way until later in day). PS, I'd still put this in "off topic" too as I never come in the social forum so others might be the same and miss this post!