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I'm another who'd suggest a field spaniel. As an owner of one of 2 years. I researched all spaniel types, I had specific desires in a dog. My girl loves to shadow me or other family members, she comes to work with me and can switch off quite well - however this has been a process and has come with maturity. If I had more time (I work full time and have 2 kids, 4 and 1) I would be doing dog sports with her. Her family members have been successful in flyball, agility, lure coursing, endurance trials, pack dog trials, possibly nose works as well? Cant confirm. But I know my girl would Ace it - she's a wannabe customs dog with that nose. She's 17kgs, a great size. She often gets mistaken for an Irish Setter by my customers until they see her whole body - she's a shorty. She loves a good romp in the yard, we just live on a 700m2 block, the yard is obviously a lot smaller than that and she's quite happy there. She loves playing fetch and chasing the ball. She DOES shed, I have a dalmatian as well, so i'm used to it, but it's longer brown hair. It's either shedding or regularly getting the dog clipped with non shedding coats, so I'm content to live with it - she sleeps inside. We do take her to the groomer every few months as she's a show dog and I like to keep her head trimmed neatly. Honestly, she is such a fun dog. I chose fields because the cockers I had come across were not the right temperament. The springers were too much dog for me. Different type of spaniels, but Cavvies were not enough dog. I wanted a fun breed, trainable and with a little coat. I wanted relatively healthy and aesthetically they are a stunning breed. The first 18 months were definitely challenging at times with her energy levels, but at the same time, I was 9 weeks pregnant from the moment she came home (I had waited 18 months for her! I wasn't going to delay her homecoming!). She has truly settled into the most lovely dog now, and seeing her family members on FB, it is nice to see how they are all growing and their different temperaments. They aren't talked about a lot, but I truly believe that they are a breed that needs to be more well known, they are lovely.

Coming out of DOL-hiberation to agree that this is how i've certainly felt all along. Smelt a bit fishy

Update: over the course of the day, and with a bit of input from here she's going with a non local guy who has glowing recommendations and ticks all the boxes. My fur neice will be coming home in the new year.

Thanks guys. I've just told her to ask about socialisation, and she's let me know that she likely won't go with the local breeder after chatting with the other couple of guys. I always fear that it's just scaremongering when a breeder talks badly about another but some things ring alarm bells for me too. I also told her last night that HD is very much not 100% genetic and environmental factors can play a part. She'll be getting a run down on appropriate exercise from me for sure, although that chart is excellent Roova! I need that for my puppy pre school

Hi all, this question is not for myself, but my sister (who i've brought to the light side of reputable breeders and registered dogs) she's after a black lab girl, our old girl (as in family dog) passed away in January and she now wants her own lab. She's been talking to some local breeders and had just about narrowed it down but then had contacted some further afield due to an issue with one pup that was on the ground at the local breeder she had chosen, and is now confused again. The issue with the local pup is, I dare say, minor and not a problem with the breeder's dogs but my sister and I both agreed not to go with that pup as her current old boy is suffering hip issues and she couldn't stand the possibility of a new pup having issues from a young age again. This other breeder that's she contacted has given her some (good) advice and advised her to do some research on hip and elbow scores etc. Dogs of his breeding have scores of 0 while this local breeder's have about the breed average of 9. Now, I know that health testing, while fantastic, is not a guarantee and even a pup with health tested parents can develop issues. My sister is now getting quite upset, and overwhelmed, with information. She's asking what I would do, but now i'm getting confused too (probably because I'm not the actual one speaking to the breeders, but hearing second hand) I think that I would stick with the local breeder, despite her scores being higher than the guy who's further afield. She has been transparent about everything and for me, having a good breeder relationship is important. (I also know the breeder as she is a customer of mine) I know I probably haven't written everything possible about this situation but does this sound reasonable?

A dozen for $64.95 sounds extreme. We (a competing chain) sell 10 for $20, there is no shortage of pig ears, there is on roo tendons however.

Im in Coffs Harbour, i just asked a friend from the dog club and apparently we may be having a seminar soon, i mustn't be the only one keen.

I'm really interested in the idea of Nosework, for Cleo and for my future pup. Being in a regional town, I'm probably best off doing an online course like Fenzi I'm guessing? I'd love to teach this in my puppy school classes to a degree, I'm always harping on about enrichment, entertainment, keeping brains active.

Kaos is taller than that at 57cm! Hmmm, OK, I guess he is a BIG Kelpie :laugh: Cleo's a little girl :) very dainty and cat like! That's withers too, not head height

Is it a dalmatian? Strangely, I am always asked that. I'm not aware of many other black and white spotted dogs who look EXACTLY like the dogs in 101 dalmatians. Guess people just want to be sure! My grandma insisted that the dallies would be HUGE. Nope, 20kgs and 55cm high.

Maybe investigate Field Spaniels? A rare breed, but one that I discovered and have fallen for. I wanted a spaniel look like a cocker, but was a bit put off by the cockers I've met. So next we looked at the CKCS but the health aspect was very off putting (especially having a breed already that is pre-disposed to bladder stones) so I looked further and found Fields. They ticked all my boxes, are a bit bigger than cockers but having seen them in person, it's not too big (for me). They are relatively healthy, need a bit of grooming and are active enough (I personally have a dalmatian, so I'm used to high level) They are not easy to come by, and I'm on a waiting list, but they seem so worth the wait!

IMO two bull breed bitches is very high risk, but a bitch and a dog is still high risk. In my boarding kennel days, we found that bull breeds did not confine themselves to same sex violence . . . some will go any dog, particularly other bull breeds. As huski says, with proper training and management, it could be done, though I suspect there is some genetics involved, and a dog that is wired for dog aggression is pretty hard to get unwired. Why risk it? If you do go for two bull breed dogs, you might check with breeders and find a pup whose lines are deliberately selected to breed out dog aggression. I have Labradors and have kept mostly females. Never had a problem . . . they get quite attached to one another. Bull breeds are a different story. I have dalmatians, sorry, my statement was more I asked about 2 females in general, not a specific breed. Most people have no problem in dallies, I was not so lucky.

on the two female question: I asked a similar question about 3 years ago. I knew the risks, and I still went ahead and got a second female (same breed) as I intended to show her and hopefully use her as my foundation bitch but in February this year she was sadly rehomed via her breeder due to rising aggression between the two girls. We tried to manage it, but the risk to our baby son was growing, as they were viewing him as a resource worth fighting over. We could have divided the yard, but as half the time they loved each other, it was going to be too difficult for them. I will never again have two females of that breed, or certain other breeds.

Meg, gerty, megerty, meggles, Kobelco Meg in a Million. You are finally at peace. I can't believe we reached this point. For a lab you did pretty well, 14 years 9 months. The vet told mum and dad that you'd be ready when you weren't enjoying life anymore. But that was the problem, you never stopped. You couldn't get up and down off the ground, and nothing worked as it used to, but you always had a smile and a wagging tail. If all had gone to plan, you wouldn't have even been our dog. An unfortunate accident with the litter before you meant that you were ours, and on easter sunday, 2001, you were born. You were a confidante, a friend, a teacher. So many things. Easily the most patted dog in our town, with nearly every staff member at the PPP during your reign greeting you morning, and night. After 10 years, moving away sent you into a depression of sorts, with no daily visitors. So along came Benji the mini schnauzer who brought back that spring in your step. You've been there for so long Meggie, you watched me grow from a gangly 10 year old into a teen, into a woman and into a mother. I wanted just one photo of you with my baby boy but it wasn't to be. Your bark (happy, senile bark) scared him too much and he couldn't be next to you without crying!! But he knew you, for his short 6 months, and I will carry that in my heart. Rest in peace old girl, you've earnt a good long rest. Chase those rolly rocks along the beach for all of eternity, with no aching joints to bother you. Swim against the current, in the deep holes of the creek. Roll in the sand, and that perfect patch of grass that was different to all the rest on the walk home.

Thanks for the replies all, Aziah, she has moderate experience. She's nearly halfway to her title, i'd say we've entered around 20 shows? Haha mind wise she's immature...she's a dally!! :laugh: Jsk, we're northern NSW, the show is Dorrigo. Maybe, considering her mental immaturity and our combined re-entry into the ring (I won't be at my most confident, she will read that) I should go intermediate. Just suss it out, we have a bigger 3 day show in January that I can really focus on.

My not so little girl Nala is re-entering the show ring next month hopefully, after a 9 month absence that involved her gaining a baby brother of the human kind. She's now 2, and has moved up and is able to enter intermediate now. But then I got to thinking, she can also enter Aus bred, or open. My first thought is to go to intermediate, I think it's the natural step up from junior. But not sure if there is a benefit to competing in a different class? It's a one day show, so no trying each class on each day. Thanks for any thoughts :)

Cleo was an only dog for 2.5 years so she had turquoise, then purple and then pink and maybe red in there as well. Then Nala came along and her colour is firmly pink. Being a liver, less colours suit her than black and white Cleo. So now Nala is pink and Cleo has a purple coat and lead and a black collar coz the Gummi diamonte collars don't come in purple.

Probably the stone forming risk, I hate that I have to think about the effect a food could have on them and not just buy any good brand off the shelf (especially as the great brands often include ingredients that we have to avoid). I guess I also hate that there are those that poo-poo the LUA (low uric acid) scheme. It's a proactive step to improve a breeds' health, I don't see the poo-pooers doing anything other than bad mouth. (for those that don't know what I'm on about, a google of LUA dalmatians should give you an idea)

I'm another one who's dallies do quite well without tonnes of exercise. At the moment it's just not realistic with a very young baby when I'm struggling to just function as a human day to day :laugh: We have a decent sized suburban block and they zoom every afternoon as well as a little play while the baby sleeps. They are very minimally destructive, digging a couple of holes in the same spot every week but it's something I can live with. I have an entire bitch, and due to my desexed bitch being attacked around my streets I am very, very wary walking them ANYWHERE, sadly. It's quite easy to responsibly walk an entire dog though :D for me, having a female, I just don't walk her out from the house for 4 weeks (if we go out, we go in the car, not leaving a trail) I'll just add too, for those that may not know: it is not recommended to desex a male dal until maturity for the stone forming reason. If they are allowed to completely mature before being desexed, the urethra is wider and is less prone to blockages.

From experience, I know this has happened in our store. Usually ends up with staff dogs :laugh: my girls are lucky to get in date stuff now, we're much better at checking after writing off way too many bags. There is one US brand that is terrible for this. I'd be letting the store know, if you'd known you wouldn't have bought it etc, it might encourage them to check their stock rotation schedule. But I wouldn't be worried about feeding it, unless there was an obvious problem (smell, palatability, mould).

I loved it when I used it. I feed another premium now as it was a bit too much once I had the 2 dogs. The grain free lamb (Meadow Feast) and chicken (Primitive Natural?) were my favourites followed by the non grain free fish one - dogs couldn't have Coastal Catch due to dietary requirements, otherwise that would be my #1 pick. Cleo always loved it too. Maybe I have weird dogs but they always have decent poos, and poo the same amount - no matter what brand (always super premium though)

My girls mostly eat about 2metres apart when it's normal dinner (usually dry) and even though Nala scoffs she waits until Cleo is done and then they do a swap n check of each other's bowls. If it's a high value meal like a frozen chicken carcass, they are separated. Never had an issue, but don't want one. They can eat pigs ears in close proximity but bones are a bit different. I haven't used a kong wobbler in ages...not really since I got Nala. Only because I can't control who gets what unless I separate. They keep themselves occupied in the days with sunbaking, patrolling the boundaries :laugh: and following whomever is home (FIL is home most days and does a lot of work outside). Occasionally we treat with a pigs ear when leaving, but we keep it unpredictable.

It's so hard to say without knowing how either pup or baby will be, and how you cope with stress. I'm 10 days into motherhood and feel like a terrible dog mum because I've only walked the dogs once since coming home, and feel like I can't be the same dedicated owner I was before. My girls are very tolerant of not getting a walk thank goodness, but if Nala was back in her puppy days I would be mental.

I never really used crate training as a toilet training method...Cleo was 6 months old before I introduced it and slept outside at the time and Nala started in the crate + puppy pen (with pee pad as a backup) for a week and then moved into a puppy pen area with unlimited outside access while we were awake and then by 6 months was sleeping in the crate like her sister but spending all day outside. Having had the girls fight a few times, the crate has been a godsend when I need to use it. Now though, they have a whole room for themselves :laugh: I could never, would never use a crate for more than the roughly 8 hours overnight unless there was an injury or some other real need for it. Nala was toilet trained in less than 3 weeks, had one wee inside and I don't see that as bragging. It was careful, careful management and maybe just a wonderfully responsive puppy. We had plenty of late nights and early starts. She only every cried when she needed to go out - maybe this was a breed thing as well. The outside access area we had was separated from the main backyard, her own private 3x2m run and she knew going out there with us was toilet time.

I think my consults are usually around the $70 mark, but last time when I took both girls to be vacc'd I noticed that they waived the consult fee! I was surprised :)