BlaznHotAussies

Wow that's quite an attack, lucky they're fluffy! Good on you for getting on top of it as quickly as you can. Hope you can resolve it! Poor Bon!

Our aircon stays on pretty much all day all the time (unless it's about 25 degrees outside with a nice breeze). The house is pretty much not insulated (if the power goes off you can feel it get hot almost instantly) and it's already warm in the morning when we get up (about 6am). It's a little reverse cycle and does pretty well. Luckily a lot of the bill is offset by the solar panels

As a family we'd always had working dogs, mostly Border collies from memory. The first "pet" was a Golden Retriever called Tasha, but she was rehomed at 2yo because she was too boisterous for the family & chased sheep so couldn't be unsupervised (probably would have been ok if us kids had been older, but I was 7, other siblings were 5, 2 & 1 so mum & dad already had their hands full ). So then we got a BYB (out of the Quokka), a Silky Terrier x Maltese who we called Poco and she's absolutely awesome. Great with kids, I trained her myself getting tricks off the back of dog treat bags haha. My nanna refers to her as my pride & joy My first dog as an adult was a BC (working/BYB), super timid, hadn't left the farm when I got him at 3yo & did my best to socialise him but he just had too many issues. I ended up giving him back to the farm because he seemed to prefer it there rather than living a life as a civilised dog. Even though I had him for 4 years I see him now when I go see my horse and he's quite happy. Now I have my awesome Aussie Shepherd, Robo :D he's the perfect dog for me, easy to train, awesome temperament with no issues, stays near the house, good guard dog, doesn't chase sheep, loves kids, doesn't mind adults & loves nearly any dog (once he realises it's a dog haha) and is respectful of the horses! I loves him :)

I think I'd like my Aussie to keep me warm & safe, he might even surprise me with a bird or a rabbit to eat. If anything it's impossible to be sad with him around

I've had a BC and he put me off, actually a lot that I know have put me off them so I'll stick to my Aussie. I also seem to really like a lot of the sighthounds! I'd love a Saluki or Afghan Hound but the more achievable would be a Greyhound because they're just gorgeous I'd also really like an ACD because they're a lot like Aussies in temperament and almost in looks in that they're both compact with a strong broad face & attitude :)

I've always been cautious around them too, often the ones I've met have been working dogs & not really supposed to be friendly with visitors :) but I do love a nice chunky well-bred one!

I was gonna suggest coconut oil too! I've read in an article online (so who knows if it's true or not!?) that coconut oil is a very special kind of oil in that it can actually be absorbed by the hair? Thought that was interesting. And I can personally attest that it feels great on skin! I have sensitive skin and it feels wonderful.

In no particular order... Destroyed one of the packing rugs that were on the verandah as his verandah bed (it's now near the "front gate" as his trash bed). Finds bones from the surrounding bush when I let him out, also revives junk from under the house (old farm house on little stilts so of course over the years rubbish has ended up under there), including a paintbrush, various ice cream containers, tracksuits, shoes, socks, bottles, etc. We thought he'd be fine one day to be left inside (more or less free run of the house) while we went to football (late night) and he got a sore tummy and volcanoed all over the rug omgosh. The smell. Has stolen shoes from the verandah to never be seen for as long as he decides (I think OH's shoe was missing for just over a month...but came back eventually), but they're not usually destroyed! Just lost. Chews on the wooden outdoor furniture Helps with the gardening/landscaping (luckily we don't have a garden). Oh and gets over eager when playing with kids knocked a girl over yesterday when they were playing, he got overexcited and because she's smaller didn't have the low pitched voice to say to stop liiiiittle bit rough. So we're going to work on the not jumping on people in play... Edit: All that said, I don't believe he's doing it to be naughty, it's because he's very rambunctious and it's usually when he's been inside for too long and just needs to sprint around the house with a "prize" in his mouth. He always drops things as soon as I call him or ask him to drop it (even his favourite bones) and if I catch him in the act of wrecking something he actually won't do it again! He's just a very flamboyant dog

Ooh interesting list! I'll have to keep it in mind because I might be guilty of a couple. Hugging is one of them but he is just as bad! He comes up and sits in my lap (I'll sit on the floor) then if I pat him he'll rub his body all over me like a cat! Mostly so I can get all the itchy spots

I think a Cocker spaniel could suit, especially the size and grooming (I had family who got theirs clipped every Spring & brushed her between), I don't know about their exercise but they seem to have hearts of gold and get along well with children :) it would depend on the breeder's dogs and their lines then what comes out in a litter. Aussies are actually a healthy breed as long as the breeder does the right thing and gets all the necessary tests done and picks their breedings well. They do need a fair amount of exercise though, I find my 1yo male still has some go left even after a decent run (came with me yesterday on a 5km trail ride with my horse and he probably covered twice as much ground as us! Crazy dog). That said he does spend a fair bit of the day snoring in the lounge room hahaha. I've also brushed him three days in a row this week and can't believe how much hair comes out each time totally worth it though, it really depends on how committed you are to a breed IMO. Have you considered a Stafford? I know they're not for everyone but they often have wonderful temperaments and make great family dogs!! Not sure about their exercising but the short coat would make it easier to clean up after.

I have friends who think my Aussie shepherd looks like my Border Collie Only my Aussie is a well-bred red tri and the BC is red with questionable parentage (could be one of two dogs) But I took my Aussie to the local football and he got a lot of fans haha, especially the little kids (maybe 5 yo?) that we let take him for a walk he loved it.

He is so beautiful! What a smart dog! And very well trained great to see

I've always had family around to look after dogs when I go away. Whether I drop them at their house or when I lived near my Nanna I would leave my dog at home with his food and water easy to sort out and she'd visit him a couple of times a day to make sure he was ok and feed & check water. I'm no micro-manager as long as I know the dog is safe.

He's lovely!! Great photos too :) Looks like a really sweet dog.

That's fantastic!!!! He looks so impressed hahhahaa

Tricky!!! Poor sheep How did they get wool on their legs?

I have friends who bought a "pedigree" (I'm guessing that means bred from limited register parents in this case??) OES from a pet shop. They insist she was from a breeder but what kind of breeder would sell to an interstate pet shop? These are both university educated (one of them is in her last year of med school!!!) people and very smart! And two days before they bought their pup they were asking me if I knew any Aussie shepherd litters coming up because they like my dog.

Silky Terrier or Australian Terrier could suit, and be a lot of fun for him while being plenty gentle enough. I wonder if a Daschund might suit also, not sure exactly how tough they are but I know of one that used to get along fairly well with a pack of Aussie Shepherds

Actually if they are short people.... :wink: And kidding aside, many pet people I have met describe their dog as waist high because they are using the top of the head to measure and not the withers. Certainly no excuse like that for the weight braggarts (or are they getting pounds and kilos confused? ) Hehe nah they're not that short...I thought! But yeah maybe it's because I automatically think of measuring at the withers (because horses) so it's a bit confusing

Ahh yup my friends reckon their Old English Sheepdog will get to waist height Okidoke. Maybe stock up on hairspray & teasing combs

Oh no So sorry for your loss you must be devastated. Lots of hugs

Mrs RB that poor dog looks like such a sweet thing, so sad that she's so overweight especially as an older dog! Hard enough to get around as it is. Gorgeous dog though.

Definitely the name Mason :) very suited to a pug!

Ooh wow, dogsnobs is hilarious!! :D

Next male dog I get will be called Bruno But I want a female next, and don't have a name