Mercedes

I do really like the ESS - what are the main diffs from the WSS please?

Thank you Nekhbet :) Did you have any other breed suggestions I should consider that I may not have already?

Yes, I have definitely, and will continue, to do this :) Thank you All.

Thanks Trisven, I will revisit the breeds you mentioned! It has taken me a month of frustration to build up the courage to post here about my breed search so thank you to all of you here trying to help and throwing suggestions at me. There is so much conflicting advice to be found online, it really is fantastic to hear of all your first-hand experiences xx

Thanks mita, I really must teach myself how to do that quote thing. The Smooth Collies are really special aren't they? I think a larger breed is something for me to consider once the kids are all in high school - goodness, imagine me trying to decide again!!!

great pic!

Thanks Showdog! Of course I am devastated as I work at Flemington for the Spring Racing Carnival and the 1st Nov is Derby Day I can make it to Sunbury on the 2nd and 3rd Nov though and check out the Collies and Corgis and Cockers! What is on at the Geelong Showgrounds this weekend?

Yes, Lappies are adorable but not for us I think. I don't think I will go back to the original breeder I was dealing within regards to Fields. A trust has been broken there and they were just downright rude unfortunately. We attended the Rarer Gundog Show back in June, so I will look up the next Gundog one, thanks Showdog. Thanks for your advice too HFB, I will try one more breeder and see if they concur. If it's not meant to be, it's not meant to be. Thanks Kelpiecuddles, I will investigate the Bassets some more too, still like the look of them and they seem quite stable and dependable? Do the ears get very messy when they eat?

Thank you Jules, I will do some more researching on the Cav's. It's possible I was looking at the King Charles, I didn't realise there was 2 separate types for a while there

Thank you Perse, Lolly does look gorgeous!

And I think hubby would put his foot down if I mentioned the word Poodle to him :laugh:

Oh I am sorry Persephone, I didn't mean any disrespect, I know they are lovely dogs and would probably suit us very well. Like the Cav's, I just can't see myself with one... I think it's the curls

Thanks Leah, I would just be chatting to Steph about her thoughts on their suitability for us. They just might be too sensitive though, and that's fine. We are a fun but noisy house. I absolutely LOVED the boys, James was divine and I would go boy if we got one :) I'm starting to lean towards the Corgi. I think the dashies will be too 'fragile' for our family, although they are gorgeous. I would be confident brushing the Corgi from day 1 too. I will PM Steph...

Thank you to everyone who has replied so far, that's why I love DOL! Leah82 I have no probs doing a few trips to the groomers a year, happy to do that, also happy to give baths at home or at groomers. I guess I would prefer lower shedding in general, but I can't see myself (or hubby) with a poodle even though they are gorgeous and I think something is going to have to give so I have decided I can cope with the hair. We already have the lint brush and Dyson working overtime with the cat hair, so I figure we can cope with the dog hair too. Do you think I should speak to Steph? I saw you two chatting at the Royal Melb but didn't want to interrupt... My kids were a bit crazy there, high on excitement and junk food, but we had a good time. They've never been to the show before :)

Thank you Purdie xx I have no idea how to cut and post the replies, sorry guys!

Raineth - In regards to the Fields, I thought the same thing... We decided 18 months ago that this was the breed for us, made contact with a (well-known) breeder and have been on their waiting list for over 12 months. Filled out the big puppy application, emailed, all good - or so I thought. Last month they emailed to say they thought the children were just too young, and they were potentially worried about them. Why didn't they mention this 18 months ago?? I was completely upfront and honest in all the info I gave them about our family. I have met up with them in person twice and nothing was said. I have taken the kids to dog shows and they have met the Fields (I wanted to see how they went with a grown dog as opposed to a puppy). I respect the breeder's opinion, I just wish they hadn't wasted 18 months of our time. I am reluctant to contact another Field breeder, I am assuming they will say the same thing and the Field breeder world is pretty small... It was pretty upsetting TBH. So I have started my breed research AGAIN. Kelpiecuddles, thank you, I was hoping you would be here :) I did read in the Basset thread that they can drool a lot - do you find this so? I think I can cope with a bit of slobber, but probably not if it rivals a St Bernard :) Cleo - Very happy to see you too, thank you. I sent an email to Sue a few days ago, but haven't received a reply. I don't think there is anything I don't like about the Cardi's. I especially love the blue merles, are they hard to come by? We are in Melbourne and I am trying to stick to breeders within Vic. I just like things to be more personal than only emails, and I would like to visit before committing to a breeder (in an ideal world). I do also love the Finnish Lapphunds, those wolf markings are adorable! But the coat did scare me a little, I'm just uneducated in grooming though...

I am a fan of the Cocker, esp Blue Roan... Thank you Kirty for your suggestions xx I've tried to steer away from the more common breeds (I like the unusual), but a Cocker would suit very well... Will research that again, thanks Thunder.

Thanks HMD - what coat type is your friend's dog?

Thank you Thunder. Unfortunately a Cav just doesn't appeal to me appearance-wise. I think I like a longer snout? Who knows why... I asked the mini dachs breeder I spoke to last night about the standard dachs but she didn't think the temperament would be suitable for younger children. Too snappy generally speaking she said. I love the rough collie (but I think maybe too big and coat may be too much for me to handle for a first timer). I also love the Flat coated retriever, but again maybe too big. I know I'm being too fussy, but this is a dog we will love for hopefully a long time. I can't believe I have been researching for nearly 12 months!

Thanks Mita. Yes, I do regularly trawl the Mature Dogs listings to see what's out there, although I would like to experience raising a puppy of our own. ATM I am loving the Blue Merle Cardi'. I am also looking into a Basset Hound, although these may be too serious? They are beautiful too though... and definitely on the list.

Hi Everybody! My name is Carly and I love reading all the forum topics here - I have learned so much since I joined and we don't even have our dog yet! My hubby and I have decided that we would like to add a puppy to our household, and whilst excited at the prospect I just can't decide which breed would be the best fit for us - I am desperately hoping you guys can help... We have 4 children; our youngest turns 5 next year. So we can be a pretty busy, noisy household at times, while other times you could walk in and not even know 4 children are home. I believe the children are ready for a puppy with the right guidance and supervision from us. They are not rough kids. We live in a single storey home with a large back yard (compared to some these days!), fully fenced. We also have a cat of senior years who spends a lot of time sleeping indoors on the couch. As this is our first experience owning a dog I would like a breed that is a little easier to care for on the grooming/exercise side of things. I also do not want anything larger than small-medium in size, this is what I am most comfortable with considering the dog will be living in the house with us. Obviously the main characteristic to be considered is that it is a family dog which loves and tolerates children. I would also prefer a breed not prone to a lot of barking as I am quite conscience of how close our neighbours are. Although I am hoping that as I will be home a lot and the puppy will be inside if I go out all should be ok there if I handle things properly? I would like a dog that is fairly easy to train as I would like to do some obedience training too. I am a stay at home mum so I will have the time to groom a couple of times a week and can excerise for up to an hour with walks/jogging each day. The children and I walk to and from school as well. We have considered: - Field Spaniel (a breeder suggested kids might be a bit young yet?, also may need more excerise than I can offer) I really liked the look of these though - Smooth Mini Dachshund (I am in love with these but again I have spoken to one breeder who was concerned that the younger child may be a bit young due to the puppies being so little, am waiting to hear back from others) I was disappointed by this as I really love the mini but I understand their concerns - Cardigan Welsh Corgi (waiting to get replies from emails) I am getting a little despondent as I have been trying to find the right breed for 6 months and a couple of times I feel like we have found it... I would like to get a puppy in the next year so the kids can enjoy the rewarding experience of owning and growing up with a dog, and I am looking forward to a companion while the kids are at school. Any suggestions or advice much appreciated - sorry for all the details! Feel free to ask questions.

Lost 14kg in 2 weeks??? My goodness!! Is that even possible??

As long as it's a matter of both loving the dog and not someone being vicious with revenge in mind... You never know... Glad puppy is back with those who care for him :)

I can see a lot of results at www.rsav.com.au. Hope this helps?

Thanks guys :)