Hmm, Ideas On Breed

[Gayle.]

I like most of the colours so I don't think I'd care *too* much, just definitely not a blue merle.

Now just imagine all the interesting conversations you could have with members of the public when taking your blue merle collie boy and blue merle Aussie pup for a walk.

The quality of the questions could be raised to a whole new level.

[RubyStar]

Bonnie, I heart Cooper!!

I'm leaning towards the red merles now - it went from black tris (very briefly), to blue merles (gorgeous colour!) to now red merle :D By the time I'm ready for one, I'll probably end up with a red tri which is a colour I would never even contemplate right now

[Greytmate]

I don't really care about tail or no tail :D

I like most of the colours so I don't think I'd care *too* much, just definitely not a blue merle.

Post as many aussie piccies as you like!

I think an Aussie would be a good choice for you. To me the breed seems to have a consistently stable temperament, which means that you can be more certain of getting a strong nerved and confident dog that still have a soft temperament.

There is a such a range of colours in the breed, that I think that if you chose by colour, you could me missing out on the right pup in any given litter. Think of them all as green, and you will ensure you won't miss out on that special pup with exactly the right temperament.

[Guest Tess32]

God, now I'm confused again. A tri Aussie would be lovely. Plenty of time to decide though, perhaps I need to include some Aussie breeders in my research visits. I've got four Collie breeders on the list, why not add some Aussie ones too.

If anyone in Vic wants to recommend some breeders that focus on breeding for dog sports, feel free to PM me.

Won't be looking for a puppy until late this year, early next year so pups on ground not required.

Now look what you've done Tess!

Can you pm me what collie breeders you like

[poodlemum]

Standard Poodle!! (It'll be fluffy if you keep it in puppy coat )

The only one I've met was NUTS Gorgeous though :D

You must have met a very young one, then - they are usually very intelligent & laid-back (mine are, anyway )

[SparkyTansy]

Bonnie, I heart Cooper!!

I'm leaning towards the red merles now - it went from black tris (very briefly), to blue merles (gorgeous colour!) to now red merle By the time I'm ready for one, I'll probably end up with a red tri which is a colour I would never even contemplate right now

Rubystar - what about that orange BELTON?

Just kidding!! although you may just change your mind when you meet James

[ozjen]

Even before I read that you where thinking about an Aussie, I thought an Aussie sounded just right. They seem to be great with other animals and kids and generally adjust to their owners level of exercise as long as they are getting some form of exercise. They are very much a thinking dog though so mental stimulation is a must. You will get a shock at just how quickly they learn but that isn't always a good thing. My Aussie was trained to find my carkeys and would get a big reward for finding them until one day I saw her take them of the sidetable and hide them in her toybox. She didn't know I'd seen it and later when I asked her to find the keys she didn't need to sniff them out just went straight to her box, got them and then looked at me for her reward. Now I only ask her to find them if I'm really desparate and they are now kept out of her reach as much as possiable. Makes me wonder how many times I misplaced them and how many times she had hidden them.

I'm had several really wonderful dogs(including X breeds) in my life but have to admit the Aussie is top of the list and is my heartdog.

[ozjen]

I am going to vote for an Aussie or Lappie. Leaning more towards a Lappie.

Mirrawee will be able to give you a comparison between these two breeds, she has Lappies(including one starting in Agility) but also competes in Agility with Aussies belonging to myself and my sister.

[Nik]

Even before I read that you where thinking about an Aussie, I thought an Aussie sounded just right. They seem to be great with other animals and kids and generally adjust to their owners level of exercise as long as they are getting some form of exercise. They are very much a thinking dog though so mental stimulation is a must. You will get a shock at just how quickly they learn but that isn't always a good thing. My Aussie was trained to find my carkeys and would get a big reward for finding them until one day I saw her take them of the sidetable and hide them in her toybox. She didn't know I'd seen it and later when I asked her to find the keys she didn't need to sniff them out just went straight to her box, got them and then looked at me for her reward. Now I only ask her to find them if I'm really desparate and they are now kept out of her reach as much as possiable. Makes me wonder how many times I misplaced them and how many times she had hidden them.

I'm had several really wonderful dogs(including X breeds) in my life but have to admit the Aussie is top of the list and is my heartdog.

I love it! My kids wanted to teach Annie this trick, but now I'm thinking it might be a bad idea.

[ozjen]

Bonnie, I heart Cooper!!

I'm leaning towards the red merles now - it went from black tris (very briefly), to blue merles (gorgeous colour!) to now red merle By the time I'm ready for one, I'll probably end up with a red tri which is a colour I would never even contemplate right now

Comeon Rubystar, I know I'll have to check your pockets for puppies when you come over to socialise with Jenna's babies even if there is no reds. That's if all works well for a litter this year, fingers crossed. At least we will get the Agility Nationals out of the way before she goes on maternal leave.

[Gayle.]

My Aussie was trained to find my carkeys and would get a big reward for finding them until one day I saw her take them of the sidetable and hide them in her toybox. She didn't know I'd seen it and later when I asked her to find the keys she didn't need to sniff them out just went straight to her box, got them and then looked at me for her reward.

When Benson was a puppy he used to nick off with shoes, socks, slippers, undies etc and I'd retrieve them and give him a reward. Til I realised he was deliberately walking past me with things in his mouth, "daring" me to get it off him so he'd get a treat. Smart little bugger.

But I think the cleverest thing was when I saw him "measuring" gaps in the fence til he found one baby Dusty could fit through and then showing her where to break out of the puppy run. Had I not seen it, I would NEVER have believed a dog could be so clever.

The thought process he must have used for that just astounds me. Firstly, he had to recognise that she couldn't get out to play with him. Then he had to want her out to play with him. Then he had to understand that HE had to find a way to get her out, then he had to discover that the escape hatch. And measure the spaces between the fence posts and recognise one gap that was a half inch wider than the rest. And after all that, he had to make her understand that she could get out in that spot and guide her to it. Had she tried to get out of any other spot, she'd have got her head stuck but they did it 3 times before I realised what they were doing, then another two times while we watched them and she never got stuck once. He was only 10 months old at the time, so technically still a puppy himself.

Aren't you glad they don't have opposable thumbs? They'd give us humans a run for our money!

[ozjen]

Even before I read that you where thinking about an Aussie, I thought an Aussie sounded just right. They seem to be great with other animals and kids and generally adjust to their owners level of exercise as long as they are getting some form of exercise. They are very much a thinking dog though so mental stimulation is a must. You will get a shock at just how quickly they learn but that isn't always a good thing. My Aussie was trained to find my carkeys and would get a big reward for finding them until one day I saw her take them of the sidetable and hide them in her toybox. She didn't know I'd seen it and later when I asked her to find the keys she didn't need to sniff them out just went straight to her box, got them and then looked at me for her reward. Now I only ask her to find them if I'm really desparate and they are now kept out of her reach as much as possiable. Makes me wonder how many times I misplaced them and how many times she had hidden them.

I'm had several really wonderful dogs(including X breeds) in my life but have to admit the Aussie is top of the list and is my heartdog.

I love it! My kids wanted to teach Annie this trick, but now I'm thinking it might be a bad idea.

Admittedly some of the places she has found them I would never ever have thought to look and she has saved my bacon more than once when I've had work to get to. Your kids might like to check out my girls videos on Youtube under PAWFX for some trick ideas, also leopuppy04 has some great Aussie trick videos too.

[Nik]

Even before I read that you where thinking about an Aussie, I thought an Aussie sounded just right. They seem to be great with other animals and kids and generally adjust to their owners level of exercise as long as they are getting some form of exercise. They are very much a thinking dog though so mental stimulation is a must. You will get a shock at just how quickly they learn but that isn't always a good thing. My Aussie was trained to find my carkeys and would get a big reward for finding them until one day I saw her take them of the sidetable and hide them in her toybox. She didn't know I'd seen it and later when I asked her to find the keys she didn't need to sniff them out just went straight to her box, got them and then looked at me for her reward. Now I only ask her to find them if I'm really desparate and they are now kept out of her reach as much as possiable. Makes me wonder how many times I misplaced them and how many times she had hidden them.

I'm had several really wonderful dogs(including X breeds) in my life but have to admit the Aussie is top of the list and is my heartdog.

I love it! My kids wanted to teach Annie this trick, but now I'm thinking it might be a bad idea.

Admittedly some of the places she has found them I would never ever have thought to look and she has saved my bacon more than once when I've had work to get to. Your kids might like to check out my girls videos on Youtube under PAWFX for some trick ideas, also leopuppy04 has some great Aussie trick videos too.

Will do - she hasn't been taught a new trick in a while... need to pull our fingers out.

[ozjen]

My Aussie was trained to find my carkeys and would get a big reward for finding them until one day I saw her take them of the sidetable and hide them in her toybox. She didn't know I'd seen it and later when I asked her to find the keys she didn't need to sniff them out just went straight to her box, got them and then looked at me for her reward.

When Benson was a puppy he used to nick off with shoes, socks, slippers, undies etc and I'd retrieve them and give him a reward. Til I realised he was deliberately walking past me with things in his mouth, "daring" me to get it off him so he'd get a treat. Smart little bugger.

But I think the cleverest thing was when I saw him "measuring" gaps in the fence til he found one baby Dusty could fit through and then showing her where to break out of the puppy run. Had I not seen it, I would NEVER have believed a dog could be so clever.

The thought process he must have used for that just astounds me. Firstly, he had to recognise that she couldn't get out to play with him. Then he had to want her out to play with him. Then he had to understand that HE had to find a way to get her out, then he had to discover that the escape hatch. And measure the spaces between the fence posts and recognise one gap that was a half inch wider than the rest. And after all that, he had to make her understand that she could get out in that spot and guide her to it. Had she tried to get out of any other spot, she'd have got her head stuck but they did it 3 times before I realised what they were doing, then another two times while we watched them and she never got stuck once. He was only 10 months old at the time, so technically still a puppy himself.

Aren't you glad they don't have opposable thumbs? They'd give us humans a run for our money!

Yep, I know what you mean, I have seen them move objects to make themselves a step up to things that we think are out of their reach. When Jenna had her last litter I taught three of the pups out of the eight to sit on command, when the others realised that when these three sat on command they got a treat they all started to sit on command. Could have done with being an octopus to reward them all though.

they all started to sit on command

[Gayle.]

When we went to meet baby Benson at his breeders, she had taught the three remaining pups to sit and all three of them would present themselves in front of her, and sit then look up expectantly for a treat. I should have realised then I was getting a smart little devil.

When he was about 6 months old, my husband was doing some work in the backyard and he yelled out to me that he needed me QUICK! I raced out, only to be told that Benson was nicking off with the bag of screws he was using and despite chasing him around the yard, he couldn't get them back.

I stood there and said "Benson! Give!" and he walked over and dropped the bag of screws ever so carefully into my hand. And I swear he smirked at my husband at the same time. They are not only clever, they are funny into the bargain.

[ozjen]

When we went to meet baby Benson at his breeders, she had taught the three remaining pups to sit and all three of them would present themselves in front of her, and sit then look up expectantly for a treat. I should have realised then I was getting a smart little devil.

When he was about 6 months old, my husband was doing some work in the backyard and he yelled out to me that he needed me QUICK! I raced out, only to be told that Benson was nicking off with the bag of screws he was using and despite chasing him around the yard, he couldn't get them back.

I stood there and said "Benson! Give!" and he walked over and dropped the bag of screws ever so carefully into my hand. And I swear he smirked at my husband at the same time. They are not only clever, they are funny into the bargain.

I remember having a good laugh at that when you posted on the Aussie list as I could just picture him doing that. Its hard to get mad at them when they have such a sense of humour.

I know dogs aren't mean't to have a sense of humour but I think that is the only way to describe an Aussies behaviour at times especially with some of the expressions on their faces. I love Benson's personality, he would suit my any day.