What I got for Christmas :)

Wendy your BC girl looks so keen to please you! She also appears to want to keep up with the latest technology - reading dog forums I presume

Tks Amanda. I have a colleague who owns and shows Australian Shepherds - he tells me that they are VERY active and intelligent dogs. The end of Jan. will be here before you know it. It must be an exciting time for you. How old will s/he be?

They are fairly active - albeit I've also got a working BC and a Kelpie/JRT so you might guess we are rather fond of high drive dogs. I'm lucky with these guys, I've been waiting on this litter for 2 yrs and she lives nearby, so I was able to be there when they were whelped and visiting frequently since. Pics (just a few... ) are here: [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] The little lad called 'Malcolm' is mine.

Puppehs! *dies of cute*
I may have taken a few pics when the litter here was born too..... *coughcough*

I have really enjoyed reading about your dogs, and seeing them, tonight. Thankyou everyone !
Rita, I am so glad to hear you are so happy with your new friend. She is beautiful ! And so is your garden !
I have 9 Kelpies, four are full grown, two almost grown and three 13 and 14 week old pups I am keeping. My oldest one is about 9 years old. From March I will be Three sheep dog trialing four of my Kelpies. The last trial I was at was in September where my young stud dog worked really well. My pups are by him.
A black/tan bitch I bred last Febuary, by a outside dog that goes back to the bloodline of where I originally got my dogs from, is so clever that I really am looking forward to working sheep with her. Her brother, a cream Kelpie is surpose to be a really good one too.
These are the most quality working Kelpies I have ever had. I hope to get full time work mustering with my dogs as my youngest daughter goes to Kindergarden this year.
We also have a Border Collie that belongs to my 12 year old daughter and a Corgi that belongs to my 15 year old daughter, and two little dogs that beonged to Ray.

Rosemeadow - that makes 13 dogs. We've owned a fair few at a time, so we know that 13 is not really much more than three or four.
Pack dynamics go a long way towards making for a peaceful life, don't they? Do you have a good pack boss?
Barbara B

That's amazing everyone! The most I've ever owed has been four (2 Shepherds & 2 Golden Retrievers). These days, one will be "elegant sufficency" for my stage of life.

Karen, I remember some of your dogs when I visited with you a few, or is it lots, of years ago. Don't quite recall that many but then it was because I was so awed by your new garden plans!

Barbara, how is your GS Sally settling in? What made you decide to get a GSD after having Shelties?

Good job this post is in the 'off topic' section - or one would think we were on a Dog Forum :3

So, what does everyone feed their dogs these days? I've never been one for commercial preparations, but the kennel I got Shiloh from has raised her on kibble. I've gone out and purchased a whole heap of chicken wings, carcass, mince etc and am trying to get her used to it. Lucky for me I have some Chicken factory outlets that sell human grade chicken but so cheaply! The new diet is slowly being accepted, but I'm interested in knowing what others do especially with so many. Also do you belong to Dog Forums?

Hi,
Sally isn't our first GSD, she's our third. The reason I got the first one was because I've always been a bit worried by them. As an obedience instructor, I'd go in to do a "stand for examination" on one and they sort of shrink back. I was never sure if they were timid or getting ready to have a go. I couldn't "read" them, so I got one to fix that. We haven't been without one for any length of time since. I find them similar in temperament to the shelties, both breeds are soft breeds in my mind, wanting approval. We still have four shelties and will have others in the future. Both breeds are very trainable.
Sally is fed Advance dried dog food FOR ADULTS even though she is only four and a half months old. She went onto that at eight weeks of age on the advice of her breeder. We feed dry because in the past we were often away competing and fresh food was just to difficult to manage.
I belong to a few dog forums and email lists. Are you on some?
Barbara B

Yes, Shepherds do have a tendancy to 'shrink back' when they are not sure of you. Shiloh did that for a while but she's ok with me now. Some Shelties are like mini Shepherds - a friend of mine had them in the past.

Tks for the tip re feed. The kibble Shiloh is fed is Great Barko and I can understand that dry would be easier to manage, especially with so many, but I can't handle the loose/smelly stools which doesn't happen now that I've mixed with fresh food and bones etc.

Could you please PM me the dog forums and lists? I'm aware of the Dogzonline one & the GSD one.

Hi Rita,
which GSD forum are you on? There are a few. I think in your state, you're allowed to do "dogsport", aren't you? In Victoria it's not allowed. Do you train yours?
Barbara B

I've just signed up to Dogzonline. I have not signed up on a GSD forum yet - the one I've seen is not at all active. What is 'dogsport' please? No, have not taken mine to training yet, but am doing basic stuff with her on a daily basis. Will join the local DTC when the hols are over.

Rita, I look forward to meeting your new dog. I actually posted in a dogmatic manner to get a reply and you came back with a first class reply. That's a lucky dog to live with you amoungst the roses.

The truth is there are so many breeds of dogs that make great companions. I like the working dogs so I can usually be found at the Sydney Royal dog sections. Next the poultry, Dahlia's and Rose's.
Unfortunatly there has been a shift away from animals and rural exhibits to anything commercial. These almost general retail stores help to balance the books showing a slight profit.

Karen's Kelpies are of great interest as she has had the same bloodline for many years. Keep us up to date with your trial results please Karen.
Best Sheep Dog Trials I have been to was the Brisbane Nationals.
Would really like to go again but am more talk than action these days.

Thank you all for your dog stories, probably the forum needs a dog and poultry section.

Mine are fed Boomer Working Dog, supplemented with the odd sheep I do for them, the odd rabbit and any scraps that fall out of the chook bucket... haha
I started the pups on porridge and then chicken wings and necks. I also used Advanced Puppy.

When my parents moved up here their mini JRT refused to eat a bone that had meat on it. In fact he refused all meat except fish. Competition with a couple of greedy dogs soon cured that. He now self-regulates on rabbit.

Am hoping to enter a few 3 sheep trials again this year with Bramble (of computer chair fame).

Hi Rita,
the "dogsport" is Schutzhund training. The GSD forum I'm on leans towards it but has a few members who are into ANKC obedience and tracking (like me). I think nearly everyone who's active on it is working their dog some way or another.
Barbara B

I feed a fresh raw foods and the dogs are fond of picking fruit (blackberries, strawberries and pears are favorites) along with a dry food called Black Hawk. (http://www.naturalpaws.com.au/food-treats-holistic-biscuits-black-hawk-holistic-dog-product-456.html for ingredients list) It's Australian made, very high quality/highly bioavailable ingredients so the dogs eat less than avg dry dog foods. A lot of the showies and sports folks are loving it. My experience - the coats maintain great pigment and texture, less sunburn texture, no allergies in the old girl, wastes are less disgusting and better muscle tone imo. I get it at cost, so $75 for the bag vs the $90 quoted by the website.

Bruce, you may have seen Les Tarrant working his Kelpies at the Brisbane Show. He was the great man who I got my Kelpie bllodline off.
He won the Brisbane trial with Glendon Claude, the sire of the bitch pup I bought off him that become my foundation bitch of my Kelpie stud. The name of his Kelpie Stud was Rockybar.
Les got me into sheep dog trialing when I was young ( when I was about 20 years old ) and also working sheep on properties through his contacts. But I met up with a bad partner while at Charleville, love is blind, and I got side tracked. After two other much better partners, children and a rose addiction, I am ready to get right back into real stock work and hopefully more successful and committed to breeding and trialing Kelpies. I luckily still have very good Kelpies comming through from the bloodline I bought from Les Tarrant.
Rita, my Kelpie numbers have gone up and down over the years. Do you remember the fawn/tan bitch, Laura, who would have been about while we looked at the roses ?

Yes Bruce, agree, there are many fine breeds including countless cross breeds that make wonderful companions. I've just always been hooked on Shepherds from watching a WW1 movie as a 6yo!

I can't get over the price of good quality dry dog food these days! Nor all the mechandising of soft toys, tid bits, grooming and even clothing they have in pet shops these day! I think the world has gone mad. Shiloh may become my best friend and companion (week 2 and she's well on her way), but she is, and will always be a canine and I for one will accord her that dignity. So I'm not about to succumb to the marketing hype out there.

I really tip my hat off to all of you who have so many companion animals and your own families and large properties to look after. You are all amazing!

Karen, alas I don't specifically recall your tan bitch, I was too enthralled by the vastness of your rose project ... here is a shot that I am positive looks entirely different these days ...[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]