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Thought I would start a new topic with what breed of dogs you own, how many do you have and do you do any agility/obedience or showing, or whatever your dogs favorite activities are.

I'm a Golden Retriever freak I have 5 that live with us and another 5 with extended family members. I attend shows about 1-2 times a month depending on Family commitments. Our dogs are mostly our family pets that love to spend time swimming, playing and sleeping on the couch.

We breed the occassional litter and are expecting puppies late March 2008.

Looking forward to hearing from EVERYONE

Vicky

Wow 5 ....... that must be a huge doggy food bill!!

I have one very special pooch, he is a shihky - this is what you get when a pedigree shih Tzu stays the weekend with a pedigree Australian Silky terrier sweet little miss. Oops someone didn't know that sweet little missy was ready for match making and so next thing five little cute shihky's were born 4 boys and 1 girl.
The owner decided to find good homes and not send them to a pet shop or other uncertain fate. Having just said goodbye after 13yrs to my faithful companion I eagerly bonded with my little fellow.
Little did I know just how importnat this bond would be, he went to puppy preschool, then to the local dog club for more advanced training, I attended an evening presentation about pet therpy dogs and applied to see if my little fellow would be suitable.
We did the training, made the grade and he was soon visiting 2 facilities bringing joy to the residents at an acquired brain injury unit and also an aged care home.
He seemed to enjoy his work and he went on with further training that he showed great appitude for. Competed in some obedience trials, delights with agility and in May last year he graduated as a fully accredited disability assistance dog.
He has travelled throughout most of Australia. Been to Ularu (Ayers Rock), rested his weary legs in top accomodation, ridden the Kuranda train and sky rail, ventured up the Daintree in search of crocodiles, visited the ships captain en route to Kangaroo Island in SA, and flown by plan in the cabin with his handler to North QLD to complete his training phase.
Next Week he jets off to visit New Zealand, for a couple of months,
He is a truly amazing dog and without him all these adventures would not have been possible. At home or away when his fluro orange jacket goes on he knows he is at work watching over me to ensure all will stay well.
Dogs - simply amazing

Wow, what a wonderful little man Taz is, obviously very smart and talented and he plays a very special part in your life.
How I wish I had a life of travel, like Tas is having, in my next life I want to come back as your dog . How does he cope with the plane trips?
He's such a little cutie, give him a big hug from me.

Sshhhhh! Don't mention doggy food bill OH might be reading LOL. They are worth every cent.
Vicky

Hi Vicky,

Ooops sorry shouldn't mention the gobble stuff hey!!

Taz takes everything in his stride his training made sure of that he experienced so many different things as a pup - just like the guide dogs do that by time he was 2yrs old he was a laid back cool dude. He just could not wait to get on the plane strod down the walkway rode on the travelator and sort of gave me a bit of a hurry up, all the while wagging tail and his own little 'smile of confidence', we got on the plane and he went straight on his mat and watched everyone else board, we were first on and in front seat. Then when plane took off he sort of sat up and i held his safety harness a little firmer and he was more relaxed then I was. He wasn't too impressed with the landing it was a rough one but was bursting at the seams to get off the plane and find a bush lol.
Comming home it was late at night and he slept until we arrived and touched down, and then shot off the plane and onto that travelator again and away we went, so come Thursday when we fly off to NZ I don't expect any problems, he has a fantastic bladder will hold for 12hrs if necessary, I will take him out to go and he just stands there looking at me like 'what do you want?' we have a routine and he knows exactly what time he has to go to do number 1's and num 2's.

He must be such a relaxed, confident dog. One of my girls got flown down from NSW as a pup to Victoria, she didn't travel well at all. I thought maybe she had hurt her spine or something as she wouldn't move. She travelled all the way home on the backseat with my sons and still hadn't moved an hour later. I was so relieved when we got out of the car on the grass that she actually walked and went to the toilet. Took her a few days to finally settle down. She is nearly 3 now and if she hears any strange noises for the first time she takes off like a rocket.

Gorgeous photo of Taz, he looks totally different, his colouring to the other photo lower down.

Yep first pic was just after bath and good grooming also light factor from flash in car, second one was when he was chilling out ... or maybe knocked out from smelly dad shoes, we had just done a big days work cleaning, ripping up carpet and painting and he reflected the way we all felt. He is quite 'blue' in his colour similar to the true slver blue of his mum a silky terrier, he looks darker I think just camera angle and reflection.
But you are right he is an extrememly placid dog who takes everything in his stride about only thing he gets nervy about is shadows at night when he goes out to do wetties, we have lots of flying foxes in the trees and when he disturbsa them he chases them and runs from one end of yard to other and round and round looking up, and if i say boo he skittles back in through the door like they are actually vampire bats lol
Have you every known a dog that smells flowers, every garden he goes by he has to smell the flowers, and I mean literally smell them sticks his nose right into the middle, one day a bee will get him I AM SURE, I think it is because most of his training was done on scenting and as such he is very alert to smells and flowers must smell sweet to him or something, he makes a great tracking dog he is able to always do the scent activity with 100% accuracy never misses and I always feel a bit of a cheat because he has sucha natural ability. If he hadn't been successful as an assistance dog I think he would make a grat customs dog.

Who needs ether or sleeping pills when you have dad's shoes LOL

Only one of my girls has a very strong sense of smell & will occassionally smell the flowers. When we had our cat a few years ago she use to go crazy at the front door at about 6pm, to which I would let her out thinking she needed to go to the toilet, it took me a few weeks to realise she had smelt the cat go to the toilet & wanted a snack She would bolt out of the door straight to where the cat had been and done his business & dig it up. I'd much prefer her to use her nose for sweeter things LOL
Another time she took off down the beach and wouldn't come on recall just kept on running for a couple of hundred meters, which isn't like her. She eventaully stopped and when I got there she was rolling on a dead seal

Don't you just love some of the things they get up to

I have one and its a BC. I do agility and obedience. Ness has her CDX ADX JDX JDO SPD and GD titles as well as legs towards her JDM, ADM, ADO and SD titles

We have two dogs, Tia, our female nearly five year old Shar-Pei and Taj, our 6.5 month old male Border Collie. They are chalk and cheese in so many different ways, but Tia has been a wonderful influence on Taj, she's taught him to chill out and be calm, and he has taught her to be more like a dog (and less like a cat!). Tia would not play with toys, ever, even at 12 weeks old when we got her she was not interested. Taj on the other hand, like most BC's is toy obsessed and he encourages Tia to play and have doggy fun

Well done to you & Ness on your successes so far. Almost time for another one.

I love the look of Shar-pei's, was at the vets a few months ago and a litter of 3weeks olds came in, they were so gorgeous but a couple were in having the eyes checked as the wrinkles were coming down over the top?? She said they would probably have to be stitched. Is this a common thing with puppies? Amazing the colour differences in the one litter.

Vicky