bk_blue

:bad-words: GET BACK ON YOUR WEB YOU LITTLE B*STARD, OR I'LL SHOOT... :snipersmile:

Sorry can't really help, never had cats :o . Maybe it is a territorial thing? I think that might be more likely than the scent of the cat box making him "go", or at least the scent is a trigger in his brain to say "hang on, that's not MY scent, I'll have to fix that!" Does he wee in there as well?

How is the gorgeous new dog Hobbit? Do tell! :D

Congrats Koolie!!! Can't wait to see the pics!! :D

[quote name='Hobbit']I'm glad I helped you convert to my nerd side. :wink: :wink: .[/quote] I don't think genetics is nerdy as such, I'm just completely crap at understanding it, even when it's explained really slowly and clearly. I WISH I could understand it but I don't have nerd genes... owwwwch... :wink:

:wink: well, we don't have anything else interesting here...! Except spiders, now I could tell you tales about SPIDERS... :lol:

Oh this brings back BAAAD memories... BK aka Houdini is the consummate escape artist, he escaped the first night we got him by bending a virtually unbendable metal gate... we were frantic and we went out looking for him, had flyers made up the next morning and stuck them up everywhere, he was found at the high school a few miles up the road, to get there he had to cross the freeway, the train line, the creek and two major roads.. a lot for any dog let alone a 6mth old puppy. He has got out several times despite our best efforts over the past 7 years, he doesn't jump but he DIGS and can get a huge bluestone block out of the ground on the other side of the gate with no problems. :o He always manages to come back unscathed from his little adventures but that doesn't stop me from panicking, one day he won't be so lucky. You may also recall that the reason he's not home with me now is because he's managed to destroy 2 fences and my grandpa is still building a good solid fence so he can't get out again. I was hysterical when he escaped after only 24 hours in my new house, we made flyers and stuck them up EVERYWHERE and I rang all the vets in the area but most of them had closed as it was 7.30pm, I went to the cops and they were really nice and let me put up stuff in the station, thankfully he came home after a few hours but it was enough to make me crazy. He's microchipped and wears a collar with his name and phone no on it whenever we go out or he is by himself. He always manages to come back unscathed from his little adventures but that doesn't stop me from panicking, one day he won't be so lucky. I hope this new fence keeps him where he should be- in the backyard.

Yellowlabs, the tiger snake is common in the outer suburbs of the big cities, and also wherever there's water. I try not to walk my dog near the creek or indeed anywhere with long grass in summer. We had snakes up on the sports campus of my old school, was quite interesting to see how the teachers coped with 70 screaming teenage girls :wink: I would assume that working dogs would encounter snakes quite often in the bush, there are certainly enough snakes to go round but I think snakes are more scared of people/dogs than we are of them, so maybe they just try to crawl away? (there are lots of poisonous snakes here, I think Aust has almost all of the top 10 most poisonous snakes in the world... ) Dogs are pretty smart though so I would imagine they might try and avoid them as well.

Great picture K!! :D Thanks guys for all your advice. Unfortunately it's not going to happen... I got a phone call as I was at obedience, the uncle of the owner has finally agreed (at the last minute :-? ) to take Roxy. Maybe it's for the best, he has lots of land for her to run around on and they will still get to see her. It was kind of strange as I got an SMS only this morning to confirm if our meeting was still on. Oh well, what can you do...? I will however keep all this in mind as I tentatively search for another dog... :(

Welcome :D For a herding-dog person I must admit I do like Bulldogs :wink:

Welcome Eric :D , please ignore my post on the other topic, I replied to that before I noticed this thread. :oops: You sound like a great "dad" and don't worry, I can't go into the local dogs' home here without bawling and all those dogs are clean and well-cared for too :cry: :cry:

Thank you Eric for your kind words. :) They decided not to put Rinny to sleep, they are going to wait another month and see how he goes, as he's still eating and hopping around, I don't know if one would call it *enjoying* life though... Personally I don't see how it's going to be any easier putting him to sleep in another month or two than now, as you said he's not going to get any better and 15 years is a very ripe old age for a GSD. Part of the reason I don't want to get too involved is because it's a fairly emotional topic and I want to do what is best for the dog, he's the important one in all this, not my family and their politics and opinions. What sort of dogs do you have?

Thanks guys, I'm less confused now :angel: I wasn't sure about the merle in that ACDs, I knew what I said wasn't right but now I know. :)

Thanks Shannon :) I know what you mean, but at least I get to benefit from it all in the end! I'm not about to pry into their private life to find out why they had a baby if they had dogs who needed lots of attention and exercise, if it was planned or not yadda yadda, but I look at it like this: they are the ones missing out and I am the one hopefully gaining a great dog in the process :wink: just hoping it all goes smoothly tomorrow.

This is a bit late, but thought I would add some input to the badass dogs we have here... Seeing as Pits are banned in Australia, you can scratch them off. Any big mixed breed dog, especially GSD/Rotty Xs, are looked on as "vicious"...IMO I tend to watch out for the horrid, yappy little dogs :D I don't know any drug dealers or know anyone who knows them, so can't help you out with that :wink: Staffys are very popular here, not only do you see a lot of them at obedience and out and about, but there are a lot advertised each week :-? as well as GSDs and Rottys. There are a LOT of GSDs here, now I am not trying to discriminate but a lot of Italians have them. Not so many Dobes though, which is kind of strange, they must be out of fashion :roll:. I wouldn't leave a purbred dog tied up outside my supermarket though, I don't want it stolen (I used to be worried someone would steal the biggest mutt of all time- BK, cos he was so pretty- even if they did they'd soon give him back :roll: ) Hunting dogs such as Bull Arabs and Maremmas go for high prices, I know nothing about them though but they are used in the bush to go pig hunting etc.

Funny you mention that K- there was an ad for a purebred BLUE Staffy in our trading post for AUD$1000 (US$570)... hmmm thought that was a little sus? :-?

Well done! It's so satisfying to teach your dog something and be taught yourself, in a way, as well :wink:

Poor bubby! If he's not eating or drinking it's not a good sign, hope it is nothing too sinister although he just might be holing up till he recovers :( A second opinion would be useful :fadein: BK sends big slimy kisses (lovely :roll: )...

[quote name='corgilady']ahem.....I hate to stick my hillbilly nose into this elite discussion....but I have a little bitty ol' question. The word kelpie looks to me like it would be pronounced "kel-pee". However, in celtic music we have a tune we play, called Song of the Kelpie. Everyone and I mean EVERYONE, pronounces it "kel-PIE"(long "I" sound). Do we assume the song refers to the dog? what is the pronunciation? thanks![/quote] Corgi, just thought you might want to know that "kelpie" means "watersprite" in Gaelic. :)

Woops I meant to add the merle pattern in ACDs and the spots (is that a variation of merle?) in Dals can sometimes produce deafness or something, doesn't it? (I guess that's why heelers are BAER tested, or they should be.)

Just thought I would start a new discussion about the "blue" gene in some dogs (Bull Terriers, Kelpies, Dobes, Weims, Pits and I am sure there are more). It is a recessive gene which should not be bred from as it is associated with genetic defects in some breeds eg. deafness. (I really like the colour though in Dobes and Kelpies, and I am a sucker for all Weimaraners!) What I am wondering is why do some people believe it should command a higher price? Although it is rare and very pretty it's not really good in some breeds to have "blue" dogs. I know that a blue Weim is disqualified from showing and breeding. It is an accepted colour, however, in Dobes and Kelpies, but can these dogs be bred from? (Hobbit, where are you?!) I really don't know much about the blue gene but thought I would post it to have it explained in layman's terms how it all works :)

*Miaow*, Hobbit... :wink: I was going to say IS THAT A JOKE? I am so glad it is, but it's not a joke for the pups that actually DO live like that. :evil:

LOL Thanks Hobbit :wink: She is GORGEOUS!!!!!! I just love that colouring!!!! :angel: Hope it all goes well for you...

They're all quite different aren't they?! Shows you what breeding for certain characteristics, whether it be looks or herding/working ability, can do to alter the appearance of a dog.

Oh thanks Rowie :D [size=2]You can have him if you want LOL, I can do you a special deal :lol: [/size]