The world of amaryllis is plague with secrecy, a secrecy that seems to exist only for the amaryllis and this secrecy is very detrimental to this market. When you breed them, you then have to start from scratch every single time since the work of previous breeders is not published anywhere, it is a state secret, you can't even know what plant was used to created such or such cultivar. So we know nothing about the characteristics that are transmitted by such or such plant in breeding when used as a female or a male since we know from other plants families that what a plant transmits as a father is not necessarily the same as when the same plant is used as a mother. We have no idea either of the ploidy of most cultivar on sale. So what do I breed for? First to find out what is compatible with what, something we have no idea of yet. Second, what are the characteristics that are transmitted when such a plant is used as a female and what are the characteristics that are passed along when the same plant is used as a male. We know nothing about that either. Third, I breed to get plants that wont take years and years to bloom. Till now, I bloomed 4 plants out of a 90 plants test group in a year, the shortest time known being 363 days. The recipe to achieve that is known, it works, but it needs to be tested again and adjusted a bit to get better results. Fourth, I breed to try to get things that are off the beaten path, something that will not be another RedLion of some kind. Fifth, I breed to try and have smaller plants if possible. These are my main goals as a breeder. I intend to publish the results of what I find out and of what I will get, and I already started to do that on my web site. The pictures of the 4 test plants that have bloomed in a year are there along with the pictures of their parents. Only 4 for now, but several more to come in spring 2010 and later. At least, and at last, there will be a place where everyone will be able to look and see what gives what. That will not be the end of the guess work, only a very small hole in the veil of secrecy. Laurier

Hey coleen, interesting that you should say that your Westie would look away when you asked her to sit. Looking away is actually a "calming signal" for dogs. There are some excellent resources out there that explain more about calming signals than I ever could, but the gist of it is that dogs display certain behaviours when stressed, and people often misinterpret them. Yawning is a really common stress signal in dogs. I compete in dog sports like obedience, and it's REALLY common to see stressed dogs yawning throughout very stressful exercises like the long stays. Sniffing the ground is another calming signal, which again is very commonly observed during obedience stay exercises. It's really common to hear people come out of the ring and say "wow, there really was something stinky on the floor that Fido just had to sniff at", when it's just as likely that Fido was stressed out by the weird environment and an owner who was also stressed by competition, and tries to deflect the stress by sniffing. My guy's stress signal is looking away, and lip-licking. If you watch dogs in situations that make them nervous, like meeting a strange dog, you'll see that they look away. On the rare occasion that I have been really steaming mad with my guy, he desperately tries every calming signal he knows ... he turns away from me, he curves his body, he makes himself small, he walks very slowly and deliberately, he licks his lips and he lies down facing away from me. In fact, I have to be careful with my guy, since he reads my mood better than I do ! If he is displaying any of these behaviours, I have to stop and ask myself if I am mad at anything ! Last night I was cranky with my contractor, and my poor dog was trying his best to get me to calm down. So maybe your girl was not sure what you were asking her to do, and was a little stressed about it ? I am really glad to hear what a good relationship your DD has with her, and it sounds like she will be wonderful with the new pup. I really second oceanna's advice to get pup into a good puppy-K class right away, and socialise, socialise, socialise ! Take him EVERYWHERE until he is 16-20 weeks old, help him see lots of different people, places, activities, events, happy things, scary things etc. The socialisation window for puppies is short and closes around that time ... now is your chance to set him up for success later in life.

I'm going with aussie mix (or any shepherd/collie mix) as well. The docked tail is a sign, as well as the high set ears that stand out. Also, the intelligence you describe totally points to aussie - one of the smartest breeds around. (My own aussie is shaved, and his ears totally look like your dog's). The "face-splitting" grin is a big aussie give-away. See if he has one of those :)

Smaller dogs have a tendancy to get under foot more then medium - larger dogs. This could be a concern with your eyesight and age. Also, you may want to consider adopting a dog thats coat is contrasting colors to those in your home. If you have dark carpet, go for a light colored dog, etc. You can also use a bright/reflective collar to help you see them. Labradors are one of the most popular pets in our country. With every breed there is a standard, and within that breed there are always ones who break that standard! My stepfather has been blind most his life and I have been very active in dealing with his seeing eye dogs (all labs). It is true that generally speaking Labs can get bored and when left alone can become destructive. I have seen this behavior from many Labs in many different home situations over the years. Actually, a Lab might be a good choice for you since you are probably home a great deal of the time. A daily walk may not be necassary, although this is ideal for every dog, especially older ones. Walks help keep their heart strong not to mention their joints. And of course it helps to keep the weight down that as a breed standard they are prone to gaining. Yet, there are somethings that might be a concern with the Lab. Their necks are very large & strong, if he/she has not been taught not to pull on the leash this could be a big problem. There are two types of Labs, American & English. The English lines tend to be more calmer & settle down quicker. When dealing with rescue it may be difficult to find out which line a dog is from, but it never hurts to ask. Especially if you are dealing with a breed specific rescue. Another good choice may be a Golden Retriver. They are less dominate and independate then Lab. The Golden is known to have the same gentle disposition of the Lab, but has less of that independant streak. Goldens are only truly happy when they are around people and are generally friendly with every one as their nature. Whereas if a Lab was not socialized as a pup he/she may be skittish around strangers. Goldens love to please their masters and are easy to train. Both are prone to Hip Dysplasia & eye defects. The Lab is also prone to Elbow Dysplasia and PRA. The Golden is also prone to Von Willebrands Disease and skin allergies that usually require vet care. Again, what I have wrote here is purely the generaly accepted breed standard. There are always blood lines within a breed that break the mold, for better or worse. Good Luck & Happy New Year!