flo9: Bruce is one of the most respected and respectful members in this forum. Hence, his VOLUNTARY removal of his post. I don't know what part of the country you live in, but some people throughout this country have incredible problems with critters and such; and in many cases, these critters affect their food supply. I'm on your side of the fence as far as animal cruelty is concerned, but I also understand the use of whatever means to deter and decrease the damage that god's creatures can do to one's garden. Do I agree with the use of a BB gun? No and yes. Simply by understanding that I spend months rasing a seedling, preparing and feeding the soil, building a trellis or cage, watering and caring for my "kids"(plants). And to walk out one day to see my kid has been killed either by a hornworm, a gopher, deer, squirrels, or even my own damn dog makes one want to protect future plants. And I'll use whatever means necessary. Do I use a bb gun? No. But I don't have squirrels and such that may require one.. Living in suburban San Diego, I get gophers and insects that do damage. By planting flowers and attracting beneficial insects that kill the pests in my garden make me a bad person? Does spraying an organic pesticide? Does killing gophers with traps or poison? Do I need to have MY head checked out? Like I said, I lean towards your side. But I understand and respect what others have to deal with. And if the use of a BB gun deters certain critters, who am I to take judgment? One more question -- are you a vegetarian or vegan? Respectfully, Kevin

I just posted a thread in Remodeling asking if I would regret getting the regular poly carpet. I know the answer already though. Sigh. We don't have high traffic, but still..... I think, based on past threads, you're going to be told to get the best now, and go with the SmartStrand. I have a feeling we are going to be replacing this carpet sooner than later! With two kids and a dog yes that is going to "try" the carpet. But, it's still thousands of dollars, and are you going to want to replace all that in just a few years? In our case, it's only two bedrooms. One of which I'm hoping stays as a guest BR where we never get guests. I'm hoping that DD stays in her own place - crossing fingers. She was SO hard on the carpet in her room it was unbelieveable. So we waited and waited till she moved.

The fact that Nunyette poops in the house is not going to make me get rid of her or anything like that. I *really* don't want her pooping in the house, especially knowing she has no reason to do so. If Nunyette is going to potty, it's always before she gets obsessive. And yes, I can direct her attention away from acorns by playing with light and shadows, but she is just as obsessive about chasing light and shadows that it really doesn't help anything. If it's not acorns or shadows, she's not interested, unless the neighbor's cat is in the yard and then she's all about watching her. I don't let her chase the cat, so she sits down and just stares at her until she gets out of sight. Luckily the cat has enough sense to vacate the yard when the dogs are out. The only reason she stops eating acorns or chasing shadows is because she obeys me when I tell her to come inside. None of her toys including the favorite ball can pull her away from acorns or shadows. If she doesn't poop right away, then it isn't going to happen, whether she actually HAS to poop or not. I can try to muzzle her after she potties outside and see what she does. Obviously I don't want her to hate being outside. I don't know if she's ever worn a muzzle- she certainly hasn't since I've had her. I'll borrow one from work and see how it goes. The only bad thing is that she wouldn't be able to play fetch with the muzzle on either. The nice big back yard was not intended to be *just* a doggie potty, it was also supposed to be a place where we can all play together or at least the dogs can play together, safely without destroying the house. But getting her to poop ONLY outside trumps learning to play in the yard any day. Thanks to all for the help so far. I'll keep posting our progress.

This is what I have learned thus far. Purebred dogs are bred as such so that a person knows what they are getting when they buy a puppy. For example, tempermenmt, size, coat considerations, and required living conditions. The reasons breeders breed purebred dogs are entirely their's personally and somewhere in their reasons is the adherance to a breed standard (usually). Not a bad idea if a breeder can successfully pull this off. However, this does not guarentee the personality of a purebred dog. Generally speaking, temperment is what they are bred for, personality is something they are born with and grow in to. For example, I have been breeding shelties for many years and can tell you that, as a breed, shelties are not "in your face" dogs, they are more cautious and sensitive, they prefer to be beside you at all times, they bark as they are bred to drive stock and alert, they have a double coat which requires lots of grooming and they shed, they are very affectionate, happy dogs and are extremely smart and easy to train. They can develop skin problems, eye problems, hip issues, and a few genetic diseases more exclusive to shelties. That said, this is the case with all purebred dogs, of course, each to their own breed. Reputable breeders will generally strive to produce healthy, balanced dogs with an emphasis on temperment and genetic soundness. To acheive this, a breeder will put in the best in nutrition, health care, housing, training and everyday care which is not only a financially costly venture but a time consuming one. Why?, because they love doing it! Placing our puppies in the "right" homes is the hard part of the whole process. In a nutshell, this is what I have learned about purebred dog breeders. Mongrels are and always will be a dime a dozen as a dog will do what comes naturally no matter who their choices are. That said, this is why the shelters and streets are overflowing with unwanted and uncaredfor dogs. :( Most of those animals are just as loving as any purebred or designer dog ever bred! And ALL are deserving of love and a caring home. Designer dogs is s whole different story and one I am not impressed with personally. Designer dogs, that is dogs bred purposely to create a dog to fit the fad at the time, are not bad dogs. They are dogs like all others. People in their infinate wisdom decided to make dogs a fashion statement or novelty! Like we don't have enough breeds to choose from and we don't have enough hoomeless animals out there that we have to create more. Cotons are an excellent example IMO! They are not a registered breed and are therefore a designer dog! Cute, fluffy, friendly little dogs that they are, it is sad that people are breeding them for "their" own gain!!!!! And the sadest part is that other people are willing to shell out the cash for one to carry around on their arm like a Gucci purse! In addition to the insanity of desiner dogs is the fact that many (NOT ALL) of these poor little dogs are bred in so called "puppy mills" ( I call them "sweat shops") home or otherwise, to satisfy the market demands!! Sick! I won't go any further with my ideas or understanding of how new breeds are developed and come to be as I have probably already said more than necessary. You asked a lot of questions BalTra and I hope to give you my honest thoughts and opinions. I am very passionate about the lives of animals and any other living creatures we have been so blessed to share our planet with. I agree with eahamel in all of what was shared. My suggestion is that you carefully research breeds you may be interested in. The internet is full of information. As well, contact breeders, go see their homes and dogs, and ask TONS of questions. Be careful of breeders who offer health guarentees (check it out carefully as you cannot guarentee health on any living thing)but don't dismiss genetic testing and medical history of the line. Most reputable breeders are more than happy to share their knowledge and expertise on "their " breed and specifically their line, and many have experience with other similar breeds. Myself, I encourage potential owners to visit my home prior to and shortly after puppies are born to learn as much as they can and get to know where their baby is coming from. I owe that to my puppies. They come first and I will do everything I can to ensure I find the right fit. Unfortunately , we don't always get the opportunity to pick a puppy this way so we take our chances. Contrary to what we would like to believe, animal sheltiers can only give us a good guess as to what breeds may be included in a mongrel and what their temperment may be like after spending a limited amount of time with them. We have to take a chance. I believe that very few dogs are "bad" dogs and that it is most often the ignorance or neglect/disinterest of the owners that creates an unruly or hostile dog. Baring in mind also that breed inherant traits and characteristics will always be. You can't expect the average border collie cross, for example, not to herd somewhat. It is as natural for them as it is for a retriever to retrieve and like water! There is no such thing as a hypoallergenic dog. Some breeds don't shed as much as others and some have dander that is closer to falling out of their hair (probably why you are more responsive to short haired breeds). If the dog is kept clean and groomed and is fed a quality food with hopes of producing less dry skin, your chances are good you will not react alergically. Some breeds like Poodles, Shih Tzu's, Terriers and such don't generally drop as much coat but require clipping and/or lots of grooming to keep their hair from matting. There are many breeds to choose from and therefore, you have the advantage of getting pretty close to the perfect dog. Only you know your lifestyle, habits and requirements of your pet. IMHO, the perfect dog can only come about by listening to your gut and following it. Your dog will hear that instinctively! I hope I have been helpful and not too wordy. Good luck with your search. It will be an adventure and an exciting one that will end in pure joy with lots of love and puppy kisses ^^^^^ A short story I found that I will share with you that just tugs at my "breeder" heartstrings. Puppy sighs This is one of the neatest stories. You will know precisely what this little girl is talking about at the end (you'll want to share this one with your loved ones and special friends)! "Danielle keeps repeating it over and over again. We've been back to this animal shelter at least five times. It has been weeks now since we started all of this," the mother told the volunteer. "What is it she keeps asking for?" the volunteer asked. "Puppy size!" replied the mother. "Well, we have plenty of puppies, if that's what she's looking for." "I know...we have seen most of them," the mom said in frustration .Just then Danielle came walking into the office. "Well, did you find one?" asked her mom. "No, not this time," Danielle said with sadness in her voice. "Can we come back on the weekend?" The two women looked at each other, shook their heads and laughed "You never know when we will get more dogs. Unfortunately, there's always a supply," the volunteer said. Danielle took her mother by the hand and headed to the door. "Don't worry, I`ll find one this weekend," she said. Over the next few days both mom and dad had long conversations with her. They both felt she was being too particular. "It's this weekend or we're not looking any more," Dad finally said in frustration. "We don't want to hear anything more about puppy size either," Mom added. Sure enough, they were the first ones in the shelter on Saturday morning. By now Danielle knew her way around, so she ran right for the section that housed the smaller dogs. Tired of the routine, mom sat in the small waiting room at the end of the first row of cages. There was an observation window so you could see the animals during times when visitors weren't permitted. Danielle walked slowly from cage to cage, kneeling periodically to take a closer look. One by one the dogs were brought out and she held each one. One by one she said, "Sorry, you're not the one." It was the last cage on this last day in search of the perfect pup. The volunteer opened the cage door and the child carefully picked up the dog and held it closely. This time she took a little longer. "Mom, that's it! I found the right puppy! He's the one! I know it!" she screamed with joy. "It`s the puppy size!" "But it's the same size as all the other puppies you held over the last few weeks," Mom said. "No not size ---- the sighs. When I held him in my arms, he sighed," she said. "Don't you remember? When I asked you one day what love is, you told me love depends on the sighs of your heart. The more you love, the bigger the sigh!" The two women looked at each other for a moment. Mom didn't know whether to laugh or cry. As she stooped down to hug the child, she did a little of both. "Mom, every time you hold me, I sigh. When you and Daddy come home from work and hug each other, you both sigh. I knew I would find the right puppy if it sighed when I held it in my arms," she said. Then holding the puppy up close to her face she said, "Mom, he loves me. I heard the sighs of his heart!" Close your eyes for a moment and think about the love that makes you sigh. I not only find it in the arms of my loved ones, but in the caress of a sunset the kiss of the moonlight and the gentle brush of cool air on a hot day. They are the sighs of God. Take the time to stop and listen; you will be surprised at what you hear. "Life is not measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." Good luck Ginny Garden Gairden's Shelties Edmonton AB Canada