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ICB: Thanks, Tim, but a Cavoodle’s not a REAL dog

Tory Shepherd

by Tory Shepherd

29 Sep 12:02pm

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Filed under: Animals, Dogs, I Call Bullshit, Icb, Julia Gillard

189 comments

Welcome to this week’s I Call Bullshit, a weekly column on shenanigans of all kinds. Today we look at Tim Mathieson’s 50th birthday present to Prime Minister Julia Gillard. A Cavoodle.

Couldn't eat a whole one… Pic: Herald Sun

Hybrid vigour? I call bullshit. These designer dogs are just mongrels with a ludicrous price tag. Keep your bullshit special-purpose cross breed, your genetically manipulated bundle of non-shedding joy.

Keep your Labradoodles and Shegroodles, your Foxyhuahuas and Afghanitas, your Bullalutes.

Get a real dog.

Sure, Cavoodles look pretty cute. All silky hair and floppy ears and manipulated good looks. I get that warm squirmy ‘fur-kid’ feeling just looking at photos.

But really, it’s a mocked up sort of glamour - it took too much effort. More Brynne Edelsten than Kate Richie.

What’s more, genetic variation means you never know for sure which breed will dominate – the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel or the Miniature Poodle. Imagine if it’s the poodle. Shudder. You could wake up one morning to find your I-swear-it-wasn’t-a-puppy-farm-purchase sprouting pink ribbons and topiarised hair.

And if you went to a dodgy breeder, it’s possible there’s nothing miniature about the poodle in the mix and then you apartment-dwelling top-to-toe brand name consumers will be in trouble.

Real dogs include anything missing a leg, any dog of indeterminate origin, anything rescued or found, and Border Collies. They’re well known to be the most real when it comes to real dogs.

This is why they feature so prominently on dog food packets. Dog food packets which are bought by Cavoodle owners who wish they had a Border Collie.

They’re the smartest, fastest, most crazy-in-a-loveable-way kind of dog.

Sure, mine won’t stop licking the furniture till it’s soggy. But that’s a purebred quirk. It’s just eccentricity, like wearing jodphurs or marrying your sister.

They’re friendly, too, border collies. If a little prone to jumping up on guests. It’s almost an embrace, paws to chest, tongue lolling. And ours has pretty much stopped losing control of its bladder at the same time, which is nice.

Other purebreds suffer all sorts of problems – in some cases with walking, or breathing even, but not border collies. Well, maybe a little hip dysplasia. A tendency to herd small children – most of whom, let’s face it, could use a nip around the ankles now and then.

But a Cavoodle? It’s up there with growing an ear on a mouse, or making a shoat, a liger, a mule, or meat in vats.

Bloody cute, though.

Happy birthday, Prime Minister.

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189 comments

Show oldest | newest first

    • happy birthday julia gillard says:

      12:19pm | 29/09/11

      happy birthday Julia Gillard.
      may all journalists and coalition voters only pass you compliments today

      Reply

    • Stef says:

      12:20pm | 29/09/11

      What is this article meant to achieve?  You don’t like cavoodles?  You think only pure bred dogs should be kept as pets? 
      I personally think dogs being bred for this is extremely unkind.  I only rescue dogs from the RSPCA or the pound.
      But why diss the PM on her birthday gift?  It’s a puppy!  Let her be for a day!
      For the record I have a Mastiff x Wolfhound x Great Dane, and I love him to bits!

      Reply

    • ET says:

      01:32pm | 29/09/11

      Hmm - pretty sure the intent of the article was to entertain…. “Tongue-in-cheek is a phrase used as a figure of speech to imply that a statement or other production is humorously intended and it should not be taken at face value”

    • happy birthday Julia Gillard says:

      12:24pm | 29/09/11

      The real sickening dogs are coalition voters and journalists.
      When they speak of julia gillard and Labor ,  coalition voters and journalists are like sickened dogs drowning in their own vomit.
      Coalition Voters and journalists are “what I call bullshit”

      Reply

    • RamRod says:

      12:57pm | 29/09/11

      Awwhhh happy birthday Julia Gillard - by the tone of your post they seem to be having the desired affect on you. Take a chill pill and lie down. It will all be over at the next election.

    • Wag the Dog says:

      12:59pm | 29/09/11

      Hmmm.

      Anyway, Happy Birthday PM.

    • Say it with flowers says:

      01:04pm | 29/09/11

      Noice!!

    • nihonin says:

      01:04pm | 29/09/11

      Thank you acotrel for your usual conservative bashing post.

    • Dog day afternoon says:

      01:10pm | 29/09/11

      Well then, there’ll be a lot of your so-called “bullshit” around after the next federal election when the Labor Party is sent to the doghouse….

    • Joel B1 says:

      01:11pm | 29/09/11

      Thanks for that rational little spray!

      I’m voting ALP and/or Green from now on!

    • Lewyo says:

      01:19pm | 29/09/11

      On ya, comrade

    • Anubis says:

      01:37pm | 29/09/11

      You can’t let up for a minute can you Badger?

    • TM says:

      01:42pm | 29/09/11

      I’ll bite, troll! You are a piece of dog shit. Hard to wipe off and the stench lingers on, like the effects of the worst government in our history.

    • Chris says:

      01:42pm | 29/09/11

      Thanks for calling me a dog. And you don’t even know me.

      Oh, and happy birthday Julia (the real one). Hope you have a good day and Tim does the dishes tonight.

    • NicoleG says:

      02:11pm | 29/09/11

      Anubis, you beat me to it!

    • DT The Dirt Tin says:

      02:29pm | 29/09/11

      Any more comments worthy of the DT Dirt Tin?

    • shinydonkey says:

      12:29pm | 29/09/11

      Agreed.  My purebred staffy eats cat poo with abandoned relish, gnaws hardwood railway sleepers to pulpy stumps, bowls over toddlers (with the best of intentions), sings along with ambulances and wets herself with excitement at the approach of a favoured visitor.  A more revolting, hilarious, inspired and joyful creature I cannot imagine - cavoodle schmoodle !!

      Reply

    • Anne71 says:

      01:02pm | 29/09/11

      Awww! Staffies really are adorable. I’ve been on the receiving end of their friendly - and extremely enthusiastic! - overtures myself. 
      Then again, I pretty much love all dogs, purebred, halfbred or Heinz (57 varieties wink )

    • Anna C says:

      12:29pm | 29/09/11

      Gee Tory, all this talk about purebreeds and genetic superiority brings to mind someone who shared similar views as you but about humans. Very disturbing. Sounds like doggy discrimination to me. Where are the lawyers?

      Reply

    • watty says:

      07:23am | 30/09/11

      Take a valium put on your possum coat and have a good lie down.

    • Nigel says:

      08:14am | 30/09/11

      Anna C - if you can make a connection like that then you should be writing fiction. Wow, what an imagination….

      Tory, nice light piece for a Friday, thanks…

    • adam says:

      12:32pm | 29/09/11

      I see your Border Collie and raise you a Kelpie.

      My roommate, Monty the Wonderdog is of indeterminate origin, rescued and missing something. A brain. Loves her anyway

      Reply

    • fairsfair says:

      12:55pm | 29/09/11

      Yep, life wouldn’t be the same without George the Kelpie. Such a knob. He’s the best though following his recent tail amputation we have termed him a “kelpweiler”. Tors, does that mean that he is now a designer dog? a remodelled dog maybe?

      I still love you little black georgette!

    • redvixen says:

      01:12pm | 29/09/11

      I have a Kelpie, ‘adopted’ from the RSPCA.  Dumb as a post.  But she always looks like she smiling and having a great time - unless, she’s in trouble and then she pleads with those georgous brown eyes of hers.

      I also have a German Coolie (a long-haired red merle) who stops people in the street she’s so pretty.  Smart as a whip and the most beautiful temperament.

    • Megs says:

      02:24pm | 29/09/11

      I took a bet each way and have a Kelpie cross Border Collie and to top it off, he’s a red dog!
      To keep things interesting, we added a Greyhound cross Staffie as a playmate.

      They balance each other out beautifully.

    • Sheridan says:

      02:39pm | 29/09/11

      Luvz me kelpies :D both of them..

    • Max, of Rocky says:

      10:46am | 30/09/11

      Had a kelpie, black barb,  many years ago.

      Most intelligent dog I have ever seen.  Missed her badly when she passed of old age.

      If I wanted another dog and could not get a kelpie I would go looking for a blue heeler.  Most of the jazzy designer dogs can’t cope with the heat.

      If you want a lapdog, your choice, but I just do not like dogs in the house.

    • Castro says:

      12:32pm | 29/09/11

      I would have agreed with your sentiments whole heartedly a wile ago Tory, but my sister and her husband bought one of these cavoodles and it is a ripper.

      I have learnt an important lesson: to judge a dog by the content of it’s heart rather than the colour of its fur.  Perhaps you need to embrace dogs regardless of the stereotypes imposed on them due to their genetic background.

      ICB on your breedism, Tory!  Surely there is some Breedist Vilification legislation in existance that you can be ‘Bolt-ed’ with about this?

      Reply

    • jimbo says:

      01:08pm | 29/09/11

      zing

    • VVS says:

      02:03pm | 29/09/11

      I am a bloke and I too have a cavoodle (it was the girlfriend’s choice of dog)... he’s a little ratbag but is called cute by even my most hardened mates… looks like a little teddy bear…

      And he is a little chick magnet!

      I can’t walk him to the shops without some young woman coming up and to pet him and have a little chat at the same time… if only I were single…

    • The long blow says:

      12:33pm | 29/09/11

      All dog breeds are hybrids so the cavdoodle is nothing new.

      There are hundreds of breeds, so go to the pound and pick out what suits your purpose and what the breed was created for.

      Dobermans, Ridgebacks were bred to eat people and are aggressive.
      Pitbulls bred to fight and be aggressive.
      Labradors and pointers are retriever gundogs and make good family pets
      Terriers chase rabbits and can be aggressive
      Border collies and kelpies are intelligent, athletic dogs that need space to run and mental stimulation.
      Blue Heelers are bred to bite a 1 tonne bull on the heel, loyal but aggressive and not very smart.
      All generalisations but before choosing a dog, decide what the dog was bred for. Breeders try to select against some of these traits but the recessive genes will still exist within the breed population, and you don’t want to be the person whose dog tore the face of some child.

      Reply

    • Loz says:

      01:22pm | 29/09/11

      Ridgebacks are actually a very gentle, friendly and loyal breed.

      So i think it goes without saying that if you are interested in buying a purebred, you should research the breed and not listen to hearsay. even if buying a cross breed dog - if you are able to identify what its background is, you can make an educated decision on whether such a “mongrel” is suitable for you and your lifestyle.

      And, depending on the breeding, Border Collies can have numerous hereditary problems.

    • HappyCynic says:

      01:37pm | 29/09/11

      Having grown up with 2 massive Rhodesian Ridgebacks I can say that they are wonderful dogs.  Strong, sweet, very loyal, fiercely protective and not bred to eat people, bred to hunt lions.  Big difference.  That loyalty and protectiveness made them invaluable as lion-hunting dogs.

      That said the cats ruled over the dogs in the heirarchy of my family and had no problem beating them up smile

      Oh and Siberian Huskies are the best dog, St Bernards too, oh and I love Great Danes and Dalmatians too smile

    • Don't be silly says:

      01:55pm | 29/09/11

      Actually you’ll find ridgebacks were bred to hunt lions…

      And that you’ll be very unlikely to come across a sweeter dog temperament-wise - I have a friend with an 80kg ridgeback who is TERRIFIED of my 7kg terrier despite being one of “those” breeds of dogs that are supposed to be “agressive”. Go figure.

      This is all apart from the fact that most dogs are products of their treatment moreso than their breed.

    • CBR says:

      02:08pm | 29/09/11

      Bred to eat people? Ridgebacks were bred to hunt lions. Dobermans were bred for the personal protection of Dobermann, who was a tax collector.

      Pitbulls, and their whole breed group, are hunting dogs.

      Facts: required.

    • Aaron says:

      02:09pm | 29/09/11

      @Don’t be silly. My parents have a Shepherd and when they had a cocker spaniel (before it died), the shepherd would try to get “lower” than the spaniel to submit, but it couldn’t because even lying down the shepherd was bigger than the spaniel. It was very funny to watch. But yeah, I’ve heard people say shepherds are aggresive but this one is the biggest sook. It really depends on how you raise it.

    • Al says:

      02:39pm | 29/09/11

      “Ridgebacks are actually a very gentle, friendly and loyal breed.”
      Sorry to break that generalisation but tell that to the Ridgeback that belonged to family friends that bit me as soon as it entered our house….oh wait, you can’t as I executed it on the spot.

    • Loz says:

      02:55pm | 29/09/11

      Al that is very unfortunate but does not mean its a genetic trait of the breed. it is a generalisation because IN GENERAL the breed is as I said it is. No matter what breed you look at there is always the small minority that have turned the other way due to psychological problems or just completely incompetent owners(usually the latter in my experience).
      You cant tar them all with the same brush after one experience.

    • KJ says:

      12:47am | 30/09/11

      Al it is pretty easy to see why a dog would want to bite you by that last statement, such a big man.

    • Cry in my Gin says:

      09:18am | 30/09/11

      It should be noted that as Lion Hunting dogs, Ridgeys only ever bailed up the lions so that the hunter could get close enough to take a shot. They never actually “went in” and latched on to the big cats.

      Great big sooky lala, walking garbage disposal, lounge chair stealing bundles of attention junkieness. I would not swap my Ridgey for any other breed of animal. Only ever bitten one of my kids one time, and that was because she was jumping on his tail as hard as she could whilst he was sleeping. He never broke the skin. If a ridgeback starts to bark, you better check it out as they do not bark for no reason. Short hair and low maintenance. Loyal to the point of aloofness to all other people outside the family.  Great with all kids(when not trying to jump on his tail!). Useless as pig hunting dogs. And how can you not like a dog with a mowhawk?

      Sure, not everyones cup of tea, but I’ve owned a few over the years, and I call bullshit on the claim that they were bred to be “maneaters”. Be warned however, if a Ridgey gets you on the ground, you could be beaten to death by its tail!!!

    • Jade says:

      12:44pm | 29/09/11

      Good work Julia.  You’ve shown that yes, it is okay to go to a puppy farm/back yard breeder and get a puppy that hasn’t had the necessary health and temp testing done. $1500 for a mutt, you have to be kidding me.

      Reply

    • Charles says:

      01:10pm | 29/09/11

      Yes she did that with a present did she? cant find anything to attack a pollie on so just start grappling at straws..how pathetic.  Next youll be attacking her for lettign government crack down on dodgy dog breeders and puppy farms as an impediment to the free market. ICB on your stupid comment.

    • Jade says:

      02:23pm | 29/09/11

      Charles, promoting the purchase of an unrecognised breed - which means they are unregulated in their breeding just opens the door for any old person to start breeding litter after littler of these dogs to make a quick buck… hence puppy farms.

    • Your name:Robyn says:

      05:21pm | 29/09/11

      Your comment:Agreed Jade..pity Ms Gillard and her partner didn’t do their homework prior to purchasing the all important ‘designer dog’ from one of the most notorious puppy farms in the state when shelters are full of beautiful dogs crying out for a furever home…

    • Your name:Robyn says:

      05:21pm | 29/09/11

      Your comment:Agreed Jade..pity Ms Gillard and her partner didn’t do their homework prior to purchasing the all important ‘designer dog’ from one of the most notorious puppy farms in the state when shelters are full of beautiful dogs crying out for a furever home…

    • vian says:

      06:04pm | 29/09/11

      Bollocks, Jade and Robyn.  Billabong Creek Farm is an exemplary companion animal breeder; the very opposite to a back yard breeder.  My dog came from Billabong Creek Farm; I inspected the place twice before deciding on it (among many more dubious operations).  I met my dog’s Sire and Dam, and all her siblings, saw the spotless, spacious, well-heated facilities and met the ex-breeding dogs they kept as pets.  The dogs there live in facilities better than many of the purebred Spaniels I had as a kid came from - not a cage to be seen.  If you want to adopt from the RSPCA, go to it, but allow those of us who want poodle intelligence and spaniel sociability (or any given set of purebred characteristics, for that matter) our freedom to choose.  And save your bile for the suburban bastards who keep breeding bitches in cages and breed the life out of them, whether it’s -oodles or genetically dodgy purebreds..

    • xar says:

      06:54pm | 29/09/11

      Vian - you do realise that simply putting two breeds together does not mean you will get a set list of breed characteristics that you prefer? Canine genetics simply does not work this way - and that is a big issue I have with 99% of the people who cross breed, because they simply are not honest about the realities of canine genetics. People don’t realise that just because they are told they will end up with “the intelligence of a poodle with the sociability of a cavalier” that they might not get it what they MIGHT get is the higly strung nature and extreme seperation anxiety that can occur in poorly bred examples of poodles and cavaliers(and the really good poodle and cavalier breeders would rather stab themselves than sell a dog to a large scale breeder).

    • vian says:

      08:59pm | 29/09/11

      Yes, Xar, I do know that.  Did you miss the bit where I explained that I visited the place, twice?  Where I met the Sire and Dam and chose her out of all her siblings?  Of course you have to be careful when you pick out a dog - that goes just as strongly for potentially inbred cocker spaniel purebreds, I can tell you from experience.  But I was objecting to the brainless and thuggish assertion that BCF is a puppy farm (Large scale breeders?!  Look at their website, for Dog’s sake!  They only have a handful of puppies at a time, and the waiting list can run to months!).  I also object to the equally odd idea that the only dog I should feel OK about owning is either a rescued dog or a pedigreed one.  If you go about choosing responsibly, and I did, you can get a bloody fantastic dog.  Like I did.  From a responsible and compassionate business.  Such as BCF.

    • vian says:

      09:01pm | 29/09/11

      Yes, Xar, I do know that.  Did you miss the bit where I explained that I visited the place, twice?  Where I met the Sire and Dam and chose her out of all her siblings?  Of course you have to be careful when you pick out a dog - that goes just as strongly for potentially inbred cocker spaniel purebreds, I can tell you from experience.  But I was objecting to the brainless and thuggish assertion that BCF is a puppy farm (Large scale breeders?!  Look at their website, for Dog’s sake!  They only have a handful of puppies at a time, and the waiting list can run to months!).  I also object to the equally odd idea that the only dog I should feel OK about owning is either a rescued dog or a pedigreed one.  If you go about choosing responsibly, and I did, you can get a bloody fantastic dog.  Like I did.  From a responsible and compassionate business.  Such as BCF.

    • NicoleG says:

      11:02pm | 29/09/11

      Oh sweet bejesus, I so didn’t want to buy in to this. But when I saw Billabong Creek Farm, I felt sick. Vian you are so full of shit. If you had inspected this puppy farm, you would be mortified. Sorry, but I have footage of how those dogs are treated. I’d love to say what I think of them here, but it’s really obscene. Those people are farked! Don’t believe me? I give my full permission to Tory or Ant to pass my email address on to you and I’ll show you precisely where and how you acquired your dog. You also xar, just to prove the point.The footage is sickening.

    • Benevolent Rapscallion says:

      02:31pm | 30/09/11

      @ Vian - Billabong Creek Farm seems to have several litters on the ground at the same time. What does their puppy socialisation program consist of? Socialising one litter well is very time consuming, so the number of litters this breeder has available at any one time raises a big red flag with me.

      Red flag #2 - the absolutely ludicrous prices of these puppies. Do they have multi generation pedigrees they can show you? Can you trace any of the relatives to your dog that don’t live with the breeder and find out about their temperament and health? Dogs that actually do have that traceability cost a lot less.

      I noticed they took some poetic license with the term “registered breeder” too. The term is usually used to describe those breeders who register their breeding stock and pedigrees of same (sometimes DNA results too) with an organisation that is recognised as a caretaker of the breed or species concerned, i.e. some sort of breed registry. This breeder is using the term to describe the registration of their business and their kennel with the local government authority.

    • jen says:

      05:44pm | 07/10/11

      this puppy is not from a backyard breeder or puppy farm and i know that it will have all the health chacks required and MORE..please get your facts right Jade

    • Anne71 says:

      12:44pm | 29/09/11

      I laughed at your comment about border collies herding children. When I was a kid, one of the neighbours had a border collie that used to jump the fence and join us kids for whatever we had planned that day. We loved having him along, and his owners loved the fact that he was getting plenty of walks, but I digress. Anyway, this particular collie literally would round us up if he thought we were straggling, or needed a bit of direction.  He never went so far as to nip our heels, but he’d chase after anyone who broke away from the herd, and chivvy them back into place. We thought it was hilarious!
      Nice to know it wasn’t just him! smile

      Reply

    • redvixen says:

      01:03pm | 29/09/11

      My old cattle dog, may she rest in peace, rounded up a politician that came door knocking before an election.  I felt I had to vote for him after that!

    • Sarah says:

      01:13pm | 29/09/11

      @Anne71 - that is just adorable! I’m trying to picture it now and its put a huge smile on my face - thanks!

    • MikeS says:

      01:20pm | 29/09/11

      His name wasn’t Timmy was it?

    • Mahhrat says:

      01:32pm | 29/09/11

      My grandparents had one, and he would stop us toddlers from going anywhere near the pool.  He knew we couldn’t swim, somehow, so no way would he let us near it.

    • Aaron says:

      01:48pm | 29/09/11

      My girlfriends family has a collie, Very similar in looks to lassie. It’s a very well behaved dog, absolutely adorable and very obedient…. until someone leaves the back gate open and it runs out to try and herd the cows. It then pretends it can’t hear you as you tell it to come back…. But it’s a very nice dog otherwise

    • Loz says:

      02:50pm | 29/09/11

      Sounds like a Scottish Collie Aaron. Gorgeous temperaments and very trainable!
      Thats the Collie flaw (Bearded,Border or Scottish) - they LOVE and LIVE to herd things! Not necessarily a bad thing but i bet the cows dont appreciate it! raspberry

    • Anne71 says:

      04:57pm | 29/09/11

      @Sarah - I’m glad it made you smile :D Just remembering it puts a smile on my face, that’s for sure.
      @MikeS - LOL - yes, it does sound a bit Famous Five, doesn’t it?

    • Sara Somewhere says:

      12:47pm | 29/09/11

      “any dog of indeterminate origin”. So, if you give someone a Cavoodle without telling them what it is, does it become a real dog?

      Reply

    • Brad Coward says:

      12:49pm | 29/09/11

      Your comment:If the Cavoodle is not a real dog, then Julia Gillard is not a real Prime Minister.  The slapdash coalition government that she leads is as mixed up as any genetic engineering of the breeds mention in the post !

      Reply

    • RamRod says:

      12:52pm | 29/09/11

      Gillard missed her chance - she could have had the love of the Australian people for 24 hours at least if she’d given us all the day off for her birthday - 24 hours is better than nothing -

      Reply

    • TheBigMicka says:

      03:40pm | 29/09/11

      There’s something - let’s make the PM’s birthday a public holiday.

      Referendum!  Referendum now!

    • marley says:

      12:55pm | 29/09/11

      Well, my dog came from an RSPCA shelter and is a mixed breed, so I guess he’s a real dog.  He doesn’t herd small kids or wear ribbons in his fur - but he is a champion sleeper and a pretty decent retriever.  To make him sound a bit more designer than accident, we tell people he’s a “shabrador” (he’s half shar-pei, half lab).

      Reply

    • adam says:

      02:14pm | 29/09/11

      Monty the wonderdog is believed to be Staffy x Lab, with a few extra ingredients. I used to call her a Stabby but people looked at me funny so I stopped

    • Public Defender says:

      12:57pm | 29/09/11

      When will she ever be at home to look after this dog? I thought she would have had her hands full what with being PM and all.

      This is either a poorly thought out decision or a brilliant one from Timmy. I can hear him now “Well if you don’t want him I know somebody that does…”

      raspberry

      Reply

    • Daph says:

      02:12pm | 29/09/11

      This must be the reason why the PM’s boyfriend can’t go out and get a job. He has to sit around his taxpayer funded digs all day looking after the de facto’s puppy.

      I can’t understand how Therese Rein could run a multinational business with school aged children whilst married to the Prime Minister and yet the current “First Bloke” (ugghhh) can’t go out and get a part time job at the local Just Cuts to help support himself. Talk about pigs at the trough…

    • ibast says:

      01:02pm | 29/09/11

      My boss at work is looking at buying a Shitoodle.  Or is that a Poodu?

      Either way I’ve called his sexuality into question.

      Reply

    • Aaron says:

      01:50pm | 29/09/11

      BAHAAHHHAHAHA!!!!! NICE!!!

    • Lee says:

      02:07pm | 29/09/11

      Considering walking one of those types of dogs is guaranteed to get chicks coming up and talking to you.

      I take my neighbour’s little dog for the sole purpose of picking up.

    • iansand says:

      01:07pm | 29/09/11

      The only question with cavoodles is how you unzip their stomachs to put your jammies inside.

      Reply

    • Lee Enfield says:

      01:08pm | 29/09/11

      It really is a fitting present,  a fake dog for the fake Juliar,

      Reply

    • Daniel D says:

      07:37pm | 29/09/11

      Give it a rest mate.
      Shouldn’t you be listening to Alan Jones reruns or something?

    • SalC says:

      01:10pm | 29/09/11

      We have a 4.5 y.o failed guide dog.  Purebred Lab, but with none of the awful genetic disorders that breeders are so fond of (ie short hindlegs on shepherds, pug noses who have asthma, extra long sausage dogs with spinal issues).  She has the funniest personality, loves a talk and a cuddle on the couch, and you can’t get her nose off the ground once she’s found a scent.  Also had an RSPCA mutt: cost us $100 and she was the nicest dog in the world.  Designer dogs are a puppy farms cash cow, and there’s enough suckers to cough up $1500…

      Reply

    • Loz says:

      03:02pm | 29/09/11

      Just something to watch out for is Hip Dysplasia and eye problems….. Thats later in life though. And they also have a horrid problem with getting REALLY REALLY fat if not exercised properly, which obviously leads to more health issues!
      Gorgeous dog in all aspects though, my grandparents always had atleast one!

    • SalC says:

      10:00am | 30/09/11

      Don’t worry Loz, she’s in perfect shape (ie, she still has a waistline), and being of Guide dog lines, we know her complete family history.

    • james says:

      01:11pm | 29/09/11

      i cant believe you are getting paid by somebody to write this.. I feel sorry for your boss.

      Reply

    • TimB says:

      01:44pm | 29/09/11

      That would be Rupert Murdoch would it not? smile

    • Zoe Melville says:

      01:14pm | 29/09/11

      The Long Blow - you are mistaken. Dobermans and Ridgebacks were bred as guard dogs originally, and Pittbulls to fight other dogs - that doesn’t make them any more aggressive than my cross bred fluffy Maltese looking dogs - who will tear you lip off as soon as look at you.

      It’s not about what constitutes a ‘real dog’ , it’s about accepting that thousands of shelter animals die every year because people buy into these fads, grow tired of the commitment in 6 months and surrender it to the pound. And the cycle begins.

      I’m all for ‘hybrid vigour’ in mutts, but don’t dress it up as something it’s not - just because something is crossed with a Poodle does NOT mean it won’t shed. Simple genetics tells you that…

      I WANT OSCAR’S LAW!!!

      Reply

    • Loz says:

      03:07pm | 29/09/11

      Hybrid vigour only works for the first crosses too doesnt it?

      How many puppy farms and pet shop suppliers do you think actually breed two purebreds from each breed together each time? not a lot I reckon…...

      So frustrating….

    • Kika says:

      01:15pm | 29/09/11

      OI! I’ve had all sorts of dogs in my life and I love all of them. They are all real dogs because they are dogs. I have a designer dog - a shiht-poo and he’s beautiful! Would I spend $700.00 on a dog again - no. Was it my choice - no. Does this make up for a lifetime of rescuing cats? Maybe.

      Reply

    • Carolyn Cordon says:

      01:19pm | 29/09/11

      I agree with Jade, this designer dog may become a political pup in many different ways. The so-called ‘designer dogs’ come from one of the most appalling trades allowed in Australia. The parentage is doubtful and the price for them is outrageous.
      Not happy.

      Reply

    • Pete of ACT says:

      01:19pm | 29/09/11

      technically all dogs are mongrels or cross breads of the wolf.  Calling a dog a cavoodle is just a way to make a cross breed sound expensive. 
      For the record, I have a border collie (never rounded up children) and a kelpie/shepherd. Neither cost more cost more than $60 and are loved members of the family.

      Reply

    • xar says:

      06:27pm | 29/09/11

      actually it isn’t true that all dogs are crosses, it is a common misconception because people in general don’t know about the history of every breed - nor do they know what the requirements are for something being labled a definite breed - one of the most easy to understand requirements is that to be a defined breed the dogs must “breed true” - in other words, if I breed a cavalier to a cavalier I will get puppies which resemble their parents (allowing for certain differences in colour/coat pattern if these happen to be a genetic feature of the breed - not all breeds have colour variations) however if you breed a cav cross poodle to a cav cross poodle you wont get pups which look like their parents, now can you guarantee coat type, general temprament, size or any of the other things which make up specific breed traits.

    • John says:

      01:20pm | 29/09/11

      If you wanted a pure breed you would be buying a wolf. Every other dog is just a cross from them. Never know it might just eat red riding hood.

      Reply

    • get a real dog says:

      01:24pm | 29/09/11

      good to the PM is pays of the top designer price for a mutt. much like labor schemes. nothing has changed

      Reply

    • Fed up with Julia says:

      01:33pm | 29/09/11

      The other day I watch a great video about a guy in Sydney giving 30 gifts to 30 strangers as a way of celebrating his 30th Birthday. Perhaps Julia could do something similar to make all Australians happy on her 50th -  maybe give away her Prime Ministership??

      Reply

    • TimB says:

      01:48pm | 29/09/11

      She can give away 50 ALP seats.

      ...And the way things are going the might not have a choice smile .

    • Karl says:

      01:33pm | 29/09/11

      As far as I am aware, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels are a mixed breed dog, designed especially for King Charles. This is the the case with nearly all “pre breed” dogs; they were once designed, and hence are not pure, so stick your pure breed ignorance up your uneducated arse.

      Reply

    • maudenrita says:

      02:10pm | 29/09/11

      I agree Karl…..Tory displays “pure breed ignorance”...Here’s about the “pure bred” King Charles Cav!

      “The King Charles changed drastically in the late 17th century, when it was interbred with flat-nosed breeds. Until the 1920s, the Cavalier shared the same history as the smaller King Charles Spaniel. Breeders attempted to recreate what they considered to be the original configuration of the breed, a dog resembling Charles II’s King Charles Spaniel of the Restoration”.

      Tory…if you’d spent time with a cavoodle before bagging them out then you would know they are intelligent, cheeky dogs with a great personality!

    • Mahhrat says:

      01:34pm | 29/09/11

      @Tory, I reckon Tim got the pup as a representation of Julia’s government.

      A mix of different breeds, not very useful, kinda dopey looking, very red and used to pissing on anything valuable, but still super cute compared to the blue heeler the neighbours have got.

      Reply

    • Adam Diver says:

      01:52pm | 29/09/11

      Nice Metaphor

    • John says:

      01:36pm | 29/09/11

      roflmfao… So true on all levels. I have never had a pretend dog like a cavoodle, labradoodle or any other stupid name…Rottweiler, Jack Russell Terrier, Cocker Spaniel, Alsatian, proper dogs I have owned…..... Have had a ‘bitzer’ too though… Maybe it was an ‘oodle’ dog? Someone kill me now.

      Reply

    • TTFN says:

      02:10pm | 29/09/11

      You probably have never had a girlfriend either… lol

    • Shenanigans says:

      01:37pm | 29/09/11

      designer dogs disgust me, they aren’t real dogs and its cruel because they are more often then not predisposed to horrid genetic disorders.

      i had a border collie that loved everyone and anyone, then his trust was abused and he was fed anti freeze.

      now i have only my pure bred, black, bred for military purpose, German Shepard. Smartest dog ever, tough as nails and friendly as long as you don’t touch me in a way he deems unacceptable, or jump into my backyard, as a potential thief found out one night.

      Reply

    • michelle says:

      02:40pm | 29/09/11

      not true- cross breeds usually have fewer genetic issues. We have a groodle- golden retriever/ std poodle cross, 6 yo next month and not one issue, he has many purebreed friends all with things like hip displaysia, heart problems, hearing problems etc. As for Julia - well welcome to the oodle club- only downside whislt been very very cute - there is just not a lot upstairs. That said wouldn’t give mine up for the world he has everybody wrapped around his paw from the next door neighbours to the grandparents. Maybe yours can soften a hard hearted nation.

    • Anubis says:

      01:39pm | 29/09/11

      But the big question has to be - will it be named Bill Shorten?

      Reply

    • Paula says:

      01:40pm | 29/09/11

      Gee, what a sad person you are.. You obviously have issues.. Maybe you need to relax a little and start to write about something you have an interest in.. and not just vent your anger in such a forum..

      Reply

    • NicoleG says:

      02:18pm | 29/09/11

      It’s a light read. I think it’s funny. Geez there’s some miserable arses floating around here today. And Tory’s right. Get a real freaking dog!

    • Steve says:

      03:06pm | 29/09/11

      Gee Paula, maybe you should have a look at your comment.. and take some advice from yourself.

    • DH says:

      01:42pm | 29/09/11

      Ha, nice. But we have one and she’s gorgeous. Great with our little boy and great for my wife who is allergic to everything. Besides, the bigger story is that the first bloke is surely buying himself some company! If she has enough time to raise a pup, she’s doing something wrong.

      Oh, wait…

      Reply

    • VVS says:

      02:14pm | 29/09/11

      Agree, considering you cannot leave really young puppies alone for more than an hour or two at a time…

      Who’s going to look after this poor little fellow…? Doesn’t the First Beard have a job?

    • yay for the misinformed says:

      01:46pm | 29/09/11

      You do realise that “pure” bred dogs were once cross bred too and it’s simply a factor of keeping what works for the intended purpose going on as a “pure” breed?

      Reply

    • JC says:

      01:46pm | 29/09/11

      Just looked up what a Cavoodle looks like when it’s an adult.
      Why do people buy/breed long haired dogs? in my opinion they look just plain stupid, no offence to those dogs though raspberry.
      I have a black lab (does this count as a real dog?), hes only about a year old and has got to be one of the smartest dogs i’ve seen, it’s a shame hes been using it for evil instead of good lately. I really have to train him a little more, but I like his prankster attitude he has and I don’t really want to force that out of him.
      On the subject of crossed breeds, one of my pet peeves is when if you ask someone what kind of dog they have and they might say something like “English Pointer-cross”, what’s it crossed with? are you aashamed or something? Petty pet peeve I know.

      Anyway, rambling on.
      Happy birthday Jules!

      Reply

    • Dr. Dingo says:

      01:51pm | 29/09/11

      Real aussies have Cattle Dogs

      Reply

    • Your name:Debbie says:

      06:06pm | 29/09/11

      Great idea, when you put them in a tiny back yard and send everyone including them crazy.

    • Micah says:

      01:52pm | 29/09/11

      It really is quite sickening to think the PM’s bloke has absolutely no idea about backyard breeders. Any credible dog breeder would not produce a Cavoodle or Labradoodle or whatever. These “fad” dogs are produced by pathetic individuals who think it is a great idea to put two different breeds of dog together and wait for the result, then give the puppies a stupid name.
      Julia needs to do some reading up on Oscars Law.

      Reply

    • John the Zombie says:

      01:55pm | 29/09/11

      I cant believe this has not been mentioned yet. ICB on your article Tory and the reason I do is that one of the most useful allround dogs itself is a mongrel. This dog is ranked in the top three in nearly every field in regards to dogs. The dog is a German Shepherd. Yes, the Shepherd has only been around since world war 2 when a Nazi SS officer saw German Sheepdogs in a field working and decieded to breed the best all round dog. He looked for many traits and combined them into one dog. This includes a bit of wolf.

      Even today ppl are breeding Shepherds even more to make them even more versatile.

      happy birthday Julia Gillard

      I am happy to be called a dog. I am proud to be a sheep dog. Read the article below to see why?

      http://thesheepdog.com/

      Reply

    • marley says:

      02:36pm | 29/09/11

      Are you sure about that?  Wasn’t the original Rin Tin Tin a German shepherd brought back to the States after World War I?  I’m pretty sure I’ve seen very old Rin Tin Tin movies dating from the 30s.

    • John the Zombie says:

      04:25pm | 29/09/11

      Yeah you are right it was during the 1800 - 1900 that Captain Max von Stephanitz started breeding this breed. He was in the German Army so I basically got my dogs mixed up.

      http://www.germanculture.com.ua/library/weekly/german_shepherds.htm

      The point I was making is in regards to the article and Tory attack on these mixed breeds as the German Shepherd is a mixed breed one. Just read the article about and you will see one ofthat Captain Max von Stephanitz was 1/4 wolf.

    • xar says:

      07:05pm | 29/09/11

      wrong actually - there is a difference between purebred and cross-bred and mongrel. Purebred is a breed of dog which has been recognised as a breed because it fufils a set of criteria, one of which is that it must “breed true” (ie: the progeny resemble the sire/dam in looks, general temprament, size, ect.) and must demonstably do so over a number of generations. A cross bred generally refers to dog who are a first generation cross - like a cavalier cross poodle (they are the progeny of two different purebred dog breeds, they will not resemble both sire and dam and you can get a vast mix of traits occuring with each individual pup - ALSO you cannot breed to first gen crosses together and get predictable offspring either it takes far longer to “set” definite characteristics and traits that will carry on) and a mongrel is generally multiple breeds in the genetic makeup (say 3 or more) and again, this dog will not “breed true”. Creating a breed of dog which meets the criteria to BE a breed is the work of a lifetime, it doesn’t happen all that much but there are people developing breeds around the world with an aim to achieve all the requirements of being a pure bred.

    • marley says:

      07:31pm | 29/09/11

      @John - well, I reckon most dogs are “mixed breeds” - they have to be.  Dogs (as distinct from wolves) have been around for what, 30,000 years or so - plenty of time to evolve to the conditions in which they find themselves.

      If you’ve ever dealt with a husky, you’ll know that they’re a lot closer to their wolf ancestors than cocker spaniels are.  And I had an Indian street dog once - and you could just see in her the greyhound/saluki/whippet genes - all legs, speed, and eyesight.  My current dog, the aforementioned “shabrador” is all muscle, nose and power.  Different heritages, different genes, different attributes.  I find it fascinating.

    • Danette says:

      01:56pm | 29/09/11

      What can I say?? I have a cavoodle and she is absolutely precious and a very delightful member of our family. I’ve had dogs all my life, of various breeds, but the cavoodle ... she’s the best of ‘em all. Julia, I hope you get as much pleasure from yours as we do.

      Reply

    • Aaron says:

      01:58pm | 29/09/11

      I’m not a fan of these designer dogs. Even breeding dogs to have ‘desired’ traits. My parents got a ‘pure bred’ shepherd, absolute boof of a dog, very sweet and playful, but it had shorter back legs, and now it has problems only a few years in. Poor dog, but my parents love her and she’s in good hands, but what about others who’d get a dog for six months of ‘yay’ then leave it at a pound to be put down?

      I’m a cat person myself, although I certainly wouldn’t mind getting either a Husky or a Golden Retreiver, I think they’re lovely dogs smile

      Reply

    • Brad says:

      02:03pm | 29/09/11

      If it’s not a staffy, you won’t be happy

      Reply

    • fairsfair says:

      02:36pm | 29/09/11

      We had a staffy when I was a kid - loved it. Its favourite game was tug of war with a 4L ice-cream bucket.

      I can’t cop any other though - they jump, lick, bite - four years at puppy preschool it still kamikazed into a motorbike. It has now been replaced with what looks like its twin that behaves the same way. Maybe I should just be blaming its owner though… but not good experiences with Staffys sadly.

    • CJS says:

      03:57pm | 30/09/11

      Staffies for life. Crazy but dependable.

    • Arnold Layne says:

      02:04pm | 29/09/11

      Cavoodles?  I bet they came here illegally.

      Reply

    • Kitty says:

      02:05pm | 29/09/11

      BOOOOOO Tim for supporting Puppy Farms. Why couldn’t you have adopted from a shelter? What a poor example.

      Reply

    • Dave-o says:

      02:09pm | 29/09/11

      $100 says Tory’s next dog will be a Cavdoodle.

      Reply

    • Rod says:

      02:09pm | 29/09/11

      Never, ever been a dog person ... until we bought an outrageously priced labradoodle for the kids. One year on - backyard destroyed, couches knackered, dog food in the fridge but no dropped hair or sneezing! - I’d pay twice the amount and get a second one for good measure. Total convert.

      Reply

    • Anubis says:

      03:15pm | 29/09/11

      Or maybe a pet weasel ?

    • wearestardust says:

      02:32pm | 29/09/11

      Yet again I find myself wishing Tory Shepherd were male so I could add her to my list of men I’d turn gay for.

      Reply

    • DT The Dirt Tin says:

      02:32pm | 29/09/11

      All Liberal Trolls masturbate about Julia Gillard

      Reply

    • David says:

      02:34pm | 29/09/11

      There were once twin boys aged six years old. Worried that the boys had developed extreme personalities—one was a total pessimist, the other a total optimist—their parents took them to a psychiatrist.

      First the psychiatrist treated the pessimist. Trying to brighten his outlook, the psychiatrist took him to a room piled to the ceiling with brand-new toys. But instead of yelping with delight, the little boy burst into tears. “What’s the matter?” the psychiatrist asked, baffled. “Don’t you want to play with any of the toys?” “Yes,” the little boy bawled, “but if I did I’d only break them.”

      Next the psychiatrist treated the optimist. Trying to dampen his out look, the psychiatrist took him to a room piled to the ceiling with horse manure. But instead of wrinkling his nose in disgust, the optimist emitted just the yelp of delight the psychiatrist had been hoping to hear from his brother, the pessimist. Then he clambered to the top of the pile, dropped to his knees, and began gleefully digging out scoop after scoop with his bare hands. “What do you think you’re doing?” the psychiatrist asked, just as baffled by the optimist as he had been by the pessimist. “With all this manure,” the little boy replied, beaming, “there must be a pony in here somewhere!”

      Tim, with all the problems your missus is in, you should have got the pony.

      Reply

    • Samantha says:

      02:37pm | 29/09/11

      When I was a kid these type of ‘designer’ dog breeds were just called ‘Mongrels’ or ‘Mixed’ ^.^ But I guess times have changed eh.

      Reply

    • marley says:

      03:28pm | 29/09/11

      You can’t charge $1500 for a mutt.  You can for a mutt with a label.

    • Redeker Plan says:

      02:37pm | 29/09/11

      Don’t know whether it’s already been mentioned, but there is an excellent reason for the development of the Labradoodle.  It was bred so that people could still have a dog guide if they were blind or vision-impaired AND have allergies or asthma - the wiry coat makes them much more suitable to people unfortunate enough to have both, or have people in their family with respiratory problems. So while I tend to be anti-designer dog in general (give me a shelter Heinz 57 anyday), the Labradoodle is an important exception.

      Reply

    • michelle says:

      02:55pm | 29/09/11

      redeker your absolutely right that is what they were bred for, and they were originally bred for guide dogs in south australia, unfortunately it was a failure due to the poodle personality which is a difficult breed to train - apparently they are too clever to be guide dogs and not one labradoodle has successfully become a guide dog. That said many labradoodles and their cousins groodles (golden retrienvers crossed with poodles) have become assistance or companion dogs.

    • marley says:

      01:43pm | 30/09/11

      The other issue with the labradoodle, as I seem to recall, was that not all of them were hypoallergenic.  It was hit and miss.

    • amused says:

      02:37pm | 29/09/11

      so funny that people don’t seem to realise that all dogs are crossed breeds somewhere down the line, that is why so many pure-breds seem to have more problems that so called cross breeds today. not a thank of Julia but hope her birthday goes well

      Reply

    • Twilight Sparkle says:

      02:43pm | 29/09/11

      Get a purebred Bengal. They’re an intelligent, talky, loving, playful, amazing looking cat with the personality of a dog - and they love having the harness and lead on for a walk! (Although you do get some strange looks, taking your cat into the park - dogs have never gone her, and she either ignores them or wants to sniff at them).

      Be prepared though, they’re scary smart - we have to keep a baby lock on the fridge because she learnt how to open it, and they are very possessive of their ‘family’ - they hate being alone.

      Reply

    • Nyani says:

      02:51pm | 29/09/11

      Just some more distracting bullshit to cover the growing incompetence of a failure in everything touched, thought about, attempted or meddled with.
      Poor little dog will suffer the consequences of an inept owner. Probably starve or suchlike .

      Reply

    • Mikey says:

      02:51pm | 29/09/11

      I didn’t vote for some horrible thing known as a “cavoodle” to live in kirrabilee house. This is Australian democracy dying. ELECTION NOW!!!

      Reply

    • DT The Dirt Tin says:

      02:58pm | 29/09/11

      All Tory writings belong in the DT The Dirt Tin

      Reply

    • Chrisn says:

      02:58pm | 29/09/11

      Tory Shepherd how do you sleep at night ? This hole thing was rude i cant understand why you would even put you name to this garbage

      Reply

    • Paul says:

      02:58pm | 29/09/11

      I must be a masochist but my favourite breed is the Anatolian Shepard, great with the kids and the other pets (including parrots and a cat) tends to leave guests alone being satisfied with a hello and a scratch behind the ears.  My first chased off a Belgian Shepherd that wanted a piece of my daughter before we lost him to a King Brown that didn’t survive the encounter either.  Got another now that has seen off a trespassing Akita that entered our yard, glad that thing didn’t get near my kids.

      Reply

    • oz says:

      03:31pm | 29/09/11

      I may be a little biased, but i absolutely adore Belgian Shepherds. my family have been breeding them for over 20 years (all four varieties) and they are sensational animals!!!! minimal shedding (except for one coat drop a year), bugger all odour, easy to train, incredibly intelligent and the Groenendaels and Tervuerens are so fluffy and cuddly. i cant remember ever being without one by my side even from when i was a toddler!!! Unfortunately the Malinois (short coated variety) can get a bad rap for being aggressive due to the heavy working blood lines from America, but they do make excellent bomb squad and police dogs.
      Shame about the one that went for your daughter…. i guess every breed has a few bad eggs…...

    • Cate says:

      11:34am | 30/09/11

      Anatolian Shepherds are beautiful looking dogs. Not for everyone though - massive in size and with their guarding instinct they probably wouldn’t be suitable for the average backyard.

      I fell in love with them after seeing them in Turkey and found a breeder when I returned home. After thinking long and hard though I decided the breed wasn’t suitable for me and got a German Shepherd instead.

    • Zoe Melville says:

      03:00pm | 29/09/11

      Redeker - Genetics will tell you that you can not breed only non shedding dogs from one dog that sheds and one dog that does not. In a litter of 12, at least 6 of those puppies will be born with shedding hair - what happens to them? They just get sold to unsuspecting people…

      Reply

    • notsomadboy says:

      03:09pm | 29/09/11

      Mixing genetic materials is the key to a species survival. If you inbreed too much you end up with horrible genetic defects, like the breathing problems with pugs for example.

      Granted, there are shoddy dog breeding practices out there, but there are some great breeders who specialise in mix breeds, who do it solely because they love the dog.

      I have a Labradoodle. I saw his parents. I saw where he was born. I saw the whole setup. Yes, I paid a lot of money for him, but it’s my money and I can do what I want with it. My dog is intelligent, energetic, protective, loyal and has 0 health issues.

      Yes, he is fluffly and amazingly cute. He’s a big teddy bear, who at the end of the day, just wants a snuggle. He’s not less of a dog.

      And to all those who are going to harp on about adopting or the like, I have an RSPCA rescue cat (who is also wonderful).

      Reply

    • dog lover says:

      03:19pm | 29/09/11

      We rescued a little black bundle of mischief with the biggest ears ever seen. He turned out to be Belgian Shepherd/Border Collie Cross, and is the most wonderful dog I’ve ever known, marginally ahead of my Border Collie. He was my support through the worst years of my life, he reminded me every day that somebody loved me. He moved with me when I left home and was my true friend again. I was a bit worried when the grandkids arrived as he’d never had anything to do with children, but needn’t have worried. He plays with them, and never leaves their sides. He used to follow the eldest, and when he came to the door my daughter knew she had to go and see what her son was doing. But if a stranger comes to the door, or someone different is around, his bark sounds ferocious.
      He’s old now and I know the time is coming when he’ll leave me, but I would never let him suffer. I owe him too much, and when I die I know he’ll be waiting for me.

      Reply

    • Loz says:

      04:03pm | 29/09/11

      He sounds beautiful dog lover!
      How old is he now? we have had many belgians live to atleast 15 and have remained quite sprightly!

    • Halle says:

      03:24pm | 29/09/11

      If Tim really loved her, he would have given her a Schnoodle

      Reply

    • Let Me Vote says:

      03:29pm | 29/09/11

      Not a real Dog:
      That’s Ok Julia, your not a real Prime Minister either
      They both have one thing in common though, apart from the obvious.
      Both rely on somebody else for their survival. And when the Labor Party dumps you for a better dog, your dog will still love you in exchange for food.

      Reply

    • chris bones says:

      03:36pm | 29/09/11

      Sounds like a small Daewoo car!

      Reply

    • TheHuntress says:

      03:41pm | 29/09/11

      Ah, so that explains why my pedigree Finnish Lapphund won’t stop licking the furniture - it’s a purebred quirk. I feel so much better knowing I’m not the only one with soggy armchairs…

      Reply

    • SimpleSimon says:

      03:53pm | 29/09/11

      I have a Staffordshire Bull Terrier (English and beautiful tan coloured, for those interested). He’s dumb as dog shit and spewed on my carpet on the weekend. I love him to bits!

      Reply

    • Sam says:

      03:56pm | 29/09/11

      Oh yes, because buying an animal from a killing farm is way better than purchasing a pet from a puppy farm.

      Reply

    • Mark says:

      04:01pm | 29/09/11

      Indeed. If you are, like me, unable to give a Border Collie the space, then you get a Papillion. They are small, smart, fluffy, effeminate, and the sort of dog that would often be given the name Princess and banned from leaving its pink cushion.

      Not mine. My papillon has a doggie door, is encouraged to chase birds through hedges in the rain, and his grooming involves cutting dreadlocks and twigs out of his coat, rather than malarky with curling irons.

      Its also a proper breed which existed well back in the 1500s, and not some cute sounding word invented because some hussy got knocked up by the mongrel next door.

      Reply

    • Soos says:

      08:42pm | 29/09/11

      Papillon= butterfly…

    • Mr A Dad says:

      04:04pm | 29/09/11

      There was a time when these types of dogs were BitsA (for those who don’t know Bits of this and Bits of that) and you could get one for $25.

      Give it a cute name and now you can charge $1200 for one.

      Man up Tim and either get a Poodle or a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.

      Reply

    • JC says:

      04:14pm | 29/09/11

      “Man up Tim and either get a Poodle or a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.”

      Mind if I edit this sentence?

      ‘Man up Tim and get a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.”

      I guess that’s a little better raspberry

    • Pansy says:

      04:25pm | 29/09/11

      Tory your nastiness towards the Prime Minister is noted on the Paul Murray show.  For once just think that Tim cares very much for her and wishes to give her this particular breed of dog.  Just for once be happy for her!  I am sure they will care for it extremely well and the love will be returned.  That is all that matters.

      Reply

    • Zoe Melville says:

      05:09pm | 29/09/11

      No, that’s NOT all that matters. What this does is shows our country that it’s ok to support puppy farms.

      Please, look at the bigger picture.

    • Cynicised says:

      04:40pm | 29/09/11

      Tors! Another BC lover, yay! Neatest dogs on e planet, bar none! Yes, she has a meltdown every time it thunders, and Is all bluff when guarding our house (shoosh, don’t tell the burglars) wink  and loves nothing better than rounding up magpies, possums etc, not to forget the mattress I stuff with her shed Winter coat every year- but I wouldn’t trade my lovely Border Collie for any fancy schmancy designer mutt in a zillion years.

      Happy birthday, Madam PM. hope the cake is yummy. X

      Reply

    • Genesis says:

      04:41pm | 29/09/11

      My mum had a cross between a bulldog and a Shi-Tzu. We called it a…well, you get the idea….

      Reply

    • somebody else says:

      04:41pm | 29/09/11

      So if somebody crossed a Pitbull with a Shitzu is it a Shitpit or Bullshit?

      Reply

    • Jenny Morris says:

      04:46pm | 29/09/11

      The issue is where the cavoodles, cavapuggles etc come from - puppy factories.  Buying the poor pups who come from these hellholes only puts money in the pockets of nasty people who don’t give two hoots about the poor animals, the ‘prisoners of profit’, who they torture by churning out more and more puppies in god-awful conditions.

      Check out http://www.oscarslaw.org  if you don’t know what I mean.  And it’s not the pups fault - its the fault of the nasty pieces of work who should be shut down - the puppy (and kitten) farmers.

      Reply

    • Josephine says:

      04:54pm | 29/09/11

      I think Tim should have bought her a rescue dog from a shelter. I suggested this to one of my work colleagues a couple of years ago and the whole family loves the rescue dog. She even prefers it to her kids.

      We had German Shephards growing up and they are still my favourite ‘breed’. They were great with us kids. One of them used to sleep with next door’s cat and another one would howl at he icecream van. When my family had to move to a house with a smaller yard we turned into a cat family.  I live in an apartment now and due to my hardly being home & time constraints, I don’t have any pets.

      Reply

    • Alison says:

      04:58pm | 29/09/11

      The only thing I would have against a crossbred dog is if it was bred on a puppy farm and was sold for a ridiculous,exorbitant price to someone stupid enough to pay that sort of money.I hope the puppy farms don t get to breed more puppies than ever because of this publicised purchase.It has also been proven that whether crossbred poodle pups are non allergic proof or not is not know until they are a few months old

      Reply

    • Alison says:

      04:59pm | 29/09/11

      The only thing I would have against a crossbred dog is if it was bred on a puppy farm and was sold for a ridiculous,exorbitant price to someone stupid enough to pay that sort of money.I hope the puppy farms don t get to breed more puppies than ever because of this publicised purchase.It has also been proven that whether crossbred poodle pups are non allergic proof or not is not know until they are a few months old

      Reply

    • Shame on YOU, Julia. says:

      05:06pm | 29/09/11

      Shame on you, Julia and Tim. Supporting Puppy Factories. Back when we were growing up, cross-breeds or muts weren’t worth a thing and now these Puppy Farmers are glorying what they do? Which is WRONG!  http://www.oscarslaw.org People need to buy their dogs or cats from the RSPCA, a pound or an animal shelter. Pets should NOT be sold in Pet shops & puppy farmers need to be abolished!

      Reply

    • Mattb says:

      05:25pm | 29/09/11

      We’ve got three dogs. All small breeds so it ain’t all bad. One’s a Jug (pug x jack Russell), he looks more jack, black and tan with a big white mohawk that sticks up 2 inches higher than the rest of his head hair. Got a tenterfield terrier, she’s one of the most cunning dogs I’ve ever come across and we recently got a mini foxy, he’s a handful at 5 months old, he may need schooling!. Chews everything from the couch to power cords, shits and pisses everywhere he pleases and loves to grab your socks and play catch me if you can around the couch. He’s a smart little bastard. The smartest dog I ever lived with was a mate’s red heeler x dingo, ‘mr baggins’ was his name, more dingo than red, and I’ve met humans that have less intelligence and ‘life experience’ than that dog had in his left hind leg.

      Got two saw-shelled turtles and a frill neck lizard aswell. I want to get a Woma python but the missus hates snakes. She believes in all the common misconceptions surrounding snake ownership. She says she’ll leave me if i get one, gosh i’ll miss her!!. Although I must say I’d never own vens, the thought of living in the same house as the most venomous snake in the world, the inland taipan, doesn’t excite me. However, they are a beautiful looking snake and you would be amazed at how many people actually own them, having to regularly clean their enclosure is an experience I’d gladly forgo.

      Happy b’day to the PM, hope you enjoy the new pup….

      Reply

    • Robyn says:

      05:28pm | 29/09/11

      Well said Jenny…many people still don’t realise ( or care ) that the bitches are churning out litter after litter usually in their own faeces and filth with next to no vet care.Of the ‘lucky’ ones that are rescued,so many need to be humanely euthanised due to severe physical problems and/or traumatised to the point they are unable to be rehomed…‘I Want Oscars’ Law ’

      Reply

    • stephen says:

      06:39pm | 29/09/11

      My next deputy dawg’s gonna come from Sunday Mail’s pet rescue, (page 59, normally) and after I’ve saved up and got me tent - I got carried away earlier sayin it was gonna be a caravan - me’n Julia’s gonna have a ‘pooch-smooch’, and see who comes up trumps.

      (Labor dogs always come best when they’s from behind a cage.)

      Reply

    • xar says:

      07:29pm | 29/09/11

      I just find it completely depressing because people WILL go out and get a cavalier cross poodle because of this, and given how very little the public understand what to look for in an ethical breeder the VAST majority of those dogs will be from unethical breeders, or breeders who simply don’t follow best practises. And many of those people wont really think about what it takes for them to be responsible owners, and wont do any research beyond “well their website looked really nice, and they told me stuff that sounded good and they SOUNDED like they being honest and OMG the puppies were so CUTE and I WANT one NOW and nobody told me how these people often use one property or pet stores as a front while the real misery is kept locked away, or any of the stuff I need to know to make an ethical puppy purchase or be an informed, responsible owner” so they will have no clue exactly what they are buying or the potential for that purchase to facilitate mass cruelty and in 6 months time lots of them will end up being given away or dumped once they get past the uber cute puppy stage and start showing challenging behaviours. This is the dispair of people who work in rescue or animal welfare, and those that DO devote their lives to truly ethical breeding, and it gets played out every damn day, but add in a celebrity purchase or heck, even a cute movie feautring a certain type of dog and it gets worse. And I OWN a cavalier, and I love the breed and I have cared for those ex-breeding cavalier and cavalier crosses who have come from large scale breeders into rescue, and I’ve had to rehabilitate them and I’ve seen the results of shitty breeding practises on genetic health and I’ve spent so many hours trying to educate people that this just pisses me off no end.

      Reply

    • HELEN CHADWICK says:

      08:27pm | 29/09/11

      I don’t care what breed of dog Julia gets for her birthday. I do care where it comes from. When there are 250,000 dogs killed each year , mostly by pounds, she should have adopted a dog from a pound , shelter, or pet rescue. Although “puppy farms” are legal, that supply most pet shops with cute x breeds at exorbitant prices. The dogs are bought as in impulse by, & later discarded, ending up in a pound. They are not also desexed, & often are producing unwanted pups as well. The conditions the cute puppies in pet shops parents live in is horrendous. They are used as “puppy breeding” machines & discarded killed when sick or too old to breed. Thats what I DO care about. Julia, Tim , check out “Oscars Law”  to find out more!

      Reply

    • Teresa says:

      08:40pm | 29/09/11

      Ahh ha ha ha.  My dog is so REAL.  He’s a rescued Border Collie, that’s right any more real and I’d have to call him “Jenny from the block”.  He’s a really pretty, very photogenic - I bet he would sell heaps of pet food.  Sure he’s a little dumb but I think that’s pedigree (in) breeding, same with the hip dysplasia.  But you know they are hardy dogs, them Border Collies.  OHHH and the sound aversion, who can forget the Border Collie sound aversion.  Man storms are so fun!!! But hey at least he’s not a cavoodle, and that’s why I love him.

      Reply

    • Robert Smissen Of rural SA says:

      12:09am | 30/09/11

      Why give someone a dog that will be stuck at home with the help all day, he would have been better of giving her a stuffed toy. The dog if you can call it that deserves better

      Reply

    • neffie says:

      09:28am | 30/09/11

      A lost dingo pup (definitely not a recent illegal) & a starving camp dog were my choice of dogs. There are real dogs. I used to have a rough collie - lovely intelligent dogs. Dont know if they would suit labor coalition.

      Reply

    • Jim Morris says:

      10:13am | 30/09/11

      The way you feel about cavoodles is the way I feel about Peny Wong.

      Reply

    • Dogs rule! says:

      10:57am | 30/09/11

      My parents have two Jack Russell/Shihtzu cross pooches.  They were freebies, the result of a clandestine meeting of neighbours dogs at the wrong time, not from a puppy farm. Cute and fluffy.  When people ask what they are, we tell them they are Jack Shits.

      Reply

    • Lapun says:

      11:52am | 30/09/11

      Having seen your heading on this article I have been fighting with myself for the past 24 hours, to not make the most obvious comment!    And look!  I’ve won!  I haven’t made it!

      Reply

    • Janoz says:

      12:13pm | 30/09/11

      Not a real dog?  Sure still looks like a dog to me, albeit a mongrel to me.  No mention that purebreds are most likely to inherit genetic faults.  For her sake I hope it has benefitted from the cavalier king charles spaniel genes ... Poodles are one of the most terrifying breeds about.  I knew of one of these little terrors that chewed through house wiring and managed to cause a complete house destruction when it went up in flames.  Talk about arson; definitely arson’ about!

      Border collies are lovely, lively and intelligent dogs but definitely of the working class breed.  Suburbia is simply not an appropriate environment for them.  Anyone who raises them in that environment has blinkers over their eyes.  Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! ... or can’t I say that anymore?

      Reply

    • Paul Carter says:

      12:21pm | 30/09/11

      I asked Wilfred from the tv series…about Cavoodles
                He looked it up in the dog dictionary…
      —-Cavoodle - AKA - Kaboodle ( Gimmic dog term )———
      A breed that imitates it’s owners idiotic nature. Tends to lie, can have red hair, only answers when it accepts the ‘premise of a question’.
      Attributes: None..
      Thrives on CO2 but demands others make payments for the priviledge.
      Digs in any back yard without the owners consent.
      Is not fussy about the quality of food it eats as long as it is imported.
      Very cute and cuddly when in the company of other Kaboodles with overseas owners.
      Only becomes useful & becomes aware of it’s surroundings after an object is inserted in it’s anus hole.
      This can also prevent yapping noises but does over time result in a walking gate similar to a chook.
      Thanks Wilfred…

      Reply

    • gordie says:

      06:50pm | 30/09/11

      paul funniest thing i have read in a long time but you forgot to mention Wilfred also said that they tend to think they rule the backyard when 80% of the other animals dont think so

    • Greypower says:

      12:31pm | 30/09/11

      the pure bred dogs of today have very little resemblance to the earlier dogs of that breed - you’d hardly recognise the German Shepherd of today with the orignial one of last century . 

      And the pure breeds that enter Crufts are becoming deformed - the pug and British bulldogs have huge breathing probelms. So there you go— so much for so called pure breds!

      I have 2 Moodles (Poodle/Maltese), lost dogs rescued from the local pound - they are wonderful companions.

      Reply

    • xar says:

      04:28pm | 30/09/11

      I agree readily that some breeds have changed a lot, some for the better and some for the worse but interestingly the majority have not varied to a large extent or at all - there are still variations in type and bloodline within breeds which has always been the case, and those differences have carried on but not outwardly changed significantly in most cases. The pure breed that enter crufts have to pass a health exam - it should have been that way all along, because there has always been a minority of people who put ribbons above animals welfare but at least it is now the case. The bugger of it is that there are some breeders who dont care about health regaurdless of what breed or cross you care to name- some of those will be show people, some registered breeders but not showers, some not registered breeders, some backyards breeders and some large scale commercial breeders…but if someone decides they want to get a puppy rather than an adult dog, and they cannot find a dog which meets their needs within rescue then their BEST chance of finding a healthy dog is a registered breeder who has documented the health of previous generations, knows their bloodlines and can show you the results of health checks carried out prior to breeding (and these differ from breed to breed - I’m not just talking about a vet check here, this is stuff like eye testing, heart checked by a specialist, hips x-rayed ect.).If you rescue a puppy part of that is taking on board that you simply do not know the genetic history or potential of health/temprament concerns. rescuing an older puppy or adult is a much better option if you dont want to put in the research time to make sure a breeder is ethical.

    • P. Darvio says:

      02:00pm | 30/09/11

      ...Yes but what will they name the Dog…

      Abbott? (sit Abbott, Sit Abbott, good dog….)
      Bill?
      Shorten?
      Kevin (m’mmm then they can kick the dog…...)
      C-O-2….?
      Bob…?? (Timmm… Bob has just Browned all over the carpet again…)

      Reply

    • Lorraine says:

      05:52pm | 30/09/11

      A Cavoodle is another word for what happens when the thing you thought you were getting turns out to be something quite different….. sounds like something that happens in Canberra . An eminently suitable gift.

      Reply

    • Dave C says:

      07:12pm | 30/09/11

      Normally I like to make my opinion on Julia Gillards politics and policies but not today. No today is about their new puppy dog.

      We own 2 cavoodle siblings both born from the same litter 4 years ago.  We got them from a breeder who when we visited her showed us the dogs father and mother (both the father and mother were the breeders pets) she was also able to show us pictures of both sets of grandparents of our 2 boys, as well as records of vaccinations and all other health records. She already had our boys registered which we then had to change our details with the relevant authorities after we took possession of the doggies.

      The beauty of this cross breed is that the Cav often has health problems especially eye and ear problems but by crossing with the poodle this has been bred out. The only problems we have are they they snore (1 very loudly which is a Cav trait) and they can be very jumpy like they have ADHD (but I am told that is what poodles do) Also they dig up the back yard.

      Anyways good on the PM and Tim getting this type of dog, this dog will be very loyal and give the owners unconditional love. Who cares what all the whingers say in this article I love my Cavoodles and no doubt so will Julia and Tim when they get theirs.

      Reply

    • Alison says:

      12:59pm | 14/10/11

      Dave C ,how can you assume that the right genes from mating two dogs of different breeds will produce a “perfect’ crossbred dog,that only the best characteristics are passed on to the puppies.There would have to be far more variations in the puppies than mating two dogs of the same species.What rubbish to say that all the puppies of such unions would be free of unwanted cavalier health problems,if a cavalier was bred with a poodle.Have you done a survey on cavalier/poodle cross puppies ?

      Reply

    • Kate says:

      11:33am | 12/01/12

      You’d want the poodle genes to dominate as Spaniel are dumb as s^%t!
      Your obviously poodle ignore. They were originally breed as sporting dogs to retrieve water foul; and the crazy haircuts were designed to keep fur in places where there are major muscle groups so as to protect them when jumping into cold water.

      Reply

    • Lorene Laury says:

      10:10am | 25/01/12

      Well…I am a cavapoo owner…my boy is 3 now and the best dog I have ever had…What is with people and the “not a real dog” thing!  Mine is real, I can tell you….and all those AKC dogs out there, have been manipulated into what the breeds are now…in 10 years, a breed can be entirely different , than it had been.  And besides, there are alot of hereditary illnessess out there, among the REAL dogs.  Face it…AKC and Krups breeders, breed dogs for the look they find is attractive…will they admit it?

       

       

       

       


      eal

      Reply

    • Annie says:

      06:33pm | 22/04/12

      Tim - you should have got our Jules a wolf - only keep an eye on it - you know what it is about wolves and Little RED Riding Hood!

      Reply
 
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