Hi Everyone,

My name is Nikki and I am a newcomer to the Koolie breed. We rescued our 1yo boy "Choccy" from the Lost Dogs Home in North Melbourne the day after Australia Day. We live in the Macedon Ranges in Victoria on a small farm of 60acres. We mainly have horses and cattle which Choccy shows no interest in - I don't think he is one for working!!

He is the most brilliant dog especially with our two young children and has taken to following them everywhere. Just need to stop the digging and chewing - can't imagine how bored he would have been in the city. I look forward to chatting with everyone and hopefully getting some tips on training him.

I'll attach a picture when I work out how to do it!

Regards
Nikki Vosper

you will love it here, your boy sounds great apart from the digging i have one of those guys too! but lots of bones to help stop the chewing lol now then you work out how lots of pic's please

Hi roheryn, good to see you here. Sounds like your little guy has fallen on his feet in what must be heaven for him. Space, love, activity and kids. I hope you enjoy yourself and maybe oneday you would like to join us at a meeting at Neilborough just north of Bendigo sometime. You would be most welcome as would Choccy. Look forward to hearing more from you.

Welcome Choccy and Nikki. IMO this is a great forum - active and friendly (like Koolies).

Hope you like it here.

Big welcome - it's a great forum to talk about your koolies!! Look forward to the pics!1

Choccy! What a great name at Easter!!!

Hi there. Can't wait to see the pic's. You wont regret getting a Koolie. They are truly brilliant dogs! This forum is great. So much collective info and encouragement.

Hi Everyone,

Thanks for the welcome. I really look forward to chatting with you all and getting hints on how to stop this digging and chewing!!! Tried the bone thing but our Jack Russell cross steals them and buries them so he can't find them. Poor darling he is. I think he is too laid back for his own good!!! LOL Needs to start sticking up for himself!

His name at the Lost Dogs Home was Cadbury but our kids couldn't remember that so he became Choccy while we were waiting to do the paperwork. He looks more like a Choccy I think.

How far north of Bendigo is Neilborough? We are about 1 1/4 hrs from Bendigo.

Nikki

Bury their poo in the holes!! This works to some degree with Paxy, sometimes she digs next to the hole with poo, but not as enthusiastically.

Wire mesh over the hole is another one I've heard but not tried, also buy a balloon in the hole - also haven't tried that one.

Can you hand his chewy toys out of reach of the jack russell, say on the fence, and high enough so chocky has to work a bit to get at them. Helps keep interest up if you stash a treat in them too. This may keep him too busy for digging, and safe from the jack. No easy solutions to digging. Poo in holes works, but they do go and dig one straight next door to it. What about a sand box with toys in it. I had to lay chicken wire flat over huge parts of the garden at one stage, but fortunately Jacksy grew out of it and Alby didn't dig much anyway thank God.

You will love it on here, everyone is friendly and always helpful. Have no real solutions with the digging but with the chewing dog treats in toys works a treat. Also frozen treats work well too.

It sounds like Choccy and the children are great pals already, I found that with Ceejay (my koolie) absolutely loves children and is so gentle around them.

Be sure to post photos soon.

Thanks for everyone's advice re the digging. I'm a bit loathe to try the poo thing as the couple of places he digs the kids are into - under the trampoline (they all get together under there) and under the cyprus trees outside the horse paddocks (right where I walk to feed up). I'm sure he thinks his name is NO not Choccy!!! I've got him one of those chew toys that you put treats into and stocked up on things like pigs ears and rawhide balls. I've left my badly chewed $200 long riding boots for him to finish off. Figure they are no good to me now and better he finishes them off than something new!!! I left them for a few hours yesterday with pigs ears and nothing new was demolished. Touch wood they work!
Anyway have tried the picture thing. Hope they work and aren't too big.



Regards
Nikki

Nikki he is divine and he looks so happy. Who is the smaller dog in the photo? Is he yours too? Choccy does suit him, he looks like someone has slathered him in it. Ceejay is chocolate cookies and cream. lol. So what are your horses names and breed? Post photos of the horses too, you will find a lot of members here have horses as well, oh and cows, sheep, cats all sorts.

With the shoes, next time you catch him chewing a shoe grab it off him and slam it down on the ground and shout NO, do this a few times. This is what I did with Ceejay and the only time she likes them is when they are on your feet. lol. It gave her such a fright but it did stop her chewing them. Pigs ears are good, can you get your hands on dried trotters and snouts they are also popular with the girls. Mind you it looks funny when the flick the snout up near their nose, dogs impersonating pigs. lol.

Hi Ceejay,

Thanks, I think he is adorable. I have always been nicknamed the "enforcer" but this dog has me so sucked in it isn't funny. Never allowed the dogs on the couch but guess where he sleeps when he is inside!!! LOL The little girl is Holly our Jack Russell cross. She just adores him and the two of them play non stop - don't ask me how he has time to dig and chew!! I think Choccy suits him better than Cadbury (his Lost Dogs Home name).

Chocolate cookies and cream - I love it!! My other passion (other than horses) - chocolate!!! LOL

We have a real menagerie here. We breed Arabian horses (when there isn't drought - too expensive to feed everyone so we have slowed down for the moment). Once the kids are older I want to get back into Endurance riding. Did a couple of training rides pre kids and I just love it. We have a few of the babies we bred out doing it now and one superstar in the UAE who has won a couple of 120km races. We also have Angus cross beef cattle, a goat who thinks he is a horse, chooks and a couple of ferrets.
Here is a pic of one of our Arabian stallions, Oakhill Arigo, and our daughter Jaime.


Will post more horsey pics too but for anyone interested our website is www.roherynarabians.com

Chat soon
Nikki

Meant to add Ceejay that I did look at the trotters and snouts as well but wasn't sure how long they would last. I was trying to find something that would give his jaws a good working over!!! LOL We have a great pet warehouse near us that has all those goodies.

Imagine they would look hilarious!!

Nikki

Hi Nikki, and welcome, thankyou for your lovely post in my welcome thread....your animals look so beautiful and well loved, I just love the picture of your horse and daughter...it is just devine....


Helen xx

He's gorgeous. I agree, Cadbury wouldn't have suited him - and what can you shorter it to? Cad?? Choccy's much nicer.

I really like your dog )& your horse)

Arigo looks a sweetie, and it is a good photo too. I used to have a horse but I gave her away just recently to a young family, he rides the problem horses in the district using patience and gentleness with them. They wanted a quiet horse on the ground so they could teach the children ground manners. Tink has beautiful manners on the ground, she let two kittens play with her tail for example without flinching.

I could not ride Tink anymore her hips could not take my weight any longer past injury starting to catch up with her I believe. It took me ages to decide, she was still rideable with younger children and teenagers on her and she loves being ridden. I thought it was such a waste of a good horse so I made the very hard decision to give her away, but I was very picky on who she went to. I really, really miss her. Plus I don't have acreage of my own so maybe in a decade figures crossed I will, and then will find another horse with that connection.

Sorry about the blurt. Someone should name a whole litter with chocolate names if they come out red, Lindt, Lea, Nestle he he.

Looking forward to the other photos, off to check your website.

Choccy is gorgeous!! What a big smile on his face.

Your horse is beautiful too - what a beautiful picture with your daughter!

Hey, love choccy, what a stunner, makes you wonder why he was in the shelter.
Your good fortune.
Love your horse and daughter photo, that it truley beautiful.
Enjoy yourself everyone here seems to be interested in pretty much the same things, like chocolate ooh yeh who doesn't love chococlate.
And of course Koolies

I think he was probably in the shelter as a stray rather than a dump although in saying that he would be such hard work in the city. He needs to be kept active and interested. Holly, our Jack Russell and he play continuously. Definitely our good fortune!!! I agree KoolieMum - definitely not a "Cad"!! Choccy really suits him. I love that Choccy smile too Bluedog. He knew he had me sucked in - sitting on the couch (my animals weren't allowed on the furniture until Choccy!!!)

Thanks everyone - I love that pic of our daughter, Jaime, and Arigo too. Shows just how wild these Arabian stallions are!!! LOL. She was 3 at the time!
Here is a recent one with one of our other "wild" Arabian stallions, Cazna El Maklan, or Mooee as we call him.



Sorry you had to give your horse away Helen. I really hope you can get your own land one day and get another one. I can't think of anything worse. I couldn't live without my dogs and my horses. We sell the odd horse and it is so sad to see them go. We have 13 at the moment and most are in their 20's. Arigo is 28 going on 29 next season.
Mooee is one of our younger ones at 16. We have two younger mares to carry on with post drought and a yearling who we are hoping a friend takes for endurance (he has another one we bred also). Our other stallion (Oakhill Diego) is a brother to Arigo and is 27 going on 28 and is equally as quiet. Most of our mares are too old to breed with now (other than the two young girls).

There are some great chocolate names there Helen - if I was a breeder I would use them for sure!!! LOL Perhaps our next foal????? Best stop my yabbering now and head off to bed. You're all probably yawning at my waffle!!! LOL

Nikki

Nikki please waffle on - love hearing about your dogs and horses. Great to hear your horses are able to enjoy their old age with you! It's nice they are able to live out their days where they are wanted.

Have you had to bring in feed and/or water for your horses because of the drought?

Big news up here in the Hunter horse world is the takeover of the Inghams' racing stud by the Sheik - I can't remember the rest of his name but he's worth billions!

I'm with Bluedog, definately not yawning. Enjoying the pictures, and glad that Choccy's found such a nice home.

I am a waffler from way back and get carried away with my animals, sorry! Along with the kids they form such a huge part of your life and I am proud of them all. Glad you like the pics though!

Yes, we have to buy in feed for both the horses and cows during drought. It's a killer as you all probably know with feed being so expensive. So far we are right for water as we have a spring fed creek although it is looking very unhealthy at the moment. We really need a few good downpours. Unfortunately we didn't get the rain that Melbourne got - something wrong there when the city gets it but the country misses out!!!

I read that about Ingham's - Sheik Maktoum Al........ I can never remember their full names. I can't imagine being that loaded - I'd just like to pay off the mortgage!!! LOL

Best get back to work. Break is finished!

chat again soon
Nikki

Oooo i love his colour and what a shame you don't know were he came from. my poor back yard looks like a rubish tip lol the pups are always draging thing around and riping them up and i am sick of the mess so all puppy toys are going to the tip apart from sheepy it can stay

Hi Nikki
Loved the pic of Choccy, he has certainly found a great home and looks like he didn't take long to settle in. See you have joined the world of digging and chewing, Ash looks like he is trying to dig to China the holes go down so far, we keep filling them in and they go deeper the next time, have tried a few things but he always has the last dig!!! Have noticed there aren't so many holes now he is getting older!!!!!!! so hopefully both him and Choccy will eventually outgrow it (wishful thinking???)

Chewing was another "small" problem but he is slowly outgrowing that as well (she hopes) I usually give him chews, and a lamb knuckle and that seems to have helped. We won't mention the destruction of pot plants, Kira's (my kelpie) outside chair and other things and then this little dog turning those large brown eyes on you and saying "did I do something wrong"!!!

Ash saw his first horse today, when I went to my friends place so he could have a good run with her dalmation pup, let me know all about it then he didn't worry about it.

Cheers
Linda

My two girls are achitects not diggers. They like to build tunnels underneath the round water trough that I have for them. They actually made it halfway once. And then you say who did this and they look at each other and you can actually see them snickering at each other. lol.

Ceejay and Izzy did go through a chewing stage but nowhere near my last boy. He managed (zorro) to chew through a couch, an akruba hat with $200 tucked up into the band, three library books, numerous shoes, several bras (well he was a boy) and some of my furniture still has puppy chew on it. So I am very relieved that my girls did not reach to his standards.

Good news Zorro did outgrow it so there is hope out there. He stopped at just past the age of a year.

Ihdogz what was Ash's reaction when he saw the horse?

Upperclass girls huh!!!!! LOL I used to work as a strapper at racing stables and there was a gelding who tried to dig under the door into the back stable. When we came in in the morning he was wedged under the door and was stuck solid. Was a very interesting excercise trying to get him out as we couldn't open the door because his belly was too big and that was the way the door swung.

Choccy is not the least bit fussy. He just can't understand what all the fuss is about when he digs. He looks at me like I'm an idiot or something. As soon as I turn my back he is into it again - with added gusto it seems!!! He is a very enthusiastic individual!

Our 2yo son sits under the trampoline with him and they dig together!! I have no hope!

Our first dog did the Akubra thing (no money attached thank God) and I chased him around the house with the remnants. Damaged his pride in a major way and he never chewed anything again. Not so with Choccy! I hope you are right and he grows out of it soon. He is just over one. I am sick of the mess too but luckily for him his good points far outway the bad ones!! LOL

I love his colour too and would love to know where he came from.

The only notice Choccy takes of our horses is if his ball goes under their feet and you can see him trying to work out the best way to get it. If he is worried he just stands and barks then digs a hole outside the paddock instead!

If in doubt dig a big hole!!!!!

Nikki

[/quote]Ihdogz what was Ash's reaction when he saw the horse?[quote]

He wasn't too bad just put on his I'm a big dog bark and looked ready to run if it came towards him (it was behind a fence!), didn't attempt to go near it and once he realized he wasn't going to bother him he went back into working mode for me as I was teaching him some agility. He doesn't seem to let things faze him once I show him it is alright or they aren't going to harm him. He really is a great dog to train, loves to work and learn new things.

Forgot to mention he did have fun chewing my husband's video camera (that went down well!!), couldn't believe my hubby left it outside on the table for the few minutes he had to go inside, needless to say Ash thought great here is a new toy for me to play with!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Have a good insurance company and they said I could claim for it, now have a lovely new camera which definately will not be left, think hubby has learnt his lesson!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Linda

Oooh a video camera I am impressed. Bet your OH learnt his lesson well. lol. Mine (the dogs not the other OH) still chew things but not the stuff that I don't want chewed. You should see my backyard at the moment, a destuffed toy bone so I have white stuffing all over the lawn. A Palm tree branch shredded, the free newspaper shredded, several chewed sticks, a few bones and oh toilet rolls shredded. Will clean it all up this weekend for them to repeat their antics. lol.

That would have been something to see a horse stuck under the door. It is amazing that such large creatures get themselves into such tight squeezes. I chuckled to myself when I read it.

It is amazing how well Koolies adjust to new situations isn't it. My girls are great around horses. Izzy learned the hard way being a kelpie x, she nipped the heel of Tink, Tink turned around fast and bit her. Izzy now has a great respect for horses. Tink never kicked out at dogs, she just used to bite them. I miss my horse.

I think we are all true wafflers here. lol.

A video camera!!! That is impressive!!!

Paxy too has a fondness for the toilet roll, I have to remember to shut the door otherwise there are wads of it pulled off the roll!!! She also has plucked, very delicately I might add, leaves and a lemon off my lemon tree (a sad little thing it is too), my jade bush, and tomatoes off the bush. She ate the tomatoes. She did however pull the spinach out of its pot and the basil out of it's pot!! She has only pulled the sheets off the line once so far, fingers crossed. She seems to get really interested in digging now when I hang clothes on the line, digging just about under my feet, I will trip on one of the holes one day and break an ankle if I don't fill them in. Oh she has chewed the kitchen chairs and table! Nice soft wood!!

So how did you get the horse out - I have that image of Winnie the Pooh stuck!!!

i don't feel quite so bad now. At least my video camera is still in one piece (must be the only thing though!! LOL) Maybe I should leave it out - might get a nice new one out of it. I still have the old tape version. We haven't had the washing line issue - thank God he doesn't show any interest there. He has found one garden that he likes to dig in and I'm not sure whether it is him or the kids who have squished my plants. Haven't managed to catch anyone at it yet!!!
Choccy hasn't found the toilet roll yet, and only? the couch, not tables, chairs. I think I've scared him away from the couch now (hope). I drew the line there and he really got in trouble. Been very tolerant so far. He likes books - thomas the tank engine went in the fire a couple of days ago. My son hasn't missed it yet!! Working night shift tonight so had to do the big fly around and "choccify" the house before I left. He normally just sleeps the night through but I just don't want to give him any excuse to chew anything!!! Please tell me that all of you have young dogs that chew not older ones!! LOL

They do adjust very well. The first time I took Choccy up the paddock two of our younger mares took off after him. He just loped along in front of them and stopped when they did. Couldn't have cared less. He is more interested in chasing Holly our Jack who chases birds. He struggles to keep up with her. Gives him a great work out and he comes back a very happy dog!

Helen, sounds like you really need another horse. Can you agist somewhere nearby? I would be so lost without mine. Sold our young one today - YAY!! Got the deposit for him. Might be able to have one of the young girls broken in now.

Getting the horse out was a nightmare. We had to dig right around him. Unfortunately the drug cabinet was locked and the foreman wasn't around so we couldn't sedate him. We ended up with one girl in the back box holding his head down and keeping the other horse from standing on him. We had a rope attached to each leg and we had to just use brute strength to try and pull him out - copped a kick in the face for my efforts. He'd just been gelded so had no shoes on luckily for me. Poor horse got the fright of his life when we all started to pull. He was a very lucky horse to be alive as he nearly severed a tendon in his back leg on the concrete wall trying to kick his way out. He was out for months recovering.