Ah, that sounds familiar!

And just had to share our exciting puppy related news for the day - our eagerly awaited pup was born last night, we've been on a waiting list for 6 months so we're now beside ourselves with excitement!! After having numerous foster pups over the years it'll be lovely to have one of our very own, I normally get all the hard work (toilet training, teaching bite inhibition etc) without the joy of proper dog ownership. And it'll be so nice not to have to say goodbye to this one.

Now counting down to 8 weeks time when we bring him home. There seems to have been an influx of pups on the BE board at the moment!

Up for that one

Here's my "little" boy...

Pip....

Very gorgeous! I love Airedales, their faces have such character.

One of these gorgeous wriggly monsters will be ours in 8 weeks...........

Huge amounts of karma to you for fostering

I'm happy you'll get a permanent fixture this time

Adorable pups everyone

I'd love to foster but I would have such a hard time giving back. Would really love to do some chow rescue but the whole family has to be in agreement. If ever we have land and some money I will have a chow farm

Piff Poff what are chows really like? Our local rescue centre has some chow labrador crosses, but although the puppies look adorable I wasn't that keen on the breed descriptions I've seen. They also have some Mastiff Lab crosses - I like the idea of Mastiff's but they are way too big!

I was brought up with a Springer Spaniel and a Collie, and I think part of me thinks that's what would be ideal, but the rescue dogs here tend to be lab crosses of one sort or another (or guard type dogs, like Rottie, German Shepherds or Pit Bulls, which I am not at all keen on). We'd like a medium sized retrieving dog who likes to romp, is OK with children, and won't chase the cats (too much). Oh, and I'd like it to be beautiful!

christmasoompa those little bundles look like spaniels to me - what sort? I really like spaniels, but my mother said our family pet was a very difficult puppy, so I'm a little wary.

I'm impressed you knew they were spaniels - they just look like gerbils to me at the moment!!

They are Welsh Springer Spaniels. Similar to English Springers but calmer, less hyper, slightly smaller and easier to groom as their coat is straight and less profuse. And they have a beautiful red & white coat instead of the English Springers black & white or liver & white.

Great with kids and other pets, the main criteria for us as we have both. Very rare though, only 400 born in UK every year, as opposed to 20,000 English Springers.

But sounds as though they'd tick every box for you, although if you want an easy family dog, I'd recommend a lab or retriever every time.

Wow, all these puppy pics are gorgeous.


Jericho, I would deffo recommend a 'dog-crate', at least no more chewing and the puppy would know it is his place to go for quiet time.

Good Luck with the continued toilet training!

Sounds fantastic! It was the mum's feet that gave it away I don't remember our old Springer being excitable to be honest, but his puppy days were long gone by the time I was around Possibly my parents were not very sensible to get a puppy a few weeks before my mother had her third child (apparently he burst into the bedroom just as my sister was being born!), and with a three and a four year old at home. Might have added to the pressures of puppy training, perhaps...

I have to admit I think that labs are a bit boring (Sorry lab lovers out there!)

Once you've been owned by a Chow, you'll never want another dog. Henry is my first ever dog and people thought I was mad to want a chow - Ruby Murray included (Sorry Rubes). Henry is now two and a half and the most mild mannered dog you can imagine - he only barks if absolutely necessary. He was potty trained by 8 weeks (when we brought him home). We did work hard at socialising him as chows do have a bad rap. We took him every where. Now when he sees people, he thinks they are there to pet him and admire him He will bark when someone comes to the door, but once they're in and he has had the required amount of petting he will go and lay down. If you want a rambunctous dog, then a chow isn't it. Chows have been likened to cats in there temperament - they will allow you to play and pet when they feel like it but otherwise just admire me. However one that has part lab in you may find more playful.

Take a look at www.chowchow.org and in particular the thread chows and kids in the photo gallery. This page http://forum.chowchow.org/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=3377 has some of my favourite chows and kids photos - a chow and little girl having a tea party. There are lots of people on the forum that have chow crosses so you should get a good idea of what to expect with a chow/chow cross.

No hint of bias there

I'll stick with Collies

Rich your collies are just lovely I particularly like it when they go through that fluffy not-quite grown up stage.

Puff Puff I kind of hope that most people feel that way about their dogs really! We've had lots of different family dogs, all different breeds, so I'm fairly open minded (apart from my criteria above, lol). Not sure I want a dog that behaves like a cat really - might put the cat's noses out of joint even more

I guess we will probably have to keep looking!

I'm only going on what other chow owners have said - including those that are multiple breed owners and those that have had other breeds in the past. I shouldn't really make sweeping statements like that as Henry is my first ever dog. Other breeds I like the look of are the Old English Sheepdog and the Burmese Mountain Dog. I will always have a Chow now though