I didn’t catch this thread the first time around, Toucanna, but I just want to say…you’ve done a wonderful thing, and given the recent pet threads here on the Dope, you’ve really helped restore my faith that there are people willing to do right by dogs. Thank you.
I think that from now on, when I go looking to adopt, I’ll look at adults first. Ten years ago, I went to the Humane Society to look for a new kitten. I came home with a young adult cat. A couple of years ago, we needed to add another cat to our family, as my daughter had moved out and taken her cats with her, and my cat missed both my daughter and her cats. So I came home with an adult cat, again. My husband was thoroughly charmed by an orange and white kitten (well, who wouldn’t be?) so we came home with a kitten as well. I enjoy the craziness of kittens, but an adult’s personality is less subject to change. My husband’s kitten is still a charming adult, but he is no longer all about the cuddles like he was as a kitten. He’s still friendly enough and likes the skritchies, but he’s more aloof now.
Rocky (aka Oakdog#1, male Boxer-mix rescued by The Druidess when she was still single) says “How YOU doin?” to Dobermom.
Tazio (aka Oakdog#2, male unknown mix also rescued by The Druidess) says “PLAY? PLAY? PLAY!” to Dobermom. He then goes racing around the yard at Warp 9.
Good on ya for fostering the doggies. 
I go to a “bark park” with my dog, and since he’s a little dog I stay on the little dog side. So I don’t see dobermans, but I do see a lot of miniature pinschers.
Most are cropped, ears and tail both. But there’s one, a real cutie, who is natural. His owner said she wanted a dog that was natural, and so the breeder, who she made sure was a good one, didn’t crop him.
I think you might be confusing Australian Cattle Dogs with Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dogs. They’re never docked, but genetically tailless, like Manx cats.
Sorry for the hijack: I am against cropping and docking. Cropping, in particular, seems barbaric to me, raised in Australia, where it’s illegal. None of the arguments for it stand up to scrutiny for me. My mother, a vet and basenji breeder, also left dew claws on her pups, including show dogs.
I would never adopt a cropped/docked dog. Of course, I’m determined to have basenjis til my dying day, so never the twain shall meet 
Yeah, I agree that babies are too much trouble. They’re lucky that they’re so cute or nobody would want to deal with it. When we get another pet it will likely be another dog. I feel that even if you start with an adult dog that has no prior training, they pick up the training faster than it would be to train a puppy.
Whatever the agnostic equivalent to ‘bless you’ is, Toucanna. That.
I love Dobies, and would take a rescue one in a heartbeat. I would never crop the ears, I prefer the look of the cropped ears, but wouldn’t overlook one because they had natural ears. However, I do prefer the tail docked because it’s so whip-like if natural
Oh, I don’t think that the babies are too much trouble. It’s just that the adults seem to appreciate being adopted much, much more. The babies are used to people cooing over them, while the adults are used to being overlooked, and when someone DOES take the time to love on them, they really, really love it.
My brother had three retired greyhounds, and they were absolutely wonderful. If I was to adopt a dog or two, I think I’d go with a greyhound. Again, they appreciated being loved and treated as a pet. The worst thing about greyhounds is that their noses are just at kitchen countertop height.
The good news is that all the puppies were adopted. None of the adopters opted to have their pups cropped. Someone who adopted a female pup came back and adopted Mollie, the momma dog. Happy endings all around!
[QUOTE=araminty]
I think you might be confusing Australian Cattle Dogs with Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dogs…
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I wouldn’t rule that out these days, but when I first started seeing them, there wasn’t anyone breeding ASTCDs in Texas. Also, some of the tailless dogs I saw had been adopted from shelters, so it’s unlikely they were a rare breed, such as an ASTCD.
[QUOTE=araminty]
…I am against cropping and docking. {snip}
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LOL! I get slammed from both sides on the issue of cropping. The most zealous defenders of the practice seem to be the ones least aware of why it originated (and thus, no longer necessary). The folks who are most adamantly opposed refuse to see that when done correctly, by a vet and with assiduous after-care by the owner, it is not akin to torture. But, that discussion would probably do better in “Great Debates”.
There are people in the USA who say they love a certain breed that is traditionally cropped, but if cropping is outlawed, they will get out of that breed. I find that shockingly shallow of them.
Tail docking, on the other hand, can benefit the dog by preventing injuries. (IMO, as long as the tail is docked more like a Weimaraner’s rather than the current length.)
Oh that is such good news. Thanks for the update!
Hooray! Here’s to happy endings! Thanks for the update and for nurturing this furry family, Toucanna!