This page, and the links to the left, tells all about our Dobermann - Meliora Alla Bolero ET (Jet).
I didn't have a dog growing up, as my parents had award winning gardens - and the two don't really go together!
However, after meeting Stephen and his family's Dobermann Zoe, I soon felt that this was the breed for me.
Jet, guarding "his" property.
We decided that we'd get a Dobermann when we got married and moved onto our property... so, the day after our wedding we were ringing up the Dobermann Club of NSW (of which I am now a member) to find out who had puppies!!
Originally we were after a black and tan bitch, however after travelling to Meliora Kennels at Thirlmere and looking at their adorable seven week old litter of eleven puppies (no black girls available), we fell in love with a little black and tan male.
So, the following Saturday when he was eight weeks old, we went to pick up Jet (I actually named him after a picture I admired of "Am Ch Dortmund Dellys Colonel Jet" in an old Dobermann book owned by my father-in-law..... little did I know then that Jet's pedigree actually traces back to that dog).
Jet quickly "wormed" his way into our house and hearts, and is a real character with a wonderful temperament and a "goofy" sense of humour - those who've seen him at shows pulling faces with his snout pressed up against the wire of his crate can attest to that!
When he was still young we decided that I should go to training with him as he was my first dog ever, and a male Dobermann to boot!! We started with individual lessons with Luci Ellem of Camarna Kennels and continue to this day with weekly show training classes....
Jet's breeder suggested that I have a go at showing him - which was totally new for us.... we experienced success with a Best of Breed over his 2yr old Aunt at only his second show at 10mths of age!!
Jet, pulling one of his funny faces
Jet at full stretch with his frisbee
Jet is now Meliora Alla Bolero ET having passed the Endurance Test on 12th August 2001. Read more details here.
We still show regularly today and are slowly making our way to his Championship title - however, it's great just to get out and meet like-minded and friendly people from whom I've certainly learnt a lot.
Update: Jet is now 8 years old and retired from the show ring - he is still quite active though, enjoying galloping around the paddock, swimming in the dam and playing with Casey..... when not doing these things he can always be found "glued" close to either Steve or me - very much a "velcro dog" :-)
