03/12/2024
In Dec 2010 Dave said to me, Liz, it is raining you can’t work. Let’s go to Qld and pick up a red girl puppy. We travelled up through Mungindi, ending up at Dewregal. There were 2 red puppies playing together and Cindy chose us, and coming home with this beautiful playful girl.
Memories when she was still a puppy, we travelled twice to the outback with her and Barra. We stopped to Goulburn River near Bingara and throwing a stick into water for Barra. I’m not getting that says Barra, I don’t do sticks that far out. immediately this puppy went out into the flowing water to get the stick. Once will away overseas Mark came to mind our dogs. Gindi wouldn’t come inside. I can hear Mark calling out ‘that bloody Gindi’. He is the owner of one of her puppies and because of her attitude that was a big decider for him to get one.
Gindi was the perfect mother. She had 3 beautiful litters with Barra She nurtured and protected her babies even poor Barra wasn’t allowed to see his babies. Our Elbee is now 11. He is from her first litter and has sired 2 litters with Meg and our Bru is from their first litter. So we have a happy family of Granny Gindi, son Elbee, partner meg and their son Bru.
Gindi always has a beautiful smile on her face. I sent a photo of Gindi recently to one of her puppy owners, and she commented on how beautiful she is. Yes she is. Love her so much, her wonderful soft fur. Her give it a go attitude. She rules the roost with us all, but if she comes to get on her new very soft bed and grandson Bru is on it, she does not demand that he gets off. Love you Gindi.
The 10th of October 2010. I Dave didn't know it then but it was a very significant day in my life associated with the Australian cattle dogs. My earliest memory is of my parents dog an amazing Queensland Blue Heeler, Sospan, (a Welsh word).
My first dog was a blue cross, cattle dog in 1972, Bruin. He decided I should have 2 dogs. He tied with my sisters kelpie producing for me the pick of the litter, Bissie (Liz’s childhood nickname). When I lost Bruin, I was devastated. Chen a purebred cattle dog came into my life, he played regularly ball with our young family, and with some amazing cattle dog tricks and traits. Our new dogs that joined us were purebreds. Pippy a purebred stumpy tail that chucked a tail, Ted a red, Rimsky a daughter of Ted. 2007 Barra came into my life, there is an expression called one in a million dog that was our Barra. Waiiri Hurricane a Blue. When we lost Rimsky he was very lonely and it came obviously overdue he needed a mate.
Barra was very lonely it's difficult living with just one dog so I came to a decision. I searched for cattle dogs from our property up the NSW coast and into Queensland with a short list after making contact. We left behind a wet Sydney where we couldn’t work for a week and we headed off on a mission and didn’t stop until we got half way up and into Queensland, stopping at the border town of Mungindi. The Dewregal Australian Cattle Dogs Kennel of Mark and Glenys had 2 red puppies available. Cindy chose me and accepted by Barra straight away. We headed home, Liz driving and Cindy on my lap. After a few stops with friends on the way back to Arcadia she settled in to our lives. A dog born on the 10th day, of the 10th month of 2010. She took on the nickname of Ginger because of the amazing colour of her coat. All of my dogs have been home schoolers. Our vet suggested puppy School even though she was approaching been too old as a puppy. She proved in true cattle dog style she was too smart for us and still continues to this day with that trait. Well and outcome, she was an utter failure at puppy school, ceased to be able to do the normal puppy obedience, wouldn’t even come to her name a total recalcitrant. Her attitude started for me one of the most incredible chapter of my life with dogs, In NSW the way some Councils treat dogs and dog ownership can be problematic. The trainer and vets noticed my relationships I have with my dogs. Out of left field, a question to me, why don’t you become a dog breeder. Dog Breeder friend up the road said, why don’t you. The Australian Canine Council, they to are a council, but they care about dogs interests. Paid the money, did the exams, paperwork and became a breeder. The only thing I needed was a kennel prefix name. They gave you a number of boxes of choices, but a very strict requirement. Got it in one! Barra and Gindi’s nicknames, it all goes back to that border town called Mungindi. As dogs do give themselves nicknames Barra was Mun short for Money or the fish and Cindy became Gindi, by dropping the I for a y it became MUNGINDY CATTLE DOG BREEDERS. It was accepted. Our first litter to be registered she was the perfect mother and here starts a new nickname, Broodie Brood bitch, broodie for short or when one needs to emphasis a command Bitch. Unwittingly I did cause myself some embarrassment when I was out on a walk with Liz and I needed a command for her I would say bitch, no not you I am talking about Gindi. She had 3 litters, we kept a blue male from the 1st litter, he is Elbee. He sired 2 litters; we kept a blue male Bru. This is a very unusual breach of dog protocol. In the 2nd litter he would get into the whelping box and nurture the puppies. I have heard of this rarely happening. I closely watched the mother who was completely at ease with her son being there. The playing and nurturing continued until the pups found their forever homes. So here we are today with one of those incredibly beautiful dogs, broadback cattle dog developing a health issue. Dr Luke at Vineyard vets right onto it. Course of medication and weight loss. Mmm now 26.2kg way down and well on the way to recovery. The photos are reflections of times and happiness with her. We are very proud of our 14 year old grandmother.
