Puppy life has got beyond a joke in Victoria, Australia. Everyone is in lockdown, and being bored and at home, think that a puppy is a wonderful solution. It is in a way - who doesn't want a dog? But oh my giddy aunt - the prices they're charging for them on Gumtree!!

Before you say it, yes, we're up for a rescue dog. In fact, Hive account@karinxxl wrote about it last week. Her first rescue dog Boogie is gorgeous. My sister in law has a rescue collie who's debatable gorgeous - he's quite neurotic, but she loves him to bits anyway. Poor bugger was locked in a cage for the first year of his life, so we can hardly blame him for having 'issues'. My mother in law's dog Ruby is a gorgeous little terrier with heaps of personality - she was also a rescue dog. They both swear by them and wouldn't get a puppy if you paid them.

Except rescue dogs here all seem to be bull arabs, which I'm not a fan of, and there aren't a lot around, because everyone's at home caring for their animals for a change.

My son got a puppy the other day - it's a Schnelpie, which is half a schnauzer, half a kelpie. Aint she adorable?

Edie

We googled it to see what one might look like. Horror of horrors, check the eyebrows on this doggie:

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But she's super cute now, and I'm sure they'll love her whatever she looks like. We were nearly going to get her, but Jamie wasn't keen on a Schnauzer and we were worried about her being 'barky' - but since we've met her, we regret letting my son have it. And she only cost $350.

I say she only cost $350 because puppies are selling for thousands here. I have GumTree alerts come through on my phone, waiting for the perfect dog - but honestly? I don't think I can bring myself to pay that much for a pup.

Alert after alert, I'm accosted with very cute puppy pics with very NOT cute prices. French bulldog? 6 grand. Gold retriever? 5 and a half grand. Cavalier King Charles spaniels? 6 grand. Ouch! These puppies (which I wouldn't want anyway, but still...) are selling for 8 thousand dollars! Are you kidding me?

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And I've seen gorgeous kelpies go for over 2 grand. It doesn't actually make sense - on other sites, kelpies are more reasonable - say around 300 to 600 bucks, all vaccinated and microchipped. And if you look in Canberra or Tassie, they're cheaper - and more of them. But we aren't allowed to leave Victoria, and I'm not sure I want to buy one without looking at them first.

I'd really love a kelpie cross - here's some purebreds. They're an Australian cattle dog, bred to work, so a full bred can be way to energetic. Crossed with a labrador would be ideal.

Purebred kelpie pups - check out the ad here

I think it's probably best I just baby sit little Edie - she's a sweetheart, and a ball of fun. At least this way I can give her back when she starts being a pain. My son and his girl are utterly, utterly smitten, and have the time to look after her at the moment. She's pretty bloody gorgeous isn't she?

Photos courtesy of my son's Instagram, taken without permission - but I'm sure he doesn't mind.

I dread to think of next year when people start going back to work after COVID and realise they can't look after a dog - I imagine the rescue homes are going to be busy again, sadly. I guess we should wait til then. But man, all I can think about is pupppppppppppppppppppiiiiiiiiiiiiiiessssssssssssssssss!!!!