Last year I made the decision that I would like to have a dog in the family having been without for nearly ten years. I had my heart set on a chocolate labrador but they were way out of my price league (around £600 from breeders). However, while on a short term contract earlier this year, one of the children's parents arrived one day with a pup tucked inside her jacket and asked if I knew anyone who might be interested. Apparently she had gone to look at some pups herself and had been told they were Jack Russell/Lab cross these being the breeds of the family's two dogs. She chose the one she wanted and then asked when she could collect (they were then less than 5 weeks old) and the woman said she either took it then or it wouldn't be there by the end of the week as she'd 'get rid' Sensing this was no idle threat, the parent asked if they had a box and gathered up all three puppies and brought them home where her Jack Russell dog, George 'mothered' them until they were ready to go to other homes. She kept the pup she had originally chosen and found a home for another and this one was the last. I managed to convince Geoff to let me have her so a few days later she came here. We all sat round and threw names in the air until one stuck and she became 'Lottie'. It was only later that someone asked if that was because she was 'lots' of breeds but at the time we still were expecting the single cross. We have now come to the conclusion that the pet lab must have been about the only breed that didn't get a look in. Lottie is sort of Jack Russell, collie, staffordshire polar bear mix. Highly intelligent and VERY active. She can jump 4' vertically from standing and loves to please. My intention is to train her to jump ver and through things to keep her occupied and if I never manage to find another job we can always do street theatre lol. I don't regret the decision for a moment!