As I’ve previously shared, Cait has serious puppy hunger. And she flip flops back and forth between getting an Aussie now (the power of Kiera lives on) or waiting a bit.

I try to remain neutral and supportive because I know there is never a “good” time to get a dog. You just have to decide to make it work. So I listen and look as she shares feelings and Australian Shepherd breeder websites.

I thought that I might just get her a stuffed Aussie for Christmas to tide her over. Something to hold on to and snuggle with.

I came across Martina Sandoval on Etsy and was blown away by her craftsmanship. You can also find her on facebook.

This blue merle (Cait wants a blue merle) is incredibly lifelike. Martina makes all kinds of dogs. And tigers, and bears, and… pretty much anything you could dream of.

And…  as these are hand-crafted and can be custom-made to your specifications, these are not inexpensive. Martina uses high-quality materials: natural mohair from Germany, glass eyes from England, fabrics from Italy and Russia, and I think it shows in the result.

Since Cait has decided to go ahead and get a real dog, I thought I’d put the money toward helping her buy it.

But if you know someone who has serious puppy hunger but their lifestyle won’t permit a live dog, maybe this might just do the trick!