QUEENSLAND FLOODS

It is a sad start to the year with the January floods taking so many lives. While Tammy is safe up on the Darling Downs, we know thousands of other valued pets and animals will have perished throughout the area. Taryn and Tammy will do what we can to help all the other rare breed stud affected by the floods as soon as we can! Any donations or help for the rare breeds can be directed via Tammy's Facebook or arabanookelpies@yahoo.com.au

Update: While there were fears that Mark Tully's rare breeds stud had been destroyed at a cost of all his rare breeds, including rare poultry, rare pigs, and Maremma working dogs, we have discovered that the news is much better than first thought. Mark has only lost a few chooks - his dogs and pigs are safe.  Mark does need help to rebuild up on the hill however so head over to his rare chooks website to donate.

Tammy is a rare breed of pig called a Tamworth. One of the oldest of domesticated swine originating from Europe, there are only about 350 registered sows in the world!

Tammy was bred by Mark Tully at Blue Hills Poultry Stud in Helidon, QLD. Mark breeds and promotes rare and endangered domestic livestock and poultry. Some of the other pig breeds he has include - Sadddlebacks, Berkshire and Large Blacks. Mark approached me, (Taryn Brennan) asking to have a go at training a pig to use for public education, demonstrations and promotion of rare breeds. A cause close to his heart.

I agreed to give it a go and soon I had a 4mth old pig to train with my 6 Kelpies!!

Tammy very quickly showed how intelligent she is and has learned many tricks. I use postive reinforcement and food rewards to train her. Everyday she learns a new trick.
Tammy's tricks include; Walking on a leash, sit, come, drop, stay, stop, beg, go to bed, push the soccer ball, unroll the mat, shake hands, carry the basket, weave thru legs and poles, go up and down stairs, walking on different surfaces such as polished floor boards and marble, walk up and down a ramp, jump into the back of the ute and to  take and give a object. She is always learning new tricks to show off to anyone who mets her.
  
Tammy's first big event was the Inside Film Awards night held at Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast, QLD. She walked down the red carpet with Mark and the team who made a documentry on him ( Rare Chicken Rescue).

She arrived in a stretch Limosune and was a hit all dressed up in sparkly gold glitter with a gold bow and leash! Her apperance made it onto the live broadcast on TV and into several major newspapers. She has also been filmed by Totally Wild Childrens program, Channel 7 Mackay, The Lifestyle Channel, Channel 7 Toowoomba. She has been a feature at the Blue Hills Pig Day Out, Rare Breed day,Brisbane Spectacular Petacular, Queen St Mall Endangered Species Day, Laidley Show and Rockstock, and is a Major Attraction at the Australian Events Home & Lifestyle shows & Pet & Animal Expos - Toowoomba,Mackay,Townsville. Tammy has also had Newspaper articles on her by - Courier Mail, The Chronicle, The Queensland Times and The Daily Mercury.

Tammy's friendly personality means she also gets on well with the other animals at Arabanoo Kelpie Stud where she lives.  It is common to see her wrestling with the young dogs, lying down for the pups to crawl over her, investigating creatures in the grass with the cat or even helping to round up the cattle and sheep with the kelpies. She also likes to share the hay with the horses.
She looks for attention from everyone and loves a pat and cuddle from the children and adults alike!!!

Mark and I have high hopes for Tammy and her ability to become the face in promoting rare breeds of domestic livestock. This has happened, and Tammy The Tamworth Pig is now becoming a household name. She has her own FACEBOOK page, FACEBOOK group and YOUTUBE videos.

Tammy is well travelled and toilet trained so can go anywhere to help promote Rare Breeds, educate the public and to entertain everyone.

If you would like Tammy to appear at your next event - Contact Us now.

We thank those that have sent folk our way to help: