That aside, several years ago the top five names were Jessie, Sam, Jack, Max and Ben. Dog was a disappointing sixth.

Minister for Local Government Shelley Hancock has just announced the top names for 2020 to encourage owners to register their dogs on the NSW Pet Registry.

Of 1.5 million dogs on the registry, Bella was the top name with 31,023 while Max (26,047) and Molly (23,610) rounded out the top three followed by Charlie, Buddy, Jack, Lucy, Ruby, Coco and Roxy. Rover was nowhere to be seen.

There were other interesting names at last year's Molong sheep dog trials with Whites Benny winning the novice championship while border collie Spockette named after Star Trek's Dr Spock took out the open. Other dogs to do well were Me Mate Meg, Rabbit, Stormy, Cat and Tonka.

And behind every good farmer is a good working dog and in the pub at the end of the day tales are rife about their wonderful deeds.

Gulgong breeder Pip Hudson, tongue in cheek, loves telling a story of the city slicker who asked about one of his sheep dogs called Rocky Sky who was happily sitting outside in the back of the ute.

The dog was a genius, Pip told him. He rounded up the sheep, caught rabbits, got the mail out of the box, chased the crows away and kept an eye on the homestead.

The visitor asked whether he could buy him a drink. 'No way', said Pip. 'He has to drive me home...'

Minister Hancock has encouraged people thinking of getting a dog to visit an RSPCA shelter or council pound and rescue one rather than buying.

She said the NSW Government was offering half-price registration fees for dogs adopted from any rescue shelter.

Back In December the first Orange-grown cherries were sent to China with growers hopeful the continuing trade tensions would not affect more exports.

But China has slapped sanctions on a range of Aussie imports including wine and barley and cherries could be next on the list.

Chinese State-owned media has branded our cherries as being of 'inferior quality' with 'taste not as good as it once was...'

The Global Times says Cherries from Chile have the largest share of the Chinese market because of better quality and lower price. Cherry exports in 2019 were worth nearly $80 million with about 30 per cent of the crop going to China.

Orange cherries were also part of a 1000 kilogram load that went to Vietnam last December.

We're the world capital of roundabouts but the one at Kite and Hill urgently needs reconstruction work.

Going west is like being in a Redex reliability trial with your vehicle bouncing over rough mounds in the bitumen.

It probably needs digging up and starting again, even if only on the southern side.

Fred: "I hear your wife has just had twins. Were they boys or girls?"

Bill: "One boy and one girl. Or maybe it was the other way around..."

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