Crawford Dogs

Puppy mills are terribly sad things. Strangely enough clients bring their new "high quality" puppies in reguarly with tapeworms, fleas, and ringworm. $1200 for what? And of course, if they know it's from a puppy mill they proudly tell everyone how they "rescued" the puppy. Rescued by paying large sums of money? Confused in Iowa.

I've run into several people with conformation-bred border collies. They all love their dog because the dog is cute, sweet, smart, and mellow. They love the absence of drive and the absence of a distinct personality. Every family has told me how they make such wonderful pets unlike other, non-conformation border collies they've had in the past. Ocassionally I run into some conformation border collies taking herding lessons. What the owners call herding and think is working is quite different from what my dog does. One of the owners actually asked me what type of dog Loki was. I guess they couldn't understand how a crouching, intense dog could be called the same breed. I understand that confusion as every time I run into a show border collie I assume it's a show aussie. I have learned not to tell owners what a beautiful coat their aussie has before checking for a tail. If I were asked if the show border collie was the same breed as a working border collie I'd have to say no. Although I'm sure they exist, I have yet to meet a show border collie with a personality, border collie mentality, or working instinct. They are sweet, cute, fluffy, and undeniably different. I would honestly be bored by a dog that makes the perfect pet. I'd rather have my sheep-obsessed, owner focused, and overly intelligent hairballs. After all, they are mine right?

I think it's a combination of nature and nuture. I raised a border collie from a young age and she was never a snuggler despite my love of snuggling. But I've also gotten in rescues that were afraid of the world- once they got past some of their fears they turned into the biggest snugglers around. Rosie was a rescue who used to be afraid of people. Now she loves to snuggle and squeals with happiness at the sight of people.

Perhaps they are trying to get rich and think that curly Border Collies could only come from a deliberate cross? My red boy, Loki, is curly but thank goodness he's all Border Collie. I can't imagine the use of a "Border Doodle" much less the other bizarre "designer" dogs that people have come up with. About 6 yrs ago when I picked up my Rosie from an Iowa shelter (the foster dog that never left- lol!) they had runs full of "Border Doodle" puppies." I didn't see them (I was too busy watching Rose bite the shelter staff repeatedly) but my friend about laughed herself silly. Apparently they looked pretty odd and . I do wonder if they would look like my Loki but of course, they wouldn't be nearly as cute. Loki showing his mad curls. http://www.flickr.com/photos/crawforddogs/8365611817/ The amazing duo, Rose and Loki. http://www.flickr.com/photos/crawforddogs/10500000224/ Bethany, Nosie Rose, and Loki-mon

I don't approve of quite a bit of what occurs in the show ring but I do like the CGC and AKC STAR programs. The Canine Good Citizen (CGC) is focused on rewarding owners who have trained their dogs the basics that are necessary for them to be dogs that do well in public and around the neighbors. For many owners the CGC is an obtainable goal and can be a stepping stone to further training. For many the idea of having a dog that comes, sits, or stays on command is "magic." I am proud of every client who has taken even one dog training class as those dogs will usually stay in that home instead of ending up in the shelter system. The AKC STAR program is basically a baby version of the CGC. Every dog I've owned has been through the CGC test (makes home insurance & landlords happy) and my youngest, Loki, went through the AKC STAR test on his last day of puppy class. That being said, neither of my dogs is AKC registered nor am I considering registering them. And I do recognize that they are putting a heavy emphasis on profit. Seriously, why would I buy a tag bragging that my dog passed a CGC test? Of course, I wonder if the Petco/AKC deal is going to lead to many more "AKC" collars, leashes, and toys. Oh well, it can't be worse than Cesar Milan gear.

My pup Loki did that as a youngster and still does as an adult although he runs straight. When we hit the trail Loki always runs straight about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile and then spins and races back to me. He checks in and then repeats. After a couple laps he settles into wrestling/racing with other dogs as we walk down the trail. Later he and the other dogs will stalk each other and run more laps. Loki has a lot of energy and loves to run! That being said, when he's at home he's a complete couch potato. It's completely normal. Some dogs simply love to run while others (aka Rose) like to go at a slow pace. Bethany, Rose, & Loki

Yes, my two border collies are on Sentinel. We are using it because Rose has an autoimmune disease and the specialist doesn't want her on ivermectin-based products. The dogs eat it just fine. I've had no issues with it. I used to use Interceptor but I've gone through my stock of it and cannot buy more in the US. Bethany, Rosie, and Loki

Thanks Mark for all the valuable info! Working in a vet clinic with a lot of Border Collie fanatics you can probably imagine how many people have heard about and are reading this post today. I'm looking forward to the official research report. Do you know if it will be made available to the general public and posted in a journal? Thanks! Bethany, Rose, and Loki

You aren't stupid. In fact, you're quite the opposite. You are a caring owner and have clearly put a lot of thought into Quinn's care. My dogs do see a veterinary chiropractor who practices both holistic and conventional medicine. And growing up I worked at a veterinary clinic that did both holistic and conventional medicine. Neither of these veterinarians feel that one approach is exclusive to the other. You may find a veterinarian near you that has similar views. No matter what happens, as long as Quinn is improving your goal has been met. Bethany

What a fascinating new approach to arthritis. I don't think I'd ever choose to go that route but I'm interested to see what develops over the next few years.

Donald says that, "Perhaps in "herding" or rally, the potential puppy buyer has more time." I'd like to think that Donald is not trying to purposefully belittle those that don't own a farm and sheep but it's pretty obvious that this is all the above post is about. Sadly, like most people I can only afford to feed a certain number of dogs and value my time quite highly. Therefore I find it takes me less time/money to do a small amount of research compared to the cost of feeding and paying the medical bills of a sickly dog. Yes, I am one of those weirdos that keeps each dog their entire life whether they work out or not. And yes, I do find it quite useful to put down a deposit before I research. If I lose a deposit because the pup is not right then I have merely lost a little bit of money versus a lifetime of dealing with a problematic dog.

Ouch! Poor pup. Sounds pretty similar to Rose. Rose's eyes do stay abnormally dilated but now that she's on meds it's not quite as noticeable.

Usually IMR doesn't show up until around 6+ yrs of age but they can be symptomatic of it for years before hand. They can test for it using a Melan-100 unit at any stage of the disease. Rose has always had times when I wondered about her vision (all my walls have holes in them from Rose's head) but of course, she didn't go to the opthamologist until it became a really big issue that couldn't be discounted as clumsiness/inattention. I don't know if IMR can be influenced by genetics or not. I was told that genetics could have some influence (dogs with allergies are more prone to developing it) but overall IMR and SARDS are not considered genetic diseases. IMR and SARDs are seen most often in dogs with allergies and/or cancer. Usually something such as a vaccination, a tumor, or severe allergies increase the chance of triggering these diseases. The disease often leads to kidney and/or liver failure. Most dogs don't live more than a couple years after being diagnosed. Luckily Rose is the dog that nothing can kill so I'm not too worried. If Rose can survive a 3 month stint at the shelter before being adopted, DIC (Disseminated intravascular coagulation), multiple obstructions (you ate mulch/rocks/etc again??), and pancreatitis I'm sure she can survive IMR. SHe is a "white" border collie with no history of allergies. If IMR is caught early enough progression can be slowed through the use of immunosuppresants. But in the end the lights will probably go out. Liz, I certainly hope the pup you met doesn't have it! http://www.flickr.com/photos/crawforddogs/8365610723/ Bethany, Rose, and Loki

Rose was my agility dog (doesn't work stock as she wants to grip non-stop) and was starting to trial last fall. She was having eye issues all winter, was unable to follow body cues or see obstacles, and was finally diagnosed with Immune Mediated Retinopathy in March. Her vision improved a bit on immunosuppresants but has recently been going back downhill. She saw the opthamologist last week and the good news is that she has no new retinal lesions. The bad news is that they may need to add a second immunosuppressive drug if her decline continues. As far as we can tell Rose can still see outlines and shadows in daylight. In low-light situations she can't see much at all. Sometimes she can have issues recalling at dusk/early morning (she gets into my vicinity but isn't sure where I am) and has finally adjusted to going outside after dark (has to go down steps). Occasionally she accidently goes into a running dog's path and causes a collision. My younger dog is learning to watch out for her as she will correct any dog that collides with her but sometimes collisions are still unavoidable. Has anyone ever had a Border collie with IMR or SARDs? How have you helped your blind/low-vision dog adjust to new situations? Bethany, Rose, and Loki

Sounds like Bailey has found the perfect home. I would certainly take Bailey into the vet as soon as possible. Trifexis should not be used in dogs with a history of seizures (per their label) and my vet does not recommend using Trifexis in collie breeds due to the side effects of the spinosad ingredient. She said that she sees some border collies and aussies seizing after being started on Trifexis. Sentinel is on the market now and does not contain the spinosad. I hope Bailey feels better soon and I hope to see more photos in the future. Bethany, Rose, and Loki

When I find a planned breeding I think I might want a pup out of I ask for the pedigrees. Then I look to see what health testing was done in the past 4 generations. I also check cousins, aunts, uncles, and siblings of dogs in the pedigree. Usually I find a trend of a few health issues that are "randomly" showing up repeatedly. Sometimes the pedigree indicates that my pup will probably be a carrier of those issues. So, now I know a bit more than I did before. Sometimes I may decide that I don't want to take a risk on that pup. Throughout the pup's life I will add health checks of relatives to my pup's file and continue building knowledge of what my dog may carry or be affected by. But, weird things can show up that may or may not be genetic and not everyone will tell you there is a health issue. So, researching a pedigree is never as useful as it could be in a perfect world. I'm sure that many breeders do something similar so they can make sure that they don't breed potential carriers of a condition to one another. And, I must admit that I do also check to see what potential colors, coat types, and patterns that I would expect to see in the litter. Although I won't pick a litter based on color I do prefer reds and tri's to black/whites. Everyone has their own preference.

I haven't seen it anywhere in this thread (although I could have missed it!) so here's something to amaze you. Lockeye Border Collies used to have a page on setting ears although I don't see it up anymore (Note: my dog's aren't lockeyes, I just cruise the internet a lot when I can't sleep). They've replaced it with a page of ear photos, perhaps due to critism? I knew a doberman show-fanatic who had all her dog's ears taped. They'd get cropped and taped pretty young and would need constant attention. Of course, they'd get skin infections and allergic reactions to the tape. Strangely enough she didn't think allergies indicated that a dog should be culled from breeding programs? I prefer my guys to have the ears they were meant to have. I've had prick, semiprick, and a combination thereof. Loki's ears are prick except for 1 ear is tipped. And when he's seriously working he holds one ear down. Kind of cute. Rose's ears are only up when she's feeling confident but they are semi-prick. I've known people who taped their border collie's ears but most did it as they didn't want a dog with asymmetrical ears. Funnily enough the more they taped the more assymetrical the ears ended up being. Maybe because they'd tape the "rogue" ear and not the "good" ear. Then the "good" ear would go "rogue." Watching months of taping jobs did provide me with a great deal of amusement. But seriously, taped ears look taped. They don't match the dog's head and it's usually pretty obvious that they'd been altered at some point. But, it's a personal preference. Luckily I am able to choose months of amusing photos as my pup grows into their ears. If I taped them the pup wouldn't have the constantly changing ears that make puppy photos so cute.

I've had several white factored dogs over the years and am not particularly concerned about it as a health issue. Unless of course, both parents were merles. Rose is my white girl that I got from a shelter at 9 months of age. She has several health issues but the only one that could have any genetic components would be her eye issues. She had just started competing in agility and was taking agility classes again after a break when she began having issues. She'd always appeared to have some vision issues sporadically but this was bad enough for her to end up at the opthamologist. The opthamologist diagnosed her with early Immune Mediated Retinopathy or potentially early SARDs. I'm sure that if I took her to a different doctor she'd get a different diagnosis as opthamologists seem to disagree frequently. She's on immunosuppressants but I've noticed her issues returning sporadically lately. I do not know if Rose is a double merle or just white factored. She does have one "merle" patterned ear that may or may not actually be merle. Loki is most likely white factored as well. He has a huge, full white collar, and white spots in the middle of his back. His dam was the same way and he has many cousins who are almost completely white. No health issues among any of them. I would not hesitate to get any pup related to him even if he/she were almost completely white. My photos are too large of a file size to upload? Well, then here's a link. Loki: http://www.flickr.com/photos/crawforddogs/8366692368/ Rose: http://www.flickr.com/photos/crawforddogs/8528548138/

This had me so fascinated I actually googled it. Didn't bring up anything more interesting than a link to this conversation! What a strange idea, a DNA test for weakness. I wonder what the breeder is trying to say?

Absolutely not. It is no one's business but mine. Many people, myself included, prefer to leave their dogs intact so that they have proper bone development, etc. There are many more issues than preventing puppy mills at hand. My dog's health is my foremost concern and I would honestly move out of any area that felt they needed to regulate my dog's reproductive abilities (or anything else for that matter). Also puppy mills get around many laws. The laws tend to damage reputable, small time breeders more often than the puppy mills.

What a great story! Fly is so lucky to have a partner that understands that winning isn't the only thing on earth. Your partnership is clearly more important. Bethany, Loki, & Rosie

Glycoflex works really well and it's NASC certified so you know they actually put in the bottle what it says on the label. I've used it for several dogs over the years. Also your vet might recommend some NSAID's.

I completely agree with Liz that the Dog Food rating sites aren't accurate. They are one person's personal opinion and that person isn't a trained animal nutritionist. What someone feeds their dog seems to be a personal choice in today's world. I don't know about 4H foods but in general I wouldn't feed a diet that hadn't had been through AAFCO feeding trials. If it says, " formulated to meet AAFCO requirements" on the bag then it hasn't been tested in feeding trials. Just because a diet has the required nutrients on laboratory tests doesn't mean that the dog's body can digest and utilize the nutrients. Also, it is a good idea to feed a high end diet made by a company that also produces prescription formulas because those companies perform a great deal of animal nutrition research and have a reputation to maintain. Bethany, Loki-mon, and Nosie Rosie

Luckily my vet clinic is carrying Sentinel again. Sadly Interceptor isn't back on the market but I'm stocked up on it until Christmas. My older Border Collie Rose cannot take ivermectin based products any more due to her eye condition. The opthamologist says he's seen Border Collies and other collie breeds showing similar eye conditions after exposure to ivermectin. She is tentively diagnosed with Immune Medated Retinopathy/SARDS and is on treatment with immunosuppressive drugs. Although studies have shown Ivermectin to be safe at the levels found in Heartguard I am reluctant to use it anymore on any of my dogs. Since the very expensive (argh!) opthamologist doesn't want any BC's (and Rose specifically) on Ivermectin products I no longer feel comfortable using it. But I think it's important to realize that all drugs can cause side effects and that each individual may respond differently to these chemicals. I have known a few Border Collies that had seizures after getting Heartguard but it seems safe in others. I personally avoid using any drugs until they have been on the market long enough for some safety data to be available from the population at large.

Congrats! Hope you have many great years together.