February 9, 2012
Dandy and I had an amazing time at herding class today. He is SO eager to please and gets very happy when he knows he has done a good job...then he wants to cuddle! :) Our goal is to compete in "started A course" on sheep at the herding trial here in July. Today we worked with both sheep and ducks.
Ginny and Clover are both now certified by the OFA as having normal thyroids.
I have been speaking with an awesome collie breeder in Ohio about a possible mate for Clover this fall...more info soon! :) This will be our first time trying chilled semen. Our vet has a lot of experience with it and has had very good results, so we'll see.
In other news, Acala, from Storm and Dandy's 2009 litter, competed in her first obedience trial last month and now has a "BN" (beginner novice) title after her name! She is also part way to her "CD" (companion dog) title! Go, Acala and Cara!!! :)
January 27, 2012
Things have quieted down around here with no puppies! I took Clover and Ginny in for thyroid testing last week, and Ginny and I are starting an obedience class next week. In other news, I am very excited about a possible summer litter between Ginny and Jake at Bella Collies (Clover's sire). These puppies should be gorgeous and have wonderful personalities too! Please let me know if you would like to be on my email list to receive updated information about litter plans.
The other exciting (sort of) news is that I am now a distributor of Black Gold "Ultimate Adult" dog food. I got tired of the local store running out of this food, which I have found to be by far the best food in its price range...and now I will never run out again. LOL! Click on my Dog Food link if you would like more information.
January 5, 2012
The eye exams on December 30th went very well--seven normal eyed and two mild CH! The puppies are eight weeks old today. Four have gone to their new homes over the last few days, and the other five will be leaving this weekend. All of the owners I have met so far have been wonderful, wonderful people!! It feels great to know all these babies are going to awesome new homes!! Here is a picture of Domino, now Smokey, in his new home--
For more photos, check out our Facebook page!
December 14, 2011
The puppies are five weeks today, and are so active, playful and cuddly now. They will have their second wormings today, and also I was able to move their CERF eye exam appointment up to December 30th. It is better to examine collie puppy eyes sooner rather than later, as after eight weeks they can "go normal" and appear to have normal eyes when they actually have very mild CEA. It's not a huge deal, but better to get an accurate idea of each puppy's eye check.
December 9, 2011
All puppies raised here at Romany Collies will now be microchipped before leaving us! I will let the new owners know how to add their information to the microchip database.
Also, the owner of Maggie from Storm and Dandy's 2010 litter sent me this picture today--
It turns out Maggie is a lap collie. :)
December 7, 2011
We got Ginny's preliminary OFA hip results and she is OFA "good"! The pups are four weeks tomorrow and are thriving, playing, eating moistened kibble, and just generally being adorable. They have an appointment scheduled with the vet on Christmas Eve for check-ups and first vaccinations, and an appointment scheduled with the eye doctor on January 3rd for CERF eye exams. Click HERE for the latest Flickr pics.
All of Storm's pups are sold! Please contact me for more information regarding a possible spring or summer litter from Clover or Ginny!
November 14, 2011
Storm's babies are doing well! And, I have created a web page for the litter. To see it click HERE. There is also a link on that page to a Flickr account where I will try to post new puppy pics each week. Posting pictures to Flickr is much faster and easier than uploading them to my website...so I will probably primarily be doing that.
November 10, 2011
Puppies are here! Storm and I were up all night last night!! She had NINE healthy babies--six male and three female.
Pink for girls, blue for boys, but #1 is actually a boy. All the others are correct. :)
I will be posting more individual pics soon. Meanwhile if you are on the waiting list, I will be contacting you! If you are not on the list but you are interested in a puppy, please contact me. We were not expecting nine, and there may be one or two available!
October 31, 2011
Happy Halloween! We are waiting impatiently for puppies...!!!
Also, I (Kate) am working with the owner of Bronwyn from Storm's 2010 litter on the creation of a small book entitled "Your New Collie Puppy." This book will be something we can give out to all of our puppy buyers. It will answer some of the more common questions people have when they have just added a collie to their lives, and it will have some cute pictures in it too. :)
Finally, Clover had her hips x-rayed last week and we sent the x-rays off to OFA for a preliminary rating. Our vet thought her hips looked wonderful!
October 21, 2011
Storm passed her Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test today, with flying colors. And Dandy did wonderfully at herding class!
October 18, 2011
Storm had her ultrasound yesterday and is expecting "at least four" puppies. She is due around November 10th.
September 19, 2011
Storm is hopefully pregnant! Also, Storm and Dandy's daughter Indiana is visiting us this week. Her personality reminds me so much of Storm--she is just a sweet, loving girl, so eager to please. I love her!
Indy on the porch! 9/18/2011
August 31, 2011
Clover got her PT herding title in August at the CCA Western Regional Herding Trial! At only nine months of age! We will be continuing on with started A course. Also Storm is coming into season right now, so puppies are predicted for early November, ready to go home in early January. I will be contacting those on the waiting list once I know more about specific dates. Please become our fan on Facebook for more updates!
June 5, 2011
I've been enterng data into an online pedigree database which, if more people started using it, could be an awesome resource for breeders of all breeds...!! Anyone can enter information and can access the information entered by everyone else. Click HERE to see Clover's pedigree! :)
May 20, 2011
Romany Collies is on Facebook! Become a fan today!! :)
May 16, 2011
It is hard to believe that Clover and Ginny are six months old already. Clover is 37 pounds and Ginny is 41 pounds. They both have wonderful temperaments! They love to ride in the car, and are very loving and tolerant with our kids and our kids' friends. They also are trustworthy around our free-range chickens, which is awesome. They are going to try a herding class on May 26th--should be interesting!
In other news a friend of ours in Montana just bought a beautiful blue merle male collie, Griz, who we are looking at as a potential mate for Ginny in the future. Take a look at my blog to see some updated pics of our collies and a few pics of Griz.
April 6, 2011
Bronwyn and Merlin from Storm's 2010 litter came to visit last weekend! They are now eight months old. I posted a few pictures on my blog. (Also if anyone would like to follow my blog, right now it has one follower. LOL.) Bronwyn was really interested in the sheep and poultry, and hopefully she's going to meet us at Brigand's Hideout some time soon to try a herding class! I'll take Ginny and Clover also and see how they do.
In other news Ginny got her CEA results back from Optigen and is a normal eyed carrier, which is pretty much what I expected. It would be nice to be able to breed her to a noncarrier male so we don't have to worry about eye checks. We're still waiting on her PRA results.
We got some new pictures of Cookie and Raven from Gypsy's litter. I will post them on the "new homes" page. :)
March 23, 2011
Well, Francie isn't getting on a plane after all--she's gone to live with my brother and sister-in-law who recently lost their Akita. They were looking for another *big* dog and it seems like a perfect fit. We'll be able to visit her when we go down to San Diego this summer. And best of all, Francie gets to be an only dog!
In other news we joined the Pacific Northwest Herding Club and we're looking forward to getting involved!
Also we got some pictures of Kip and Archie from Storm and Dandy's 2009 litter. They are about 15 months old now. I put Archie's pictures on my blog (click HERE) and here is Kip:
Kip has strong herding instinct and helps her owners keep their chickens where they should be! She is also training in agility and will begin competing this summer.
March 14, 2011
I took Ginny to the vet today for microchipping, rabies shot, and a blood draw for Optigen testing. She will be tested for both CEA and PRA. She did wonderfully at the vet--she loves everyone she meets and is a very sweet girl. :)
Francie hasn't come home yet--we're having some trouble with the airlines and the requirements regarding the size of her crate. I'm hoping to get her home in the next few days.
March 3, 2011
We had a lot of snow in the past week, and I took a lot of pictures! I created a blog a while ago, but haven't been using it, so I decided to post some snow pictures there. Click HERE to see it. I'll try to update the blog every couple of weeks or so.
In other news, I'm going to pick up Storm on Saturday, and Francie is flying home from San Diego next Wednesday. I need to get out to Costco and buy a few more dog beds! :)
February 21, 2011
Storm is staying with our friends at Cascade Mountains Collie Farm for two weeks with Indiana and Gandalf (THANK YOU JULIE AND ANDY!). She is in heat and we did not want to risk an "oops" litter if she stayed here with Dandy. With four kids you can't be sure someone won't open a door that should have stayed closed... :)
I took Clover over with me when I dropped Storm off so she could see her brother Gandalf, and they had a lot of fun playing together.
Storm, Indiana, Clover and Gandalf
Clover and Gandalf!
February 14, 2011
Happy Valentine's Day! Bronwyn and Merlin (from Storm's 2010 litter) graduated from puppy class! I posted a few pics on the "New Homes" page. I got a new digital camera today, so hopefully will take some better pictures of all the dogs soon.
February 7, 2011
We are hoping to donate a puppy from Storm's next litter to Oregon Assistance Dogs to be trained as a service dog! Heather from OAD came by on Saturday and gave all our collies (Storm, Dandy, Clover and Ginny) the Volhard temperament test and they all did wonderfully! Some comments from Heather:
"They are social, curious dogs with low startle and a mild temperament that would be appropriate for pets, therapy dogs, as well as service work. They all scored very well with different aptitudes. The slight variation in temperament is good because people vary in temperament. With the good foundation temperament, focusing on the strengths of the pups that they produce compared to the lifestyle and personality of new owners will help achieve a highly successful placement."
Even though we already knew it, it is very gratifying to hear from a professional that our dogs have wonderful temperaments. :)
January 31, 2011
Collies are great with cats! :)
Rusty, the rescue collie available in Oregon, has found a new home!
Clover and Ginny are having a great time in puppy class, and I'm hoping to take Stormy in for her CGC test soon. It should be a piece of cake for her...after we review "stay" a little bit...then Dandy will be next! :)
January 18, 2011
Happy Martin Luther King Day! :) I just learned about "Rusty," a beautiful old fashioned collie available in Oregon through Cascade Collie Rescue...click HERE to see him!
In other news, Clover and Ginny are best friends and start puppy class tomorrow; Stormy is struggling with her weight a little bit after her last litter; Conrad is barking at any puppy who gets too close to him; and Dandy is just being himself and loving life. :) I am hearing back from new owners of Gypsy's babies and all are doing well!
January 6, 2011
Well, Gypsy has gone back to Widdershins Farm collies, and the last of her puppies, Charlie, went home to Boise with her new owners today! Clover is staying here, and we also have a new puppy--Ginny, from Georgia. She arrived on Tuesday and is already a part of the family. She is sweet, loving, playful, and a very smart puppy. We could not be happier with her! Clover and Ginny are good friends and playmates and should have a lot of fun growing up together.
December 30, 2010
Gandalf went home with Julie and Andy and their family today. They have Indiana from Storm and Dandy's last litter, and they have a beautiful new website for their collies. To see it, click HERE!
December 27, 2010
We survived the holidays! Puppies are leaving for new homes starting this Thursday. They all went to the vet on 12/23 and had health exams, parvo shots and a third worming. They are all healthy, with good bites, healthy hearts, and no umbilical hernias.
The kids are now running the puppies around the yard several times each day while I clean up their living area in the house. They seem to enjoy chasing the chickens. Then we let them run free in the house for a while. If Gypsy is inside, they follow her everywhere in a little stampeding herd wanting to nurse. She's pretty much done with nursing though!
December 18, 2010
Cindy has found a new home! All of the puppies from Gypsy's litter are sold.
Also, Storm and Dandy's 2009 litter is one year old today! Here is Archie's birthday picture:
December 5, 2010
We had a big collie (and human) gathering here yesterday--the visitors included Jake and his owners; Indiana and her owners; and Gypsy's "brother" Squid and his owners from Widdershins Farm Collies...Jake's owner Kathe (Bella Collies) took TONS of pictures of all the collies and the puppies...and a few great pictures of Conrad as well.
November 29, 2010
Acala, from Storm and Dandy's 2009 litter, got her Canine Good Citizen title!
Acala and her owner in Tennessee :)
Gypsy's babies had their first real food today--puppy kibble moistened with hot water. They loved it!
Also Conrad recovered amazingly quickly from his surgery and is doing great!!
November 19, 2010
Puppies' eyes are starting to open!!! I'll post pictures this weekend.
In other news, Conrad our 12.5 year old anatolian is at the vet today having a cancerous tumor removed from his back. The cancer has not spread and we are grateful for that. He is also now on meds for hypertension and arthritis. The fact that he is still with us at his age is pretty amazing considering anatolians are a giant breed. Clearly it is possible for giant breed dogs to have long healthy lifespans...unfortunately it is very uncommon in most breeds. Anatolians have been bred for eons on the plains of Turkey by nomadic shepherds, ruthlessly culled and selected for health and working ability only--and this is the result. Now they are being bred for the show ring and I expect that their life expectancy will be dropping drastically in the years to come.
Conrad at the vet's office
Storm has now completely blown her coat, and with cold weather approaching I'm sure we'll get to see her teeth chattering after she goes out to use the restroom. :) If you have never seen a dog's teeth chattering, it's pretty cute. Storm loves tending to Gypsy's puppies, and will lick them gently then lay down next to them like she wants to nurse them.
November 13, 2010
Gypsy had her babies on Sunday, November 7th! She had seven puppies--five girls and two boys. One of the girls was very tiny (about three ounces at birth) and I bottle fed her for a while, but now at one week old she is nursing well with the others and has grown to almost double her birth weight!
You can see Gypsy's puppies on her litter page, HERE.
All of Gypsy's puppies are sold.
October 14, 2010
Gypsy had her ultrasound this week and is expecting "at least eight" puppies and possibly "significantly more"! She is due anywhere from November 7 to November 11. She is spending most of her time sleeping, eating, or wishing she was eating, and now I understand why! LOL!
Storm is REALLY blowing out her coat now. She has a strip down her back that is still pretty furry, but the rest of her is not, and there is fur everywhere! Indiana, Bronwyn, Merlin (Baxter), and Jett (Big Boy) are already in their new homes and are doing great. I'm taking the last three puppies (Sandy, Lola and Maggie) up to Tumwater on Friday to meet their new owners. It is going to be very quiet and a little bit sad around here after Friday!
In other news our great pyrenees/german shepherd Frances is flying down to San Diego this weekend with my niece to live with my sister and her family. My niece and Francie have always been best friends, and they are very excited to have her. Francie will be an only dog at my sister's house and will not have to deal with all these annoying puppies. Hopefully their four cats will adapt to the sudden presence of a 100 pound dog in their home. :)
We will miss her but she is still in the family and we visit San Diego all the time, so we'll still be able to see a lot of her.