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FAQ - STIRLING COLLIES
(Updated Periodically-last updated 6/08)
Q. Is the Collie a good dog for children?
A. Yes, Collies are excellent with children. They are very gentle, and are quick to learn. Collies are known as the guardians, or keepers of children. If you take your collie on walks, they will herd the family, and worry about keeping everyone together when you are walking down the road. They adore their families and always watch over and protect them. We always suggest reading up on "Collies" to educate yourself about the breed, if new to this breed of dog. You can check out the
www.akc.orgwebsite, search for any breed description to learn/find out what type of breed is best for your situation.
Q. What is included in the price of my Collie?
A. Price includes: the Collie puppy/adult, AKC Registration, Vet Check, CERF Exam, 1 Year Health Guarantee, 2 Year Hip Guarantee, Interstate Health Certificate (when needed), Acclimation Certificate (when needed), Shots, Worming and sometimes a Rabies Vaccination (dependent upon the age of the puppy).
Q. Are you able to transport your Collies anywhere in the U.S.A., Canada, or Int'l?
A. Yes, we regularly use the airlines and/or ground transportation. Sometimes this is dependent upon the destination and/or weather as to which way we will deliver your puppy. We desire to provide the safest route possible, with the least amount of stress for your new Collie. We also provide delivery ourselves for a fee, and do meet families en-route on occasion.
Q. How old does my puppy have to be before it can be delivered by the airlines, or ground transportation?
A. The puppy is required to be at least 8 weeks old.
Q. How do I reserve a puppy/adult Collie?
A. A deposit of 1/2 the total purchase price is required to hold any puppy/adult until delivery. The remaining balance is required to be paid in full at least 7 days before the transport date, unless a direct deposit is made. All funds need to clear before delivery.
Q. Is my deposit transferable if I should change my mind and want a different puppy?
A. Yes, the deposit is transferable to any of our puppies/adult collies.
Q. Is my deposit completely refundable if the puppy/adult Collie does not pass the health check, or cerf exam?
A. Yes, your deposit is completely refundable, or transferable to a different Collie.
Q. Is my deposit completely refundable if I change my mind on purchasing a puppy from an upcoming litter, or available litter, after I have reserved it?
A. No. If you change your mind after reserving a puppy, there will be a $100.00 non-refundable fee. Please make sure you are looking for a puppy before putting a deposit down on one. If you are a minor, I require the parents to notify me that the purchase is approved. We have placed certain policies in force within our business, to assist us in placing our puppies into "forever" homes. If every family was to place a deposit down on an upcoming litter, or puppy, and then change their mind because "another puppy came along sooner from somewhere else", "decided to wait", (for examples), a lot of additional work is then required to find new loving homes for the puppy(ies) left behind. We plan our breedings around families that are on our wish lists. This is one of the reasons that I have a FAQ's page to assist families before purchasing a puppy. Our desire is for each family to be "sure about their decision, and committed to their puppy" once deciding on purchasing one from an upcoming litter, or one that is already available.
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Q. What forms of payment do you accept?
A. We accept cash, paypal, personal check, cashier's check, money orders, direct deposit into our checking account and
visa/mastercard/discover.Please make your checks payable to Stirling Collies. Email us for our complete mailing address. We are located in Clearwater, Minnesota.
Q. I don’t want to take possession of my puppy at 8 weeks old. Can I wait until it is a little bit older?
A. Yes, we occasionally will make arrangements to hold onto puppies/adults for longer periods of time; a small fee is involved.
Q. What type of "Canned" Dog Food do you use?
A. We are making our own "homemade" beef, and turkey, with brown rice and water, "Doc's ingredients list" dog food. We were thrilled with the response our collies had been showing with the "DOC'S Real Food For Dogs" and were saddened that they closed their facility. They did not eat very much, yet they were healthy, happy, and pooped even less then when they were just on the Diamond Dog Food (I love the Diamond Food for 3 reasons, they eat less, poop less, and their stools are firmer).
At the present time, we will continue to feed home-made fresh turkey, and beef, mixed with brown rice and water, and Diamond Dog Food. I prefer that our collies have something hard to chew on to help keep their teeth clean (I still believe they need to have something hard to chew on periodically, so we provide them with raw beef bones). In the future, we may be switching over to only our homemade dog food, and then we will provide our collies each with a few more raw, beef bones to chew on, or treats periodically to help keep their teeth clean. Instead of being used as a treat while training, these treats will become part of their basic diet. I'll keep you posted as to when we switch over, on how their teeth react. There are many healthy chew treats on the market. Through trial and error, we have discovered a couple of treats that our collies adore (horse hooves, and pig ears are their favorite, among the standard soup bones, of course).
Q. What type of "Hard" Dog Food do you recommend?
A. We use “Diamond Premium Adult" and "Diamond Puppy" Food - purple bag.
DEC.2005 - PLEASE CHECK THE DIAMOND PET FOOD WEBSITE AS THEY WERE RECALLING SOME OF THEIR DOG FOOD, DUE TO A BACTERIA THAT WAS PRESENT IN CERTAIN BATCHES, WHICH CAN BE LIFE THREATENING. THEIR WEBSITE IS: http://www.diamondpetrecall.net/index.html
We have found this brand to contain healthy ingredients, which in turn means that they eat less, poop less, and their stools are firmer. We will provide dog food with the puppy when it is delivered. That way, if you intend to switch brands you may do so gradually. This helps to minimize loose stools and stomach upset.
Q. Do you recommend any Vitamin Supplements for Collie puppies, or older Collies?
A. We recommend NuVet Plus and for older collies, NuJoint Plus. Allergies, skin and coat problems, arthritis, tumors, cancer, cataracts, strokes and heart disease are just a few of the 50 major diseases caused by free radicals. Unfortunately these diseases lead to suffering and premature death in pets.
The Veterinarians, Physicians, Pharmacists, and Nutritional Scientists of NuVet Labs have blended a precise combination of "human grade", natural vitamins, minerals, herbs and antioxidants proven to combat the ravages of free radicals.
We highly recommend continuing to keep your puppy on these vitamins. These powerful antioxidants added to their diet, will give your puppy a tremendous boost to the immune system. This means your puppy's skin and coat should NOT develop problems and it will have a strong defense against over 50 diseases, as well as extending the life span of your puppy. It is so important to build a strong immune system to prevent things from happening and maintaining overall good health. NuVet Plus will save you from having expensive vet bills. These vitamins can not be bought in stores. By using my Breeder order code #58606, you will be allowed to purchase NuVet from the company directly at about 45% less than vets charge. They also have an "auto ship" program that will save you an additional 15%.
We encourage you to order your puppy's vitamins before picking up your puppy, since the samples that are sent home with him/her will only last for a few days.
For more information about NuVet Labs, and their other products: www.nuvet.com/58606, or 1800-474-7044. We HIGHLY recommend them, as we have SEEN fantastic results!
***We offer a lifetime free replacement puppy, from one of our future litters, if your puppy is kept on the daily NuVet supplements and does not reach life expectancy.***
Q. Do you recommend MicroChipping?
A. We highly recommend MicroChipping your puppy/adult collie for their health and safety. Many collies are lost, or stolen each year, never to be reunited with their families due to lack of proper identification. Collars can be removed, and tatoo's can be altered. A MicroChip is a safe way to permanently identify your collie as belonging to "you". If your Collie is found by an animal shelter, they can contact you immediately. If you intend to have your collie OFA certified, and Cerf certified, a MicroChip is required. We offer this service at a very affordable price, usually less then what a Vet would charge.
Q. Are your Collies MicroChipped?
A. Yes, all of our Collies are MicroChipped for their health/safety, and for AKC proper identification purposes.
Q. Do you participate in the rescue of abandoned and owner-relinquished purebreds, or broker other breeder’s litters?
A. We prefer to find good homes for any/all Collies, instead of allowing them to end up in dog shelters/pounds/or homeless, due to a variety of circumstances. Yes, we will help other breeder’s find homes for their AKC litters and/or adult AKC collies. We do have a “wish list” for notifying a family if a dog becomes available that suits their description.
Q. Do you breed your females every heat cycle?
A.We usually do not breed every heat cycle - usually ever other, sometimes longer. We feel our females need time to recover and just have fun being a part of our family. When we have a large wish list, we then decide on which Sire and Dam to pair off and breed, in hopes of obtaining that particular "lineage-look, or color", while trying to remain true to the AKC Collie conformation. We continue to strive to improve our collies, while maintaining the tempernment and health of each litter.
Q. Why do you breed Collie Mix Puppies?
A. The reasons we breed Collie Mix puppies on occasion is a lot of families will trust having a mixed breed, rather then a purebred dog for a family pet; or they can not afford the price of a purebred, but like the Collie personality. We plan our Collie Mix breedings very carefully, once we have a wish list. That way, most of the puppies are promised a home that is waiting for them, before they are even born.
Q. Do you require a visit to your facility before the purchase of a puppy?
A. You are not required to visit. You are welcome to visit our facility anytime to see where the puppies are born, and how they’re being raised. Just let us know if you would like to stop by and visit our Collies and our facility. Our Collies are our family pets… The puppies are played with, socialized, and nurtured until arriving in their new homes. We desire our puppies to become members of their new family and fit right in…
Q. Do you require all non-show quality puppies that are for sale to be spayed/neutered?
A. Usually, non-show quality, or pet quality puppies are priced at a spay/neuter price. Spaying or neutering is done (at the appropriate age) by the new owner.
Q. What is the difference between Full and Limited AKC registration?
A. AKC stands for the American Kennel Club. Full AKC registration means you are allowed to participate in all AKC sanctioned events. Full AKC registration also means that future offspring produced can be registered with the AKC.
Limited AKC registration means the puppy comes from fully registered, purebred parents and can be registered with the AKC. Limited registration does not allow for any offspring produced by "limited" AKC registered dogs to be eligible for AKC registration. Limited participation will be allowed in some AKC sanctioned events.
Q. If for some reason we are unable to keep the dog after we purchase it, do you require the dog to be returned to your facility?
A. If your family is unable to keep the dog, and if we have space available, we will take the dog in, and find it a new home. NO REFUNDS ARE GIVEN. Each family does have the option of finding a new home for their dog on their own, to try and recoup their expenses (updating Stirling Collies is required). If the family is not interested in taking the time to screen all new potential families for their dog, the dog is required to be brought back to our Facility. Dogs are not allowed to be given to the Humane Society, or Shelters as an option.
Q. Do you sell/consign your AKC Collies to pet shops, or research facilities?
A. No we only sell our Collies to individuals/families.
Q. How do I obtain information about showing my Collie in conformation or obedience?
A. The AKC website has a wealth of information on Dog Shows. The three types of dog shows are specialty, group and all-breed. Remember, your AKC registered Collie must be at least six months old to enter a show. Dogs that are spayed or neutered are only eligible to be shown in stud dog and brood bitch classes.
Q. What is the standard size of the Female and Male Collie?
A. The standard size of a Female Collie is 22”-24” tall and 50-65lbs. The standard size of the Male Collie is 24”-26” tall and 60-75lbs. The larger, what I call “Farm” Collies can/do grow to over 100lbs. The “Lassie” used to be bred larger, as the child actors matured, which is one reason why we see the larger Collies around today.
Q. What is the difference between a “smooth coat”, and a “rough coat”?
A. The Smooth Coat Collie has a short, hard, dense, flat coat, with an abundance of undercoat. The Rough Coat Collie is the “Lassie” look, or longhaired Collie.
Q. What colors do Collies come in?
A. Collies come in a variety of colors.
1. Sable/White is predominately sable (a fawn sable color of varying shades from light gold to dark mahogany) with white markings usually on the chest, neck, legs, feet and the tip of the tail.
2. Tri-Color is predominantly black, carrying white markings as in a “Sable/White and has tan shadings on and about the head and legs.
3. Blue Merle is a mottled or “marbled” color predominantly blue-grey and black with white markings as in the “Sable/White” and usually has tan shadings as in the “Tri-color”.
4. Sable Merle is a mottled or “marbled” color predominantly brownish merling on the body or head and may or may not remain at maturity, with white markings as in the “Sable/White”.
5. White is a predominantly white, preferably with a sable, tri-color or blue merle markings.
Q. What does “Wf” mean?
A. “Wf” is an abbreviation for “white factored”. White factored dogs usually have a large white frill, a heavy white tail tip, possibly a body splash of white hairs and white extending upward from their hind feet over the stifle and will meet the white underbody.
Q. What is a “Tri-factored Sable”, or “Tf”?
A. Sable Collies carrying the tricolor gene in conjunction with the dominant sable gene.
Q. How do I house-train my puppy?
A. I prefer to use the Crate-Training method. A Collie, (as with any dog) would prefer to not mess where they sleep. If you can confine them in a small area, they will then notify you when they need to go. Give them the command, “outside” and take them outside to the area that you want them to go. If your puppy wets/poops in your home, wipe it up with a paper towel, and then place the paper towel outside where you want the puppy to go next time. Each time you take your puppy outside, immediately bring him/her over to the paper towel, and give the command, “go potty”. Remember to bring your puppy outside right away after eating, sleeping, and playing. Collies learn very fast, so don’t worry their bladders will become stronger, and they will be able to hold it for longer periods of time. This too shall pass… before you know it – potty training is done…
Q. What books do you recommend to read about Collies, or just dogs in general?
A. * The Collie Breeder's Handbook - by the Collie Club of America
* The Care Of The Collie-Written For The Amateur - by F.W. Avery
* Collie - by Samatha Moore
* Natural Nutrition for Dogs and Cats - by K. R. Schultze
* The Collie: Its Show Points - by Thomas Baker
* The Nature of Animal Healing - by Martin Goldstein, D.V.M.
* How To Raise And Train A Collie - by Sarah Barbaresi
* Purely Positive Training Companion to Competition - by Sheila Booth
* Collie Genetics And Breeding - by Dr. Lee Ford
* Collies As Pets - by Madeline Miller
* The Collie A Veterinary Reference For The Professional Breeder - by Sharon Lynn Vanderlip
* What Vets Don’t Tell You About Vaccines - by Catherine O’Driscoll
* Training and Care Of Collies - by Edwin Andrew Rogers
* Emergency First Aid For Dogs - By Tamara S. Shearer, D.V.M.
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