HOUSING

Collies are very people oriented dogs. Collies should be raised as house pets indoors with their people. It is not fair to raise your collie as an outside dog. Preferably all family pets should live indoors with their people regardless of breed. Most would agree that our pet dog is our best friend. Would you keep your best friend living outdoors in a dog house all the time? Many people regard their pet dog as a family member. Do any of your family members live outside in a dog house all the time? In every training class I can always pick out the dogs who are being kept as outdoor pets. These dogs are never as bonded to their owners & they are always harder to train. Dogs are pack animals & it is not normal for them to live in that kind of isolation thereby making this a cruel way to keep any dog. All dogs, collies included do need fresh air & outdoor exercise everyday in a safe confined area.Tying a dog out is not a safe or acceptable form of exercise & it can lead to injury and/or behavior problems. A fenced yard or a fenced kennel area are the only two acceptable & safe enclosures for your dog. There is no such thing as training a dog to stay within a certain area when unsupervised. DOGS ARE NOT SMALL PEOPLE IN FUR COATS. Collies are a herding breed & all herding breeds have a strong chase instinct. This means they can easily develop into car chasers, bunny chasers, bicycle chasers, or whatever. The electric underground fence method has been used with success for many breeds, but I do not advise this for collies. Should you decide that this is a method you want to use, I would strongly recommend that you use a professional & reputable company to have it installed & do not try to do it on your own using the kits. Collies tend to be sensitive to this kind of force & you may ruin your dog.

FEEDINGcollies are usually not wolfish eaters. In other words they don't inhale their food like many other large breeds. We strongly recommend using only a high quality super premium diet. There are many brands out there to choose from. We like the lamb & rice diets which is what we use for our collies as well as our boarding kennel. It is important to make sure to check the ingredient panel & make sure that the first ingredient is a meat source. I also prefer dog foods that are not using chemical preservatives such as BHA, BHT or thoxyquin. Look at the ingredient list. I also use canned dog meats mixed thoroughly with the dry meal & warm water. Use about 1/4 can each feeding. This is largely a flavoring & increases enzyme function of the meal. We use Nupro as a supplement for dogs of all ages which helps combat the over processing of prepared dog foods. I do not like to leave food out, also known as self feeding. I feel this creates picky eaters and you never really know how well your dog is eating from day to day. It is important for owners to know what their dogs normal eating patterns are as this can indicate illness. Plus it may attract rodents or insects to the food. I put the food down for no more then 20 to 30 minutes.

VETERINARY CARE

A collie pup will need a series of vaccinations every few weeks usually ending at 4 months or so of age. After the series of puppy shots, boosters are done annually with rabies done every 2 to 3 years depending on where you live. Laws vary from state to state. Heartworm prevention medication is now given monthly and can be given all year round to keep your dog clear of all intestinal worms as well as heartworms. Your vet will give your dog a complete check up each year when you go in for your annual boosters. Many owners have learned to brush their dogs teeth & your vet can assist you with this too. Just make sure you do not use human tooth paste as it can make your dog sick. Doggie toothpaste is readily available.You should also have a thermometer on hand for your dog with your dogs name on the case. A dogs normal temperature is 101 to 102 degrees which is higher than the normal temperature for humans. This can be information your vet may ask for if you have an emergency and is an important part of your pets vital signs.