○ Puppies are on Purina Pro Plan All Ages Sport Performance 30/20 Salmon & Rice Formula.
○ We have found that our dogs like the salmon flavor best, but we have used chicken and rice in the past too.
○ We really like Purina’s Pro Plan line because it has probiotics that aid in good digestion.
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○ We have tried many different oral hygiene products including water additives and dental bones, and our favorite daily maintenance is Minties Dental Chews in the large size.
○ Chews help break up plaque on the dog’s teeth and aid in gum health, we like to use rawhide alternative chews such as these.
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○ Puppies do best with a normal pin brush since their coat isn’t fully grown in yet and their skin is more sensitive. Once the full coat has come in, we highly recommend a slicker brush. Slicker brushes get to the base of the coat and skin to help remove mats and debris.
○ For nails, we prefer to use a nail dremel to lower the chances of accidentally hitting the quick. It would be ideal to clip/dremel nails every couple of weeks to help keep the quick short and therefore the nail short.
○ We have found that the best liquid shampoo and conditioner for our dogs long, double coats are Nature's Specialties shampoo and conditioner. We like the Plum Silky scent!
■ If you prefer a shampoo bar, we really like Chubbs Bars
○ Check out some of our other favorite grooming tools here!
○ I also provide grooming services at an affordable price for any of our Saltwater Collies - feel free to email to schedule an appointment!
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○ We like to use Sentinel Spectrum chews for our dogs. It is safe for dogs affected by MDR1, and it helps protect against intestinal worms and the development of flea eggs. The best part is, our dogs love to eat this chew, so we don’t have to try and trick them into taking their medication.
○ MDR1 causes a dog difficulty transporting medications into and out of their brain. The medications will be transported into their brain, but can’t be transported back out resulting in a build-up of toxicity which can lead to neurological issues, seizures, and sometimes fatality. The average finding is that about 3 out of every 4 collies are affected.
○ What drugs are of concern?
■ Most heartworm, flea, and tick medications should be used with caution.
When administered at low, FDA-approved doses, most aren’t an issue, but at higher doses, they can be problematic. Some sedatives and anti-cancer meds can cause issues as well. You can find a list of medications that have been studied with MDR1 dogs on the Collie Health Foundation webpage!
○ What is my job as a collie dog owner?
■ Let your vet know that collies are often affected by MDR1 and have issues with certain medications. Vets are humans too and can’t always remember everything about every type of animal, so DO NOT assume they know collies often have the MDR1 gene! If you board your dog or have someone else watching them, be sure to inform them of the risk of MDR1 if they were to have to go to the vet while you were gone.
○ Why do breeders still breed dogs with MDR1?
■ MDR1 is a downfall but not a disqualifier for breeders. We do prefer to breed a collie with MDR1 to one without MDR1 to help keep as many puppies from receiving the gene as possible. The medications are avoidable, and as long as we are educated and are advocating for our pups at the vet, there shouldn’t be issues.
○ Hip Dysplasia is not a common risk for collies - based on the statistics from the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA), hip dysplasia has only been seen in about 3% of collies over the past couple of decades. To test for hip dysplasia, dogs have to be positioned on their backs in a specific way to get the best X-ray images to determine the health of their hips. Most often, sedation is necessary to better guarantee the correct positioning of the dog is achieved. Sedation can always come with risks and be stressful for dogs. Some have tried to take X-rays without sedating the dog and failed to get an accurate reading of the health of the dog’s hips because they weren’t able to keep the dog in the right position. For these reasons, we have chosen not to test for hip issues in our breeding stock.
○ Yes! We do sell dogs for service, therapy, faciliity and emotional support. We evaluate our puppies’ temperaments to better determine which puppies would do best in those job areas. Clients are required to have a trainer to help them train their puppy to do the job they are in need of.
○ We absolutely love Rob and Katlin Martin with The K9 Encounter! They have a great understanding on how to train dogs effectively by creating clearer communication between dog owners and their companion, which in turn, creates a stronger bond too. They serve the Jacksonville and surrounding area. We train with them weekly and would love to see more collies get involved!