Your Questions About Rough Collie

Thomas asks…
At what age does a female rough collie go on heat for the first time?
I have a female rough collie, she is nine months old and has yet to go on heat. Is it still too early? Or could she be sterile?

admin answers:
Anywhere from 5 months to 15 months, but 8-9 is average.
While she is in heat–
For about 3 weeks, you will need b*tches britches, or doggie diapers. These are very expensive. You will also need a lot of carpet cleaner, and a good high quality carpet shampooer to clean up the mess that drips every where! AND she is giving off a very powerful scent that un-neutered males can smell for MILES around, and will jump fences to mate with her. (Spaying is cheaper.)
Please don’t breed.
Many people don’t realize how expensive and time consuming it is to breed. Breeders do NOT make any money. All breeds must have a series of health tests after they are 2 years old to determine if they are healthy enough to breed. If you don’t have this done, do not breed. PLEASE.
I bought a cute healthy dog, from cute healthy parents, and she only lived for a year before having MAJOR genetic health problems. It was very sad, and I truly wish that NO ONE goes through the same thing I did. Both of her parents are still alive and “healthy” according to the breeder– but they can still pass on genetic problems regardless. At only one year old, she became totally paralyzed in her hind legs, and could not control her bladder pr bowels. It was so sudden, and so unexpected. She has hip dyspasia, knee problems, and neurological problems. I am very angry with her breeder, and I’m sure you don’t want to be sued for selling bad pups.

Donald asks…
Help with grooming brushes for rough collie?
Im getting a rough collie pup in four weeks, and need a little help with what brushes i will need for grooming. So far on my list I have:
Slicker brush
Pin brush
Steel grooming comb
Matt splitter
Nail clippers.
Also thinking about buying a high powered pet blow dryer.
Anyone experience with grooming double coated breeds see anything I’ve missed? Any help appreciated thanks.

admin answers:
The best brush for a collie, with that super thick, long, double coat, is going to be an undercoat rake. Like this: https://www.llamaproducts.com/assets/product_pics/soft_grip_undercoat_rake.jpg
A slicker brush is also good to use, more so when the dog is a puppy and the coat hasn’t grown in. The undercoat rake is better when the coat is long.
A pin brush isn’t a great choice for a collie. Pin brushes are better for coats that are more of a medium length or are wiry.
The steel comb is another great choice, as it will get all the way down to the skin. The comb will be useful on areas like the feathers on the front legs and the tail.
Mat splitters can be sharp, so you need to be very careful when using them. If you brush the coat on a regular basis and make sure it doesn’t get matted, you won’t need one of these. You can also get a pair of thinning shears to cut out the matting instead, but you need to be careful with these as well.
If you plan on bathing your collie yourself, a force dryer is a MUST. It doesn’t just dry the dog, it is also a great way to blow dead undercoat off the dog and separates small mats as well.
Using corn starch on the coat also helps when you are brushing out a lot of undercoat. The corn starch lubricates the fur, so it makes it easier to get undercoat and tangles out. Just take a handful, rub it into the fur, and brush. It is messy, so do this outside.
When you brush out a dog that has a lot of coat, it is easier and more effective to start lower, like towards the foot at the bottom of the feathers. Get the bottom part brushed out, then start working in little sections going higher up. If you start high and work your way down, you just brush more undercoat onto the undercoat below it.
Edit: Don’t forget the armpit areas and behind the ears. Due to friction, collies get a lot of matting in their armpits, and it is much harder to get them out of this delicate area. The fur behind the ears is soft and silky, so often collies get big mats that form here.
For the nails, you can use clippers or get a Dremel. A Dremel is a rotary power tool that groomers use to file the nails down. Get one that runs on a battery, or if it a better quality one, use the low speed. Just be careful not to get fur caught in it, because it is a rotary tool.

Donna asks…
What is a dog breed that behaves similarly to rough collies?
Im looking to buy a dog, preferably a rough collie, but are there any medium/large size dog breeds available in Australia that are loyal, not too energetic, can live a healthy life (doesn’t have any major health issues)? Thanks

admin answers:
Australian Shepherds, we have an 8 yr old…the best dog ever. So smart, easy to train, and lays quietly in the house or plays ball outside.
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Your Questions About Dogs Life Jackets

Sandy asks…
What’s the cheapest/best place online or off to buy dog life jackets for XL dogs?
I have two Rottweilers and I want to get them life jackets but wheres the best place that’s reasonably priced? I have a petsmart and a petco near-by and I’m open to buying online if shipping isn’t crazy.

admin answers:
Try the site below but there are tons of sites for dog life jackets just google dog life jackets.

Michael asks…
How to teach my puppy to swim?
I have a lab mix puppy who is 6 months old. She loves the water. But yesterday we went swimming for the first time and she jumped in the water with no problem. But as she was trying to swim she looked like she was having trouble. She was swallowing a bunch of water and her front paws were out of the water trying to paddle. How can I train her to swim better? Should I invest in a dog life jacket?

admin answers:
Ignore any prescriptive advice. Your puppy will learn to swim when in the proximity of water at its own pace. If she’s already happy to jump in, (mine wasn’t) then she’s doing well, and is probably held back only by an intrinsic lack of coordination. Buying a life jacket will, more likely than not, slow down your puppies learning, although it may be a crucial investment if you’re not willing to dive in an fish her out if she starts sinking.
I found the best motivator to teach my half lab half golden retriever to swim was ducks. Okay, its not ethical to teach your dog to chase ducks, but they fly away and she’ll never catch one unless its injured. Once the dog sees ducks, it will try very very hard to get to them, figuring out swimming in the process.
To conclude, wait for her to grow a little older, and the coordination will come.

Sharon asks…
What kind of a life jacket can i get my puppy?
I have a 7 month of Boston terrior/ pug. I want to bring him swimming this summer and I want to put a life jacket on him. He loves taking baths so I think he will like the water but he is a small dog and I don’t want him to drown.. what is a good life jacket for my 20 pound bugg?

admin answers:
Doggles dog life jackets are especially made for pups, toy breed and small dogs, the most important thing is to measure and fit properly for comfort and safety. A snug fit is safest. Another very good brand especially made for tiny/small dogs is the Ezydog micro dog life jackets. Best to buy from a manufacturers who specialises in puppy dog life jackets, as they are especially designed.
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