Andy

"Once Upon a Time at Rosewyn"

Health

Panel-tested
CERF TBD 2020
PennHip TBD 2020

Temperament

Biddable
Sweet & Calm
Off button

Working Ability

Sagacious
Sky watcher
Medium drive

Type

"Lassie" style
Easy-care coat
55 pounds

Andy's Summary & Clearances

SIGNALMENT

Born: April 7, 2016
Call Name: Andy
Registered Name: Once Upon a Time at Rosewyn
Registrations:
• Old-Time Scotch Collie Association: X-OTSC-1241
• Scottish Collie Preservation Society: SCPS-2017-0015-BCM*
Microchip: 981020015924703
Height: 24½ inches
Weight: 55 pounds
Color: Sable and white, White-factored, full collar

*Andy appears in the SCPS registry as "Rosewyn's New Once Upon a Time".

HEALTH

DNA
・Carrier: Multiple Drug Resistance 1 (MDR1)
・Carrier: Collie Eye Anomaly
・Clear: Cyclic Neutropenia (CN)
・Clear: Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)
・Clear: Hyperuricosuria (HUU)
・Clear: vonWillibrand's Disease ii (VWDii)
・m/m: M Locus (Merle) - Non-Merle
・Pending: Dermatomyositis (DMS)

HIPS & ELBOWS
・PennHip | R = .24 L = .30
・OFA | Hips: Good Elbows: Normal

Andy's clearances at Washington State University, Paw Print Genetics, and Embark

CERF Eye Exam. Andy will be examined our Board-certified veterinary ophthalmologist, Dr. DJ Haeussler, Jr, of Cincinnati, Ohio. Dr. Haeussler is a member of the American College of Veterinary Ophthalmologists.

TO NOTE: Andy has an umbilical hernia about the size of a large round grape. As a potential breeding sire, we were very concerned about this as we knew from raising swine that some hernias are hereditary. Our vet’s opinion is that it’s a simple fat-filled umbilical hernia and not anything that could be passed down to his pups. This sort of hernia doesn't impact his health or quality of life and can be easily fixed during any anesthesia procedure. As he’s a Carrier for MDR1, we haven’t rushed out to have it repaired, but will wait until we have a good reason to put him under. It doesn’t ever bother him, it doesn’t pose a health or injury risk, and upon examination, his abdomen is closed underneath the hernia.

TEMPERAMENT

Andy’s nature is that of a dog who is serious, yet easy going and willing. We joke that he was three years old the day he was born, because he was so grown up even as a baby.

He’s a very calm dog, and doesn’t get all tied up in knots when people are gone, or when a bitch is in season. When his people return, though, he’s very joyful: lots of happy panting and smiling, and he’ll occasionally jump up on his favorite person. He loves to nibble ears, and to have his own ears rubbed.

Andy’s biddability constantly amazes us. He can be running through the yard, but if you call him, he’ll turn on a dime and come immediately. We took a breeding announcement picture of Bonnie and him when Bonnie was in standing heat. He was on a length 550 cord with a simple “leave it” and then “stay”, and he never wavered, even though Bonnie would have been very happy to receive his attention.

WORKING ABILITY

Loves poultry・Passed Herding Instinct Test・Has killed a snake

Andy embodies sagacity: he is an observer and a thinker. He notices every last detail on his farm, and knows exactly what belongs here and what doesn’t; if there is something new or out of place, he lets us know. This came in handy with the snake that was hiding on the porch behind our farm boots.

Andy is showing some exciting potential to work with us as a poultry guardian. In his video below, we show how he is becoming more confident amongst flappy, jumpy, squawky chickens, and that his prey drive is quite low. We found Andy’s litter completely by chance and asked his breeder if they would select a pup for us that had the least interest in chasing birds, and Andy was the winner. As an adult, he still has extremely low prey drive, proving that his breeder's judgment was correct.

He is attentive to aerial predators, but especially the perimeter. He’s got an eye for detail and can spot the smallest thing out of place, and sounds the alarm when the wrong things cross his kingdom. Andy also marks the perimeter for us, which is essential for land-based predator control. He is currently training for unsupervised watch over poultry to prepare him for when we have a large area fenced in, and the dogs will have much more freedom of movement to protect the flock.

TYPE

Andy has the classic “Lassie” type that the Collie is known and loved for.

He is 24½ inches tall at the withers, about 50 pounds, with larger eyes, naturally-tipped ears, and a moderate teflon coat that's perfect for both farm and family.

A "teflon coat" means that dirt and mud don’t stick, and burrs are very easy to remove on the spot. We groom him several times a year, especially during the seasonal shed. He's never needed a bath nor does he smell. Although he's never been to a groomer, we do body checks regularly to make sure he's good and healthy, and he sees his vet for annual checkups, or if there's an issue.

As preservation breeders, our goal is the smaller, traditionally-sized Collie of around 50-55 pounds, and for two reasons: 1) bigger, thicker-boned dogs can have a much harder time working stock all day long, and 2) a smaller dog is easier to carry in an emergency. We’re very aware of all the women who are farming, and it’s important to be able to have a reliable dog by your side – and one that you can carry if you should have to. If you're anything like me, carrying a dog like a Great Pyrenees out of the pasture isn’t happening. A Collie that adheres to the OTSC breed standard is far easier to manage.

LIFE WITH ANDY

Andy is a gentleman. He’s never lifted his leg to mark anything inside. We don't notice any difference between him and neutered dogs we've had in the past.

As a puppy, he was painless to house train; he only had a handful of accidents and learned quickly.

We’ve heard many horror stories of what it was like to live with an intact male, but it's actually been surprisingly easy. Andy hasn’t chewed through crates, gates, doors, or walls to breed our females. He was barky and howly for two heats until we realized that those were behaviors that could be trained, and while he's not silent, he's much quieter now with a gentle reminder.

Overall, Andy is a joy. He's a good and helpful farm dog, but we love that he's a part of our family.