Zip Tie

[Linds]

Originally Posted by Laurelin

He's very cute and I'm sure going to be a striking dog! I love the black and white coloring.

I have a couple questions mostly because I am very interested in where you guys are going with this. I might seriously be interested in a koolie one of these days.

1. Is Trav health tested? I know he's out for breeding with either of the girls but I was wondering if you're still exploring the option of breeding him eventually.

He's not yet, he's going to be going to get his hips, elbows xrayed soon (next couple weeks actually) and I plan on getting his eyes done too. I don't know yet if he's going to be bred since overall he's just been my go everywhere dog but I do plan on competing with him and I think he so far has a stellar temperament so we'll see where that leads. Luckily he's a boy, no real rush there.

2. One of my big gripes with koolie breeders I've seen is that there's a lot that don't seem to do much with their dogs sports-wise but then go on to say their dogs can do sports well. What kind of proving/titling are you planning? I know titling is not everything but it's nice to see some proof of ability.

I want to do Disc with both of mine, hopefully get back to agility classes sometime soon. If I ever manage to not be bored by it I might look into ASCA OB but if anything probably APDT rally just for fun.

3. How important is stock work going to be in your breeding program? Or are you going to be focusing more on disc and agility?

That's a tough one and I'm still thinking on it. I don't have easy access to stock nor am I interested in really doing stock dog trials. But, I want to get Traveler back on stock and introduce them to Didgie because I do feel like it's an important part of the breed. But, I don't kid myself into thinking that's the same as really working on a farm or ranch, so I don't know.

But yes, my main focus will be sport.

Answers in bold

ETA: Thanks for asking by the way and understand I'm still learning a ton. Like, everyday. I be ready Chaz for questions that I come up with in the years to come, this is new territory for me too!

[Linds]

Originally Posted by Airn

I think Didgie and Zuma are beautiful. Normally I dislike merle and brindle but they have made me look at merle differently.
The 'solids' look too much like Border Collie and Kelpie/cattledog mixes to me. But I don't know much about breeding and genetics and all that. What is this big merle to merle deal? I know you've probably had several discussions about this, but I don't understand it.

Of course they're all cute. I just happen to like the merles more. It's your fault :P

It will be nice to see how Zip turns out when he's grown up. Puppy ears are my favorite, especially with pointy eared ones.

(I know, I have the dog terminology down. Totally.)

I love merle, obviously But more and more I have merle more and more I find solids so striking. Honestly, I really love it all I've actually come to really love the heavily solid merles the most I think.

Merle to merle breeding gives you a 1/4 chance of having a dog that is double merle be born and health issues such as blind/deafness can be caused by that double copy of the merle. That's the reaaaally oversimplified version of it at least

[PWCorgi]

Oh, also, Lava.

Gorgeousness.

[Laurelin]

Originally Posted by Linds

Answers in bold

Thanks! Obedience bores me too. lol

I am pretty set on Nextdog's breed but I definitely am interested. I'm sure you'll keep us all posted.

[Shai]

Just wanted to say I'm glad you guys made this thread explaining your thought process. I was a bit taken aback when Zip was chose at birth and it's good to see you're planning to "get him for him" so to speak and breeding decisions will be made later depending on how everyone turns out.

Also glad to see the transparency and welcoming of questions. Establishing a breed like this so far from the location of most of its members while simulltaneously introducing health testing to get a feel for the current state of its individuals is a huge undertaking and will, at the end of the day, take the proverbial village. Best of luck

[SaraB]

Yes, please ask questions! I love talking about my dogs.

I'm at an agility trial right now, but will answer everything that Linds hasn't when I get home.

[SpringerLover]

My question that I've never asked is... how do you plan to establish a breeding program?

The pairing of Zing or Didgie and Zip is going to produce at least a puppy for each, right? And this is a long-lived breed... where will ALL THE DOGS GO?!

But, more seriously... how many are usually in a litter and do you plan on keeping bitches on co-owns with people so you keep your actual numbers down or...? And what's going to keep the breed from becoming just a pet if there's not going to be a definition of work in the US?

I'm not interrogating, or at least meaning to... just these are questions that have been running through my mind since the start of this Koolie importing stuffs.

[Airn]

Originally Posted by Linds

I love merle, obviously But more and more I have merle more and more I find solids so striking. Honestly, I really love it all I've actually come to really love the heavily solid merles the most I think.

Merle to merle breeding gives you a 1/4 chance of having a dog that is double merle be born and health issues such as blind/deafness can be caused by that double copy of the merle. That's the reaaaally oversimplified version of it at least

Well that makes sense now. And thanks for oversimplified version. Those are the kind of versions I like best

I would have to look more into it to understand it fully, but overall it seems to be a bit of a crapshoot when it comes to the coat colors/patterns/whatever with some breeds. It's hard for me to see two dogs that, to me, look completely different but know that they are the same breed. This K(c)oolie world is crazy

I like hearing about them, though, since they seem similar to Kelpies.

I wish you two good luck. No matter what, at least you'll have some great dogs. You can't please everyone and you probably don't want to please certain people. A+ for effort, though!

Maybe Zip will change my mind about solid Koolies!

[CharlieDog]

I just wanted to say you're ALL forgetting about Poppy, who is related to Trav I believe...


And good luck with everything.

[Laurelin]

Originally Posted by Linds

I love merle, obviously But more and more I have merle more and more I find solids so striking. Honestly, I really love it all I've actually come to really love the heavily solid merles the most I think.

I am the opposite. I have never liked merle but after settling almost certainly on a breed that is heavily merle for Nextdog, I am liking it more and more. My favorite colors are still masked tricolors and then bicolors but I find myself liking the merles a lot better lately. I think it's a case of loving something for the whole package first and then the more you love it, the more you think it's aesthetically pleasing.