Sir Collies – Austin Collie Puppies!

About Us

We are small hobby breeders located about 20 minutes outside of Austin, TX. As Aggie graduates, our love for the breed began during our time at Texas A&M. Since then, collies have been part of the household and dear companions. Collies have a loving and intuitive nature combined with a little bit of cleverness that makes them fun for all ages.

Our collies are beloved members of the family, and we breed for the classic collie traits of gentle temperament, intelligence, loyalty, and herd instinct. Each of our collies is AKC registered with full registration and have quality pedigrees to produce litters with show potential. We are conscious of genetic issues common with the breed and actively address these issues in our planned litters.

The Collie Breed

Collies are known for their intelligence, loyalty, and alertness to their surroundings. They are sensitive, gentle, and attentive to their families. Collies exhibit special affection for children and love to play games with people and other animals.

While collies are not an aggressive breed, they will bark when alerted or highly excited by something and feel the need to tell you. Indoors, barking is rare and they are generally happy to lounge at your feet. Collies are sometimes referred to as the “couch potato” of herding breeds due to their laid back nature at home. 🙂

One of the defining traits of the rough collie is its long, double coat. A common misconception is that collies need more frequent bathing and brushing than other long coated dogs. Collies are actually very clean animals and are known for not having the “doggy” odor found in some other breeds. It is good practice to brush out a collie’s coat once a week for the majority of the year, and more frequently during shedding. Female collies shed twice a year and males shed annually. Shedding typically lasts 2 to 4 weeks. The rough coat of the collie naturally repels dirt and a monthly bath is sufficient to keep your collie clean. It always amazes me that muddy collie paws will be white again after a few hours drying in the sun!

However, a collie is not the right fit for every family. As a herding breed, collies need mental and physical stimulation to be content in their home. When this is lacking, a collie may become bored. A bored collie is a frustrated collie, and a frustrated collie makes a frustrated owner! For this reason, we do not recommend a collie for someone without a backyard or time to invest in daily walks. For mental stimulation, we can recommend some toys our collies love, but the best stimulation is spending quality time with their favorite person!

Collie Genetic Disorders

MDR1 (Multi Drug Resistance Gene)

MDR1 refers to a protein that is responsible for protecting the brain by transporting potentially harmful chemicals away from the brain. In collies, a mutation can occur in the MDR1 gene which causes sensitivity to Ivermectin, Loperamade, and a number of other drugs. The defective protein inhibits the dog’s ability to remove certain drugs from the brain, leading to a buildup of these toxins. As a result of the accumulation of toxins, the dog can show neurological symptoms, such as seizures, ataxia, or even death.

Dogs that are homozygous for the MDR1 gene (meaning that they have two copies of the mutation) will display a sensitivity to Ivermectin and other similar drugs. These dogs will also always pass one copy of the mutation to all potential offspring. Dogs that are heterozygous (meaning they have only one copy of the mutation) can still react to these drugs at higher doses. Currently, 70% of the collie population is affected by the MDR1 disorder.

Penny is a non-carrier for this disorder and does not have any drug sensitivity due to MDR1. Ramsey carries one copy of the mutation and may exhibit sensitivity at higher doses. Planned litters will have 50% non-carrier puppies and 50% puppies with one copy of the mutation. To avoid the MDR1 risk, we recommend using a heartworm medication that does not contain ivermectin. Veterinary practices are aware of this sensitivity in herding breeds and should be able to medicate accordingly.

Cyclic Neutropenia (Gray Collie Syndrome)

Dogs affected by Cyclic Neutropenia appear visibly lighter than non-affected littermates. Cyclic Neutropenia is a disease that affects the neutrophils of a dog, which are an integral part of the dog’s immune system. Every 10-12 days, the dog will experience a dramatic drop in the number of neutrophils circulating through his blood stream, leaving him extremely susceptible to infections. Gray Collie Syndrome is an autosomal recessive mutation, meaning that a dog must have two copies of the mutation in order to display the signs and symptoms associated with this disorder.

Our collies are not affected and are non-carriers of this mutation. Planned litters will never have puppies that suffer from gray collie syndrome, nor will they be carriers of the mutation.

Degenerative Myelopathy (DM)

Degenerative Myelopathy (DM) is a progressive neurological disorder that affects the spinal cord of dogs. Dogs that have inherited two defective copies will experience a breakdown of the cells responsible for sending and receiving signals from the brain, resulting in neurological symptoms.

Our collies are not affected and are non-carriers of this mutation. Planned litters will never have puppies that suffer from degenerative myelopathy, nor will they be carriers of the mutation.

Collie Eye Anomaly (CEA)

CEA is the most common disorder found in the rough collie breed and it is estimated that up to 90% of collies today carry at least one copy of the mutation. The disorder causes abnormal development in layers of tissue in the eye under the retina called the choroid and in severe cases, can cause vision problems.

CEA usually manifests itself in the first 8 weeks of a puppy’s life, and can be diagnosed through an ophthalmologist exam. While the severity of CEA can vary largely, the most common diagnosis of CEA in collies has proven to not be vision impairing and does not affect quality of life. CEA is not a degenerative disease, meaning that it does not “get worse” as a dog ages and in some cases a puppy will “go normal” and all symptoms completely disappear as the choroid matures.

CERF (Canine Eye Registration Foundation) recommends that collies with less than a “grade 3” in severity of CEA be utilized in breeding programs. Following this recommendation has decreased the diagnosed severe cases of CEA in the colle breed but it has not lowered the frequency of CEA itself. Breeders are making efforts to not breed any affected dog, but it is difficult to do with the prevalence of the mutation today. Penny and Ramsey are carriers of the CEA mutation and there is some chance of producing an affected puppy in planned litters. For this reason, their litters will complete an eye examination before being placed in a home. Raksha is a non-carrier of the CEA mutation and her litters will never be affected.

RCD2 (Collie PRA)

“Collie PRA”, or rod-cone dysplasia type 2 (rcd2), is a form of retinal degeneration that has been a health concern in rough and smooth collies for decades. In this disease, an abnormal development (dysplasia) of the rods and cones (the light sensitive cells in the eye) leads to an early onset of night blindness that is typically apparent by the time pups are 6 weeks of age. In most cases, the rcd2-Affected dog is completely blind by the time it is 1 year old.

Because RCD2 is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, two copies of the mutation must be present for the disorder to occur. Fortunately, our collies are not affected by this mutation, so planned litters will not have this disorder.