Hello to all of my wonderful Tin Roof ACD followers, and enthusiasts! I have had several inquiries about when there will be another litter of Tin Roof Australian Cattle Dog puppies on the way? As we all know, life can always throw changes into the plan, however, I do have a couple of plans brewing. These include breeding a few of the girls when they come into season the next time. I have a few different sires (baby daddy’s) in mind for each of them. It will be an exciting year. Keep an eye out for the puppy spam, announcements, and updates. Puppy YouTube videos are always great time wasters, but guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
🙋♀️ Let me ask a few questions for you to think about;
❓Why should you invest upfront in a AKC Registered purebred Australian Cattle Dog?
❓Do you know what genetic diseases the ACD is commonly affected by?
❓Why is health testing important for your happiness?
🌟Ethical breeders of purebreds will know the answers. As a code of ethics preservation breeder, I will not breed dogs that will produce puppies that could be or will be affected by any of the diseases I can test for to prevent them. It is tragic that some of the most common diseases found can cause your blue heeler to suddenly go blind as early as age 3 or 4 years old. Another common one causes the dog to get glaucoma (pressure behind the eye), retinol atrophy, blindness, luxating lenses, and often times eye treatments that result in enucleation (removal of the eye surgery). The expense on medications, vet exams, and surgery, is so very financially taxing on most families. There is a higher price of the heart ache 💔 caused to the humans seeing their beloved pet go through all of this that pains me more to watch people experience.
The website for the public to look up health testing results is: OFA.org This is the orthopedic Foundation for animals that breeders and owners have the option to post their dogs health testing results for public viewing, records, and possible studies to improve on various breeds. Check it out if you have not already. If you were to look up Gavin for an example his AKC #: DN60138301. Type that # into the search bar and the health testing that I've paid to post is available to view. There are other sites with more test results available from a genetic panel on embark's website. Gavin was DNA tested by AKC and by wisdom health panel. Embark vet is the other genetic disease panel that is frequently used.
Please check out the ACDCA.org website. You will find a list of code of ethics breeders, the Australian Cattle Dog breed standard which will give you all of the details of the breed
Tin Roof is very mindful & careful to produce only healthy puppies that will not be affected by any of the DNA diseases commonly found in ACDs.
Here is my rant: It is a tragedy to have anyone human or pet suffer the consequences of anything other than a non-affected puppy. Especially due to the fact that we have the technology to test for these horrible diseases prior to breeding any dog! Why not invest in the breed, into your customers peace of mind, and the dogs’ quality of life. End of rant.
I take pride in trying to educate people that contact me, or talk with me about wanting to find their next puppy. I want everyone to find the best fit for them, but I want to give you the information to learn about what you are paying for and why. Expenses at the veterinarian office these days seems like it is into the thousand dollar mark when you walk in the doors. Please please, for your own benefit educate yourself about what you are paying for. When the price of a puppy is $2,500-3,500 that is not even the price of your first possible eye issue. Sometimes the backyard bred dogs get lucky and are not carriers or affected by the diseases, but the chances are less than 50% that these untested dogs will not be affected at some point in their life.
With ACDs, their behavior & temperament is partially genetic, environment, and socialization that they have been subjected to at appropriate ages to facilitate acceptance of new things, and recovery from being frightened. There is a right and a wrong way to socialize and introduce novelties to baby puppies. Blue heelers are not a breed for everyone. They need to continue their socializing and training throughout their puppyhood, into their adulthood, and throughout their life. When you first bring home your puppy, you are literally bringing home an infant. Please consider this when you decipher the freedom and access to things this infant has in your home.
⭐️ The biggest game changer for people raising their ACD puppies is limiting their space to the size that they can be successful. giving them a space with a play area, a potty area, and a sleep area will give you the best and fastest way to successfully potty train and keep your puppy safe when you do not have the ability to keep both eyes on the pup at all times while it is out of its small space.
A exercise pen works ok for this, and at first the size of the pen will be smaller than this. a blanket over a wire crate to make it a dark cave for the pup to go in and out of. As the pup becomes more successful at crate training, potty training, and not getting into anything it shouldn’t, the space can gradually grow larger. If the puppy has “potty accidents” in the space, it is too big. A routine/schedule must be maintained precisely to take puppy outside, training time, playing time, and sleep time. Puppies need a lot of sleep so this pen makes it nice to be able to put the puppy in there and walk away knowing puppy is safe.
Of course, lots of classes, training sessions, trainers, and consistency with consequences for being naughty are all a important factor to you having the cattle dog of your dreams. This is a breed that you will get back out of them what you put in. If you are diligent, consistent, and train your Bluey baby, you will make people jealous of your master training skills. Your bond and respectful relationship with your heeler will be incredible. If you spoil the puppy like a human infant you will end up with a BIG mess on your hands. A blue heeler puppy will train you. They are smart, sneaky, and quite the comedians at times. If it cries and you pick it up or pay any attention to it at all when it whines and cries, and by not having consistent rules, discipline, and consequences for the puppy will create lots of behavior problems. Your Australian Cattle Dog will be calling the shots in your home without you realizing it sometimes. The herding dogs are not for the weak of heart or the lazy that won’t consistently train their ACD. I am not trying to scare anyone, but I am trying to put out the real real on the breed for you. If the way a dog looks is attractive to you, research that breed. If you are considering adding a puppy to your life, just do your homework to be sure you are willing and able to accommodate the requirements of the breed that interests you.
For example, if you do not want a dog that jumps fences and makes a lot of screaming sounds; don’t get a husky. If you don’t want a dog that is like a cat and does whatever it wants, including running away and not coming; don’t get a Shiba Inu. If you don’t want to train your puppy to not “round up the children” or to not be the “fun police” and “heel” moving objects; don’t get a heeler puppy.
If you do indeed want to commit to a 12-17 year commitment of training and companionship, you can have the best relationship with a ACD you will ever have. Research breeds and find the breed that will best fit into your lifestyle. There are a lot of breeds that take less commitment and dedication than blue or red heelers. The proper name when researching this breed is Australian Cattle Dog. Blue heeler, Queensland heeler, red heeler, bluey, are all nicknames that refer to the Australian Cattle Dog.
If you want more blogs with specific content, please comment with what you would like to see in the blog content.
Please always feel free to reach out with any questions about the ACD or Tin Roof’s program. The tin roof website has several tabs and links to all kinds of rabbit trails and holes to get lost in. So much history, pedigrees, health, fun facts, and loads of information. Check it out. Tin Roof’s YouTube has a lot of fun videos of the dogs of tin roof playing, puppies, scentwork, barn hunt, and dog shows for you to get lost in and smile.
The Facebook and Instagram platform has great reels and stories to watch for, and of course the blog. I truly want happiness for all of those puppy shoppers out there. I do not want your to experience heartache or sadness that can be avoided.
Please, please, Proper research people.
CHIC? What is it?
“The OFA created the Canine Health Information Center (CHIC) by partnering with participating parent clubs to research and maintain information on the health issues prevalent in specific breeds. We’ve established a recommended protocol for breed-specific health screenings. Dogs tested in accordance with that protocol are recognized with a CHIC number and certification.”
Again, there is a lot of information in this blog. I do my research to continually learn and improve on any testing, training/raising methods and more to be able to protect my customers.
I appreciate all of you. Thank you for appreciating the ACD, and caring enough to educate yourself.
May you Christmas be filled with joy, health, and family.
Merry Christmas
Love,
The Tin Roof Crew
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