Our Breeding Policies |
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“Astra Sheepdogs - dedicated to recording and using, all information, gathered and supplied by our fantastic Owners,
in order to help improve, the welfare, sheepdog training techniques and the overall health of the Border Collie breed, |
"Fine dogs of whatever breed are things of beauty.
The consistent production of them through the intelligent employment of the laws of heredity to perpetuate the desirable in the ancestral germ plasma's and to eliminate the undesirable is artistry of a high order.
And it is as an art, with a full awareness of it as such, and only so, that the breeding of dogs should be seriously undertaken"
- Kyle Onstott -
From before I can even remember I have been involved in breeding animals; my Mum bred race horses successfully, my Dad was the first importer of Brahman cattle into Southern Africa, developing the herd to 1000 head and becoming the leading breeder, authority and International Judge, we also used labradors and standard poodles to retrieve wild duck and pigeon, these dogs were also pets and used for breeding replacement working dogs.
Since 1987, my whole life has revolved around my Border Collies (and sheep). By the year 2000 I had a well developed plan of where and what qualities I wanted to have, retain or develop etc. into my working Border Collies in the years to come, developing a Strain of Border Collies that are recognisable as "ASTRA"'s.
To achieve this;
- I retain a certain percentage of pups bred,
- I train these Border Collie pups to be useful sheepdogs, learning for myself how good they are to train and work with
- I use these dogs for real jobs around the farm and contract shepherding work on othre farms,
- If they meet my exacting requirements they are added to our breeding program.
- I follow closely as much as possible all the pups I have bred.
- We carry out extensive health testing
I am constantly researching and watching to seek out new Stud dogs and females which will improve and compliment our bloodlines, with the specific traits that I consider to be useful in the development of "The ASTRA SHEEPDOG" a strain of working and herding Border Collie with great character and temperament, trainability, structure, agility and stamina all coupled with the "Off Switch".
Astra Sheepdogs have always been dedicated to the welfare and improvement of the border collie; by education and leadership and in the last 25 years has done more than the International Sheepdog Society (I.S.D.S.) “rules for registration” require, endeavouring to ensure the optimal health of the Astra bloodlines.
1991 - 2005 Astra Sheepdogs ran a voluntary programme of eye testing, every litter born, for CEA; until Optigen released the gene test for CEA in 2005.
From 2005 Astra Sheepdogs have DNA tested all of its dogs for CEA, pre-empting the ISDS making this a rule in 2013.
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Since 2000 - the Astra Sheepdog stud dogs and our current bitches have been Hip scored. The ISDS has not yet included this into registration requirements.
- Astra Sheepdogs are confident in the Hip health of its dogs and offers a guarantee on hips.
From 2001 - Astra Sheepdogs microchipped every puppy pre-empting the ISDS making this a rule in 2013.
2012 - Astra Sheepdogs started a Goniodysgenesis (Primary Glaucoma) of all Stud dogs (bitches will be done as finance allows). The ISDS has not yet included this into registration requirements.
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2012 - Astra Sheepdogs started a TNS testing program starting with all Stud dogs and will use the criteria of "ONE parent must be DNA Normal" for every litter from 2014. The ISDS has not yet included this into registration requirements.
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Astra Sheepdogs maintain extensive records with the help of our owners who are encouraged to report factually on their dogs’ wellbeing, temperament, success and progress throughout the life of the dog.
There are NO border collies anywhere in the world which are completely FREE from any form of hereditable disease (you will find a list of diseases which have been recorded in our own bloodlines see here for a list of known and relatively unknown problems which occur in all Border Collies, all the above problems together with the Health Issues listed below, some have DNA tests available but others require co-operation between Breeders/Owners and Vets to correctly diagnose a condition and then submit tissue samles to research centres who are currently searching for the DNA links -- research takes many years and sometimes millions of Pounds and there is no guarantee that they will find what they are looking for.
I shall continue to research into health issues of all descriptions and to record dogs afflicted with overshot jaws, crypt and monorchidism, fertility problems, bad mothering ability, sound sensitive, aggressiveness, nervousness, hyperactivity without the "off switch" and endeavour to decrease and finally to try to make extinct as many diseases as is humanly possible to acheive,
As an Astra Sheepdog owner you are required to notify us FIRST : - Informing us by EMAIL or SKYPE message or if urgent by telephone - leave message.
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BEFORE: - Breeding from your dog because - I am very sure that you would not want to breed; without knowing ALL the health information available from the breeder of your dog, and choice of mate, right up to the date of a mating.
BEFORE: - Re-homing or selling your dog – giving us the opportunity to help you or purchase your dog from you.
As an Astra Sheepdog Owner, you are also required to advise us by EMAIL or snail mail of ANY non routine veterinary procedures including but not restricted to: - (if urgent help required please contact us using SKYPE message or by telephone - leave message.
Please note: We really want, and need, your help in providing us with all the information of your dogs health results together, if available, all “proof of testing” in hard copy or scanned document.
Once we have confirmed to you, in writing, that we have received these notifications; you are most welcome to add this information onto the relative Border Collie Health Database's.
Without your help we cannot possibly hope to know, what is going on with your dogs and therefore, cannot then make the best decisions in future matings.
therefore, we value your help as we are only as good as our owners.
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DNA testing INCLUDING:- CEA, TNS, CL MDRI, B12 deficiency, and any other dna test you may carry out on your dog.
Hip Scoring
Elbow Scoring
- Floating Patella
- OCD = shoulder dysplasia
- Testicle retention
- Epilepsy or ANY form of fitting regardless of diagnoses - with full written veterinary documentation or collaboration with my own vet, this must include details of all the procedures used to reach a definitive diagnosis. (please note that Idiopathic Epilepsy cannot and SHOULD not be made until ALL the process of elimination (including video;s, owners diary, feed analysis, environmental analysis, MRI scans and much more etc.) have been thoroughly carried out) - if you want more information on this please contact me we will soon be providing links to support this information.
- BCCS = Border Collie Collapse Syndrome - with full veterinary documentation and details of the procedure reached to provide a definitive diagnosis.
- Colabomin deficiency and B vitamin12 and folate malabsorption - DNA test now available
- Addison’s disease - with full veterinary documentation and details of the procedure reached to provide a definitive diagnosis.
- Diabetes - with full veterinary documentation and details of the procedure reached to provide a definitive diagnosis.
- Progressive eye diseases – including but not limited to regardless of age: PRA, Glaucoma, reduced tear formation, cataracts certified by a specialist examinations.
- Hearing Loss – including but not limited injury and regardless of age partial or full and certified by a specialist with full veterinary documentation and details of the procedure reached to provide a definitive diagnosis.
- Heart Defects – including but not limited to age related conditions with full veterinary documentation and details of the procedure reached to provide a definitive diagnosis.
- Cereal food allergy - with full veterinary documentation and details of the procedure reached to provide a definitive diagnosis.
- ANYTHING ELSE.
- We must be informed, in writing, of anything your Veterinary Surgeon considers COULD be of a hereditary, genetic or congenital cause - with full veterinary documentation and details of the procedures reached to provide a definitive diagnosis. Once we have confirmed to you, in writing, that we have received notification; you may place this information onto the relative Health Database
As you will come to realise – we require full evidence from your vet or testing body, in order to record these details correctly into our records and only then will be able to decide if any compensation under our personal guarantees or the Sale of Goods Act, may be appropriate – each and every case is different and your input will be much appreciated and will be treated as an individual accordingly.
Please, we NEED your help, to continue the improvement of our breeding program and so we can offer a specialistand caring advice service to our owners and other Border collie enthusiasts. Please, be our eyes and ears; become our spokesperson – pass the following message to all around you =
“Janet Beale cares deeply about her puppies; from before their conception all the way on their journey with you to Rainbow Bridge,
she cares desperately about her own dogs, the success of her students and all her Astra Sheepdog Owners;
caring for you all as part of her extended family.
She really wants to be involved, but recent illness and external stresses of life have interfered with the ideal customer relations,
Janet asks you all to participate in the gathering of this information
and to please be patient, polite and persistent
as good mutual communication is the key to your success with the Astra Sheepdogs.”
Breeding Legislation in England, Wales and Scotland
A licence issued by the local council is required by law for anyone breeding more than four litters a year or breeding, rearing and selling dogs in the course of busness.
As Licensed Breeders; we are checked twice yearly by the local council's Animal Welfare Inspector to ensure that stringent standards are met and maintained.
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