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We are Very proud of the pups we keep to grow out, they are just as pampered as our adults are. Although they are not allowed on the couch until they learn to jump up on there own. All Glasgowhill puppies think that they are all named "COOKIE"

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Glasgowhill's Shameless

"Emotion "

NEWS FLASH

Emotion has gone to live with my daughter in Newfoundland, Kayla is gone to collage for her electrical Engineer .

Emotion is Co Owned with my Daughter

 

Blue Headed white

By Can ch Glasgowhill's Coloration OVC Hips Clear MDR1 Normal /Normal, Normal Eyed and Can Ch Glasgowhill's She's Adorable OVC Hips Clear ,Optigen tested a Normal Eyed /carrier Both parents are cardiac and thyroid Clear

Thyroid - coming soon
Cardiac - Normal
Hips - coming soon
MDR1 - coming soon

The dictionary defines condition as "a state of readiness or physical fitness." Proper condition itself is made up of several important components: good health, proper coat, grooming, socialization and training, plus the handler's mental preparation. The combination of these items provides the advantage which, time after time, separates the "point winners" from the "point makers." Training ourselves to see the details and recognize perfection within each of these components is part of the challenge. As our experience grows, we become more objective in determining when our collies are really ready to win.

1.Good Health. This seems obvious, but a collie that is in poor health cannot balance the stress of being at dog shows and his attitude and performance in the ring will be affected. If he seems "off" at home, get him checked by a veterinarian. Could he have a urinary infection? Are his teeth in need of cleaning? Is there an infected tooth or gum disease? Are his eyes clear - or do they run? Check for conjunctivitis (simple infection) or an inverted eyelash causing irritation. How about tonsils? A little bit raised and reddish at certain times of the year is common and is no cause for alarm. But hugely swollen and ulcerated is of concern and the veterinarian may recommend antibiotic treatment or a tonsillectomy. An annual or bi-annual thyroid check is also an excellent idea, since a hypothyroid condition (low thyroid level) can cause sluggishness and poor coat. Have a fecal test done to rule out internal parasites. Now that the "miracle" products like Advantage and Frontline are available for treating external parasites, there are no more excuses for fleas to be hitching rides aboard our collies!

Exercise is very important to good health. When we watch the annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show on TV, we can see that all of the top-winning dogs have excellent muscle tone - especially the sporting and hound breeds. These breeds must be in top shape to work in the field all day. The judges often feel the muscle in the upper thigh to see how firm it is. Most of the top specials are road worked, either on a treadmill or with a bike. We collie people are probably more lax about this, but it is something to think about. Could our own collies herd livestock all day or would they tire out after the first few minutes?

Building good muscle tone in an adult dog (over one year of age) is easily done by gaiting him at steady trot for a few minutes each day, building up gradually to longer sessions. If you are not a jogger, this can be done on a bicycle with the dog trotting along side. The local high school track is an excellent place to do road work. Sound like too much trouble? Then remember our Olympic cyclist pedaling for 10 - 11 hours a day. A few minutes of biking with your collie hardly compares, does it? An additional benefit from this regular exercise is that a well-toned dog rarely paces. Pacing is a "lazy gait" and a dog that has been conditioned to move at a correct trot will tend to do so in the ring - another advantage that the in-shape dog has over the competition.

Along with exercise, a proper diet is key to good health. Generally, this means a foundation of premium quality dry dog food (kibble). While it seems there are as many different brands of kibble as there are grains of sand on the beach, the choice should be based on ingredients, availability, price and results. Foods should contain a good, identifiable primary protein source, such as chicken, lamb, turkey or beef, followed by the remaining ingredients (grains, dairy products, eggs, vegetable products, etc.) in descending order based on percentage of volume. Vitamins, minerals and preservatives will appear toward the end of the list. If you are in a quandary about which food to try, poll other collie breeders - especially those whose dogs have pedigrees similar to your own. "Families" of collies tend to do well on certain brands of foods. There is also an excellent Internet web site that explains dog food label terminology and compares different brands.. Feeding the best kibble that is both affordable and produces excellent results, combined with light supplementation with a variety of clean, fresh foods, such as meat, egg yolks, cottage cheese, yogurt, rice, pasta and vegetables, provides a balanced, well-rounded diet for your collie.

Whether or not to add fats or oils should be decided based on the requirements of each dog. Most premium kibble has an appropriate level of fat built into the basic formula so, under most circumstances, supplementation should not be necessary. However, if your collie's skin appears dry, even with regular brushing (which stimulates the natural oils in the skin), an oil supplement might be worth a try. There are many excellent brands on the market, such as Lipaderm, Derm Caps, Linatone and others. Additionally, collies that live in areas of the country where the winters are extremely cold will naturally have a higher fat and calorie requirement during those months.

What about those "other" supplements - the ones with enzymes, trace elements, and ingredients that are supposedly missing from standard commercial dog foods? Certainly, if you don't mind adding things to the food every day, these products may be worth experimenting with. As we all know, the less pills and powders that have to be added to the food pans, the simpler the feeding process is. No single supplement can be the "silver bullet" and fix all problems. Be critical in your evaluation of supplements. Be sure you are noticing improvements that are really there, otherwise supplementation may not be worth the extra expense and effort. If you find that using a basic kibble requires the addition of one or more supplements to maintain your collies in the condition you desire, consider switching to a different kibble - one which will produce the same good results without any additives.

If you want to try out a different food or supplement, test it first on a dog that will not be shown for a while - in case the results turn out to be other than expected. And as the old saying goes: "If it ain't broke; don't fix it!" If your collies are in beautiful coat, they have hearty appetites and good stools, it's probably best to stick with what is working for you.

2.Coat Conditioning. Regardless of variety, rough or smooth, the condition of the coat is of critical importance. A collie whose coat is in its prime has that extra "glow" in the ring. Care should be taken to protect and nourish the hair shafts in order to promote growth and to extend the show season for each collie.

"Clean hair grows faster." This phrase may be well-worn, but it is true. Careful bathing encourages coat growth by stimulating the skin. Bathing can be done weekly or bi-weekly prior to and during the show season. Use tepid water and a mild shampoo. There are many fine brands of shampoos on the market. Be sure to select one that is for harsh or double-coated breeds. For frequent bathing, the shampoo can be diluted with water down to half of the normal strength so that it lasts longer and is easier to rinse off. Do not use a finishing creme rinse; the residue will make the coat soft and flat. Provided that the collie stays relatively clean between shows, it is most important to bathe him after the show to remove any residual grooming products that are coating the hair shafts. Spot-bathing (legs, tummies on males, etc.) may be sufficient prior to the show. If not, it is better to bathe twice (before and after) than it is to leave "junk" on the coat after the show.

After bathing, blow-dry the coat with a high-speed, low-heat dryer. Don't use hair dryers made for people; they run too hot. The powerful flow of air from a high-speed dryer stimulates the skin and blows the water away without baking the hair shaft. Keep the nozzle about 10 inches from the skin and blow the hair in the direction you want it to lay when the collie is groomed. A good dryer is money well-spent and is an excellent investment in the show conditioning of your collie.

Use the proper equipment when you groom the coat. The Mason Pearson natural boar bristle brush is one of the best to use. It is gentle on the hair shafts and is fine for either a rough or smooth coat. If you use a pin brush, make sure the ends of the pins are smooth, without sharp edges. Brush at least twice a week between shows to keep the coat and skin stimulated. You will get a little bit of hair out with your brush, but new coat will be growing in to replace it. Always mist the coat lightly with water before brushing to keep the static electricity down and to reduce hair breakage. Inspect the hair shafts during each grooming session. Are they healthy-looking - all the way to the tips? A "burnt-looking" tip can indicate a number of problems. The diet could be inappropriate for the dog - either too high in protein or too low in fat. The coat could be getting too much sun exposure. Keep the dog in the shade during the peak daylight hours between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. and use a sunscreen formulated for dogs. The dog might have an infection. Again, make sure his health is good. Is the weather extremely dry? Add moisture to the coat by misting with water first, then spraying on a coat conditioner. There are a number of good ones, such as Cindra Maxi-Care. A homemade formula uses a tablespoon of Cholesterol, the hair conditioner for people, dissolved in a quart of water by heating it gently on the stove. After the mixture is stirred and cooled, it can be applied to the coat using a spray bottle. The idea is to get humidity into the coat and the light oils from the coat conditioner will help seal that moisture into the hair shaft.

A common problem is a reddish cast on a tri-color coat. This is a tough one, because one or more factors could be involved, including a genetic tendency, often referred to as the "rust factor." Changing diets can sometimes help, as does providing the collie a shaded environment, and the application of a sunscreen.

It is worth mentioning here that a critical part of your collie being in top condition is the amount of coat he will be carrying on the day of the show. Rough or smooth, both varieties look their absolute best when their undercoats are in. Sometimes you will be able to get away with showing your collie with in less than full coat - or on his way out of coat, and it may be worth the gamble at a smaller show, or under certain judges. HOWEVER, as a general rule: If you are showing your dog out of coat, you are walking into the ring with an important card already stacked against you! It is up to you do decide if it is worth the time and expense to compete on that day.

3.Grooming. It goes without saying that skillful grooming is critically important for success in the show ring. It is also an area where attention to detail is a must! Again, we'll use the dogs at Westminster as an example. As the TV camera zooms in for a close-up, it is evident that each dog is an example of perfection in grooming for its respective breed. There are no stray whiskers, no wild hairs sticking up, no rough toenails, no stained eye corners or teeth. No detail is omitted.

When it comes to grooming, never stop learning! There are club-sponsored grooming seminars from which you can learn, as well as many gifted individuals who can demonstrate their techniques to you. Someone always has a better way or a handy tip that you can utilize. Two good instructional videotapes are "Trimming and Ear-Training" from the CCA Library and Sonnen Productions' "Show Grooming the Collie and Shetland Sheepdog." The latter is available from New England Serum Company (1-800-637-3786). Learn to trim properly, creating a clean, soft, natural look. A thoroughly brushed coat that is in excellent condition with plenty of undercoat will require a minimum of grooming products or "aids" on the day of the show. Train your mind to envision a mental picture of correct breed type and train your eyes to recognize the details of a perfectly-groomed collie.

If you have done your homework and kept your collie well-groomed in the weeks prior to the show, your efforts will pay off. Toenails that are trimmed weekly can be kept shorter than those allowed to become overgrown. Teeth should be brushed for a couple of minutes at least every other day in order to keep stains and tartar to a minimum. Ears and eyes should be checked during each grooming session. The coat is brushed and nourished twice weekly. All of this should be a part of your routine. Don't forget - you are preparing for your own "Olympics." You are "stacking the deck" in your own favor in preparation for the next time you compete.

4.Socialization. In short, socialization means getting out into the world and exposing a puppy or dog to LIFE in general in order to build his self-confidence. We have all seen and felt sorry for unconfident dogs in the show ring. Their ears are back, they are panting, they shy away from the judge, they are looking around as if for an escape route and they are not focused on their handler. They look miserable. Their handler looks even more miserable.

In the beginning, wherever possible, take your collie everywhere. Bring him along to family events, picnics, trips downtown, shopping centers, parks and playgrounds - all kinds of different places. You want to expose him to the sights and scents of different people, cars, traffic, trains, kids, birds, balloons, flashbulbs, airplanes, construction equipment - anything and everything. Take him to work after-hours and let him run around inside the building to get him used to a strange roof over his head. Take him to the vet's office just to visit and let him get petted by the staff. Praise him enthusiastically for acting "brave" or for walking up to investigate new people or things. All of these experiences will build up what we call his "social bank account." When the time comes later on for him to face new situations, such as traveling to unfamiliar shows and hotels, he will have a strong portfolio of past experiences on which to build his confidence. More important, he will trust you and feel secure and at ease when he is with you.

5.Training. There is nothing more beautiful than a well-groomed collie standing out at the end of his lead, showing confidently, then gaiting precisely and happily on a loose lead beside his handler. The handler goes almost unnoticed because the dog is practically showing himself for the judge and for ringside. He draws himself up, carries his neck arched, and his expression is curious and animated. He practically radiates charisma and has a "look at me!" attitude. Isn't that the picture we want to create when we walk into the ring with one of our own collies?

A wise animal behaviorist once stated that it takes the same amount of time to train a new dog for the conformation ring as it does to train a dog for an obedience CD degree. Sound like a lot of time? Think about what we are asking our collie to do. We want him to move at a correct trot, in a straight line, with his head up, and on a loose lead when we ask him to. We want him to stand squarely and not sit while the judge examines him. We want him to place his feet in the correct position - on his own for the most part - and not fidget around. So, essentially, we are indeed teaching a number of the Novice obedience exercises: the Heel on Lead, the Stand for Examination, and the Stay commands.

Teaching a collie a new behavior is like trying to teach a four-year-old child who does not speak our language. You need to go slow, be very clear and consistent in how you ask for the behavior, and provide immediate positive reinforcement when the correct behavior is given. It helps to give each action a name, such as "stand," "stay," "let's go," "head up," "turn," and "stop," so that through repetition, the collie learns the verbal cues for what is expected of him. Use savory tidbits, such as pieces of chicken, cheese or liverwurst as motivators and rewards while teaching a new behavior. Heap on the praise when he does something right! Clicker-training works very well for teaching show routines because it is easier to mark a correct behavior with a click than it is with a "good dog." Surely our voices must sound like "blah, blah, blah" much of the time to our dogs. A well-timed click cuts through the blather and registers instantly in the dog's brain that "Yes, I did the right thing and a treat is coming." For more information about clicker-training, do read the great little book, "Don't Shoot the Dog" by Karen Pryor or search "clicker-training" on the Internet for some great on-line articles.

Certainly you have heard an exhibitor say, after a particularly embarrassing performance in the ring, "I don't understand why he doesn't behave - I take him to class!" This is a classic example of what obedience competitors call "location training." The dog performs perfectly in the backyard or at training class because he has been continually trained in those locations and is comfortable there. But at a show, there are a million new sights and sounds to take in; lots and lots of new stimuli. It's not that the dog has forgotten his training; it's just that it is not a "priority" to him at the moment. This new stimuli is much too enticing! The solution? Practice at lots of different locations - parks, fun matches, schools, etc. Train at the show site also - the day of the show. Plan to arrive an extra half hour early - beyond the time you need for set-up and grooming. Pick an out-of-the-way area and practice the ring behaviors that your dog has learned at home. Bring the clicker along, if you use one. Run though stacking, stays, the down-and-back and the triangle patterns. Calmly correct the dog's mistakes; enthusiastically reward the correct behaviors; use the verbal cues to tell him what you expect. With consistency on your part, your collie will learn what his "job" is at the shows and he should catch on very, very quickly.

As part of your homework, practice by yourself - without a dog. Check your posture in a full-length mirror, or better yet, set up a video camera and tape yourself, both with and without the dog. You'll be amazed at the little things you pick up on - simple things like standing up straighter or standing with your feet closer together. Little things can do a lot to improve the overall picture of you and your collie together in the ring. Put on the clothes that you normally wear in the ring and see how you look from afar. Maybe your favorite show outfit doesn't hang on you exactly like you thought it did! Every detail that you can focus on and correct is one more card in the deck in your favor.

6.Mental Preparation. The last element of conditioning is probably the most overlooked. To again draw a comparison to the Olympic athletes, notice how many of them are "focusing" in the last few minutes prior to their event. They have blocked out everything around them. They are concentrating on visualizing their upcoming performance in their mind; doing a mental run-through in advance.

In following the standard show advice of always watching the judging of a class or two before your own, try taking it a step further. Project yourself in the place of the handler you're watching. See through his/her eyes for a moment. How spacious is the ring? Do you see that sprinkler head in the grass, waiting to trip you? How much room do you have for the down-and-back pattern? Where are you going to set up your collie? Facing which direction? Where does the judge stand when he/she is watching the dogs move? If you do this mental exercise a time or two before you take your own dog in the ring, you will have a little edge over the rest of your competition. In a virtual sense, you will have already practiced. Instead of worrying about yourself, you can focus on your collie and give him the cues he needs to have a great performance of his own. Another card in your stack!

Let's compare a typical dog showing experience with one that incorporates the six components of conditioning.

We've all seen them. A couple pulls up in the parking lot at the show grounds. They come to a screeching halt. They're late. They yell at each other. " Who's got the bait?" " Who's got the lead?" "What ring are we in?" They grab the dog and run like mad to ringside. No time for final grooming. "Heck, the judge won't even notice those extra whiskers!" "If there's time, we'll exercise Champ before he goes in the ring. If not, we can always do it afterward." "You know, Champ threw up his dinner last night, but he's probably ok by now." "Gee, too bad we missed training class on Tuesday, night. Oh, well - Champ knows what to do."

About 45 minutes later, we see the same couple on their way back to the parking lot, usually without a purple ribbon, and most likely grousing about how "crooked" the judging was! How was Champ's performance? There's probably no need to ask! Will his owners ever "get it"? Maybe. Unfortunately, they spent the same amount of travel time and money in entry fees, parking, and gas as their competitors, who were prepared to win.

By contrast, the exhibitor who has planned out a strategy of preparation and conditioning has a much different kind of day at the show. He arrives early - in plenty of time to set up his equipment and exercise his collie. He does his first round of chalking and brushing, then takes his dog out for a short practice session of stacking, gaiting and executing the patterns. He puts the collie back in the pen to rest and get a drink of water, while he gets a cup of coffee for himself and watches the judge's first classes. What virtues is the judge rewarding? How can our exhibitor emphasize these features in his own dog? He studies the judge's ring procedure and notes where he wants the dogs set up and what patterns he uses. Our exhibitor imagines himself in the ring with his dog and visualizes their performance. He knows exactly what he'll do from the moment he steps within the ring ropes...

Back to the setup. Our exhibitor puts the finishing touches on his collie who, thanks to training and socialization, is relaxed and calm. Our friend checks the ring one more time to pick up his armband and makes mental note of where the judge is within the schedule. He estimates two minutes per dog and will return to ringside when the judge is nearly finished with the specials class of the breed before collies.

When his class is called, our exhibitor moves directly to his predetermined mark in the ring, making sure that his collie is trotting, not pacing. However, all of the biking and road work are now paying off and the collie moves true - even at a slow speed. The judge sends them around and our collie moves on a loose lead, looking forward, with his head up and slightly in front of the handler's knee, as though he is leading him on the trip around the ring. First in catalog order, our exhibitor stops and free-stacks his collie who knows through training that he is to stand with his feet in the correct position and stay until told to move forward. The judge performs his examination and the handler stands upright and lightly holds the collar. The judge is impressed by the excellent muscle tone of this collie. He notes the immaculate grooming, down to the short, rounded nails and the sparkling white teeth. He touches the coat. It is full, clean, and it feels "alive" - in beautiful condition. On the triangle, the collie again moves on a loose lead. As they approach the first corner of the triangle, the handler gives the verbal cue to turn left, which the collie does without breaking stride. He knows the triangle pattern well from their many practice sessions.

On the final line-up, our exhibitor checks his collie's stance. He noticed while watching the previous classes that this judge will reward a good shoulder assembly, so he turns his collie just slightly inward so that the judge gets a good view of his nice front. Then he moves back to the end of the lead, tells his collie to "stay" and stands still. He holds his bait low. When he watched their practice sessions on videotape, he noted that his collie arched his neck elegantly when the bait was lowered. He smiles at his collie so that the dog knows he is pleased with him, then he takes a quick glance at the judge. The judge is pointing right at him. "YOU - you're Best of Variety!"

Is all of this a fantasy? It doesn't have to be. Each one of us is empowered to decide just how much effort we want to put into the preparation of our collies for the show ring. We can take "potluck" and do the minimum - and hope we can win once in a while. Or we can be focused like those Olympic competitors and use all of what we know about elements of conditioning to "stack the deck" and increase the odds of being successful. We may not have to wait four years for each chance to "go for the gold," but with a similar commitment to proper conditioning for our collies, we can make the best of our regular opportunities to "strive for the purple"! So... are you READY?