Some writers on the dog have given it as their opinion that the Colley or Scotch Shepherd’s Dog is next in intelligence to the Newfoundland. So far as my experience goes, he is quite equal to the Newfoundland, if not his superior; and he lets you see this in the sparkle of his oblique, crafty, intelligent eyes, which, together with his pointed nose and half-pricked ears, and the general character and expression of his head, remind one strongly of the fox.
The Dog by Thomas Pearce and George Earl, 1872
OUR STORY
Dog lovers and owners since the beginning
Matt and Carrie each grew up with dogs as a part of the family, and couldn't wait until they had settled down to get started with dogs of their own. Their daughters, 11 year old Abigail and 9 year old Anya, are the daily caretakers, and are learning the basics of obedience training.
ABOUT CASCADE COLLIES
A mini saga with a happy ending!
In 2012, Matt and Carrie were living on a 6 acre mini-farm in Kentucky. Carrie had raised garden beds and put up 50 qts of tomatoes that first year, and Matt spent 10+ hours a week mowing. They thought they wanted to live the partial-homesteader life and homeschool their daughters, who were then ages 2 & 4. That summer, Andy Ward published the article Collie Renaissance in Heirloom Gardner magazine. From the day she read that article, Carrie knew that somehow she had to get her hands on an OTSC! They sounded like such a good dog, and helping to revive a dieing breed would be a great addition to their lives! They had the space and would be adding some sheep and goats to their property in the next couple of years.
The next year, Carrie found an older litter of OTSC puppies that had not yet sold. Matt and 5yo Abby drove 12 hours to pick up the last puppy, who was then 4 months old. Wynn was skittish and shy, afraid of both open spaces and of coming indoors. Try as they might, the Causeys just did not have the time and energy required to bring this little girl out of her shell. 9 months later, they gave Wynn to a family with 3 homeschooled teen girls. If anyone could coax her out, those girls would!
Aravis as a puppy with her
littermates and Mama Wynn.
Aravis at 2 years old
Yes, she now looks
identical to her mama!
Within a couple of years, Wynn was still shy but much more personable and friendly. The family decided to add another OTSC to their household, and found a male from a great farm that had not 'developed' into the stud dog they had been hoping for. They bought him for a song and had 2 great dogs to help with their mini farm in Illinois. Little did anyone know that when a female dog in heat came to visit (they thought she would be safe!) he sprang into action and proved that he wanted to be a stud after all! OTSC of Six Pense Farms was ready to go! They raised and sold several litters of OTSC puppies, which helped to put some of their girls through college.
Meanwhile, the Causey family had decided that they DID want to continue homeschooling, but did not really love the homesteading life. Chickens and bees would be fun to raise anywhere, but big gardens and big land were not their forte. They moved to Seattle for Matt's job, and set about laying down new roots. When Six Pense Farms decided to have one more litter before retiring their sweet mama dog, Carrie flew down to Illinois for a little reunion and to try once more for her OTSC puppy.
Aravis at 4 weeks old
This time around, it was like a dream come true! Aravis (named after the human princess in The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis) was a joy from the time Carrie brought her home! She was a normal puppy, crying at night and chewing on table legs for a while, but all her puppy habits were mild, short lived, and easy to train out. Aravis took a very light touch and she was very sensitive to verbal correction. She adored her new 'big sister' Flicka, a 9yo Border Collie/Lab/German Shepherd who was a grumpy old lady who never had any fun... and disapproved of any dog who wanted to fetch or run! Flicka soon learned that life with a puppy would not be so sedate!
I hope that this little history has been an entertaining read! Please contact me if you would like more information about us!
Camping in Eastern Washington
