AA Mystic Aussies

08/26/2024

It's National dog day!

Here's to all the AA Mystic Aussies out there living their best lives. And the ones we have at home. Merlin, Piper, Tilly, Sirius and Remus and Ivy who is back and forth. Lol and the one thing that's a combo of all of them...hahaha. it's that time of year.

08/14/2024

Piper has had her spay surgery. She did well. She made it up the steps and then fell over as I was putting the surgery shirt on her. Hasn't moved since. Poor girl, she's very loopy. 😆

08/04/2024

The pack. They love their runs, sniffy times, and swims. Sirius looooves swimming and water. Remus loves sniffs and anything that smells marvelous. All of them really would love to catch a gopher. Piper most of all. Tilly and Ivy are the zooming champions. I watched Sirius try a dock dive after a duck off of the Beaver dam. Lol. He surprised himself I think.

07/13/2024

If you have a puppy whose mother is Piper, they may have inherited the goofy gene. She decided the cushion box was her new lay down place. Probably cause it puts her level with me, I was gone all day yesterday and now I'm deficient on the pet scale.

07/04/2024

Just a quick note that we are going to discontinue our website. They are doubling the cost for us this year. From $277 US to $430US. That's not acceptable. Our email will stay the same and you can always message us through here.

Teresa

05/17/2024

Remus 8 months.
He tested as high drive and yes he is but only in mental business. He's actually quite chill body wise but if you don't engage this mind that is constantly going he does like to find trouble. We do a ton of sniffly walks and that is one of his favorite things. He's incredibly snuggly and is happiest when he's on you or in your body if he could manage that. He has a ton of coat, while he has not liked being brushed he's seeing the delight of it and is standing well now. He loves mud and isn't fond of water, I think soon we will have conquered the water. Fetching is one of his things, as well as chewing. He's not gotten to any shoes but we've not allowed him access to them but toys don't stand a chance. 🤪 Beginner obedience lessons start soon and we'll see how he does. He also loves Trix our cat. She seems to reciprocate the affection but he also sits on her and steps on her as he has no knowledge of where his body is at and how big he is.
If you'd like to know more about this boy who really would benefit from all the attention his own home would bring, send me a message. Dog knowledge is a must, especially with herding dogs. I'm being super fussy about his home, which is why he is still here. Health guaranteed, vaccinations, deworming, flea and tick ongoing, CKC registered and genetic tested OFA'd parents. Mdr1 clear.

05/06/2024

When looking at genetics, this picture was just posted with also a really good explanation in the comments so I'm going to include the explanation. This is why we genetic test and why people need to be asking breeders for their testing. Run, don't walk away, if the breeder won't show you genetic testing of parents at the very least.

This chart is true however you need to realize that these numbers are based on having 64 (sixty-four) offspring … in a litter from a carrier and clear you could have virtually 100% carrier and a repeat breeding be 100 % clear … so use this as a guide but don’t hang your hat on it unless you have 64 puppies.

05/03/2024

Tilly had the zoomies. While Remus and Sirius are starting to keep up better, Archie had a tough time I think. 🤣 he sure tried though. The log hopping really tested his abilities and kind of eliminated him from the race. 🤣

04/30/2024

Steadfast dogs and Caroline is our temperament tester of our puppies and this is one of the reasons why. If you have a moment to fill out the survey I'm sure the information would be well put to use.
https://www.facebook.com/share/XTfgpS4uQoxqQGFQ/?mibextid=xfxF2i

🐾📢 Calling all Albertans! Your voice matters in shaping the future of service dogs in our province! 🐶 Whether you're a service dog handler, a dedicated dog trainer, a business owner, or a member of the community, we want to hear from you! Take a few minutes to fill out our survey and help us ensure that service dogs and their handlers receive the support they need in Alberta. Let's work together to make a positive impact!

Link in profile, or copy and paste the link below:

https://s.surveyplanet.com/wpwuf71d

Your privacy matters! Rest assured, this survey is completely anonymous, and your responses will be kept confidential. Any comments shared will be summarized and not used verbatim, ensuring that your voice is heard while maintaining your anonymity. Together, let's shed light on common issues and pave the way for positive change in our community!

Thank you so much to Caroline for allowing me to post this on her accounts, and for encouraging this project to move forward!!

-Krys (and Tzila!)

04/26/2024

Littermate syndrome is a real thing and is one of the reasons I tend not to let 2 pups from the same litter go to the same home. Pups must be managed and given time away from each other. It's also hard to train one dog while another of the same age is also there. And we have 3 other adults. These pups would definitely benefit from their own families in the training end but they are getting along great together. They have had a few growly tussles and when that seems to be happening one gets taken for an alone time walk or some other time away from the other dogs. Otherwise these boys are fully house trained older pups with none of the young puppy problems. If you're interested in one let us know. They come with all shots and deworming up to date, just did first flea and tick treatment as this year will be a bad one for us, that will be a monthly thing this summer, health guarantee, CKC registration on a non breeding contract, the boys are also genetic tested and not carriers for mdr1. Remus (red merle, 2 blue eyes) is an active fairly high drive boy who has an excellant off switch. He loves doing anything with us and his favorite thing is cuddles. He's a huge cuddler. Remus grew way bigger then I expected as he's around 23 inches tall and when fully filled out will be over 50 pounds. Sirius (red bi) is sweet, as sweet as they come. He is more laid back but when we say time to go he's all ready. He also has a great off switch and eagerness but is also a bit more timid and needs some coaxing when asked to do new things. He has great food drive so he will do lots for treats. Sirius is very tall at almost 25 inches and is still lanky. He's going to be a 60 pound dog when finished. Neither boy is neutered, I believe in letting my dogs get full growth and I also believe it's better for joints to let the dogs get benefit of the hormones that maturity brings. I will not be neutering them for awhile if they don't find their new homes.

04/10/2024

I was just reminded! Happy 2nd birthday to the Finding Nemo litter!

04/04/2024

It's been a few months since Gia has come for a stay. She has a super loving home and we are so happy to have time with her anytime we can get. It doesn't seem to matter how much time goes by, all the dogs love it when they get together. Today's visit included a huge run in the mud and lots of water with a few prickle bushes stuck in her hair. Ivy is also here, and her and Gia have a very special friendship, I usually have a huge grin on my face watching those 2 play and run. I'm sorry to Elisabeth and John for the condition you get Gia back in. Tilly too is always happy to see her mom. Here they are having some snuggle time. Tilly is a bit taller then her mom, but Gia has gained some weight since her spay, something that's not uncommon when a dog gets neutered or spayed. Piper gets spayed next month and I will have to try very hard that she doesn't also gain weight. She is very similar to her sister Gia in body type.

04/02/2024

Piper has a gopher trapped in the culvert and would like nothing better then to get him. She'll wait all day if I let her. Merlin on the other hand is not so patient and is going to try to dig the little rodent out.

03/30/2024

Sirius is such a goofball. He's offended by his own foot and it won't stay where he wants it too. Lol
This big boy is looking for his forever home. He's loving, and beautiful and a large Aussie. Hes already 23+ inches, 40 lbs and starting to fill out in chest and hips. He will need some help with confidence and overcoming new things. His natural inclination is to back away but with coaxing he overcomes and moves forward. He gets along with other dogs and cats well. Would be great with kids. He's not high drive and more middle of the line for an Aussie. If you're looking for an older pup that is past the peeing in the house stage, is kennel trained, started on basic obedience, this is the pup. 6.5 months old.

CKC registered, health tested, from genetic tested parents, he's mdr1 clear, microchipped and all shots/deworming up to date, he comes with a health guarantee, on a non-breeding contract.

03/24/2024

There is still a fair amount of controversy amongst Aussie owners and breeders concerning the docking of tails. When we got our first dogs, docking of tails was automatic. Piper came to us from Wilson's Australian Shepherds and doesn't have her tail docked because that litter had a sick pup, Sharon felt at that time that it wasn't in the best interests of the litter to get tails done. Puppies have to be done by 2 or 3 days old at the most. Gias litter was born within a couple months of Pipers, and Sharon had that litter docked. Right after this the Alberta Veterinarian Association ruled that their members would no longer dock or do any cosmetic alterations to any breed of dog, and could refer to the ASPCA if they felt anyone was abusing their animals.

Some breeders within Alberta and Canada still do their own docking of tails on their pups, there is still a large majority of Aussies with docked tails, but there is starting to be more with full tails and also many breeders who believe the tails should not be docked. There is only a few provinces in Canada that the vet associations haven't ruled the same as AVMA did.

There is many arguments for and against docking, and it was a relief when CKC finally announced that Australian Shepherds would no longer be faulted in the show ring if they had full tails. I was relieved to hear this when there where many beautiful dogs with full tails.

Even in the beginning of when we got our first Aussie, I was torn between tails or no tails. I can see both sides of this argument. I love their floofy tails but I also see the value in a docked dog. Sport dogs do better with a tail as it acts like a rudder, whereas the tail is dangerous to have in stock situations. I had heard the stories that made me cringe, of dogs that had their tails degloved either by gates or getting stepped on by cattle and even getting bit by a cow. It's not a pretty image to think of a beloved partner in work, nor is the recovery guaranteed as there can be significant damage to nerves and even spinal cords. I asked our vet about docking if we had a client specifically asking for a herding pup. The issue with this is that a whole litter would have to be done because there is no way you could tell which pup would have the best abilities until they were well past the age of docking. Docking an older pup is painful and hard on the older pup then a 2 day old pup.

This long post has a point and brings us to yesterday. Piper and Tilly have more curl to their tails then the pups, Sirius and Remus, who still has curl but they don't pull their tails quite so much over their backs like the girls do. Aussies carry their tails up and over their backs where Border Collies are down and low, sometimes underneath their bodies. Another reason why Aussie tails are in a more vulnerable position when working stock. We always have a morning run and sniffy walk adventure in the mornings and yesterday morning was no different, with the addition of Ivy being here for a visit. Ivys tail is also not as curled as Piper and Tilly's is. Tilly loves having Ivy here cause Ivy can really race with Tilly and they have a grand run together. We have a large area of open pasture bordered on one side by a coulee, and fenced with barbed wire for our horses. At some point Piper and the pups went into the coulee ducking under the wire which happens every time we go out. Tilly raced across the pasture ducking under the wire like she does everyday and probably like every herding dog that's ever been on a farm or acreage. I saw something flip up behind Tilly and alarm bells went off in my head. I was hoping it was a leaf from the bushes where she ducked under the fence but I still went to look. At most I thought it might be her tail hair...it wasn't. Tilly had got the last centimeter of her tail caught on a barb and degloved the end of her tail. I called her in and sure enough I could see the end of her tail bone.

Off to Red Deer emergency we went where they told me they'd have to amputate the end of her tail around an inch or so, back to the next vertebrae so they could get enough skin to cover her tail. Along with this surgery it's also common that a dog chews on the end of the tail thats left and they may have to get amputated further up if this initial spot doesn't heal. We have to be very careful that Tilly does not lick or chew the end of her tail at all during the next 2 weeks. Tilly is doing well even if she is grumpy because she can't race and play and is having trouble sitting comfortably. These are tough dogs who don't show pain. We have to assume it's there and act accordingly.

The point of this is that if Tilly had a docked tail from birth she would not have had this issue, which is partly a breed issue and one of the reasons they were docked from breed beginnings. Have I changed my mind and gone to the full side of docking? I'm not sure, but I'm definitely leaning more that way now. I have to worry about Piper every time she goes under the fence. I do believe firmly that docking of an aussie tail is not just a cosmetic procedure, especially in light of the last 24hrs.

03/19/2024

Fun in the mud and water. One thing we've learned, our pretty boy Remus is a bit of a princess and doesn't like getting his feet wet. He'll go a long ways around to avoid water, but is fine with mud, much to my dismay. 😆 and Sirius is finally starting to get some weight on him. He's getting 4 cups of food a day and today I finally noticed his butt and chest are expanding. Maybe his upward growth has slowed enough for him to get some weight on.

03/16/2024

It's Springtime here and I have a couple pictures to show you. We still have two 6 month old pups that are ready for a new home and would love to share their special gift of spring with someone who appreciates not having the puppy stage to go through. 😊 🤣

03/12/2024

Every handler needs to listen to this.

“Your dog should never be compared to another dog. Your dog should be compared to who he was yesterday.” -

Better everyday folks, little by little.

03/04/2024

Oh Remus!!! (Caption courtesy of my brother in law)

Anyone want to take this boy on? There's a reason mother nature made him as beautiful as he is. He is the easiest to train dog I've ever had, except Merlin, but he's also the most trying. As Caroline our temperament tester said hard to live with , easy to train, and he is! He's so forgiving that even if you're new to training dogs, he would work for you and make you look brilliant! BUT he will not go to a home that doesn't want to work with him and train him. I've had a few homes interested in him but I have turned them down after a few discussions. He will probably ace agility if someone was interested, or disc as he fetches like a dog who has been doing it for years. He is going to be a brilliant dog when he's mature. Who ever gets this boy is going to look like an amazing dog handler if they put in the work with him. But until he gets that maturity and age he will try your patience because he gets bored and then he does things that he shouldn't, like counter surf. Luckily there's no rewards on my counters. You have to think 5 steps ahead of this boy, but he's stunning! 🤣🤣🤣

He's super affectionate and stays by me most of the day if I let him. Kennel trained, sitting, laying, fetching, working on staying, very food driven, and does have an off switch. CKC registered, up to date on vaccinations and deworming including rabies, he is microchipped and genetic tested on a health guaranteed non- breeding contract.

Edit: I should add that he also kicks in bed while he's sleeping....

02/23/2024

Sirius is still looking for his home. This boy will bond hard but will take a bit to get that bond. He needs to have someone who will bring him out of his shell. He is super smart and usually only takes one time to be asked for something and he has it. Crate trained, bell trained, mdr1 clear, health guaranteed, up to date on vaccinations, including rabies and deworming. He is about 20 inches now but lean. I'm looking forward to seeing how he fills out when he stops growing skyward. He's still got some pretty good sized feet so he will be taller yet. It's really too bad this boy has been overlooked cause he is a super sweet dog and loves cuddles. He also has the kindest eye ever.

02/17/2024

Gryff's last night with us, as tomorrow he goes to his new family. We are super excited for him and for them. He's going to be a great dog for some kids, and mom. They'll just have to look for this guy sleeping in odd places. Good thing he's big and won't be missed. 2 pups left, they are 5 months old.

01/28/2024

Beautiful day for a run with the dogs on the pond.

01/19/2024

Cuddle bugs. The big guys don't cuddle together like this very often unless it's us they are cuddling with. Remus is at the far end, Tilly and Merlin, with Sirius on the left. Come talk to us about getting your own cuddler.

01/14/2024

Just because I didn't get as great a picture of Gryffindor yesterday he posed nicely for me this morning.

These 4 boys would love their own home where they can show you how wonderful they are and will be. Send us a message if you're interested. Because all 4 of these boys have different personalities and drives, we could match most lifestyles.

01/14/2024

Sirius
This boy is tall but not as heavy built as the others...yet. Hes got the lovely dark red colour with lots of white on his legs, and will be a striking boy when full grown. He seems to be right in the middle for drive and calmness. He has the most gentle eyes of all of them and I could stare into them for hours. He has no problem meeting your eyes and is looking to engage. He sits back and evaluates before he jumps into the fray. He also will need to have someone push him a bit when new things come along, but he'll jump in when he realizes how much fun is to be had. He's a bit more vocal then the others in some cases but quieter in others. Like I said he's in the middle. Also mdr1 clear, CKC registered and health guaranteed.