Ear Tipping by Shasta:

Tipping the ears. Why bother.
Well it’s required for conformation competition but besides that, tipped ears add character and expression to an already beautiful collie, like me. Some collies have the genes for naturally tipped ears but most us do not. We need a little help from you the owner but only until the end of our teething stage.
There are several options for training our ears and each one has its benefit. The options which require the most work are geared for hard core competitors. These methods involve bracing the ears together and gluing most of the ear closed. We collies can’t stand these methods. The collies that say they like it are all lying. The options we collies like better are those which add weight to the tip of the ear thereby forcing it to flop over. While you don’t get full control of how our ears are going to tip, you can get pretty darn close.
The easiest option as suggested by another Goldleaf collie owner is to add a bit of floral clay to the tip of each ear. Simply tear off a small amount of clay, roll it into a ball, and flatten it like a pancake on the tip of each ear. Eventually the clay will fall off and you will need to repeat the application. Floral clay is available in rolls at craft stores like Michaels. You can also purchase it online.
For those who get tired of constantly reapplying the clay, you can add weeks between applications with a modification to the above steps. This method requires a roll of floral clay, moleskin, Osto-Bond, Uni-Solv and AloeCetic. The glue, solvent and antiseptic products are available online through Revival Animal Health at http://www.revivalanimal.com/.
1. Cut two round quarter size pieces of moleskin. 2. Assuming the roll of floral clay is half an inch wide, tear off an inch and roll it into a ball. 3. Sandwich the ball like a pancake between the two pieces of moleskin with the smooth end showing on one side and the sticky end on the other. You will have to peal off the moleskin’s protective paper for one of the inside pieces before putting the parts together. 4. Peal off the remaining protective paper, add a small amount of Osto-Bond to the sticky side and attach it to the tip of the ear. Hold it for about 30 seconds while keeping your collie busy with special treats. 5. Repeat the process for the other ear.

Between applications, use Uni-solv to remove the residual glue left on the ear. Follow up with AloeCetic to clean the entire ear. Wait one day between applications and then check the ear for infections such as red irritated skin. If the ears are in good shape, repeat the ear tipping application. If not, wait until the condition clears. Please note that since our ears are being tipped, there is a greater likely hood of infection inside the ear. Using an ear cleaner is not only highly recommended but a good practice for ongoing general hygiene.

Happy Ear Tipping From Shasta, Mountain Shadow

Be Your Dog's Best FriendBy: Jane EarleyTo have a really great relationship with your pet dog, you need to work on that relationship constantly. It's not enough to build a few foundations and expect your relationship to blossom with little or no extra effort. Time spent reinforcing the bond between you and your dog is time well spent, and will enrich your relatonship providing you both with the fun and rewards that dog ownership brings.
Make sure that you spend quality time with your dog. As dog owners we are all aware of the need to exercise and train your dog. The time spent on these activities will vary according to your dogs needs, however, this time should be rewarding and enjoyable for your dog. When walking with your dog, make sure that you talk and interact with your dog. Play a game of fetch or chase. All dogs love to chase, and taking an active role in this game will not only keep you fit, but will help you engage with your dog in a fun and simple way.
Be animated when you communicate with your dog. During the day, your dog will hear you converse with many different people, either on the phone or in person, and will generally filter out most of the conversation. With your tone of voice you can communicate to your dog that something is interesting or fun, or that something is undesirable or naughty. Dogs have extremely sensitive hearing and are very much attuned to your moods and tone of voice, use this to your advantage. Attract your dogs attention by using a friendly voice that is slightly higher pitched than your normal speaking voice.
Never forget the importance of physical contact. When your dog is near, make the effort to stroke their head or neck and talk in a soothing voice. If you are in the park, and your dog bounds over to you, make a fuss of them, make being near you a rewarding experience for your dog. This will not only reinforce the bond you and your dog have, but it will also aid recall. If you have problems recalling your dog, practice this when they are off the lead. Several times during the walk, call your dog to you and reward them for coming with a treat or a cuddle, and then let them carry on with what they were doing. If you only recall your dog when they are naughty or to put them on the lead, your dog will associate punishment or the end of the walk with coming when called. If you have been out, greet your dog properly when your return - being away from you is never enjoyable for your dog. Make the time to cuddle or play a quick game to celebrate your return. This is very natural for dogs, they will do this to other dogs they know and like, so this behaviour is something they understand.
Ask yourself, if you were your dog, would you enjoy the time you spend together. Try to be fun for your dog. We all have busy days, bad days and sad days, but your dog relies upon you to provide the love and support it needs, and will give you loyalty and friendship in return. Your dog doesn't need or understand your stress, but they are affected by it. On a bad day, make a point of having a game or cuddling with your dog, and you'll probably find it helps you too.
Author BioAbout the Author - Jane EarleyDog owner and online pet shop owner. www.sparkysden.co.uk
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content

A Tip about Tipping ears

Many new collie owners are interested in keeping their puppy's ears tipped. As a collie breeder, I've researched this and tried many methods. Honestly, most of them are hard to master. So, when one of my puppies came to visit and her owner had a new method. My ears were up. (Sorry, I couldn't resist.) Margaret, owner of Serina, a Susie/Winston puppy from the summer 2007, has found the easiest method I've ever tried. She bought floral clay on a roll, from a garden shop. Serina gets a dab of it pressed into the front tip of her ear and that's it.

This substance weighs the ear down. It stays in there too. I don't think it shows much at all, very stealth. It is nontoxic so I like it better than some of the show breeder methods that include chemical sprays and very sticky tapes. You don't have to make a shopping list, go to several locations to find everything and spend money on all of it. She brought me my first roll as a gift and I'm using her method. Thanks Margaret.