FAQs and Important Information

What to Expect with an Alcyone Collie or Shiba:

As a small preservation program, a lot of care, thought, and time goes into the creation of these dogs. Same goes for the decisions on where they will live out their lives.

What are you getting when you get a Collie or Shiba from Alcyone?

Lifetime support for the life of the puppy (or longer, if needed).
- This includes a place to go if anything happens to a puppy owner. No matter the age of the dog, they are always welcome back to their first home at Alcyone.
DNA testing for the applicable genetic diseases is done for each puppy prior to them going to their new homes. (For Collies, this includes the following tests: MDR1, DMS, CEA, DM, PRA, and potentially more depending on the breeding.)
- A copy of results and any applicable explanation is also provided.
Eye checks for all Collies before leaving to their new homes.
- This includes a copy of the eye check results and an explanation of those results!
- Shiba eye checks are completed as adults and redone every two years.
Puppy culture protocols used on all puppies raised at Alcyone. (More information can be found on that Here.)
All puppies come started with crate training, potty training, and leash training. They are also well familiarized with grooming tables, being bathed, having their nails trimmed and/or dremelled, and more.
- My goal is to prepare these puppies to be great pets and great canine citizens. With that comes foundational work that starts early.
A contract that protects the puppy buyer as well as the puppy owner.
A copy of my pet contract can be found here. I will link my show contract when it is available.
All puppies are microchipped prior to going to their new homes. Both the buyer and breeder's information are included as contacts on the microchip, as the more people that know about a missing dog leads to a better outcome for the dog.

How much do puppies cost? Is there a deposit?

Cost varies depending on the breed (Collie or Shiba) and the age and potential additional needs of the puppy or dog. With this in mind, there may be some flexiblity in cost for older dogs, higher needs dogs, or other factors. I also offer a discount for families that intend to have their children show their dog in 4H, AKC, or UKC events. (This includes junior showmanship, rally, agility, scent work, and more.) Please contact me for more detailed information at alcyonecollies@gmail.com.

Generally, my prices are around the below:

Collie puppy: $2,500
Shiba puppy: $3,000

I do charge a deposit.

I charge a deposit of $300 that is refundable to the discretion of the breeder. This is for both breeds.

About the $300 deposit:

The deposit goes towards the cost of the puppy.
The deposit's ability to be refunded is up to the discretion of the breeder. Most reasonable reasons for needing a deposit refunded are honored, but I do value my time and energy and want to protect my potential puppy owners as well. Breeding and finding homes is a tedious and stressful process.
A deposit is required for anyone who would like to be on my waitlist.
I do not accept deposits when I am not planning a breeding within a reasonable amount of time (usually within the same year.)

Buying a dog from me is not first-come-first-served. All homes are vetted and puppies are chosen by the breeder for the best-fit home for that particular puppy.

Do you let buyers pick their puppies?

No, we do not let buyers choose puppies themselves.

Why?

As the people doing the breeding and raising of these puppies for the early stages of their lives, we have the ability to gauge their temperaments, personalities, and energy levels. Knowing this information, we feel more comfortable in matching a puppy with your needs, rather than allowing puppy buyers to pick based off first impression.

This may not seem fair to some, but it is a necessary part to matching a puppy with the right home. This also helps prevent the potential need for the puppy to be returned in the future, as well as prevents avoidable stress and chaos in the lives of the potential puppy owners. Puppies are a commitment that lasts well over a decade, we want to make sure we pick the best match for both the puppy and the owners!

Do you have a contract? What does it involve?

Yes, I do have a contract! I actually have two separate ones - One for show prospects and one for pets. Contracts are important guidelines for both breeders and buyers that can prevent many potential issues from arising. It's always important to get a contract from a breeder for both parties involved, even if the buyer is a close friend!

A blank copy of my pet contract can be found here.

My show contract is currently being updated.

Do you ship puppies?

No, I do not ship puppies.

If you reside outside of the Spokane area and are interested in a puppy, I am happy to make other accommodations and plans with you.

Health Testing - What health testing do you do?

Health testing is breed dependent. For both breeds, Shibas and Collies, the appropriate breed tests recommended by the breed parent club (Collie Club of America for Collies, National Shiba Club of America for Shibas) are completed. I also test for many things that aren't required.

Collie Tests:

The genetic tests I complete on any Collies that I own are:
(Ones shown in green are tests required for an OFA CHIC number for the Collie breed)

Multi-Drug Resistance 1 (MDR1)
Collie/Canine Eye Anomaly
Dermatomyositis (DMS)
Degenerative Myelopathy
Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA - RCD2)
Canine Cyclic Neutropenia
Hyperuricosuria

Orthopedic Foundation for Animals evaluations I complete for all of my Collies are:

Hips
Elbows
Others as needed

Shiba Tests:

Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) evaluations I complete for all of my Shibas are:

Patellas
Hips
Eye checks annually

All tests completed for my dogs can be searched for and found at the Orthopedic Foundation for Animals (OFA) website. I value transparency in my record keeping, so even dogs that I own or produce that have less-than-desirable test or evaluation results are posted in the OFA database. Each individual dog page on this website contains a link to that dog's OFA page. I am also happy to share this information via email upon request.

What are your values and goals as a breeder?

As with any preservation breeder, my goal is to preserve and better both breeds I am involved with through careful, thoughtful, and deliberate breeding. I intend to breed dogs that adhere to their respective breed standards set forth by the breed parent clubs and the American Kennel Club. Both breed standards can be found at the below links:

The AKC breed standard for the Collie

The AKC breed standard for the Shiba Inu

Using the knowledge of the past to help better the future by researching pedigrees and learning from other, more tenured, breeders is very important to me. Because of this, I attend breeder education seminars, collect and study pedigrees, and maintain regular contact with experienced breeders who are willing to share their knowledge with me. Experienced breeders have knowledge about temperament, structure, and type that is truly an asset.

I value learning, and plan to continually learn throughout my dog breeding journey. If there comes a day in which I am not learning something, that means I am either doing something wrong or I am dead.

Of course there is more nuance that cannot quite be expressed in writing, but the above is a brief description of what is important to me in my breeding journey. Above all else, the dogs always come first.

What is the difference between a show prospect and a pet?

In some situations, this can be pretty obvious (in the case of pet puppies).

In other situations (with show prospect puppies), this may be a bit more of a grey area. The important word in this case is prospect. There is no solid guarantee that a puppy that was originally chosen as a show prospect will actually continue to grow into being a show dog. Sometimes, puppies that appear to be good show prospects do not quite grow out as planned. It's important to know the lines you are working with, and remain flexible with these living and changing animals.

Generally, a puppy that is obviously not show quality is known early on. These puppies are considered pet quality. This is a dog that might have a feature (or many features) that doesn't align well with the standard, the bite is incorrect, or something else. Depending on the dog, these puppies can make wonderful pets or even go onto performance if their temperament, personality, and structure allows.

In the puppy evaluation process, I get opinions from several more experienced breeders on my litters. Each puppy is stacked, photographed, and changes (head and body) are tracked from a very early age. I find that having experienced eyes help me is the best way to learn and grow to better the breed.

I will always do my best to place to choose a show prospect puppy for homes that would like to show. Does this guarantee the dog will grow into a best in show winner? No. There are too many variables at play to guarantee such a thing. However, I am more than willing to be flexible and will always work with my show homes to maintain an open line of communication during the growth of their puppy. (And beyond, of course.) There will always be options when it comes to a show prospect not 'turning out', whether the owners would like to try with a different puppy, would like to keep the puppy, or other options. One thing is always certain - Any puppies I produce are always welcome back to Alcyone. A shelter is not an option, regardless of if the puppy is show or pet quality.

Do you sell any puppies as Service Dog Prospects?

To be upfront and honest, I do not have any experience as of yet in placing a puppy as a service dog prospect. I am willing to work with the right home to select the right puppy to be a service dog prospect, depending on the task needs of the person and if I have a suitable puppy.

If you aren't already familiar with what is required for service dogs in the United States, please check the ADA website for information on what is required for a dog to be a service dog. (Link here.) Please respect service dogs and their handlers and don't support false service dogs and fraudulent "service dog registries".

Application Process

Still interested after reading all of the above? Here is an outline of how our application process works:

The first step is to complete the initial Interest Application. This interest application is used to make sure a puppy produced by Alcyone will be a good fit for your life. The interest application is made available and announced prior to a potential planned breeding.
- After reviewing the interest application, we will reach out with any additional questions.
Once we determine we are a good match for each other (being a breeder, you're stuck with dealing with me for the remainder of a puppy or dog's life. I want to make sure we also match well!) we will discuss deposit options and breeding plans. To be on our waitlist, a $300 deposit is required.
Once the deposit is received, you will be on our waitlist and will be kept updated with breeding and puppy plans, and eventually have a new family member.