Welcome to Gilantre’s Rough Collies

In loving memory of Tea Lemmetyinen 1984 – 2021

The woman writing this is in her mid-thirties and lives in Lahti Finland with 3 rough collie females and a spouse. As a background story I could tell that I’ve lived with dogs since I was 1 year old so roughly about 36 years. In our family home we had 2 german shepherd females. My history with rough collies goes back 15 years to the spring of 2006.

Me and my brother 1986 with out first gsd female Sina
Sina 1994
Our gsd female Jeti summer of 1997

My first rough collie was a handsome tricolour boy Roxier’s Star Shadow “Foxi” (C.I.B FI & SE & EE & LV & RU CH RKFW-06 Cesamen Night Talisman – Roxier’s Blue Honey) that was born in the Spring of 2006. With Foxi I tried various dog sports and fell in love with agility. We also trained obedience and started going to dog shows.

In 2008 we got a second rough collie, this time tricolour female Sinipilven Helinäkeiju “Jaci” (Roxier’s Star Sound and Zinnia’s Soiree D’Amour). Jaci was Foxi’s niece. We separated with my partner at the time in the fall of 2008 and only Jaci stayed with me.

Foxi 2008
Jaci 2009
Mona 2009

I wanted to get a friend for Jaci and the right litter came about in October 2008. My friend Sanna Kinnunen had first litter for her kennelname Dispiritos. The pedigree of this particular litter was very interesting to me. The puppy that I chose was blue merle female Dispiritos Moon Sparkle “Mona” (FIN CH Zinnia’s Cast Away – Kiiramanna Blue Heaven). The dam of the litter was a daughter of CIB FIN & EE CH Roxier’s Blue Maxam and this connected Mona back to already familiar pedigree for me.

Unfortunately in the summer of 2010 we had to let Mona go. She had a kidney failure. It is always so sad to let go such a young dog, but in this case it was the only right thing to do as she would have only suffered more otherwise.

Me with Mona and Jaci summer of 2010
Gila August 2011
Jaci in the Fall of 2009

After Mona I wanted to try something different so I got a another puppy from the same breeder as Mona, this time sable female Dispiritos Rosie Cotton “Gila” ( CIB NORD & FI & SE & NO CH Black Gary Face De Paris – CIB FI & EE & LV & BY CH LVVW-15 Pihlajapirtin Midnight Sun).

I had plans to use Gila for breeding. I had taken my breeder’s course at the beginning of 2010 and Gila was born in January 2011. I got my kennel name later on that year and it was based partly to Gila’s name, so Gilantre’s.

Official health checks on Gila and her litter siblings showed hip dysplasia on 4 of them. So I ended up making the decision not to use Gila for breeding as health issues are of great importance to me.

Gila and Jaci March 2012
Me show training Gila spring of 2011
Jaci and Gila August of 2011

This made me question the whole idea of breeding as Jaci also bad hip scores and I had also lost one dog at such a young age. But as time went by I realised that this wasn’t the end of the world .

I had dreamed of getting a puppy from FI CH AGI3 Silimen Classic-Cola “Classic”. Unfortunately that didn’t work out but I had the opportunity to get a puppy from her daughter Silimen Classic Delight “Deli”. So another sable girl FI & EE CH AGI3 Wishping Navi Mayana “Sura” ( Maple Yard Challenger – FI CH AGI2 Silimen Classic-Cola) moved to live with us in the spring of 2012.

Sura 6,5 weeks
Me with Jaci, Sura and Gila Spring 2012
Sura and littermates with mum Deli February 2012

I had hoped to get a dog for agility and other dog sports, but I got so much more. Sura has been incredible show dog and a great partner in hobbies. Our main hobby was agility for years, and we competed to the highest level in it. I also trained to be a coach in agility and did that for many years as a part of Villähteen agilityurheilijat.

Sura was placed with breeding rights with us, but she never had any puppies. We tried for 3 times and every time for nothing. So she has lived as a much loved pet and partner in hobbies. Now at the age of 9 years she is vibrant and happy veteran.

Sura BIG-4 in Porvoo July 2014
Sura at the summer cottage at Kangasniemi
Smooth collie Titja (Dandinas Put Up To Play) and Sura in agility competition 2016

In 2015 I had 3 dogs at home, out of which 2 were really young and active so it wasn’t the right time to have a new dog at home with us. I found a interesting combination in planning. Mother of the dam of the litter was the sister of Maple Yard Challenger “Aapo” and Aapo was the father of Sura. So I wanted to get some of that back that I didn’t get from Sura in breeding.

And so I placed Maple Yard Oh No “Priya” (Carlitos Artistic Angus – AGI CH Maple Yard Hello You Fool) to my friend Suvi Lehto , kennel Jucaides smooth collies, under breeding terms. Priya was and incredible dog in character and I had big hopes for her in breeding, but yet again luck was not on our side. Priya was sick and so I couldn’t use her either. She lived with Suvi as a loved pet and friend and partner in agility until Suvi had to let her go at the beginning of 2019. You can read more about it from Suvi’s website if you wish.

Jaci, Gila and Sura in Porkkalanniemi
Priya
Sura in obedience training 2015

In the spring of 2016 I got an offer from a breeder friend of mine Eija Kotka, kennel Merry Moonray’s rough collies and shelties. She offered me a tricolour female at the age of 4 months. This puppy was looking for new home as the family that had her could no longer keep her. This is how Hera (Merry Moonray’s Winter Tale) came about. I took her for a weekend to see how she was and the very first day I met Hera that was it. She was wonderful in character, such a fast learner and took to agility field like she was born there. Hera is from the combination CIB Multi CH LTW-19 Merry Moonray’s Firecracker – LV & LT CH RU & LT & LV & EE & BALT JCH Merry Moonray’s Blue Roulette.

Hera in agility training summer of 2017
Hera tracking
Hera, Gila, Sura and Jaci 2016

Hera was everything I had been looking for in a agility dog. She was elastic mover, fast and fiery. Love her to bits. And for the first time after 10 years in waiting I got my first litter for Gilantre’s out of Hera. I used a gorgeous blue merle male CIB FI & EE & RU & RKF CH Roxier’s Snow Blue “Pyry”. I had followed Roxier’s dogs all these years and Pyry had caught my eye already as a puppy. Pyry is a strong and well build masculine male that really stood on his own feet. I have to give big thanks to the owner of Pyry Hanna Päivärinta, for everything.

5 beautiful pups were born 14.3.2018 1 tricolour boy Gilantre’s Adrastos Atropos, 2 blue merle girls Gilantre’s Aglaia Althaia and Gilantre’s Anthea Adrastea and 2 blue merle boys Gilantre’s Aristos Alexandros and Gilantre’s Aiolos Aristaios. This litter had really good health results when they were examined and have proven to be nice active collies with personal little differences in their character. We have also been to shows with them with excellent results and 2 other breeder’s have used Gilantre’s Adrastos Atropos for breeding. You can read more about them from the litter site.

Mythology-litter at the age of 5 days
Gilantre’s day in Lahti November 2018
Gilantre’s BOB breeder group in Lahti Puppyshow October 2018

From that first litter I placed with breeding rights the biggest blue merle girl Gilantre’s Aglaia Althaia “Maikki” to my dear friend Sofia Kokkonen. We are now hoping that in the future we will get a litter from Maikki too.

In year 2018 there was another litter also born with us. This time Merry Moonray’s litter that I was helping with. And from this litter the beautiful and strong blue merle female puppy “Siva” (CIB Multi CH LTW-19 Merry Moonray’s Firecracker – Merry Moonray’s Luna Lovegood) stayed with us.

Siva, Sura, Hera ja Maikki summer of 2020
Maikki May 2020
Siva in Lahti August 2019

By this time Gila and Jaci had already passed on as I had to let them go for their dysplasia symptoms. Jaci at the age of 10,5 years and Gila little under 8 years of age.

In July of 2020 I got my second litter to Gilantre’s. This time from the combination FI CH FI JW-17 Black Gary Snowstorm “Enzo” – FI&EE&LV CH BENELUXW-17 Merry Moonray’s Eliza Doolittle “Tuutikki”. I have to thank my dear friend Sofia Kokkonen, owner of Tuutikki, for allowing me to use her beautiful Tuutikki for breeding. Also big thanks go the owner of Enzo Sari Tähkäpää Saruskan rough collies. From this litter I placed under breeding terms the beautiful and brave blue merle female called Gilantre’s Phaedra Siria “Halla”, but unfortunately luck was not on our side and the whole litter had very bad health results when examined. Things just don’t go the way you plan sometimes, but it is always worse when the dogs have serious health issues, that is something you never wish for.

Ethereal-litter August 2020
Gilantre’s day in Mäntsälä June 2020
Pietari (Gilantre’s Dharye Nabhasa) Gilantre’s day at Huippukoira Oy October 2020

My aim is to breed healthy rough collies with the correct movement and temperament for the breed that are also beautiful as the breed standard states. It is obvious that these don’t always come true as life has a habit of putting obstacles on our way. These hardships are no reason to give in and quit. One very important point for me is honesty and openness, there is no point in hiding things. This breed is in all of it’s special features so regal and noble and to my eyes the most beautiful breed in the word.

I also have to give credit to other breeders and rough collie people that have supported me through the tough times. None of us are able to breed on their own, we need the co-operate with other breeders.

Halla in agility training day at Lahti November 2020
Co-operation girl Pimu (Merry Moonray’s Dazzling Deligh) 5 months old March 2021
Merry Moonray’s Dazzling Delight “Pimu” 10 months

And the warmest thanks go to the homes that have Gilantre’s rough collies.

Thank you for taking such good care of my treasures and for keeping in touch!

Site under construction!

@ Tea Lemmetyinen October 2021