The Rainshade Collies Story

The Rainshade Collies Story

Rainshade Collies in the Early Years

Dr. Vanderlip shares the story:

Rainshade Collies was established in 1977, with my first breeding pair of Collies. The male was a handsome tricolor of famed Ladypark and Rokeby champion lineages. The female was a beautiful blue-merle descendent of the famed Champion Mywicks Satine of Simba Star, Champion Mywicks Meadow Lancer, and Champion Carramar Boy Blue.

This pair of Collies produced International Champion Ringleader Blue of RainshadeRainshade Alice Blue Gown, and several other wonderful Collies. It was an exciting accomplishment to produce an International Champion and Best in Show winner with the first pair of Collies! Rainshade Collies was off to a wonderful beginning and the fun has never stopped!

International Champion Ringleader Blue of Rainshade was exported to Switzerland in 1980. He defeated the top Collies of his time, won Best in Shows, and quickly obtained his Swiss, Italian, Monaco, and International Championship titles. Ringleader is full brother to Rainshade Blue Raindance, who also enjoyed a successful show career in Switzerland, and Rainshade Alice Blue Gown. Alice was a favorite and remained at Rainshade Collies her entire long life. Some of today’s Rainshade Collies trace back many generations to Alice.

I recognized early on that additional qualities were needed to add to my original breeding program in order to achieve and maintain the exquisite look, gentle temperament, and the genetic health package that I envisioned to establish, while also incorporating some genetic diversity. With these goals in mind, I searched for a Collie type that appealed to me and that I believed would blend well with my Collies. More than 30 years ago, I introduced American lineage into my Collies gene pool and from that point onward, I did not introduce any more Collie bloodlines from Europe. Most of the American lineage I introduced originated from Lick Creek Collies, through Kingsmark Out of the Blue at RainshadeRainshade Kingsmark Hi Integrity, and Rainshade Razzmatazz.


Rainshade Collies are Talented! 

Over the decades, so many Rainshade Collies have accomplished so much and have made us very proud! Rainshade Collies are successful in many arenas: conformation, obedience, agility, herding, carting, facilitated therapy work, and as service dogs. You can see many of them on Our Collies page. Here are a few favorites:

WM2_NORingleader Key PhotoIn conformation, Canadian Champion Mareb’s Crystal Blue Persuasion, CD, was always fun to watch. Rainshade Sans Souci was exported to Australia where she produced Australian champion offspring and champion descendants. She was the first Collie in history to produce offspring from frozen semen. This semen was from Rainshade Marjo Great Spirit. It was collected and frozen before he was exported to Switzerland. Rainshade Turn the Tide, also exported to Swtizerland, has made a positive impact on the quality of many Collies throughout Europe.

Rainshade Alice Blue Gown also produced Rainshade Noblesse Oblige. He was exported to Australia where he sired Australian champions. These champions in turn produced more champions. The genetic qualities of Rainshade Noblesse Oblige has influenced Collies in Australia for generations. His great grandson was a Best of Breed winner at the Sydney Royal Easter Show in 2001, 2002, and Runner Up Best of Breed in 2003.

Rainshade Blue In Downunder and Rainshade Continental Drift were also exported to Australia. Rainshade Continental Drift produced Australian champions that also produced more generations of champions.

In the herding arena, Rainshade Shadows and Light, VC, OFA, CGC, HT, HIC, HCTs, JHDs, LC and Rainshade Tried and True, CGC, HT, HIC, HCTs, JHDs, OFA take top billing. Like most Rainshade Collies, they were very bright and had a strong herding instinct.

In obedience, Rainshade Renaissance Wizard, CD proved that Collies can do it all! And Rainshade Starlit Night, CD, CGC, OA, OAJ, OF took home all the ribbons in obedience and agility!

Rainshade Blue Magic, CD, HT, JHD, TT, CGC, VC was an extraordinary Collie in obedience, carting, service, and therapy work. More recently, Rainshade Tobias Lambano Scott is phenomenal in his work and abilities as a service and therapy dog, both in and out of harness, while Rainshade Mystic Snow Angel works in a clinic as a therapy dog helping children.

There are many, many more accomplished Rainshade Collies in all of these arenas and many others are currently working toward their titles. We will continue to post photos and stories about them!


Rainshade Collies Today

Rainshade Collies today are the result of our highly selective breeding program and close genetic screening over the decades. Rainshade Collies lineage consists primarily of American lines, although many of our Collies also trace back many generations to the bloodlines that produced International Champion Ringleader Blue of Rainshade.

The Collies that I selected from both sides of the world to create Rainshade Collies, have made it possible for Rainshade Collies to win in show and performance rings around the world.

Today at Rainshade Collies, the original goals remain:

  • Produce the most beautiful, healthy, and happy Collies possible
  • Place our Collies in the very best of homes
  • Continue research and remain current on Collie information and help others by sharing information on how to continually improve the Collie breed

Rainshade Collies in the Lead

Since 1977, Rainshade Collies has helped Collies and Collie breeders by providing information on how to improve the Collie breed by eliminating genetic problems. Much of the advancement in breeder awareness about genetic problems in Collies has been attributed to the valuable information Dr. Vanderlip presented in her widely acclaimed book, The Collie–A Veterinary Reference for the Professional Breeder (1984).

Dr. Vanderlip has also been a leader in promoting advanced breeding techniques in animal reproduction. For more than twenty years, Dr. Vanderlip has produced numerous Rainshade Collie litters from frozen semen, using non-invasive, non-surgical insemination techniques, including transcervical insemination.

Dr. Vanderlip works with universities and research institutions on projects of importance to Collies. She continues to do research and add to information on health issues and about Collie coat color genetics. Dr. Vanderlip is co-author of a chapter on the merle gene (Canine SINEs and Their Effects on Phenotypes of the Domestic Dog, Genomics of Disease, Springer, NY, 79-88). She has written many scientific publications and books.

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