We are happy to share some reference letters from some of our very happy Novacoast puppy owners.
April 30th, 2020
I have always been a dog lover, but absolutely feel in love with the Australian Shepherd. I grew up with my best friend and her family being very active in the dog world and I wanted a show dog of my own!
I met Angela and Collin at a local dog show! They were extremely friendly, answered all my questions, asked me questions and of course had some gorgeous Aussies at the show that I could meet! We discussed my plans and goals for a new puppy, and I was sold!
When Angela contacted me and let me know they had the perfect puppy for me… my adventure with Lucy began. Angela and Collin have been nothing but helpful and supportive. They were able to teach me how to show, how to groom and always welcomed my 100 cute photos I sent of Lucy.
Lucy and I have been able to accomplish so much more than I ever imagined, and it is all because of their passion, hard work and dedication towards this breed and their dogs. These two are some of the nicest people I have met, always very knowledgeable and well liked in the dog community.
If you are looking for an Aussie, this is your final stop! They produce gorgeous, friendly, well trained dogs but best of all, a family member.
Allison Mair
October 20th, 2018
Dear Potential Aussie owner,
Our family met Collin and Angela in 2014. Our daughter’s piano teacher owns a Novacoast Aussie and our family fell in love with her dog so we decided to contact Angela and Collin. When we did meet them, we were so impressed with not only the Novacoast dogs, but also the obvious love they both have for their Aussies. We decided it would be worth the wait for a Novacoast Puppy, and were not disappointed at all. Their dogs are healthy, smart, and full of character.
Luckily for us the wait was not too long. Angela and Collin took the time to understand what we were looking for in a dog and they matched us with Shyrah who really is the perfect dog for our family. She is sweet, kind and very intelligent. We had lots of questions after Shyrah came to live with us and Angela and Collin have always been available and willing to answer our questions. I am amazed at the endless knowledge they have about this breed.
In 2016 our youngest daughter became very interested in Junior Handling, a sport we were not previously familiar with. Angela and Collin have significant involvement in dog shows and provided her with lots of guidance on how to show dogs and have always been willing to lend her a hand. Angela and Collin are always supportive and encourage puppy owners to get their dogs involved in one of the many sports Aussie’s excel at. This is a testimony to the professional, supportive, and caring approach they have toward puppy owners.
We now have a second Novacoast Aussie named Chase and he is amazing. He is funny, energetic, and very bright. We trusted Angela and Collin’s expertise in matching us again with the right dog and were not disappointed. With their guidance we introduced him into our home and he easily and quickly became part of our family.
If you are looking for an Aussie, look no further! We cannot say enough about the kind, caring way they have with their dogs and with us as owners. We feel very honored and proud to say we have two Novacoast Aussies.
Sincerely,
Leanne MacKay
Dear dog lovers,
If you are reading this, what an exciting time it is for you and in my opinion, you should look no further for a reputable breeder because you have found the best!
Angela and Collin came into our lives 3 years ago and they provided exactly what we needed to heal our hearts. Let me begin by giving you a little history. We dearly loved our little Border Collie mix Bailey who we rescued in 2006. For her first 7 years, she was a very healthy girl then the next year, she became ill requiring a lot of vet care both locally and at the PEI Vet College. We did everything medically available for her and eventually we tearfully ended her suffering Boxing Day 2014. We were inconsolable. As the months passed, the house felt so empty that I began to search “healthy breeds” because we had been through so much the prior year with Bailey. I know there is no guarantee but some breeds are less prone to disease than others. I knew I wanted a medium sized companion that was intelligent, active and loyal to it’s owners. I did not want a puppy but an adult who would be ready to hike and snowshoe. I also always wanted to get involved in a dog sport. The more I researched, I was excited to explore the Australian Shepherd. I looked for breeders in my home province of Nova Scotia and found Novacoast Australian Shepherds. Enter Angela and Collin.
After filling out the questionnaire, there were numerous communications back and forth. I presented the qualities that I would like to see in our next companion. Angela would then consider this information and decide if we were a match to either of the two adults she had available for placement. I believe that this is one of Angela’s best qualities. You do not end up with just any dog, you end up with a perfect match because this breeder know their dogs well. Angela told me that she believed a male named Quade who was not yet 2 years old may be the perfect match for us.
Earlier in my story, I spoke of what “I” wanted in our next dog. The reason it was not “we” is because my husband was still quite heartbroken and could not bear to open himself to that hurt again. I spoke to him about this Novacoast Aussie named Quade and showed him pictures and he agreed to come and meet him. The rest is history. We met Angela, Collin and Quade at a dog show 3 hours away and fell in love with him instantly. He was exactly what we were looking for. Thinking back, this is another example of quality breeders. We said that we would need a few weeks to get our home ready for Quade because I had a work conference that I had to attend out of province and we wanted to take a week off work to help Quade adjust to his new home. Angela and Collin said of course and took him back home with them until we were ready. Then the day we were to pick him up, they were concerned that he may have kennel cough because he coughed just a few times and it was in the area at the time (and I believe someone took a coughing dog to one of the dog shows). They offered to keep him and monitor him in case it developed but I felt we were fine to take him. He also had a full vet visit while we were waiting to take him home.
Aside from her matching ability, I believe Angela’s greatest quality is her constant support for her dog owners. This is where you feel the love and you know that their entirety is invested in their dogs. After we got Quade, he had some difficulty adjusting to his new home. He could not settle at night. He would pant and pace all night long and he began to vomit when we were asleep and when we went back to work, he vomited throughout the day. This was quite distressing to us because the majority of Bailey’s illness centered around constant vomiting that the vet could not diagnose until finally she was found to have lymphoma. Angela assured us that this was new and was just him adjusting to the change and that all would be well. She was there anytime we needed her day or night. She gave us ideas to try to ease his anxiety and was a constant support. We tried absolutely everything. Long story short, it was almost a month later and Quade was still having difficulty adjusting, continued to vomit and was losing weight. We became very worried about him. Although we had wonderful times together and on our outings or cuddling at home you would never know he had a worry in the world, but when he was alone he was stressed. We thought it may be in his best interest to return him back to the farm where he was so happy. I tearfully called Angela and told her we were coming the next day. Our hearts were breaking while we considered giving him back him but we felt it was best for him. She was so supportive and said of course they would welcome him home. Luckily, that afternoon, I had an idea. I found a sitter and told Angela that we were going to try one more thing. I took Quade to the sitter’s house that was 30 minutes away, 4-5 days per week. Lo and behold, the vomiting stopped. He was happy to not be alone in the days and she tired him out and he began to sleep at night. I also found a wonderful agility trainer and he found a new hobby he was enjoying. As the months went on, he no longer needed the sitter but still went a day a week because he loved her as much as she loved him. Thank God it worked because we could not imagine life without our boy and like I began, out hearts were healed.
Sorry for such a long story but I think it is important for you to know the quality of breeder Novacoast is. The story is about to get longer. Fast forward a year and I wanted to get a second dog. This was a constant debate in our home because my husband was happy with one dog. He finally agreed to a second if it was a puppy. I contacted Angela and they did not have a litter of puppies but was placing a beautiful adult female. My husband was still insisting on a puppy and I did not feel the bond with the female that I did in an instant with Quade so I finally agreed to a puppy. We contacted a breeder which provided Novacoast with one of their foundation dogs, actually Quade’s grandmother. Along came Indie, all full of spunk and badness. The problem at the time was I suffered a concussion the week before we were to receive Indie (from the US) and we could not stop the process without a great loss of money. So we welcomed her thinking I would recover quickly but this was not the case. I was having great difficulty functioning and coping with a puppy and my husband was working long hours. I had a trainer that was providing some direction but I was feeling overwhelmed. I contacted Angela and she gave me a great deal of support with Indie, a dog that was not hers. She helped me through many issues we were having but I was not doing well physically and asked Angela is she was interested in taking Indie. She said that she had to discuss it with Collin and then told me that they would welcome Indie if I felt too overwhelmed to continue on with her. Knowing that there would be a fantastic home for Indie if we failed was enough of a comfort for us to continue working through some difficult issues with her with the help of my fabulous trainer (Mary Holland-Grist if any of you are from Sydney). Sorry to get off track, I have to give Mary a shout out because she was also a great support both when we first got Quade and then with Indie. Angela was always there with support if I needed her. Right up to present (Indie is now 2) Angela and Collin have helped with the latest difficulty Indie is facing. We (myself, Quade and Indie) were charged by 3 large dogs on the golf course in May . The owner was about 200 feet away running and screaming to try to gain control of his dogs while I was trying to keep them away from mine using a ski pole. Since then, Indie is very reactive to some approaching dogs. Angela and Collin have given me tools to work through this.
Finally, Angela and Collin always welcome their dogs back when their owners go on vacation so that the owners can enjoy a stress free vacation. We were going away and the person we previously had stay at the house to care for the dogs was out of town herself. I contacted Angela and asked if they would consider taking them, unsure because Indie was not their pup. They welcomed them both to their farm saying that Indie is still family because she is related 🙂 Having Indie’s best interest at heart, they told me how they would slowly introduce her to their dogs so that I would not have to worry about her while we were away. They also sent us lots of updates and pictures. They were both having a blast. When we returned, we went for a hike with Angela, Collin and another one of their owners and when we were ready to pack up the car to travel home, my heart hurt because Quade and Indie were ready to leave with Angela and Collin rather than us! That is the level of care and love they provide their dogs.
We have told Angela and Collin that we hope and pray that they never stop breeding Aussies because we will never obtain a dog from anyone else. I truly believe neither should you if you are considering an Australian Shepherd. You will not find a better quality dog or more ongoing support than Angela and Collin.
Best Regards,
Valerie Mackie
July 16th, 2018.
We found Angela and Collin in 2016 while searching for an Australian Shepherd breeder in Nova Scotia. We were looking for a family dog and after reading about a lot of different breeds we were most intrigued by Aussies. I grew up with German Shepherds and wanted an intelligent dog. We met their beautiful dogs, and our daughter, who was 6 at the time, had a blast running around a field with a few of them. Their love for their dogs shows in the care they take in placing their puppies, and how well they know their personalities! We were on a wait list for a puppy and received the best email from Angela saying they had a sweet little red-tri female named Aria. She was friendly, outgoing, and Angela warned us “Keep an eye on her off-leash, she would gladly go off with anyone!” Aria is now almost 2 and those words are still true! She is a hit wherever we go, rolling over for a belly rub from anyone who makes eye contact.
I’m blown away with how perfect a fit Aria has been with our family. We bring her everywhere we can, from camping to beer breweries. She is patient, kind and social. My husband recently brought her with him to drop our now 8 year old off at summer camp where Aria was showered with affection from campers and staff, and our daughter beamed with pride telling everyone about her dog. We don’t hesitate to bring her anywhere, she has such a wonderful temperament and goes with the flow with enthusiasm.
Collin and Angela have been an endless source of information and support. From any questions I had when Aria first came to us, or when Aria went into heat when we weren’t expecting it, to needing their help caring for her while we undertook a big move, they have been there for us. I can’t wait until our family is ready for another Aussie, so we can see what quirky funny personality we get matched up with next!
Ashley Jamieson
July 11, 2018
I’ve had Kinslee, Novacoast The Magic Formula for 5 years now. When I first approached Angela about Kinslee all of my questions (there were many) were answered thoroughly and respectfully. She went the extra mile to offer history on her dogs, pedigrees, health information and to top it off she did additional paperwork to accommodate a particular request I had. Angela and Collin have always been exceptionally supportive and continue to be 5 years later. I’m always greeted with a smile when we are at shows together and Kinslee is always tickled pink when they visit with her. Additionally, advice and encouragement is always offered willingly. Kinslee is a complete ham – she’s amazing with kids, a cuddler, my permanent shadow and a quick study at anything I ask – trail riding with the horses, jumping any kind of wild construction the kids come up with or simply helping to keep me awake on a long drive. She’s a super athlete and is the picture of good health. Angela and Collin stand behind their dogs and follow through on their offer of lifelong support.
~Dominica McCutcheon
