Where to buy a Border Collie Puppy?

[Jimmyc]

Hello all, I've been reading the forums and researching border collies for some months now and I'm ready to purchase a Border Collie. I live in Massachusetts and I'm having a hard time finding any puppy's for sale near me. Can anyone recommend me a breeder close to MA that has puppy's for sale?

[Liz P]

Try the NEBCA web page. There are several breeders in MA listed. I know of one on Cape Cod who might have pups for sale. PM me for her name.

[Jimmyc]

If anyone can pm me or post a site or reputable breaded that has pups for sale, that would be greatly appreciated! I've contacted a ton on breeders to no avail.

 

I would consider having a pup shipped if it's really far from MA.

[Gloria Atwater]

If anyone can pm me or post a site or reputable breaded that has pups for sale, that would be greatly appreciated! I've contacted a ton on breeders to no avail.

 

I would consider having a pup shipped if it's really far from MA.

 

 

Someone just suggested the NEBCA website. If you scroll down the links on the left side of the page, you'll see "Breeders Directory." Here is their website:

http://www.nebca.net/welcome.html

 

Can you tell us why you've had no luck contacting breeders? Did they not reply? Did they give a reason for declining to sell a pup to you?

 

~ Gloria

[Jimmyc]

The ones I contacted didn't have any available or had all their upcoming pups pre sold.

[Sue R]

Sometimes, you just have to be willing to wait a while.

[LauraV]

If it makes you feel better I've been on my breeders waiting list for years. She doesn't breed often at all. Maybe once every 1-2 years and only breeds with a full wait list. But I know how great her dogs are and she is, so it's worth the wait.

[Jimmyc]

I'm willing to wait too, but not years lol

[Cass C]

I agree a great dog is worth waiting for I contacted my breeder back in February and the dog I'm getting a puppy from won't even be bred until around November, so I definitely won't have a puppy until next spring.

 

If you don't need a pure bred than rescues and shelters have tons of puppies this time of year I see plenty of BC mixes and possible pure breds there. There were two just last week that came in.

 

Is there a reason for the rush? Perhaps if there is a legitimate time constraint someone could help or be willing to work with you?

[waffles]

This is the classifieds from the NEBCA site with some pups listed:

 

http://www.nebca.net/classifieds.html

 

If you are looking for a companion and not a working partner, Glen Highland Farm always has the most wonderful looking/sounding dogs available. Currently, many 1 year old's available. All looks and sizes.

 

http://www.glenhighlandfarm.com/dogsavailable.htm

 

I waited about a year to find my pup. Remember, they will be with you for a possible 15 years. You won't even remember how long you waited or how far you drove once you have them!

[GentleLake]

If you are looking for a companion and not a working partner, Glen Highland Farm always has the most wonderful looking/sounding dogs available. Currently, many 1 year old's available. All looks and sizes.

 

They sometimes get young puppies as well. In January I adopted a 10 week old known purebred puppy from them. I waited for 6 months before finding him (although I was actually looking for an adolescent or young adult).

 

New England Border Collie Rescue's just taken in a couple older pups, one 7 one 8 months IIRC, though they're not up for adoption yet and I don't think they're PB. http://nebcr.org/

[D'Elle]

Have you considered going to a rescue? They often have young dogs and sometimes even puppies.

[Sue R]

Perhaps you'd like to share with us just what your plans are with regards to a future pup/dog? That would help people give better advice.

 

If you are looking primarily for an active companion, I would suggest rescue as an option, as others have done. If you are looking for a farm/trial prospect, then you most likely would be best off finding a well-bred (working-bred) pup or, if this is your first Border Collie, perhaps a started (partly-trained) young dog or a retiring (trained) dog to help you get started in stockwork with dogs.

[Jimmyc]

Thank you for the replies. The main reason for me getting a border collie would be for a companion. I work outside (can bring a dog to work) I live on the beach and I hike and jog/walk every week so I'm always outside living an active lifestyle. Their would be no hearding or trials at all but from what I've read people are saying you always want to get a working bred dog?

 

I would really like a male puppy but I'll check out some shelters.

[Sue R]

If you are going to buy, then by all means, by a working-bred dog for a number of reasons. If you are willing to go the rescue route, you can find working-bred or whatever-bred dogs, youngsters, and pups, and you can give a deserving dog a home.

 

Responsible rescue of a part-grown or grown dog is great, and not the gamble that buying *any pup* can be. You get to meet the animal and see its non-puppy personality. If the animal has been fostered, you can learn a lot about it (good with cats, good with kids, not good with noises, etc.) and even get one that has some basic family pet manners trained.

 

If I was going to get another dog/pup for a companion, rescue is where I would look. As you have already seen, the best breeders have waiting lists, don't produce many pups, and may not place in a pet home unless they have an animal that does not work out as a stock dog. Rescues, on the other hand, always have a lot of dogs to choose from.

 

I particularly like Mid-Atlantic Border Collie Rescue (located in eastern MD) and Blue Ridge Border Collie Rescue (located in VA). I've heard good things about New England Border Collie Rescue, as well.

[GentleLake]

You're absolutely right, Jimmy, that if you're going to buy a puppy you should buy from working parents so that we can protect the breed.

 

But there are hundreds of fantastic dogs in rescue in this country who are more than capable of being amazing companion dogs. Now that I'm no longer able to work my dogs on livestock, I've switched over to rescues and have had a number of incredible dogs come my way as a result.

 

I really hope you'll consider giving a second hand (usually through no fault of their own) dog a chance at the great life you have to offer. I'm sure you won't be sorry.

 

If you're willing to wait, you may well be able to find a young puppy in rescue. But there are some real advantages to adopting older puppies and adult dogs as well. Even exceptionally well bred puppies are a crap shoot when it comes to knowing what kind of dog you'll end up with. You can gt a pretty good idea of an older puppy or dog's temperament, which can really ensure you get a great match.

 

And you'll be doing a very good thing for that dog. . . . and for the next one that the adoption opens up a place for in rescue.

[Cass C]

My Lyka (the gold dog in my profile picture) was a shelter pup only 10 weeks and she is a great companion. Not a great sports dog, but an awesome well trained active friend!

 

I think if your looking for a companion puppy you may be in luck at the shelter or maybe a rescue this is puppy season.

[waffles]

Jac at GHF looks like a great catch for you (abca registered merle) and so does Punky at NEBCR. These are just two examples of adorable, young male border collies available. If you want a real young pup, get your application in to rescues now so that when they come up, you are already approved.

 

You can also go to your local shelter, SPCA, whatever you have, and do the same thing. If you go to petfinder.com and type in your zip code, choose your breed, it will show all the border collies available in rescues in your area.

 

Our local SPCA lets you put your name and number on a list for specific types of dogs (breed, gender, age) and with your application already approved, they call you first before the dog goes up on the public page.

[GentleLake]

Punky probably isn't a good fit for most first time border collie owners. If you read the bio you'll see that he's very high drive and needs someone with particular training skills and the time and dedication to spend time training and keeping him occupied, probably doing some sort of dog sport on a regular basis.

 

And Jac has dog issues, so again will require someone who can handle that kind of thing.

 

It's important to read between the lines on rescue dogs' bios. The rescues will want to make a dog appealing, but will also include some clues about the kinds of challenges they may present. It's sort of like reading listings of homes for sale.

 

I don't mean to be discouraging, but I've been in the rescue game long enough to have seen a whole lot of inappropriate applications come in for the especially good looking dogs from people who aren't paying a whole lot of attention to what's written about them.

 

So, like finding a good breeder, people need to be patient when looking at rescues, too. It can take some time to find the right fit in a dog.

[waffles]

Very true Gentlelake. I have no clue what kind of experience Jimmyc has, so to assume he has none, doesn't have the time, and is not qualified seems silly. I never said that Jimmyc should apply now for these two specific dogs, but was pointig out in general how dogs of all types end up in rescue.

 

A good rescue will refuse an application that is not suited for that dog and help the applicant find a more suitable dog. Any dog or pup from any place will require time, dedication, training, and so on. A benefit of working with a good rescue is that they will help find a dog that is best suited for your lifestyle and training abilities. It will make both the owner and dog happier with the right match.

[GentleLake]

Absolutely.

 

I didn't mean to imply anything about Jimmy's qualifications, but did infer from what he's said that he doesn't have experience with border collies, and I didn't read of an interest in pursuing dog sports. If I'm mistaken, my bad and genuine apologies, but I meant no disrespect. And I did qualify my statement about first time border collie owners with the word "most" because I think I have more sense than to engage in silly assumptions about someone I don't know.

 

Since I volunteer with NEBCR, I also happen to know that Punky's had a fair amount of interest that hasn't gone anywhere because he's got some challenges that will require someone with a fair amount of experience. (I honestly don't know very much about him, but I do know that his adoption coordinator is looking for someone with specific training experience, as is noted in his bio.) So I was speaking about the specific dog, not any particular person and in generalities about how to read rescues' bios.

 

So, I'll bow out of this discussion now lest I insult anyone else, but wish the OP well in finding a dog.