Christina

Earlier in the week there seemed to be a lot more female handlers than male handlers but the ratio was much closer than other sports.

We just found somebody to care for the dog. Thank you!

My partner has a reactive dog that he doesn't want to leave home for nationals. We are just spectators but we have never been to a trial and don't know what the seating will be like. Is it possible to bring a reactive dog who may bark at other dogs at first? He isn't horrible and he is very well trained but he does have some issues. He has been to other dog events and typically only reacted when other dogs gave him a "stare-down" (I can't imagine that would happen with a ton of Border Collies- har har). Would the parking lot be in view? If temperature allows for it we have no problem leaving him I the car as long as we can supervise from afar.

This list may be helpful to you. Most are in Canada but some are in the states. I'm looking for a pup as well. http://canadianbordercollies.org/marketplace/breeders-and-trainers/

Yes my main goal is to breed working Border Collies, not service dogs. I want the dog I get to possibly be able to fill the shoes of my present service dog but there is never a guarantee and I am well aware of that. If said dog does not turn out to be a wonderful service dog, no harm done, I have other options. The dog will then only be a stock dog instead of a service dog and a stock dog (I don't want to offend anyone again but I literally cannot find any other way to put that- this is nothing against stock dogs). For example: Dog is either both a service dog and a trialing dog. OR Dog fails as a service dog and is only a trialing dog, not both. OR Dog fails at both and does something else. Under all three circumstances I would keep the dog. I hope that's clear. I have minimal experience as a stockdog handler. I have worked my own dogs numerous times but cannot any more because one has no herding instinct and the other has an injury that prevents her from doing so. My partner's dog, from Patrick Shannahan, will be started on stock when he is old enough. I am looking a year out from now, possibly longer. Presumably my partner's puppy will give both of us experience with stock work to begin with. We will have both dogs sent out for training if they show promise as trialing dogs. I know you learn more off a trained dog than an untrained dog as a novice. I would wait until my dog were at open level to breed and I would honor any stipluations on the breeding contract, including allowing the breeder of my dog to have a say in who the sire of the litter is.

---- Um. What?

Thank you Debbie.

You know what is really sick? After all of this, after I have walked away from my computer in tears twice today I am STILL here because I so badly want to be involved with this incredible breed. Why is it necessary to put up with this kind of abuse to do that? Why are YOU allowed to bully somebody just because they don't agree with something that you believe in? What happened to being kind to one another even if you disagree? I am going to go to Nationals in a few weeks and I am going to talk to breeders even though my pride has been severely damaged by this forum and even though I am praying that the few of you are only a small part of this entire community. Until afew posts ago I have said NOTHING to warrant these comments. I don't know if I'm supposed to trust all the people who messaged me and essentially said to give up because you people are not worth it or if my opinion really is that bad.

Actually I am incredibly hurt and hate that I even got involved in this. But go you. I am an incredible dog owner and would give any Border Collie in my possession a fantastic home. Congratulations for thinking you know anything about me and being so entirely wrong.

Thank you Pam. I screen captured it and will answer later. I'm going to take my dog for a walk right now.

Silly me, I thought asking for a working dog was the whole point of this forum. But if that isn't acceptable, exactly what is? Brown nosing up to Julie and Eileen? I didn't see that between the lines in the rules. I should have read more carefully

Banishment in 5...4...3...2...

^Obviously somebody didn't read the previous five pages of this thread where I explained about five [expletive deleted by moderator] times that I don't support the AKC's registration of the Border Collie.

As I said. No vacancies in the clique. I'll give you your board back now so you can bully the next person into leaving. SMH.

I would love to know who that breeder is Oko! I would consider an Aussie SD and just take a BC as a trial dog.

I've seen this but thank you for posting it. I respect Christoper's opinon on the subject.

You're being too sensitive. That's why I put quotations around the word just.

I'm surprised nobody has pointed out that you might have a hard time finding a breeder who will let you pick from a pile of puppies. Many breeders either match dogs to their owners or will go by "first pick" to "last pick" based on the order you were approved as a puppy owner.

I second Flamincomet's comment about wash outs. My dogs are in my life permanently. I take that kind of commitment very seriously. A wash out will go back to being "just" a trial dog. And if they hate that too, then we will find something else to work on

I think I understand what you're saying here. As a SD Border Collies do act much differently from other breeds. They are reactive to motion and can't necessarily be trusted with children carrying balls, toys, etc. I don't find any of the typical BC behaviors unacceptable for SD work. Just very different. I personally don't like GSDs, Labs, and Goldens. I prefer the different capabilities of a Border Collies as a service dog. FWIW here is a video of my Border Collie (red and white) and my partner's puppy (from Patrick, black and white). I don't know anything about my dog's life before he ended up in a shelter. Both dogs are practicing public access commands like heeling, sitting when stopped, laying down and staying in one position when stopped for a long period of time, and focusing on the handler with distractions. That last one is the reason I love Border Collies so much- no breed can ignore distractions like a BC. https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=10201066901527592&l=6524948268770572497 I've just realized that a key problem here is that I am basing my expections of breeders on my experience with breeders. I have met a few working breeders (who I will not name) that did not do the things I am requesting. This is why I am searching for something specific. No! I was waiting for this point to come up. The difference is in raising the puppy. I like working Border Collies. I don't want to change anything about that except the way the dog *I* choose to use as a service dog is raised. Thank you.

Inflammatory? Where!?

Please close this thread. This has been extremely upsetting when all I have ever asked for is recommendations based on the things suggested by THIS GROUP. I see now that this clique is closed and not accepting new members. So please close this thread. I had very good intentions when I initially posted and now I see that those will never be acknowledged. I am hurt by the attitude towards anyone new to this scene. I hope you all realize that you are not going to be around forever and if you really do want to preserve the Border Collie you are going to have to accept newcomers at some point.

And for the love of dog NOBODY has suggested that anyone is "anti-service dog"!! Stop saying that! Jesus! I only said there seemed to be a vendetta against them because of the snotty attitude towards me. Admin, can we close this thread or something? I will find help elsewhere.

Psmitty- I would really appreciate not being called "rude" if you're obviously going to be ignoring the disrespectful tone of Julie's posts. ("Poo-pooing"? Really!?). Service dog candidates are raised with a variety of experiences- walking on moving surfaces, acclimating to medical equipment from an early age, have feet touched, ears pulled, fur pulled, things they don't expect to see like opening of umbrellas or flapping of plastic tarps, sounds of thunder, fireworks, trucks, trains, buses, cash registers, children, etc. Waking on various surfaces not limited to grass and concrete. Associating with other animals including dogs, cats, horses, sheep, chickens (obviously easy for a farm). There are more methods than I can possibly list. But, once again, this is not the only criteria that I am looking for. I want to work with a breeder who has time to talk to me about what I need and isn't going to leave the description of their puppies at "they are all good pups, pick one." You folks are making it sound like every breeder would cater to this when that is simply not the case. Why it bothers anyone that this is my personal preference is WAY beyond me.

Julie, at no point have I suggested that what working breeders do isn't enough. If I did believe that I wouldn't be looking to buy a puppy. I HAVE asked breeders what their protocal is so I will know whether it IS enough. Now I'm really sick of you putting words in my mouth and taking things I say out of context so you can drag it through the mud and shame me once again for asking for specifics so please oh please stop posting on this thread if you have nothing to contribute. It doesn't seem like you are interested in anything but putting me and flamincomet down. Kindly go do something else Julie. Would you do that? Mark, I haven't contacted her yet but will do so shortly. Thank you!