aviary

Thank you. I respect that other people feel differently about health testing, but it's important to me and I would really prefer not argue about it, or be treated like a bad owner/future owner for caring about it.

Yikes! That was pretty condescending.

D'Elle thank you for the suggestion. I've fostered with BC and all breed groups in the past, and it's not what I'm looking for. I'm fine waiting and meeting people and hearing different perspectives along the way :-)

Health testing is non-negotiable for me. I used to work with a BC rescue, and in that short time we had a dog surrendered to us from a "good" breeder completely blind at a young age. And thank you, but I am able to tell the difference between a BYB and a good breeder who also does health testing.

Thank you!

Gloria- I was thinking maybe a cat or two, but a menagerie would work too ;-)

Hey guys, I filled out the contact form on Fiona's website a while ago, and never heard anything. Just filled it out again over the weekend. Just wondering if there's a better way to contact her? Thanks!

D'Elle, I went through all the breeder posts on the boards and the following have been recommended at one point or another: - Red Top Kennel - Blue Ridge Border Collies - Serendipity Stockdog - Kathy and Jack Knox - Broken Circle Border Collies - Dianne Deal - Orchard Run Border Collies - Status Stockdogs - Creekside Farm - Herbert Holmes - Stephanie Goracke - Ron Enzeroth - Bruce and Linda Fogt :-)

I'm having a hard time because most of the guidelines for finding a breeder are on what they *shouldn't* be doing. That's fine, but does the absence of red flags means the breeder automatically has great dogs? To me it should be the absence of red flags, plus positive things, which to me are things like health testing, socialization, etc. Does that make sense? Are there other "positive" aspects I should be considering? Obviously doing well at trials is great, but since I don't need a dog to work I'm not sure if that would really make much of a difference in my case.

mum24dog, I'd be interested to hear how you chose your breeder, since you were looking for a pet not a working dog. It's crazy how different dog cultures define a "good" breeder. For most responsible pet people, health testing and socialization are non-negotiable (not a judgement). *Edit: by responsible pet people, I mean as opposed to people who buy from pet stores and bybreeders

Thank you! Should have mentioned, I'm looking at 2018, so no rush.

Hey all, I'm sure the breeder posts get old, but I'm looking for something pretty specific, so I thought I'd give it a shot. Does know of a breeder who: 1. ABCA registers 2. Does CEA/CH, CL, TNS, etc., health testing 3. Raises puppies in home with extensive puppy socializations with kids, animals, different situations 4. Raises puppies with dam and sire 5. Positive reinforcement training with their dogs/low stress environment for mom ​I don't want to start any arguments on training methods, this is just what is important to me. Looking for a sweet, medium drive dog with a solid temperament to be a companion and participate (not necessarily compete) in herding, agility, and dock. Possibly SAR work as well. No preference on appearance, and I'm willing to travel anywhere in the US for a dog. Thank you!

Thank you, Mr. McCaig!

Thanks mum24dog. I was wondering if it was something like with a dachshund, where they look a certain way for a purpose, but I haven't seen any pre-AKC dachshunds so they may well have changed their appearance too. Or like with Mals, where the ones still bred to work look pretty much the same as the AKC Mals. And of course I ask here; you guys are the collie experts!

There's a post called "Demise of the AKC" so, no, I wouldn't call my view on the board all that skewed. And while I did write this in a humerous, snarky way, my question is completely serious: Does anyone know the reason for the AKC breed standard to look so different from the traditional BC appearance?

Hello Team BC! I must once again draw from the pack wisdom of the group. As suggested in many forums, and after much hemming and hawing, I contacted Dwight at Blue Ridge Border Collies, a ranch that also breeds working dogs. I explained that I was looking for a dog on the lower end of exercise and energy range to be a companion pet, and did he know of a dog of any age like that looking for a home. He said he had a six month old pup he had traded one of his $800 puppies for that he's looking to sell. He described the dog as very level, quiet, calm, and not having any of those obsessive quirks that border collies sometimes have. I don't think he's been started on herding (or maybe he wasn't cut of for it?). Anyway, I'm going to meet him next week! I also contacted Red River Border Collies in TX, but they seemed really eager to send me off with a 8 week old puppy, no questions asked, which made me a bit wary. Has anyone worked with Dwight before? He seemed like a stand up guy. Are there any specific things I should look for during my visit? Any questions I should ask? I'm definitely asking about exercise requirements, how he is alone, and whether I can bring him back in the event of a catastrophe. What do you think?? This has been such an ongoing process and I feel like I finally did it the right way. Comments for other non-working types looking for a BC: I was totally scared to call farm/ranch people (as so many on these forums suggest) to ask about their dogs because I though they'd look down on me for wanting one of their crazy amazing work dogs to be a cuddle buddy in the city. O contraire! They we very friendly and open, and listened to what I was looking for in a dog, and genuinely wanted to help me make a good match. Moral of the story: city pup, don't be scared to talk to you friends the country pup. Disclaimer: I have also spent a LOT of time trying to get a dog from a rescue, but of the three in my area, only one wants anything to do with me (I was basically told "no foster parent is going to approve you because you live in an apartment" and I straight up never heard from the other after multiple emails). If only I lived near Glen Highland Farm; I'd be a certified rescue dog hoarder by now! And I kind of have a dog deadline since I want to spend my last year as a student bonding with him while I still have so much free time, and before the realities of moving/full time job hit in.

So, as we all know, the AKC has a breed "standard" for what dogs are supposed to look like. My question is, why does the AKC BC standard look NOTHING LIKE an actual border collie?? I saw a breeder's family of dogs in person the other day, and the guys were all short and barrel chested, and the girls were tiny! More lap than working dog! Aside from their markings, they didn't even look like collies. I get that the whole point of the AKC is to have this "ideal" appearance, but why make that standard so far removed from what border collies actually look like? Did they want a LESS graceful and athletic looking dog? More petite face and snout because they looked TOO intelligent before? The overall aesthetic seems to be toning down and cutesying them up until they're the kind of dog Scarlet O'Hara's daughter would bring along on an afternoon stroll. I have so much more to say, but I thought I'd give others a chance to weigh in :-) Kendra EDIT: I should have put this in the politics thread. I'm the worst.

Thanks for the responses everyone! I actually happened to call a breeder in Mississippi yesterday, and she's getting one of her dogs back from a family who didn't treat him well (he's now blind in one eye from an injury they left untreated ). Depending on what the vet says, I may get to bring him home for a life of playtime and lots of much needed love. Fingers crossed! If that doesn't work out, I'm open to going to Statesboro (or Kentucky). Do you know if they're ok with their dogs going to companion homes? It seems like some breeders are pretty against that, and I don't want to step on any toes.

Thanks for pointing that out! I thought this was the general adopting page. If it helps, I'm open to adopting from a rescue, but I've gotten blanket 'no's from two organizations because I live in an apartment.

I'm in Georgia, but I don't mind driving to pick up a pup from surrounding states. No preference for sex, rough coat is a must, and I have a weakness for blue merles but color isn't that important to me. Really, my biggest concern is that I'm getting a well socialized dog who's appropriate for a non working home.

Hi everyone, I'm looking for a BC puppy from a good breeder in the South to be a companion pet. Any advice and recommendations is greatly appreciated. Thank you, Kendra

My apologies for the duplicate post! Anyone know how to delete your own post?

Hello everyone! New to BCs and the forum. I'm hoping adopt this adorable pup when I get back to the States in a couple weeks. His dad has a rough coat, and I know smooth is dominant over rough, but he looks a tad too fluffy to be smooth. Is there partial gene expression in coat length, or will he get rougher/smoother as he gets older?