Good Breeders?

[juliepoudrier]

I have to say that I just (in the past two years) raised my first male. In some ways he was more difficult (I never had a female pup leave a "snail trail" of pee through the house), but he certainly is way more happy go lucky than any of the girls have been. Still, I think personal preference plays a lot more into it than whether one gender is actually easier than the other (since the latter is really all about perceptions).

 

J.

[Guest SweetJordan]

EEeek

I've only ever had females (2) and don't know any better. However, I would never say this as a general rule. Would anybody else? Surely it depends on the individual dog. Last time I checked, my soul was intact .

Ailsa

I don't know either as I'm on my first BC a female as well. She certainly isn't hard on the soul. She's gentle, extremely sweet and as obedient as they come.

[Guest SweetJordan]

I was just reading the rest of the thread. Who's ultimately going to be responsible for the dog? My concern is getting a dog during a time in which your life is going to change a lot in a short amount of time. Plus you have to take into account what Katelynn said. And really I wouldn't think that a BC puppy would be a good choice for someone who has never raised a puppy before. I raised two puppies, but decided to get an adult BC as my first. That's just me.

[1sheepdoggal]

Ive always had a mix of girls and boys, and love both genders for thier differences. Boys are goofy and cuddly, girls mature faster, and seem to me to train up quicker, but Ive got some pretty cuddly gals too. I think I would judge a potential dog or pup on individual personalities and disposition as opposed to strictly gender. They both have thier attributes.

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

At the risk of introducing what may be the first significant recursive post to this thread (sorry), RDM is correct - puppies are most significantly a crap shoot.

 

Of all my dogs we have had

 

Maggie, obtained as baby puppy. Hell puppy, and life with her was about as different as I'd imagined life with a dog could be. Alll changes to her life came long after adulthood (additional dogs, moving, sheep, babies) and she took them like a champ.

Bubo, adult dog. Exactly as advertised: perfect companion for Maggie and sweet "softcore" introduction to herding dogs.

Ben, older puppy. Only failed to live up to vague expectation of being more than he was at the time we adopted him, ie, motivated at sports/work. Best dog ever.

Trim. Obtained as puppy. Terrific at sports, okay at work, trainwreck as a household companion. Aggressive, shy, biter - we ended up having to rehome her as a goosedog after five years of work getting her "Safe" in public. She is still in that home so it worked for her but it still hurts after all these years, especially after losing Ben who we raised so close in age to her.

Rick. Older puppy. Everything I hoped for, but made some mistakes with him and ended up not being able to use him for work.

Jen and Ann. Obtained as puppies. Too drivey to be good companion dogs, great sport dogs but I didn't do sports any more, trainwrecks as working dogs. Ended up putting the rest of their herding commands on them and placing them into goosedog homes.

Cord. Adult trained dog. Everything as advertised and more. Settled right in, discovered some surprises like the fact that he already played frisbee (he was purchased as a farm dog). He worked as long as he needed to and now he's semi-retired just when Ted is coming "online" full time

Gus. Adult trained dog. Everything as advertised and more. He's my husband's best buddy. Patrick never imagined he'd like a BC as much as he loves Gus, but there they are. He was exactly what Patrick needed at this time, as his breeder/trainer imagined when he connected us with the seller.

Rocky. Raised him from puppyhood, for his breeder, as the third of littermates she was "keeping." He bombed spectacularly as a stockdog of any kind, but showed a particular talent for goosedogging so I placed him with a friend up north with my other friend's blessing.

Ted. Finally, a puppy who is living up to my needs and expectations. Look how many puppies I've been through - of course I have a tough sheep situation but the adults do fairly well. The fact is that I have not been careful about where I get puppies from until this latest "round." I now wish I could have raised more than the two I did at the time, as now I'm dependent on whether Cord feels like working or not if I need more than one dog to do something. That will work out though, I'm sure. It always does.

 

That's what I've learned. Hang out, learn a bit about this world, and a dog or two or six will just happen to you - and the ones that just happen, as a newcomer, are the best, many times, if you've found some good mentors.

[Shetlander]

I was just reading the rest of the thread. Who's ultimately going to be responsible for the dog? My concern is getting a dog during a time in which your life is going to change a lot in a short amount of time.

 

I've been thinking this all along. I believe if the whole family or at least the parents are every bit as committed to the dog as the kid, only then would getting a dog now be ok. Most dogs are left behind when the young owner goes off to college or moves out (finding affordable housing that allows pets can be very hard for someone with an established career). I got my first dog when I was 10 and my family never would have had a dog if I hadn't whined about it for the previous 9 years (my language skills were limited for the first 12 months ). I was insane over the dog but at 18, I went away to college where he could not follow. Fortunately my parents loved him almost as much as I did because he spent most of his remaining years with them.

 

My other concern here would be that there is already a young dog in the picture and it sounds like he needs extra attention and training to help through a tricky phase that could become a significant problem. Add to this a brother and his friend who find it amusing to tease dogs and a very busy owner who can't be there every minute to police what is going on. I don't know that bringing in another dog of any age or breed is a good idea until things are more settled.

 

Sorry to be discouraging. I know what it is like to love dogs that much as a kid, but I see too many red flags to bring in another dog, much less a challenging breed like a Border Collie, much less a Border Collie puppy (the devil! ) into the mix at this time.

[LazyGRanch]

I hesitate to even post. Because I'm 15YO (almost 16!) and I don't want to come across as "Oh, yeah it's doable!". I put ALOT of thought and even at one point thought I wouldn't get another dog untill I was out of college. But I have tremendous support from my parents if/when I need something. And I pay for most all my dogs things except food -this I do sometimes- and vet bills (which do make up alot of dog ownership, I know, but it's a start).

 

 

I got my first dog at 17 (just a few weeks shy of 18). However, I had made up my mind, absolutely 100% that I wasn't going to "go away" to college. I know I saved money like heck when I found out the OK had come, but there's a big diff financially between 16 and 18 (especially since I worked at the family business)!

[denice]

Now,

I understand about rescuing don't get me wrong but all of my current dogs/family dogs are rescues. I would potentially be alright breeding the puppy I get but only if her (prefferably a her) breeder was to advise it I definantly don't want to ever come across as a BYB and want to do everything responsibly. I want to get a puppy from a breeder so I can meet her parents, have no doubts about her history, and have a fair judge of her temperment.

I would love to get into herding as well as dog sports just for kicks and giggles. My dog goes for a 1 hour run daily as well as going to the dog park/swimming in the lake. I feel like I can handle a Border Collie but am going to foster/play with/walk more dogs of this wounderful breed to make sure I am making the correct choice. I would also like to talk to breeders/meet breeders dogs. I am looking for a working line Collie.

 

I am hoping you guys will stear me in the right direction. I would need a breeder around Northern Kentucky (Louisville area) or Southern Indiana.

 

Thanks,

Colton's Mom

 

 

Colton's Mom,

 

I am by far not the most experienced bc handler but I do have a couple super dogs, sheep and an close to you. You are sure welcome to contact me and we can arrange a time that maybe you and your folks could come out and I'd introduce you to "herding". I am also haveing a herding clinic Oct 24th - 26th at my place where there will be a trainer here - Patrick Shannahan - and folks with dogs of all ages and levels of training so you could see some of what is involved in the actual stages of training. I am located in SE Indiana, 45 min from Madison. My email is denice.r@lycos.com These folks are right a puppy is a lifelong commitment and the information you learn the better choice you are able to make.

 

Hope I can help,

 

Denice

[Tranquilis]

See, now... That kind of offer is why I love this place. BC folks is good folks.

[Colton's_Mom]

Thanks guys,

I understand about not being able to bring a puppy into the mix yet. I would like a puppy in the next year or two but it all depends on how ready I am, my dog is, and my family. I have Colton and he's far too attatched to me for me to ever leave him with my parents (he's the kind of personality that would stop eating) so I've already made the decision to go to a community college. My Mom does not work and is able to let the dogs out four times a day for 45 minute periods. Currently with Colton I feed him, train him, walk him, bathe him, and play with him as well as letting him out when I am home.

 

And as a random update his 'off' training is going well even with an object as tempting as a tennis ball. My family has raised/fostered puppies before mainly of the Rottweiler breed. They are the cutest but most stubborn puppies ever and so far all of our dogs (raised from puppies up) are excellent. My Mom has already expressed interest in possibly trying her hand at herding it's not a guarantee but if I get a puppy she's already agreed to help with him/her. Denice I will contact you, I only have 3 more competitions and I'm done.

[NRhodes]

There will be a trial at Vergil and Annmarie Holland's just after Thanksgiving in Cynthiana, KY. If you're done with band by then maybe you could come out. The trial will be Friday, Saturday, Sunday.