THE BREEDER
(some general information)
Never go look at puppies before doing your homework on the breeder! All Border Collie puppies are adorable, and many an unscrupulous breeder will try to capitalize on that fact by putting a fluffy six-week-old pup into your arms. First and foremost, any buyer looking for a pet Border Collie should deal only with breeders with a verifiable track record of producing good pets. I recommend that the very first question a prospective owner ask is "What is the number one characteristic you breed for?" and deal only with those that answer "Good temperament." Anything else is the first step on the road to tragedy.
Next, buyers should buy only from breeders whose breeding stock is sound, asking for certifications on hips and eyes! Hips and eyes are the minimum certifications acceptable. NEVER buy a puppy whose breeder doesn't do health certifications. Reputable breeders like having questions asked about the health certifications they do, and will happily supply copies of such paperwork. CLICK HERE to see what some of our dogs' health certifications look like.
Don't encourage underage breeding or over breeding. Please support ethical, humane, responsible breeders...How? Don't be in a hurry! Ask questions such as, how old was the mother when she had her first litter, and how old is she now? Puppy mills begin breeding at very young ages, well before two years of age and will breed females older than 8...most reputable people won't, except under unusual or unexpected circumstances. Has she had any back-to-back litters (if so, generally 12-18 months "off" is recommended before being bred again). How many litters has the dam had? Few breeders breed a bitch more than 5 times in her lifetime. If this is not a first litter, ask for a reference from a buyer from EACH litter the female has produced.
How many dogs do you own? A breeder with the long term goal of a true breeding program will have a number of dogs--that's what it takes to keep from in-breeding! However, this number should also include old and retired dogs. Breeders of Border Collies should live on a sizeable bit of land--at least a couple of acres.
Familiarize yourself with the other problems found in the breed, such as Progressive Retinal Atrophy, hip dysplasia, epilepsy, Storage Disease (C.L.), Trapped Neutrophil Syndrome, Deafness, and thyroid malfunctions. ALL BREEDERS ENCOUNTER SOME PROBLEMS OVER TIME. Ethical breeders will tell you what problems they've dealt with. BEWARE the breeder who has "never" produced problems--they either have not been breeding long, they are NOT testing for problems... or they are lying!
Avoid breeders who take credit for others' accomplishments--ask for documentation of all claims for titles or health certifications. It should NOT be impressive to see many titles in a pedigree, if the titled dogs are not owned, handled or bred by the prospective breeder. Avoid breeders who are not actively engaged in some pursuit with their own dogs, either obedience, herding, conformation, agility, or flyball. You should see photos of the breeders 'working' with their own dogs at certified canine events, including herding, conformation, agility, or obedience. This is one way of finding a person who is truly invovled with dogs versus the puppy mill or 'backyard' breeder. Most reputable breeders will be only too happy to show off some of the photos they've collected during their dog sport activities.
While it may seem nice to have a breeder whose only "qualification" is having children at home--be careful. This may seem like it will ensure "good" puppies, but chances are the puppies are just a product to generate more income for the family--and that does not represent a professional breeder who is trying to improve the breed! Buyers should ask breeders, "What are your goals in your breeding program? What are the main problems you are trying to correct in your lines?" The answers will tell you a lot about why the breeder is breeding. Next ask, "What do YOU do with your Border Collies?" This question will give the buyer insight on what other characteristics the breeder is selecting for, such as aggression, energy level, drive, eye, bite, etc. It will also tell buyers which breeders actually live with their own dogs as pets--always a good sign.
AND NEVER BUY BECAUSE YOU FEEL SORRY FOR THE DOGS--use your outrage and call the AKC or other registry to complain about the condition in which you found these poorly cared for pups. You can also call local authorities such as Animal Control or even the sheriff. When you pay money for a puppy "just to get him out of that hellhole" what you are doing is keeping that "breeder" in business! It is a case of simple economics--if they can't sell their dogs, they will soon stop breeding.
When a breeder claims to have "imported" or "champion" lines there are some questions you should ask. The Border Collie did not originate in the USA so in effect, all BC lines come from some where else, some time in the background. Imported can mean, the breeder has imported the stock or that they are breeding from imported stock--which is it?
It costs thousands of dollars to import dog, and the person that spends the money to do this should get the credit for having "imported lines." There are also many different places people can import from. Do the lines come from ISDS (the original herding registry for the breed in the UK) herding lines or do they come from show lines in Australia, New Zealand, or the U.K.? Ask this question, and carefully think about the answer. Remember, breeders that have imported will have import documentation that you can verify--don't be afraid to ask to see such import verification.
Once you've established where the imports come from, ask the breeder, "Why did you choose these lines?" Again, this will give you insight into the breeder's priorities, and you should be determining if her priorities align with yours. You should also ask how long the breeder has had the imports, and if at all possible, talk to the exporter of the dog. Would they sell to the importer again? Many an unscrupulous person jumps on the bandwagon of the top winning dog, getting these lines so they can "be competitive" in selling. The gifted breeder avoids such "flavor of the month" decisions and will generally have a solid line they are breeding from, avoiding fads and fancies.
The word "champion" can be used in many contexts. Most commonly it is used to denote a conformation champion, a title bestowed by the American Kennel Club (AKC). If you are looking for a showdog, remember not all "champion" lines are the same. Have the dogs been nationally ranked? Have the dogs had group placements or other honors such as Awards of Merit at Westminster K.C. or the National Specialty? But remember, just because a dog is a top winner doesn't mean it has a healthy body or a good temperament! The gift breeder will put all of these items together to achieve BALANCE in her breeding program, and that is what you should be looking for too.
There are also champions in herding, agility, flyball and obedience. And finally, don't be fool by a dog that "comes from champion lines" -- if the dog is NOT a champion itself, ask "WHY NOT?" There can be some acceptable reasons from breeding from non-champion parents, such as an accident that led to missing teeth, a physical injury that has an impact on the dog's appearance or movement. Sometimes a dog is just slow to mature and is ot competitive until a full grown adult. Always check this out--and evaluate the answers!
Puppy mills often get their greedy hands on good lines--there are many ways to do this--but often they will not go to the time and expense to gain championships on the dogs they acquire. All they do is breed from them. PLEASE--don't get suckered in with the "champion lines" routine.
The next area to question is the whelping of the puppies. For instance all my Darkwind puppies are whelped in my bedroom or living room. I keep them close to me and from the very beginning of their lives they are imprinted with the scents and sounds of humans. This can be compared with puppies born in a barn that rarely see people. Many puppy mills farm out their puppies and only pick them up prior to selling them. Buyers should always ask, "Have the puppies been handled by people, especially by kids?" Early socialization is critical in this breed--nothing can replace it.
Don't be offended if a breeder asks a lot of questions. This is a very positive sign. A good breeder will want to know the size of a family, ages of children, the location of the household, allergies, other pets, and even the size of the yard. Other questions to expect would be on the lifestyle and activities of the prospective buyers. CLICK HERE to see our questionnaire.
The gifted breeder uses all this information to get an idea of what sort of puppy she would place in the prospective home--or even if the Border Collie is the right breed for the person. Households with boisterous children generally need a puppy that differs from the puppy appropriate for a single, sedate adult.
The match between puppy, buyer, and breeder is perhaps the most crucial aspect in the entire process of acquiring a Border Collie. This matching up process should be done slowly and carefully, with a breeder who has the buyer's and the puppy's best interests at heart. The bottom line is that a smart buyer is going to find a reputable breeder, and then let the breeder choose the puppy that is most suitable for the buyer. It is an interactive process, where both parties must feel mutual trust in the collaboration.
If you have the desire to participate in any form of organized activity, such as agility, flyball, obedience, herding or conformation, it is wise to deal with breeders who specialize in those areas. Remember, reputable breeders will be able to show proof of any titles their dogs have gained--don't be afraid to ask to see certificates that award titles. Ask for and scrutinize references.
Finding an ethical breeder can be like finding a needle in the haystack. You want a breeder who will be there for you "in sickness and in health, till death do you part."
Note: These pages may be copied or printed to aid you in your interviews with breeders. For Information on our litters planned for 2005 please visit our our litter information page. And don't forget our Terms for Placement--you will see how picky we are, wanting wonderful homes for our Darkwind dogs.
We encourage readers to check out many breeders. If you haven't already, please visit our "Links" page for many breeders.
