BC People...

Southpaw

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#2
I emailed her a couple years ago when I was first looking for BC breeders and she was the one that wouldn't sell a puppy to me because I didn't have BC experience :( Had me pretty upset for a while because she looks promising, and of course I like how local she is... so yeah no personal experience really lol but I see no red flags.
 

PWCorgi

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#3
I emailed her a couple years ago when I was first looking for BC breeders and she was the one that wouldn't sell a puppy to me because I didn't have BC experience :( Had me pretty upset for a while because she looks promising, and of course I like how local she is... so yeah no personal experience really lol but I see no red flags.
Well that is dumb!
 

skittledoo

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#4
I'm swooning over Rain.

Don't know too much about them but I know I've heard of this breeder before. The Silverwind name rings a bell with me but I'm trying to remember where I heard about them.
 

PWCorgi

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#5
I know that she is on the road A LOT, I'm guessing to trial? Her mom comes in to get her stuff all the time and she is SOOOO nice :)
 

ihartgonzo

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#6
I'm pretty sure she is/was on the BC forums... her dogs look stunning!!! :) Now you know where to get your BC puppy from. Come on, BCs and Corgis look so cute together.
 

Southpaw

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#7
Well that is dumb!
Yeah that was my initial thought too lol.
Quoted from the email:
"I occasionally will have a rehome available for a pet home, but don't like to sell to people who have never owned BC's before as they are not an easy breed to live with if you don't know how their minds work."

Unfortunately I am an honest person and told her that no, I hadn't owned one before, and then she told me that an adult breeder rehome or a rescue would be my best bet for a first time BC. But otherwise I guess how would anyone know what breeds of dogs I've owned? Meh!

Or hey I guess I should just hang out at your store and show her that I'm awesome enough for one of her puppies :p
 

PWCorgi

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#8
We special order a LOT of food for her, I will just let you know when she is going to be in to get it lmao
 

ihartgonzo

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#9
Unfortunately I am an honest person and told her that no, I hadn't owned one before, and then she told me that an adult breeder rehome or a rescue would be my best bet for a first time BC. But otherwise I guess how would anyone know what breeds of dogs I've owned? Meh!
Honestly, I would probably tell some one the same thing, if I were a BC breeder. Border Collies are like a different animal for most first-time owners! These dogs just FLOOD shelters & rescues, especially considering that they aren't that popular. On top of that, you are a young person, and Lucy isn't exactly an active working dog. :p

I'm just trying to say... don't feel offended. I bet if you would've kept at it, proved to her that you are an avid dog lover & have the time/passion to own an intense working breed, asked to help her with her dogs, maybe fostered a BC to get your feet wet, she probably would've sold you a puppy. It's just that the "average person" should not own a Border Collie, you have to prove you're above average!

I wish more working BC breeders were like this. Most are old-fashioned and say "well, here's your pup! enjoy." and that is the end of it.
 

SaraB

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#10
Honestly, I would probably tell some one the same thing, if I were a BC breeder. Border Collies are like a different animal for most first-time owners! These dogs just FLOOD shelters & rescues, especially considering that they aren't that popular. On top of that, you are a young person, and Lucy isn't exactly an active working dog. :p

I'm just trying to say... don't feel offended. I bet if you would've kept at it, proved to her that you are an avid dog lover & have the time/passion to own an intense working breed, asked to help her with her dogs, maybe fostered a BC to get your feet wet, she probably would've sold you a puppy. It's just that the "average person" should not own a Border Collie, you have to prove you're above average!

I wish more working BC breeders were like this. Most are old-fashioned and say "well, here's your pup! enjoy." and that is the end of it.
I agree whole-heartedly! It would be different if it wasn't a working bred border collie as those are a whole other level of dog ownership. Before anyone jumps in to say "well how can you get experience when no one is willing to sell you a puppy?". There are a ton of ways! Volunteering for a breed specific rescue even if you can't foster shows that you do know the breed. Getting involved in some sport or activity with current dogs is another great way to show your commitment.
 

Southpaw

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#11
and Lucy isn't exactly an active working dog. :p
Lucy's not, but Juno could probably give some BCs a run for their money. :p

I've gotten over it though. It just would've been nice to find someone local, since I don't want to ship and I'd rather not go on a road trip extravaganza either for a pup lol. I do appreciate a breeder that obviously cares where they place their pups and doesn't hand them over to anyone that wants one. I am "casual dog owner" though so I just don't have a need to really make acquiring a dog any more complicated than it needs to be. (I want a good breeder but I don't compete or do any srs fancy stuff, so it's easy for me to move on and look elsewhere and find what I want).

She was quite friendly in her emails though and the fact that she even responded to me at all was nice - so it's all good :p
 

PWCorgi

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#12
I'm pretty sure she is/was on the BC forums... her dogs look stunning!!! :) Now you know where to get your BC puppy from. Come on, BCs and Corgis look so cute together.
PFFFT! No way.

The only way a BC is coming into this apartment is if it's a senior and the only thing it wants to herd are couch cushions.
 

elegy

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#13
I agree whole-heartedly! It would be different if it wasn't a working bred border collie as those are a whole other level of dog ownership.
You know, I don't. Border Collies really aren't that different from other high energy dogs. They're still dogs. They're not even particularly difficult dogs.

Get to know your puppy-buyers and offer them support. Make sure they're realistic in what they do actually want to live with, and about what they're buying. Owning a high energy pit bull absolutely prepared me for owning a Border Collie. I didn't need to go rescue a Border Collie with a questionable health background first.
 

Lizmo

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#14
I agree whole-heartedly! It would be different if it wasn't a working bred border collie as those are a whole other level of dog ownership.
Call me dumb, but I don't understand how working-bred is a 'whole other level of dog'?

Just as a quick reference that came to mind, Elegy's Steve is sport-bred. Blaze is working-bred. I, personally, since the day these two came to the forum as pups, don't see that much difference between the two dogs in terms of physical and mental exercise needs? Elegy, maybe you do? They're both smart, young, active Border Collies.
 

CaliTerp07

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#15
You know, I don't. Border Collies really aren't that different from other high energy dogs. They're still dogs. They're not even particularly difficult dogs.
My agility trainer says her border is much easier than her (agility bred) cockers. He's so soft, a simple look in his direction will stop whatever he's doing, and he's so willing to please that she can get him to do whatever she wants relatively easily.

When she was going through some medical issues, I offered to foster the border collie, no problem...but no way was I going to take her crazy cocker spaniels!
 

skittledoo

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#16
You know, I don't. Border Collies really aren't that different from other high energy dogs. They're still dogs. They're not even particularly difficult dogs.

Get to know your puppy-buyers and offer them support. Make sure they're realistic in what they do actually want to live with, and about what they're buying. Owning a high energy pit bull absolutely prepared me for owning a Border Collie. I didn't need to go rescue a Border Collie with a questionable health background first.
^ this
 
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#17
OK,my father had a working BC that took care of about 600 ewes.He was active and did his job well and fast but away from the herd,he was level-headed and had an off-switch!.
He was regularly taken to Paris and did well,there with enough exercise,to keep him,calm.
Trained and exercised BC or any working dogs should have that an off switch.
 
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SaraB

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#18
Call me dumb, but I don't understand how working-bred is a 'whole other level of dog'?

Just as a quick reference that came to mind, Elegy's Steve is sport-bred. Blaze is working-bred. I, personally, since the day these two came to the forum as pups, don't see that much difference between the two dogs in terms of physical and mental exercise needs? Elegy, maybe you do? They're both smart, young, active Border Collies.
Working bred/sport bred is the same level in my opinion. A conformation bred would be different. I just know these type of breeders arn't just breeding pets for the most part so they want to know that their pups are going to a home that will work with them and get involved in sports/activities. Tough to prove that you will commit to an obligation like that if you have nothing to show for it already.

ETA: Just like the BC rescue I used to volunteer for, the BC's were ranked by energy level with Performance Home Only being for the working/sport bred rescues. If you hadn't already been participating in a sport with previous dogs or could show an more than average involvement with a sport or activity it was very difficult to convince the rescue to adopt that dog out to the particular person. Even if they promised to exercise the dog enough. The fact of the matter was that those dogs have potential to excel in a sport, they are not going to let that potential "go to waste" per say in a pet home. Breeders are the same way, their lines are bred to excel at working or sports and they want their line to become well known for that skill. That is why they reserve pups for performance homes and if they have more than enough people on lists waiting for their pups why not be more choosy?

Has nothing to do with not being able to handle a dog... just where the breeder wants the dog to be placed.
 

RD

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#19
You know, I don't. Border Collies really aren't that different from other high energy dogs. They're still dogs. They're not even particularly difficult dogs.

Get to know your puppy-buyers and offer them support. Make sure they're realistic in what they do actually want to live with, and about what they're buying. Owning a high energy pit bull absolutely prepared me for owning a Border Collie. I didn't need to go rescue a Border Collie with a questionable health background first.
Oh my gosh I totally agree with Elegy here. Their likes/dislikes are different, usually, from other high energy dogs, and there are some other minor differences as well, but nothing so groundbreaking that it puts border collies on a different plane than every other dog. I didn't need to own a high energy dog to be prepared for a border collie. I MET border collies and READ about them and realized "hey, this dog's going to need more exercise and activity than my previous dog". So as the puppy I got matured, I kept training with him and keeping him busy. And once trained (and this goes for all of my border collies) he really was easy to live with, for me anyway.

That said, I can understand why a breeder would be cautious about giving a pup to a home that hasn't owned one before, but I don't think any breeder would turn you down Southpaw, if they got to know you. Just get to know someone. :)

As for a working bred dog being on a different level, in my experience with my own dogs I do see working dogs behaving a bit differently, but if you want the honest truth it's that my working bred dog was easier to live with from day one than any dog I'd owned previously. They're odd sometimes, and sometimes they take every little thing seriously, but if you take the right approach to raising them, don't overstimulate them in an attempt to keep them worn out, and lay down clear boundaries for them, they really are no different than any other dog.

It's the working border collies that are given to pet or sport homes and just constantly stimulated that wind up being... difficult to handle. They have to learn at a young age how to deal with boredom, and I KNOW Southpaw knows all about this with Juno!
 

OwnedByBCs

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#20
A well bred Border Collie is not a difficult dog. My dogs are very easy to take care of, even Riot who acts like shes on crack all the time. I don't know this breeder personally but I do think she could be missing out on some fantastic homes if she won't sell a puppy to anyone without BC experience, some of my best puppy buyers got their first BC from me.
 

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