Breeds you want today...

[CharlieDog]

Erm, Sam, I hate to be a fun killer, but I personally would steer away from someone selling Border Collies on a Limited Registration with the AKC for 1500 dollars, and Full Registered dogs are 3000. That's a HUGE red flag, because a usually a good breeder will not charge more for pups with full registration, and AKC vs the Border Collie is something else entirely.

I'm not sure of any breeders around you, but Fieldstone is a good breeder, and I wouldn't expect to pay more than 600 to 800 for a pup from them, as well as full registration with the ABCA. Working dog breeders of Border Collies tend to dislike and stay away from the AKC, and I can definitely see where they are coming from.

You can definitely get a superbly bred dog from a working breeder for FAR less that what she's charging.

That's just my personal opinion, but I'd suggest PM'ing Lizmo to ask about breeders in your area, as well as a website called, Littlehats? I think. Google that, and they have a page of breeders, I do believe.

 

[Fran101]

I need a pekinese.

RIGHT NOW!lol

 

[Shai]

Flatcoats

 

[Laurelin]

Hob Nob depends on who you talk to. I've heard they have really nice temperaments but the working folk are obviously not into them since they're sport lines for the most part. *shrug* It all depends on what kind of dog you want

 

[CharlieDog]

I mean, they look good on paper, the dogs seem really nice, but I personally couldn't go to them because of everything I've learned about what the show ring is doing to Border Collies, and the fact that I can get a really well bred dog from a top kennel for a fraction of the cost.

 

[Michiyo-Fir]

I agree with Laur. I've been looking into Hob Nob a lot because they're close to me. I know a few agility people with Hob Nob dogs and love them a lot. They are very stable and have nice temperaments. Aren't crazy or hyperactive. Not sure how well they can do on sheep though because that's not what Jan is breeding for. She does/did have a few dogs that worked in open level trials that I had originally wanted a dog from.

I wanted a dog out of Harley and Scheme as they both did very well on sheep. Harley was open level, Scheme did up to pro novice but stopped trialing, however, Harley passed away recently and Scheme is already 13 years old. Harley was also shown to her AKC championship by the daughter of her trialing handler.

The working people are against her because of the dogs she has that are very colorful and they believe she charges way too much for puppies. Also she recently switched to AKC registrations because some puppy buyers do want to compete in conformation and lots of AKC events. She is the definition of a sports breeder and most working people don't believe in breeding for anything other than trailing and/or actively working on livestock.

Price is not an objective for me when looking for a dog so the price tag doesn't bother me at all. From what I've heard, it's quite hard to get a dog from her though. You have to get 2 or 3 reference letters and visit her on the farm yourself.

I like that she does early neurological stimulation with the pups.

She does have a lot of litters on the ground most of the time though and some people are concerned by it. However, I haven't heard of any problems temperamentally or health wise with her dogs yet.

She also has her dogs in the highest levels of AKC agility almost every single year and her dogs are also in the USA world agility team in the recent years. You have to decide for yourself though if that's a good enough reason to breed a dog.

 

[nikkiluvsu15]

Today I still want a Vizsla! Big surprise, huh?

I'm also really wanting another Lab at the moment, particularly a clone of Harleigh. Thank you very much.

 

[Southpaw]

I particularly want a BC from Hob Nob Border Collies. Can anyone tell me if she's a good breeder? She looked fine to me and I really like the look of her dogs Makes it even harder to resist since she has a litter due the day after tomorrow.

Not my kind of breeder. I don't want to say she's bad--sport bred BC's just don't appeal to me. They always have such pretty dogs but I feel like sport dog energy would be a little on the crazy side. So I suppose it depends on what you're looking for. And while I'm not as particular about lineage as some people are, I'd be willing to argue that a BC from working lines is just as capable of performing well in sports, as a sport bred dog is.... if sports are what you're interested in. But the working dogs are not bred FOR sports, so they aren't trying to create a dog with that kind of energy.

I can name like 4 or 5 BC kennels that get a lot of hype--all sport kennels--and I honestly just don't get it unless you're like a super serious agility competitor. And even then...

I don't mind the AKC stuff. The breeder I've picked is involved with the AKC but I don't see how it has any effect on the type of dogs she produces.

 

[Samsonyte!]

That's why I asked you folks Jan looks good to me and I would be looking for more of a sports dog. The only things I wasn't sure about were the price (I thought that was a lot for a working dog, which usually go for no more than around 800 from what I've seen?) and that they have so many litters at once. I just looked at Fieldstone and their dogs are beautiful! It sucks that they're across the country though...

This won't be for at least four more years anyways, so I have plenty of time to get to know the breed and breeders more.

Edit-SP, I think we posted at the same time. Yeah, I think working dogs could definitely do well in sports too! But herding isn't necessarily what I'm looking to do (though that might change, I'd definitely like to give it a try sometime) so I mean, I don't know. Sorry if what I'm saying makes no sense to BC people, compared to you I know close to nothing about them other than they're smart, have lots of energy, and are pretty versatile

So, if HobNob isn't good, could anyone tell me some good breeders just so I know what you look for in one?

 

[Laurelin]

She's a sports breeder. Like I said, I've not met her dogs but have heard people say they're great temperaments and great at sports without being crazy fanatical like some of the sports lines.

Border collies are a very political breed and there's a lot of strong opinions about everything with them. My only real advice is go out and meet dogs from various lines and kennels and find out what works for you. Read all the sides of all the issues yourself, talk to multiple people on all sides of the arguments and then go from there. But in the end, you have to be comfortable with your choice and live with the dog you've chosen, not other people.

Also, one thing to note is that one persons' 'sports breeder' is not always another person's 'sports breeder'. I have met several people both online (here and other forums) and in real life that told me their dogs were 'working bred'. But then I look up the breeder and it's what I'd call a sports kennel. It's not all black and white, pardon the pun.

I am hoping to get my border collie soonish and I'm currently looking at several different types of breeders. I used to feel bad about that, but I really don't anymore.

Border collies are probably one of the most political breeds.

 

[Michiyo-Fir]

Edit-SP, I think we posted at the same time. Yeah, I think working dogs could definitely do well in sports too! But herding isn't necessarily what I'm looking to do (though that might change, I'd definitely like to give it a try sometime) so I mean, I don't know. Sorry if what I'm saying makes no sense to BC people, compared to you I know close to nothing about them other than they're smart, have lots of energy, and are pretty versatile

So, if HobNob isn't good, could anyone tell me some good breeders just so I know what you look for in one?

Working BC people argue it's the ability to work well on sheep that make them versatile and do extremely well in dog sports.

I'm not really against sports breeders at least not until they get crazy aggressive dogs or dogs that cannot settle down for a single second.

Usually if you're looking for a working BC, you look for the dogs being trialed in open level USBCHA herding trials. Not AKC ones. Also the regular stuff, health tests, screening homes, etc.

Try Orchard Run Border Collies or Handhills BC just as a reference for working breeders off the top of my head.

 

[Michiyo-Fir]

She's a sports breeder. Like I said, I've not met her dogs but have heard people say they're great temperaments and great at sports without being crazy fanatical like some of the sports lines.

Agreed. I haven't eliminated her from my list of breeders yet as the Hob Nob dogs I've met (I think 3 maybe 4) have wonderful temperaments. Since I don't have any experience doing stock work, I can't tell at all if they lack stock sense or not.

From what I hear, sports breeders breed so much drive into their dogs that they can't control themselves properly when on sheep.

 

[Laurelin]

Also, I'd just mention that I'd be really wary of the big name sports kennels out there. There is one big name sports kennel near me that I've been recommended several times. Huge sports kennel that always has dogs on the ground ready to go in all sorts of pretty colors. I run into these dogs a LOT in agility and I will tell you they are NOT dogs I'd even want to think about owning. I have seen some scary temperaments out of them. So just... do your research and meet dogs and interview owners. There are some definite names I've been told to avoid from both working, show, and sports people but I wouldn't feel comfortable posting them here for a few reasons.

 

[Michiyo-Fir]

Also, I'd just mention that I'd be really wary of the big name sports kennels out there. There is one big name sports kennel near me that I've been recommended several times. Huge sports kennel that always has dogs on the ground ready to go in all sorts of pretty colors. I run into these dogs a LOT in agility and I will tell you they are NOT dogs I'd even want to think about owning. I have seen some scary temperaments out of them. So just... do your research and meet dogs and interview owners. There are some definite names I've been told to avoid from both working, show, and sports people but I wouldn't feel comfortable posting them here for a few reasons.

Just wondering. Do the owners of these dogs love them and love their personality or do they think they don't want one of these the next time around?

 

[Romy]

Now that's a handsome dog! I like that coat style too, you don't see it much in mastiffs any more.

Today I want multiple taigans.

 

[Laurelin]

Just wondering. Do the owners of these dogs love them and love their personality or do they think they don't want one of these the next time around?

It depends... Most people I know with border collies are very pleased with their dogs regardless of where they bought them.

My instructor was VERY disappointed with her BC. He is essentially useless as a sports dog or will be for most of his younger years while she works through his extreme temperament problems. He cannot go to a trial or class setting with other dogs. Then there is another dog, same kennel/different owner, who's owner seems to get off on the fact that his dog is a monster. He brags all the time that she's hard tempered and from cattle lines (she might be... way way back in the pedigree but she's from sports kennels). She's good on a disk, she runs flyball but can apparently only run once a tournament without having to be removed because she gets so overstimulated she attacks the other dogs. He says he would run her 2 hours before agility to try to get her to a point she could focus but she would get there and do one jump, then turn and start attacking her handler and just losing focus completely.

It all comes down to finding what you want in a BC and doing research imo. It's taking me forever to find a breeder I'm okay with (and will sell to me) and that's why. I feel like it's a breed you really need to take your time researching. All the people I know that are very pleased with their dogs took their time to find the right match and really understood what they were and weren't getting in a dog of that breeding. I have friends with working (though they're all online lol), show, sport, and pet breedings and all are thrilled with their dogs.

 

[Laurelin]

stupid internet.

 

[Linds]

Today I want multiple taigans.

I adore Taigans! I really really like them a lot, they are a very cool looking breed and I like the sound of their temperment

 

[Romy]

I adore Taigans! I really really like them a lot, they are a very cool looking breed and I like the sound of their temperment

I like that they are smaller, tough, coated sight hounds. Just wish we could get them over here. I don't know anyone in Kazakhstan or thereabouts.

 

[*blackrose]

Now that's a handsome dog! I like that coat style too, you don't see it much in mastiffs any more.

Spanish Mastiffs are still employeed as livestock guardians, so that thick coat helps them deal with the elements of being outside. But yes, they are stunning dogs and since they still actively work they haven't had much fiddling with in terms of conformation.