Border Collie Breeder Recommendation

[Adam2456]

Hi, 

 

I’m hoping I can get some clear advice/recommendations on reputable Border Collie breeders in NSW/QLD? I’m looking for a BC as a companion and eventually train as an assistance dog for myself.

 

The amount of BC breeders who seem to have positive reviews and are ethical/reputable to the untrained eye makes it hard to know which one to approach? 

[LunaRott]

Contact your states breed club, they'll be your best bet. Much better than google reviews.

[Mairead]

A Border Collie may not be the best fit as an assistance dog. What do you want the dog to do? If you have not trained or owned a dog before a puppy may not be the best choice for your first dog. Assistance Dogs Australia may be your best first stop. Or disability organisations.

Edited November 4 by Mairead

[Rebanne]

first things first you need to make sure all health tests have been done and you have seen the results, not just told them.

[Dogsfevr]

One who health tests ,breeds for correct breed temperament & ideally knows how to pick the pup that shows the best potential for the role is going to need to be trained for but also be the most suitable match for you to live with & be able to enrich its dog needs .
Borders certainly are not for every person .

As the dog will need to be accredited to be an assistance dog consider touching base with the people you have approached to get the dog through its official journey & what they deem important as part of the selection process to its job role 

[JessicaLawrence]

On 05/11/2024 at 12:07 PM, Dogsfevr said:

One who health tests ,breeds for correct breed temperament & ideally knows how to pick the pup that shows the best potential for the role is going to need to be trained for but also be the most suitable match for you to live with & be able to enrich its dog needs .
Borders certainly are not for every person .

As the dog will need to be accredited to be an assistance dog consider touching base with the people you have approached to get the dog through its official journey & what they deem important as part of the selection process to its job role 

You are right.

[DogsAndTheMob]

This is what I would do in your situation… 

Join the Border Collie club of NSW and volunteer to help out at their events, 

 

Spend several months going to (and maybe volunteering at) Obedience trials, Agility trials and conformation shows. Look at the Border Collies there to see what you like and don’t like about the breed and individual dogs. Look at the event catalogues to find who bred the dogs you like.

Talk to Border Collie owners at these events (if/when they are willing to talk with you) to find out their experiences with their dogs. Be polite and patient. Many people enjoy talking about their dogs but they will be at these events to compete, not to talk to you. Remember that their dogs were not born trained.

 

Go to local dog training clubs and talk (politely and patiently) to owners there. This will give you an opportunity to meet dogs in training and pet owners with their border collies.

 

When you’ve identified breeders whose dogs you like and who perform the required health testing, consider getting an adult dog. No one can adequately assess the suitability of a 8 week old puppy for a specialist role such as assistance dog work. Breeders sometimes need to rehome lovely adult dogs; they will have a much better idea whether these dogs are suitable for assistance dog training.

 

 

 

Edited Thursday at 08:39 PM by DogsAndTheMob

[Mairead]

All good advice Dogs, but OP hasn't visited since Nov 3.