I'm thinking of getting a border collie.....?

Question

what questions should I ask of a breeder & is there any other info that would be useful?

Answer 1

its temprement, what it likes and dislikes, any health problems and a background of how its been kept and the family and whatnot, also any strange habits that might be good to know. :P like sprouting umbrellas :D x

Answer 2

I ask all kinds of nonsense questions when I am at the breeders.  I pretend to care about pedigrees, and their set up, but what I am really doing is watching how the breeder treats the puppies.  The stage for training is set at the breeders, so I want to see a breeder that touches their puppies.  I want to see a breeder that picks up their puppies like they have done it a million times today, and a puppy that acts like it has been picked up a million times today too.  I don't want to see a breeder who never touches their puppies.  I have seen breeders who never  touched or held their puppies the whole time I was there.  Now, if the breeder has kids, and the kids are watching tv, I run out of there as fast as I can.  That means that nobody is giving these puppies love.  If the breeder has kids and the puppies are climbing all over the kids, I write a check as fast as I can.  Children are the biggest stressor for puppies, so if the puppies are not afraid of the children, than I am going to have an easy time training this puppy because the puppy has overcome its biggest fear.  The more human contact I see, the more love, I see the more I know I am making a great choice.  If I don't see any human contact, than I know that that is a mistake as the puppy has not had love, and was only bred for money, and it is going to be extremely hard to train that puppy.  Not impossible to train, but it is going to take longer to train a puppy that hasn't had love.

Answer 3

All i know is that they are classed as working dogs and they need a lot of exercise and stimulation during the day.  

Answer 4

Hey! OK, they need soo much excersise, not the best breed for a first time dog owner, they are sooo rewarding. You must be a person who won't get annoyed with a dog and one that is willing to train it and take time to give it want it needs. I would say a girl more than a boy but it is up to you.

You need to ask about any diseases that run in the family. Research the diseases they get.

Ask anything you could be concerned about. Don't get the timid one. Don't get the most boustrous one.

Good luck!!!! x*x

Answer 5

QUESTIONS TO ASK:

-Look at the are the dogs arre kept in. It should be neat and clean. Pups should be kept indoors so that they are properly socialized. Idealy the adults should all be kept indoors as well. If not ask to see where they are kept and if you can meet all the dogs. If they are reluctant stay away. All dogs should be freindly and socialable as well as well groomed and clean, and trained

-Ask what health clearences the parents have.(eyes and hips for example) and if the pups will have health clearences, deworming, first vaccine, many breeders also microchip the pups.

-A good breeder will ask a lot of questions about you and your experiance with dogs and your knowledge of the breed. If she does not seem concerned about whom she sells her pups to thats not good. A good breeder loves her puppies and has lots of time and money into them and wants whats best for them.

-The parents should idealy be conformation champions, or at least have champion in their bloodlines. This shows that the breeder is careful about breeding her dogs to meet the standerd. Its also good to see that they dogs have sport titles such as agility and flyball since borders where bred to work. Be carefull of dogs that come from heavy herding lines, these dogs have a high drive and dont usually make great pets.

-She should be able to provide numbers of satisfied buyers of her past puppies for you to call. You also want to be able to se the papers for the parents and puppies health records. And proof of any titles

-Check out her website or ask how often she has litters. Females should not be bred every heat, its not healthy. Do the math between how many females she has and how frequently she has litters available.

-Pups should be neat clean, have a fluffy coat, bright clean eyes. Proper wieght, not pot bellies. They should be energetic not lethargic

-Remember a good breeder wants the best home for her pups. So as long as you are polite she will appreciate all the questions you ask!

MORE INFO:

Well as a border collie owner I would like to warn you about the complications that can come with this breed. They are the most active breed there is. They need excessive amounts of exercise at least twice a day. Dogs who come from working lines are especially active and are happiest working all day long.  A border collie who does not get enough exercise can be impossible to live with, barking, herding people (nipping), chewing, even self mutilating (l*****g and over grooming until it causes severe damage).

Not only must they be physically exercised but mentally as well. They are very intelligent dogs, but this does not mean easy to train they need early training and benefit from ongoing training through out their lives. They really benefit from competing in a sport such as agility or flyball. This burns them out mentally and physically. They are a high maintenance dog, more like owning a permanent toddler than a dog. If you are prepared to do the work though they can make great pets!

Answer 6

i think you should get a border collie ,,because ive got a lab cross collie and she has the best temperment and is good with any1 and loves children when she was a puppy it was hard work but she perfect now

good luck hope you get one =) x

Answer 7

I would want to know if I can see the mother and if possible the father too (often if they are farm bred) both will be around. If it is a farm bred working dog you are looking at you probably won't get hip / elbow scores or results of eye tests etc. from the parents etc. But if it is a show type of breeder ask about these (with working dogs just the fact that the parents worked usually indicates reasonable health). But don't just ask about health but also temperament and meeting the parents is a good way to see if they are temperamentally sound which will give you an indication as to whether the pup will inherit this from them too.

You have asked what questions to ask of the breeder but I also hope you have asked yourself some long and hard questions about the breed you are looking at and whether you can give it the kind of home it needs in the way of mental and physical exercise. These are working dogs and need plenty of both. In short, they need a job to do and unless you are thinking of providing this sort of environment where the strong need to be on the go and busy can be channeled properly a Collie isn't the right dog. I hope I am only stating what you already know and can provide.

Answer 8

hi

um i have to say, do you live on a farm? or are you an EXTREMLY active person?

if not then dont. my family got a Border Collie puppy called Bandit he would go on SIX walk's a day and when got home from his 30-45 min walk's he would still wanna play ball. they are extremly active and cute non the less but he is to much too handle we had to give him to a farm. so think hard if you can spend basicly your whole day walking this dog playing with this dog ? if not try a calmer dog, as they would not settle at night.

but they are a great dog and all but they need a lot of attention and LOAD'S of excersice!!!!

hpoe i helped you make- up your mind!

- Nicky

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Answer 9

Border Collies like other herding breeds are very intelligent, faithful dogs.  They want to be your constant companion [24/7]. As they get older, you will think they are reading your mind. They will do things before you give commands to them.  Oftentimes they will assume the pack leader role if you don’t. If not trained when young they can become overly protective of their territory [that includes you]. Don’t allow biting and disobedience  as a puppy but do this without striking them. [They will react with a stern scolding.] They do require a lot of exercise so if you live in an environment where that is a problem, pick a more laid back pup.   There are things that others have mentioned  about health problems to watch for.  Purchase a pup from someone who knows about the breed.     ABOUT PUPPY MILLS. There are professional dog show people that raise more than one breed. Is this breeder a puppy mill? There are people that only breed one breed of dog that don’t really  know about  the mental character of the dog. Sometimes farm dogs aren’t the healthiest either.  DO NOT BUY A PET STORE PUPPY. I would rather get one from the animal shelter.  The price of a pup does not guaranty quality.   TAKE YOUR NEW PUP TO THE VET.  The best age to pick up a pup is between 8 weeks old and 12 weeks.  This 4 weeks is a very important learning age.    My dog is a Schipperke, it’s kind of like a scaled down Border Collie.   I hope this is not too much to think about.  All I want is a dog/person  relationship.  Happy Tails

Answer 10

Just before you consider getting a border collie make sure it will fit into your lifestyle. Border collies are very active, need LOTS of exercise and stimulation and are super energetic. They also like to herd kids and sheep (well they are working dogs!). So if you are a person that can provide enough exercise and lives in the country or lives in a house with a big backyard, this may be the dog for you.

There is many questions you should ask the breeder before you bring your new pup home!

First of all the puppies should be at least 8 weeks old before they leave their mother, as by then they will have been fully weaned.So if the breeder tells you to take them home any younger than that, they are not breeders you can trust and I would suggest not to buy from them.

Also check to see if they are registered breeders (not backyard!). Backyard breeders normally do it for the money and do not care about the dogs health and well being.

Puppy farms are just as worst. They treat the dogs like dirt and also do it for the money. They will also breed the female a lot and she will be kept in bad conditions, with no space to run or play and will probably never experienced the love of having a loving, caring owner. Many of the dogs will carry diseases aswell and your dog may experience death at an early age.

Here is a list of questions to ask the breeder:

Have the puppies recieved their shots? - the breeder should have answered yes. All puppies should have recieved at least their first shots.

Has the puppies been de-wormed? - The answer should be yes. All puppies should have been de-wormed.

Does the puppies have any health problems? - Do not choose a puppy that is sick!

Are there any common health problems in the breed? - All breeds have possible health problems. Any breeder who says there is none is lying.

Does the breeder breed a female dog more than once a year? - The answer should be no - this is bad for the dog. (Male dogs can be bred more than once a year though.)

Does the breeder breed more than 2 breeds? - The answer should be no. Good breeders will normally only breed one or two breeds.

Does the breeder show her dogs or do other doggy sports or activities? - Doing activities shows that the breeder is interested in her dogs.

Can I return the puppy if it does not work out? - All good breeders will want their puppy back if a problem does occour or it is not working out in it`s new home.

Make sure that you ask for any proof of vaccinations and the puppies being de-wormed.

After asking these questions the next step is to choose a puppy.

Here is a list of things to check to see if the dog is healthy:

- Clean, clear bright eyes

- Slightly moist nose

- No thick coloured or crusty discharge from eyes or nose

- Is not wheezing, sneezing or coughing

- No red, hot, inflamed ears

- No dark, crumbling debris inside ear (ear mites)

- Be wary of a puppy who is shaking or tilting his head, pawing at his eyes or ears, or repeatedly scartching or l*****g at a particular part of its body

- No flakes and scales, sores, rashes and bare patches on skin

- No fleas around base of tail or groin area

- No strong, offensive odour coming from skin, the ears, or the mouth

- Coat is soft and clean

- No excessive oiliness or dryness on skin

- Nice dense feeling about when the puppy is picken up

- Lumps, bumps and swelling should be viewed with suspicion

- Not bony

- Not thin with a pot belly (worms)

- No sharp cries when moving or being handled

- Not limping or favouring a limb

- Isn`t a very quite, still puppy (may be in pain)

- Isn`t hanging back, hiding, trembling or growling (meeting new people for the first time - not a good sign!)

- Dosen`t act uneasily or openly fearful of the person or persons who have been caring for him

The breeder should allow you to see the mother of the puppies. Make sure she is friendly, healthy and is not aggresive. Most times it is unlikely that you will be able to meet the male.

The puppies should have been raised indoors in a warm, dry environment not outdoors, in remote locations, in cold damp surroundings, or on bare ground.

Make sure you ask for a sample of the food the owner is currently feeding the dog, and if you want to change to another brand, please do it gradually.

Once you are certain that you are buying from a good breeder, then should you take the puppy to its new home.

As soon as you get your puppy, take it to the vet to be examined and make sure it is healthy. He will probably discuss about vaccines and other general things.The price I would not know. It all depends where you live and what vet you go to.

I hope this helps. Good luck!