Club History

Signs of a Good Collie Breeder:

You have been referred to this breeder by someone in the know - someone who
bought from them, or a member of a breed club.

They ask you questions as to your ability to properly keep a dog of their
breed - including housing, fencing, grooming, veterinary care, and a
reasonable degree of commitment for the dog's lifetime.

They breed one, or perhaps two, breeds of dog.   This self-limitation
allows them to be expert fanciers of their breed, rather than "dabblers".

They breed sparingly with a purpose other than immediate income. That
income is MORE than spent on their dogs.   They are quick to point out to
you the importance of spaying or neutering your pet, and in fact require
you to agree to do so, before they will sell you a pet quality puppy.

They want to meet your children before final placement of the puppy.   They
need to know that your spouse/partner is in agreement as to the
purchase/care of the dog.

Their premises are clean. They keep only the number of dogs they can
maintain properly. They are eager to show you their dogs, and photos of
dogs that appear in the pedigrees of dogs offered for sale.

They have genuine desire to mentor you after the sale. They are willing to
allow you to come back with the dog when it's older for a grooming lesson,
and encourage you to call them with questions anytime during the life of
the dog.

They have some history of success in dog shows -- not just the occasional
blue ribbon, but significant wins and photographic proof of it. This may
not seem important to you because you "only want a pet" - until you realize
that the dog show environment demands animals with strong immune systems
and stable temperaments, for they will not lead the protected existence of
the average pet. The show breeder MUST have stock that can hold up to that
challenge.

They belong to at least one dog club.   This means they must follow a code
of ethics or lose membership.   Membership also provides the breeder with
resources for up-to-date health information.

They answer breed-related health questions in a satisfactory manner.

They use a written contract guaranteeing the dog's health, containing
provisions for severe hereditary problems, and for situations in which you
might no longer be able to keep the dog.   They do not brush off your
concerns as to whether or not a certain puppy might be right for you; they
either accept them, or explain to you why your concerns are inconsequential
in an intelligent, believable manner.

If they are selling an older puppy or adult dog, they are willing to allow
you a trial period before finalization of sale.

Red flags:

In addition to the ABSENCE of the above-mentioned attributes, here are a
few things to avoid when looking for a breeder:

No pedigrees - just a registration certificate. This is a huge clue.
Anyone who cares about breeding dogs will provide a four or five-generation
pedigree. If they don't provide the pedigree, bill of sale/written
contract, health history and eye check from a veterinary ophthalmologist -
RUN!

Anything that tells you they are more concerned with "selling" the dog than
with "placing" the dog should be a red flag.   An ethical breeder
understands the absolute need for the dog to be placed into a home
compatible with its size, temperament, grooming and exercise needs, and its
longevity. To put it bluntly, if you are buying a pet for your 96-year-old
grandmother, the breeder should be asking you a lot of questions,
including, "Are YOU willing to adopt the dog if Grandma goes downhill
within the next 13 years or so?" If you work 16 hours a day and have no
one to care for the dog all day - they should refuse the sale.

They trust and/or encourage YOU - a total stranger who has been looking
only for a pet - to take one of their animals without a spay/neuter
agreement, and further, to breed that animal and then give them one or two
puppies back, as part of the purchase.