Exciting Puppy Prospects

If she's not breeding until late next year that's a long wait, but if you're heart is set on one of her pups I guess there is not much choice darn it. Don't think I could wait though. Who knows, if you keep looking something might pop up in the meantime.
 
That's a tough one. If I was in your situation... I would get on her waiting list for her next litter, but I would still look around for other breeders too. You may find another breeder, who is just as good and is planning an earlier litter
 
labgirl said:
Aw, thanks Chelle.

Well, there is good and bad news. The good news - Linda has got back in touch, given me loads of info and wants me to keep in touch. Her brood bitch is a blue merle who she only mates with tris, so her litter would only contain merles and tris. So good possibility of a suitable dog there.

The bad news?

She has no breeding plans until late 2011:(

She has given me the details for the EASSC puppy register so I can keep looking for pups, but it is a blow as I loved her dogs so much.

So the next question is, do I wait?
Click to expand...
No.

Here is my thinking. I wanted a Sheltie due to temperament, high energy. Size, smaller. Hair, not a fan of bald dogs. I did think much more on this with one thing that I spend extra on. I wanted to be sure they were OK in southern heat and was told more than a few times yes.

I had my heart set on a Blue Merle with dark eyes and even found one online that looked perfect right off. Now I wanted to wait for fall and this was summer so I figured "that was easy I will just wait". Well over the summer I kept looking for puppies and never saw another like that one and was worried. Eventually I got ready and sent off to the ASSA (http://www.assa.org/) to find breeders. I sent to three states as I figured a day drive for a great pup is an easy decision. Strangely the breeder was in TN but the AL rep responded not the TN one. She also sent a reference to one in GA (but none in AL :confused2:)

Well one was a bi-black and did not care for his look. And the other a tri. Not really what I wanted but I kept looking and everytime I did I admired him more. So I decided to go look after a couple of emails for more pictures. 0.1 seconds in he had me as his personality was great.

So from my start point:
Blue merle: no
Dark eyes: yep
Temperament: mostly but Sca is actually pretty calm for a Sheltie at one (and has been)
Size: no he has gotten much bigger

Satisfaction: 100% I would not have it any other way he is a fantastic dog

So my point is get out and look if you are ready. What you want on paper is fine and for a beauty show dog might even be mandatory. However I think you are like me in that you want a Sheltie pal, yes you have some pursuits planned but those are secondary. Once you get out and see some pups you might find that 'the one' is not what you put on paper, I did. Maybe it is just me but at the southern sheltie get together every dog was great but there was only about 3 that had that instant buddy feeling that I get with Sca (and always have) the rest were just great dogs that other people had and Sca could play with.
 
Thanks guys.

Sheep of Blue you are quite right.

What I am going to do is keep in touch with this breeder, especially as later on she may be able to help with me getting into comps.

BUT, I'm going to keep my eyes open, look around, check the other breeders I have on my list and see what comes up. If I find nothing in the meantime I still have this breeder, but there may be another pup out there just waiting for me.

And I do know what you mean about a 'buddy' dog. Its that instant click that comes with some dogs, it happened with Cadbury, but so far no other lab. I want a best friend first and foremost, a pup prepared to come with me on my wild adventures:lol:
 
Yep Sca is a social butterfly that loves everyone (unlike me) but at the Sheltie gathering he would make a pass by to check on me every so often. He likes mom and dad but goes wild when I pick him up from there. We just click. I have been lucky enough to have 2 other dogs that hit this level the late great Zeek and the late great Dow (aka ghost of zeek since he was white while Zeek was black but could have been littermates in other ways). If anything Sca might even be at the level they were after 10 years :cool:

You will know, though there will be some puppies are cool moments so make 2 trips :lol:
 
It doesn't say on her site whether or not she tests her dogs? :confused2:

I would ask about that before I made a decision. :uhoh: Agility titles are nice, but....
 
She tests for CEA. Her bitch is clear and she only breeds to CEA clear dogs. Also dogs are hip-scored.

She gave me lots of details on all the health testing, including asking about luxating patella, which though rare has affected some puppies recently (not hers).

Don't worry Jessica, I always check out the health tests.:wink2:
 
Do you think I could get Rocky shipped to me? I loooove that look!

Waiting could be terribly hard, especially as you have waited so long already. I think you know what you are going to do. Get on her waiting list, keep in contact and gently ask her if she knows of litters coming up with what you have in mind, and look on your own for a pup as well. I happen to believe that everything happens for a reason. Even if this isn't your breeder, she is obviously a lovely person and a true Sheltie lover. If you wait that long, you will have definite expectations. What if the litter is all tris? What if you don't bond with the sole blue? What if ... ? If it is meant to be, it will happen. Besides, looking can't hurt - if shall quench some of your Sheltie thirst if nothing else. This could be the gateway into finding the pup of your dreams.

Also, if you get a pup in the near future, you will certainly be looking for Sheltie #2 by the time her pups are ready. :winkgrin::eek2::lol:
 
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