Another phone call: “I’m looking for a red and white male Border Collie and I see you have a litter planned for April 2010. Can I ask you about those dogs?”
I explained Wags’ pedigree and Switch’s temperament and my predication for coat type and color, etc…
“Well, let me tell you a little bit about me. I’m actually a breeder, too, here in Indiana. And, frankly, I’m having the hardest time finding a red and white male. I have five Border Collies, and I breed maybe one or two litters a year. I have a red and white female and breed her to my black and white male and all I get is black and whites.”
So, I took some time to explain color genetics to the guy. After a bit of listening to him go on about his dogs and his endeavors, I asked him if he works his dogs on livestock. He said he did not and that, in his estimation, the closest place to him where one might find livestock is about 100 miles away. I replied that, when I started herding with my first Border Collie I traveled 87 miles (one way) every weekend to take lessons. I don’t think he cared.
I explained that I have a standard that I impose on myself and that there is no point in having such a standard if I were to place a puppy with someone who then did not uphold those standards, too. I informed him that, if he were to acquire a puppy from me that he would sign a contract that stated he would not breed the dog unless its herding ability had been assessed (and that was at a level of understanding higher than a Herding Instinct certificate).
In the ensuing diatribe he explained how much he loves the breed and his rebuttal to my comments were distilled down to this one phrase, “No one owns the breed”.
I told him that I did not think that I owned the breed. I explained that I feel responsible for the puppies that I produce. If, at some point in the future someone claims that it’s hard to find a good working Border Collie I will know that I wasn’t involved in breeding dogs that could not perform the work for which they were bred – that I would not have played a significant role in the demise of this great breed’s herding working capacity. From the long-term health and quality of the breed, it does not matter if I do health screens and assess the herding ability of the dogs I breed, if someone who purchases a puppy from me does not uphold that same expectation.
So, he asked if I placed all my puppies with people who herded with their dogs. I told him that I actually preferred placing my puppies in pet / companion home with active folks who understand the breed and what is required to keep them happy as well as performance homes. I explained that I do not think that everyone who owns a Border Collie needs to herd with their dog and every Border Collie does not need to herd to be happy. However, if someone who acquires a puppy from me plan to breed their dog, they should assess whether it does, in fact, meet the breed standard in that it can herd livestock (among several other important critical attributes). I also explained that just because a dog can herd livestock it shouldn’t necessarily be bred and that if it is, it shouldn’t necessarily be bred to any other dog that can herd. Herding styles, to me, need to be assessed and matched up to the best of the breeder’s ability to produce a dog that is easy to handle, is biddable and that has plenty of natural working ability and work ethic. I think that I have produced some puppies that have too much “eye” and/or intensity, in fact, and that it makes them a challenge to own for some people, even though it makes for some really nice herding dogs for handlers who know how to work with that level of intensity. So, I take that into consideration when I decide which dog to breed to what bitch. Temperament and body style and general disposition are important, not just that it’s a red and white dog and will throw red and white puppies.
I did not choose Wags (the red and white dog that I plan to breed) because she is a red dog. I actually contacted her breeder, originally, because I wanted to breed Shimmer to one of her male dogs. It turned out that dog was not available because he was in another part of the country with a herding handler. Then, she told me about his sister (Wags) – who was available. I really love Wags’ personality, but her red color is not why I purchased her. She has a great pedigree that I thought would mesh well with my dogs and also she had a couple generations of health screen data behind her that many working Border Collies do not possess.
I told the man on the phone that I might place a pup with someone who plans to train the dog for professional level Agility trials and might even attain the title of Agility Champion of all Champions (if there were such a title). But, that is not a replacement for assessing the herding ability in the dog. I provide my contract to folks who submit applications to me, so that they know my expectations regarding breeding before they place a deposit on a litter.
I worked three Border Collies to trial level work before I bred my first litter (from which I kept Lexie and Breeze in 11/1995 – whose father had earned multiple High In Trial awards by that time). Then, I waited another 8.5 years before I bred my second litter (from which I kept Shimmer in 4/2004) – which was after I had trained and put herding titles on 10 different Border Collies (Sham, Laddie, Ellie, Breeze, Lexie, Jaye, Beebe, Pete, Yoli and Sage). Those trial competitions included earning multiple High In Trial awards across three different venues (AKC, AHBA and ASCA). I also own livestock and use the dogs for “ranch work”, not just trials. So, I had learned about the breed and about what makes a Border Collie a Border Collie before I decided to breed. Still, breeding is a bit of a crap shoot, even with that amount of experience and when I do the health screens and work with the dogs and understand the breed via my own dogs and probably a few hundred herding students’ dogs, too. With the understanding of genetically controlled behavior (like herding ability, general disposition and work ethic), I feel it is important to do what I can to breed puppies that represent the breed type.
I did not tell the guy on the phone all that stuff. I just informed him that he would have to sign a contract, if he were to buy a pup from me (which, I already knew I most probably wouldn’t sell him one, anyway) that he would need to assess the herding ability of the dog as well as the dog to which he bred his dog. He thanked me for my time and hung up. I’m not certain whether he may think about what I said and process it against his endeavors of breeding Border Collies or not. I doubt it. But, at least I took the time to explain my position (time, truly, that I could have spent on more fruitful endeavors). Maybe one day he will actually experience a Border Collie working sheep or goats or ducks or cattle and have a moment that takes his breath away and he will understand why I am the way I am and why I do what I do. That would be nice.