I just thought I'd update all the people who posted advice for me on Border Collies bred for temperament. I read the Understanding Border Collie book, and visited the BC rescue home, and the upshot of all this is that I am not going to go straight ahead and get one. Having not had a dog since I was 17, I have decide the best dog for us is a Shetland Sheepdog - one who is coming to me in about 7 weeks, and who was from a litter of my Mother's dog. I have decided to do this as I know and understand (and of course love) Shelties, and when I have had my Sheltie for a few years, I am going to consider having a BC as well. We will see how much our lives are changed by the Sheltie, before introducing a BC.

I tell you this because I wanted to show that this board does work, and some of us do listen to the advice we get - even the most determined and stubborn amongst us can have our minds changed by the members here!

I am greatful for all the advice I received, it has helped me to make the right decision about a dog for our family, and a family for the dog we choose. I haven't given up on Border Collies and I am determined to have one one day, but not just yet.

My Sheltie is a blue merle, called Pickles, and he is a sweetie. He was born on Friday and I can't wait for him to come here. I will post a link to picture when he arrives!

Thanks again.

Ioddia.

Ioddia

Thanks for the update.

The best of luck with your new baby. I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Pam n the boys

Brainless, I read it the same way as you did, I then delated my post, and Im glad we were wrong too!! :)

Glad it's not just me.

As they say Just because your paranoid, doesn't mean their not out to get ya!! LOL :D :D :D :D

Awww, Pickles sounds sweet :D :D
good luck with your new puppy and I"m sure you'll soon be on here again bragging all about him ;) :D :D :d
I look forward to hearing from you again. :) :)
toodles

ioddia,
Lucky you getting a blue merle. My friends mother has had Shelties for years and always wanted a blue merle. She almost got one but when the pups were born the breeder decided the blue merle one was so good she kept it herself and won at Crufts with it. :D :D
Good luck
Dot

Dot, my Mum has 4 Shelties, 2 blue merles and 2 tri-colours, they are called Minnie, Bloss, Bud and Polly (respectively) and our first ever one was called Leftie. She was from the Sheltysham..er..Kennel? (Not sure if that's the right word!) My Pickles Kennel name is going to be Blossom's Pickle, which I think is bless. Bud used to belong to a breeder who showed, and he has a lovely coat but is a bit timid, so she didn't want him :-( so Mum took him in. Bud is Pickles Father. When Polly comes into season Mum is going to mate her with a Blue merle dog she knows so there might be some blue puppies available. Minnie - the other blue merle can't have any more puppies (bloss is her daughter) as she has a weak heart.

Pickles has got one brown eye and one blue (as do the other two blues) which is good as they are less likely to get Collie Eye Anomaly I think.

Ioddia.

Your Mum should not be mating a blue merle to a blue merle, as merle is a semi lethal gene (they want it banned in Europe), and Blue merle should always be mated to Tricolour.

Also the eye colour does not protect from Collie Eye Anomaly, and the pups should all be checked by a panel opthalmologist at six weeks to be sure they are clear.

Breeding on from a bitch with a heart defect, (Bloss is the daughter, and Mum of pup?) and a dog with a poor (nervous) temperament is not wise, as these traits can be passed on to the offspring.

Brainless

My Mum is not mating a Blue Merle with a Blue Merle, you must have misunderstood me. She mated a Blue Merle bitch with a Tricolour male, and then she is going to mate her Tricolour bitch with a male blue Merle. Mum had Blossy checked before she mated her for heart problems, and the Vet said she was perfectly fine. Bud, although a little timid for shows is a lovely good natured dog, and has a perfectly lovely temperament.

I know that there are lots of people who post to this board who think only obsessive dog breeders should be allowed to breed dogs, but my Mum is very knowledgeable on the subject of Shelties, her dogs are her life. She would never endanger any of their lives or breed to pass on bad genes. She has had 3 sets of puppies in 10 years, because she doesn't want to constantly breed from her dogs, and she lets them have puppies because it makes her happy, not to sell.

With regard to the eye thing, I know that they need to be checked and of course they will be, I just meant that one blue eye is better than two.

I get really upset with this board sometimes, I read lots of the posts but very rarely post myself because it seems most of the time you get misunderstood and people think you a silly dog idiot and not someone who cares about the breed, or animal. Just because we are not famed dog people, doesn't mean we are not as knowlegable as those who are.

Sorry if this sounds stroppy. Getting off soap box now!

You beat me to it Ioddia and with a better explanation too ;)

Brainless, I am seeing Collies dotted about before my eyes :) but I think Polly is the prospective mother and she is a tri (I think :)). I agree with you about breeding from timid Bud but he is Pickles father and neither of them are to do with this prospective litter. Minnie (heart problem) is the mother of Bloss and she is the mother of nothing and neither of them is part of the prospective litter. All clear now? :D

The way I understood the post was that Bloss (daughter of bitch with poor heart) was the mother of pickles (Blossom's Pickles), out of Bud, who was rejected by his breeder for poor temperament. I posted to the post as read.

The blue merl part I misunderstood as saying that she was mating her other blue merle to a merle dog, which I know is inadvisable.

Glad I am wrong. :D

deleted, yes Isabel, sorry, I hadnt scrolled down :)

Philippa I think you need to reread the message and the following ones.

No need to apologise to me Philippa ;) :)