huskerdog (liz) Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 Hi all! I'm a newbie "registered" user but have been lurking on this board for awhile now. What I am hoping to find here is some good breeder recommendations. I will ship a pup in if need be, but I'd prefer to find a puppy in/around Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota or Kansas. This will be my second Border Collie; my first was an Irish imp x pet/farm dog that I purchased to try herding/performance events. She was hearing impaired, and I ultimately placed her with a family as a "pet" and under a spay contract after two of her littermates also did not pass their BAER test. This will be my first Border Collie to try herding and performance events with (I am aware that some here look down on participating in performance events, but I would like to try several different venues with my dog) and with that in mind I don't mind having a the pup in the litter with perhaps a more "loose" eye or just a pup that the breeder would be comfortable placing in a farm/pet home. Also, has anyone had any experience with Holman's Border Collies? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaggieDog Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 You'll get this question at some point, so I might as well ask it now: why not consider rescue? Especially given what you'd like to do with the dog, rescue might be more likely to find a dog that will fit your specific needs. This thread might be quite useful to you: Finding a performance dog, rescue or pup? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskerdog (liz) Posted June 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 I have met and spoken with the director of the Nebraska Border Collie rescue at a herding clinic. I also have the MBCR & WYBC rescue bookmarked. All three I will certainly consider for a dog - however I also want to consider getting a puppy/young adult from a breeder. If you have any other rescue recommendations, feel free to let me know. I used the Border Collie "Directory of Rescuers" to find the above three rescues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sue R Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 ...(I am aware that some here look down on participating in performance events, but I would like to try several different venues with my dog)... I'm sorry if this is your impression of folks on these boards, and I can't agree with you. Remember that people here don't "look down on" what you do with your dog, but do "look down on" folks who breed for the wrong reasons (breeding for other than working ability - in other words, breeding for show, performance, or pet rather than breeding dogs with proven working ability and all that involves). Welcome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdarling Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 I PM'd you of a nicely bred dog that one of the handlers around here has for sale, but also, don't miss FINN. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted June 10, 2009 Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 Where are you located? I would look for someone close by to you to purchase a pup from that also trains and gives lessons, there are a lot of breeders in the area that you specified that are working hard to produce good working dogs. Also, don't rush, take some time to figure out exactly what you want your new pup to do, do you want to trial? Which level or organization? Do you work better on your own or do you need a support group or trainer to help you? It can be a lot of fun running with a group that is supported by a trainer, it can be a lonely long road trying to do it on your own. If you are willing to take a young wash out then hang around at the trials and put the word out, you probably won't get anything with any health testing but it won't cost you much either, might even be free. Oh, and it might have enough drive and ability to do some light farm work or even trial at the lower level ABHA or AKC venues. As far as Holman Border Collies, John runs in both USBCHA and AKC trials. He trains, gives lessons, clinics and produces trials, he seems to have a pretty good following of students. I only get to see the dogs that make it to the trials, and his dogs work. This weekend they will be at the AKC trial in Council Bluffs, while our Iowa club will be producing an IA/NE sanctioned open trial a couple hours down the road in Adel Iowa. If you have time, Saturday would be a great day to get out and meet people and see the difference first hand in the dogs and venues. I think Council Bluffs will be an all day deal, our trial will run from 9-12 or so. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskerdog (liz) Posted June 10, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 10, 2009 Where are you located? I would look for someone close by to you to purchase a pup from that also trains and gives lessons, there are a lot of breeders in the area that you specified that are working hard to produce good working dogs. Also, don't rush, take some time to figure out exactly what you want your new pup to do, do you want to trial? Which level or organization? Do you work better on your own or do you need a support group or trainer to help you? It can be a lot of fun running with a group that is supported by a trainer, it can be a lonely long road trying to do it on your own. If you are willing to take a young wash out then hang around at the trials and put the word out, you probably won't get anything with any health testing but it won't cost you much either, might even be free. Oh, and it might have enough drive and ability to do some light farm work or even trial at the lower level ABHA or AKC venues. As far as Holman Border Collies, John runs in both USBCHA and AKC trials. He trains, gives lessons, clinics and produces trials, he seems to have a pretty good following of students. I only get to see the dogs that make it to the trials, and his dogs work. This weekend they will be at the AKC trial in Council Bluffs, while our Iowa club will be producing an IA/NE sanctioned open trial a couple hours down the road in Adel Iowa. If you have time, Saturday would be a great day to get out and meet people and see the difference first hand in the dogs and venues. I think Council Bluffs will be an all day deal, our trial will run from 9-12 or so. Deb I'm located by Omaha, Nebraska. I'd prefer to stay in my area because I want time to investigate the breeder, see the parents in person, watch them work, ect. I'm putting out "feelers" now but am not looking to bring a pup home until at the earliest late spring/fall. I rushed into getting my first Border Collie pup and won't make that same mistake again. I don't mind getting a wash out or a pup with a "loose eye" because this will be my first Border Collie and I realistically don't expect to go past novice with my first dog. I may try some AKC because they do have some trials in my area, but I'm much more interested in USBCHA at this point. I'm also looking for trainer recs, if you have any. I'm considering using John. I've sat through three of his herding clinics and several lessons as he uses my friends' sheep up here in Omaha. If I didn't have to work on Saturday I would love to be there, as is if you have any other upcoming dates on trials I'd love to get out there and meet some exhibitors and dogs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debbie Meier Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 Come on out to Tingley, Iowa in a couple weeks. They run the trial on a baseball diamond, the Open is run in the evening under the lights. In the morning we run Nursery, Pro-Novice and Novice. Bob (host) mentioned that he has gotten entries from as far as Texas already. More info can be found at IHDA.net. Deb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyF Posted June 11, 2009 Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 I'll be at Tingley running my 9 1/2 year old dog in open that I got from John Holman. There will be a few other dogs there that he bred, along with some others that you can talk to. Come on down. Otherwise there will be an USBCHA sanctioned trial at Gerianne's in Council Bluffs, IA the last weekend in September too. Kathy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huskerdog (liz) Posted June 11, 2009 Author Report Share Posted June 11, 2009 Tingley sounds great - I can make it down there on the 28th. Thanks for the info and links! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AgileBC Posted June 18, 2009 Report Share Posted June 18, 2009 Tingley is a fun trial to go to and Bob puts on a great trial! Everyone there is very friendly and dinner is delicious. :-) I've known John for a few years. He takes good care of his dogs and treats them well, which I think is important. The dogs from his "Moo x Maid" lines have wonderful temperments and work well. Moo and Maid are retired now, but many of their offspring are working on farms and run in trials. Mick is a MooxMaid dog (he is 7 yo now) and should be running at Tingley. At least one of John's students will be running at Tingley as well, with 2 dogs, one being a 1 yo female BC that John bred. (a granddaughter of Moo and Maid) John has a couple of younger dogs coming up right now. His dog Lee will be running at Tingley, he is around 2 years old. Lee is a really neat dog - he has tons of personality and works very well. I've also taken a few lessons out at Johns with my rescue BC. John is a good instructor, even for people that have no stock sense/experience whatsoever (that'd be me!) There should be many different handlers and BC breeders from Iowa and Nebraska (as well as some from Missiouri and Oklahoma probally - Texas too?) at Tingley. Everyone is friendly so definitely ask away! Jessica P.S. bring a jacket. the last two years the weather has been nice and warm until the sun went down, and then it was surprisingly chilly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.