mum24dog Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 We have a new couple with a blue merle collie in our agility club and I assumed they had bought him from a colour breeder. Nope - He is a rescue from a home that couldn't cope with him and came with some issues including chasing livestock. They tried flyball but decided it was frying his brain. Agility suits him better. But to get control with stock he is working sheep with Thomas Longton and doing well. Mustn't assume, mustn't assume ....... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5Bordercollies Posted March 4, 2015 Report Share Posted March 4, 2015 It is difficult in this day and age when unforttunately colour breeders are prevelant and "designer dogs" be it only their colour, or their breed is nothing strange anymore. Where I live here in RSA you see a BC you pretty much assume it's farm bred dog with no pedigree and little talent. It's the way things are. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloria Atwater Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 I think in the UK the prevalence of working-bred merles is markedly higher than in the US. No idea why, maybe they just dip back into strong working lines a lot more often than color breeders in the US, who often don't really care about the work. I know three working merles here out west, two of whom trial successfully at the Open level, but I've seen more that have little work instinct at all. Which is to say, I try not to assume, but over here, the assumption is probably correct more than not. ~ Gloria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mum24dog Posted March 5, 2015 Author Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 It wasn't so much that the dog has some working ability, more that I assumed that he had been bought for his colour. That may have been the case with the original owners and I don't know where they got him but it isn't true of the current owners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
juliepoudrier Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 I think it's fair to assume that when one sees any of the non traditional colors, they exist because there was a market demand for them. People who have "rescues of color" tend to fall outside of those assumptions, of course. But the original owners probably do fit that assumption. J. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Root Beer Posted March 5, 2015 Report Share Posted March 5, 2015 Maybe people think that about me with Dean. I didn't actually want a merle. I think he's perfect and I love to look at him and I think he is one of the most gorgeous dogs I've ever seen or known, but I still didn't go looking for a merle. When I did go looking for a Border Collie puppy, my husband wanted to look for a merle (because he loves Dean) and I said no, I wanted to go to a working breeder and I won out. But maybe people think that sometimes. ??? If they don't know he's second hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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