Essential Welfare FACTS
Health Testing
Coat type and care
Hybrid Vigour (Increased vigor or other superior qualities arising from the crossbreeding of genetically different plants or animals) because of genetic diversity this usually produces a progeny which is healthier and stronger than either purebred parent, but it only really works for just one generation so only in the first cross.
Hybrid Vigour is proven to work and is used extensively in the livestock and plant breeding industries so why not for your next Pet Dog?
To help Hybrid Vigour we have ensured that BOTH registered (unless reg status otherwise specified) purebred parents have been fully health tested for the diseases which regularly affect each breed and can guarantee that our Border Colloodle’s will never be affected by
- CEA,
- IGS,
- TNS,
- PRA,
- Von Willebrand Type 1,
- Malignant hyperthermia.
This list will increase as more tests become available. So we will continue to add tests to our breeding dogs and bitches profiles on a regular basis as new tests are advised and available.
We will notify you of any potential problems with your puppy if it's parents are tested at a later stage for any new available tests.
However, we do not expect you to breed from your PET so will not notify you if your dog is normal by parentage or a suspected only as a carrier for any new tests
(We WILL notify you if any future testing indicates the pup could be affected). Please watch this video about the inheritance of the simple recessive genes (substitute the colour red for the disease itself)
If you breed despite our advice (see below in potential problems) it is your responsibility to test your dogs for all available and relevant diseases,
but please be aware that you also risk being in breach of contract.
please read our Puppy Sale Contract.
Coat type and care
Coat type and care
Can you either regularly groom and trim this dog yourself or afford to take him/her to the grooming parlour every 6 to 8 weeks?
Please note that we cannot guarantee (nobody can) if this pup will by Hypoallergenic (not trigger allergy reactions).
We are happy to take the puppy back if you are purchasing it because of the potential to be hypoallergenic and it still triggers allergic reactions, for a full purchase price refund within 14 days, or at any time of your life with the dog (refund not guaranteed after 14 days).
Your Border Colloodle will require daily grooming and at the very least a professional level grooming every 6 - 8 weeks.
If you are a new or perspective dog owner and you have no experience with dogs and, have or, are thinking of getting, a dog with a high maintenance coat like the Border Colloodle, please speak to your local dog groomer for advice on coat care, get help from them on how to brush your dog and get your dog booked in at an early age to manage the coat and the dog used to being groomed.
This is what happens if you do not care for your dogs coat.
Asthmatics and allergy sufferers
If you are asthmatic or have an allergy, you should consult your medical advisor before considering obtaining a canine companion since even dogs that don't shed can cause allergies. Studies have shown that dog hair or dog skin can induce asthma attacks and other related respiratory problems as well as certain allergies, and indeed the advice of Asthma UK is that it is probably better not to have a dog at all. Website: www.asthma.org.uk
With regard to coat care:- please read our Puppy Sale Contract.
Feeding
All dogs are essentially carnivores and opportunistic omnivores, what nature did not give them was the ability to make a fire and cook their food.
This is why commercial Kibble is not as healthy as the vets and manufactures would have you believe. Nor is it healthy to feed COOKED bones. This is where the myth that chicken bones is bad for dogs, up until 20/30 years ago, chickens were not bred or reard exclusively for their meat and were usually very old birds (at least fully mature) when they were slaughtered for meat, when cooked (even boiled) they were brittle and indigestible causing numerous dogs to have operations to remove the resulting bulk.
Nature intended that they eat whole prey as in Rabbit, Rats, mice and Birds in their entirety UNCOOKED.
Not easy for us humans, but we can provide the next best thing which is Raw Meaty Bones, selected offal, vegetables and berries.
Please check out the following for more information on Raw Natural feeding .
There is stacks more UK related information if you do a google search for BARF diet like this.
Exercise and training
Exercise and training
Every one of these special cross breed dogs is different to look at, but they all have wonderful sparkling natures, being extremely clever dogs they are not for the average pet owner looking for a “cuddly couch potato”.
Two most intelligent breeds
These dogs have the most amazing brains taken from their parents, the Poodle, famed for its ability to be a loyal companion, cheeky character, full of beans and alert, capable of being taught tricks, and the partner a Border collie, the world’s most intelligent breed, a dog developed for centuries by shepherds as his working companion, a breed famed for its ability to think for itself and find solutions for the safety of the flock whilst out of sight and sound of the shepherds instruction, a breed with enormous stamina, tenacity and agility, all the while being highly trainable, but with the downside of being able to train its unwitting owners equally well.
Do you have what it takes to handle this fluffy package of potential Einstein or disaster?
Do you have the time to stimulate these dogs’ brains?
Do you have the knowledge to be one step ahead of their reasoning powers?
Perhaps you want to do Dog Agility or Obedience?
Suitable for training as a service dog for disabled, search and rescue, medic alert dog.
Do you have the energy to keep up with their speed and agility and never ending demand to make things move?
(We do select for the "off switch" in the Border collie mothers to help you keep up)
With regard to training your Border Colloodle, please read our Puppy Sale Contract.
Potential problems
Exercise and training
Potential problems
Most of these crosses make fantastic very healthy pets and are a joy to own, so if you have fallen for one of these cross breeds it is advised you buy from the first mating for example Border Collie x Poodle = Border colloodle and not the next generation crossing of two of the same cross breed
for example a Border colloodle x Border colloodle.
This is because of Hybrid Vigour, which is the reason why it is hoped most health problems will be eliminated in the first mating.
If you get a dog from the next generation or further on it is feared that new unexpected health or behavioral problems may arise.
Thanks to responsible breeders and the BVA/KC health schemes, selected breeding is helping to eradicate and improve some health issues in the pure breeds.
Breeders of the Cross Breeds and "Designer Dogs" are no exception to health problems, no dog is born completely without health risks and they should not be ignored.
However, testing non-purebreds will actually involve even more tests, than a pure breed, since many diseases are breed specific and some designer dogs and cross-breeds are made up of many different breeds.
The DNA disease test list will continue to grow and selection for breeding mates who are compatible AND ensuring that ONE parent is NORMAL for every tested disease, will get more complicated,
this is why we are going to be working with the ICB Breeders Tool in the future as they offer breeders help and guidance on test results and matching suitable mates.
Learn more about genetics and selection to reduce disease from the ICB International Canine Biology
The Fun Side
Exercise and training
Potential problems
As breeders we have great fun (but loads of hard work) for the first 8 weeks of the puppies lives.
They are reared using a combination of scientifically proven programs like Puppy Culture and Avidog, they are born in the house, handled daily since birth to leaving home, We have purpose built puppy runs attached to the house.
Our method has evolved and has worked successfully for us for over 30 years breeding GSD, Gundogs, and Border collies and Poodles.
Now the Border colloodle will have it's chance to improve our methods.
We welcome visitors, especially children to come and visit from the 5 week age period.
We hate seeing our pups leave home, but know that they will have the absolute best from our handpicked owners.
Whose fun is just about to start.
I am sure that these unique dogs will be able to do virtually anything you the owner/trainer want them to do, they would probably even herd sheep, but we highly suggest the ISDS registered Border collie for that job.
Are you prepared for a coupling of the two most intelligent breeds?
Can you enjoy them at sports like
Agility
Obedience
Working Trials
Disc Dogging
Treibball
They will excel at Heel Work to Music
Dog versus Bitch.
Bitch = female
There is very little in temperament etc. to choose between a dog and a bitch.
In my opinion there is a reason why human females are sometimes called “bitches”!
They scrape more and are more likely to fight to the death if two bitches hate each other, especially in a group of bitches, there will always be one who is persecuted.
The can suffer from mood swings even if spayed, however, a female dog can be easier to house train but they do have seasons approximately every six to ten months.
During a season you will need to keep your bitch away from male dogs for approximately three weeks and possibly alter your normal exercise routine in order to keep interested dogs away from your home. A bitch in season will also have a bloody discharge, which can stain furniture etc.
It costs more to spay a female and it is a very invasive procedure which can have life threatening complications.
She should be allowed to mature physically (around 2 years old) before spaying as she requires natures hormones to grow and protect bones.
Care should be taken that she is not miss-mated at any time as this is completely avoidable by placing her in Boarding Kennels or taking the time to exercise her is seclusion or keeping her confined in a purpose built kennel during her season.
If not being used for regular breeding she is at risk of developing a life threatening condition called Pyometra (infection of the womb)
There are only two ways to prevent this condition, the first and most natural is to keep the uterus working in the way nature intended, PREGNANCY, never leaving the bitch empty without puppies during her reproduction cycle.
It is currently unacceptable to breed a bitch "back to back" despite proven evidence that breeding keeps bitches is healthier and substantially reduces the risk of death by this infection, Keeping the bitch pregnant until her breeding career is over is also the recommendations by canine reproduction specialists yet is still socially unacceptable.
It is also shown that it is better to plan litters and breed the younger bitch, giving more chance for a larger healthier litter and an easier birth, and healthier pups, this (not litter size obviously) has also been proved in humans.
Unfortunately ignorance from the general public forces some breeders who allow themselves to be guided by the Animal Rights Activists who would love for NO puppies ever to be born and the world would be devoid of our favourite companions,
Additionally, if all UK Licensed breeders were to follow the advice of Science they would then be breaking the law so we have to leave our bitches at risk even with this knowledge of these studies and recommendations.
A responsible and educated breeder would NEVER, given the chance put his valuable bitch at risk.
However, the LAW is an "ass" and is there because people are NOT educated and a few terrible individuals fail to act with responsibility causing the majority few to then suffer.
Pyometra is the only valid reason for spaying the bitch, as the procedure almost virtually removes the chance of infection.
Spaying a bitch is not a valid or responsible replacement for ignorant and lazy ownership.
Dog = male
Dogs grow slightly larger and heavier than bitches and can be a bit stronger.
However I personally find my males generally are more loving and faithful than bitches but they can take a little longer to house train and at around the time of puberty can get a bit full of their own importance and need slightly firmer handling.
They could go off looking for bitches, but really this should never happen as you will always have your dog under control WON'T YOU?
The may have a retained testicle or both testicles retained, in this case it is often advised to remove the retained testicle.
If you are going to breed from your dog you MUST have him properly trained as he will get full of himself once he has mated bitches.
However, you are Not going to be purchasing your Border colloodle for breeding, so this should not be a problem.
With a male dog the testosterone hormone does not have up’s and downs and therefore with good training and bonding your relationship during the adolescent months (essential to work on your relationship in the first 8 to 16 week period and then cementing this properly prior to 12 months of age) will ensure that your male pup has an excellent stable temperament.
We do feel strongly that neutering a male will NOT help fear based behavioral issues, only good training will do this.
Neutering will almost always only make any aggression worse as 99% of male aggression is derived through lack of confidence and fear, so good early socialization and training is key.
Neutering will cause this insecure dog to become “interesting” to other dogs as he will not smell like a normal male and this interest in his “new” smell will cause extra unwanted attentions from other males which will more than likely cause additional fear and insecurity responses from your neutered dog.
It has also recently been proven that there are also health issues attached to neutering/spaying dogs too young and it is now being recommended that spaying and neutering should be done at no less than 18 months of age.
Males are cheaper to neuter and it is a less invasive surgery.
Never neuter before the age of 2 years as the body requires the hormone testosterone to mature and protect the bones during growth.
Neutering a dog is NOT a repsonsible solution to ignorant and Lazy ownership or a solution to a lack of training or socialisation.
If you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact me.
So you want to BREED??
Due Diligence to breeding your dog/bitch
First of all - UNLESS you intend to GIVE YOUR puppies away for FREE or for the cost of rearing them. YOU must declare your income on your TAX self assessment, you will also probably have to apply to your local council for a Dog Breeding License especially if you are going to advertise those pups for sale and make a profit from their sale.
Do you work?
what are the MAIN reasons to breed a litter of pups?
Do you have homes for 10 to 12 puppies?
What price are you charging for the puppies?
(if you make ANY profits you should apply for a license to breed dogs even if you will only ever have one litter.)
What experience of breeding, whelping genetics, health, rearing methods, knowing the right and wrong way of socialising and handling puppies, do you have?
Are you prepared to put your bitch and or puppies to sleep if things go drastically wrong at whelping,
If you lose your bitch at whelping, do you have the time to bottle feed 10 puppies every two to four hours for 2 to 3 weeks?
are you able to keep a number of puppies and train them past 8 weeks of age if they don't sell?
are you able to take back any puppies you bring into this world if their owners circumstances change?
do you have enough experience to help your new owners in the first four weeks to settle the pups?
It will cost you around £1000.00 to carry out all the health checks, then it is a nightmare to find the perfect stud, not just the one down the road.
I have a clause in my contract which discourages breeding, as I believe that there is NO real valid reason to breed from a cross breed.
This fact definitely sets back the hybrid figure gained in the first cross, the progeny will come out liquorice allsorts
and will be difficult to judge what traits the pups will have from their parents.
I have been a professional breeder for more than 30 years and I still am learning and improving with every litter.
It is can be devastatingly hard to gain your experience at the expense of your family pet. I offer working students the chance to learn about breeding before starting on their own and many just can't take the WORK let alone the heartbreaking decisions that all breeders have to make (if you breed long enough or are unlucky at the start) .
There are a tonne more questions which should be asked and answered, it is lovely when everything goes right but nature has a way of throwing punches and it is devastating and heartbreaking when these things happen.
My advice to you is: don't put your bitch at risk just because you feel she is cute and you want another doodle, the best thing is to go back to your original breeder and support them, or find a licensed breeder who does even more.
