Buying pups via small ads

[Lungauer]

Hi all.

About to move to the Welsh Marches and at last will be able to have another Border Collie. The first two were rescues (the second of which died a couple of years ago at 15), but this time we're thinking of getting a puppy. This will be our first puppy and, looking online, there seem to be quite a few advertised in the classifieds as 'farm bred'.

I'm not hung up on provenance, but what are the ethics of this sort of thing? I've heard some horror stories about back street breeders.

Any advice gratefully received.

[Boosted LS1]

I'd steer clear and instead go to a rescue shelter. A lot of those adverts will be from puppy farms. That said, you may be able to find a litter in a normal home environment so that may be an avenue to pursue?

[MrMoonyMan]

If you are going to get a collie pup I can not recommend strongly enough the people we got our boy from: Pauldens Border Collies.

They are based in Derby, we're in St. Albans. He was fine the whole way home and has been brilliant every day since! He's nearly 2 now.

Don't know if you're looking now but I saw on their Facebook page they have a sandy/white boy available who looks lovely.

[Lungauer]

Thanks both for your replies. Having looked at the Border Collie Rescue website I think I might steer clear of the small ads.

[tuffer]

I have a mate near Llandiloes who had a litter of three and I think they may have one left. Good working dogs, first litter and certainly not bred for profit....Think it was actually an accident and two pups have gone to mates. PM me if still looking.

[Jasandjules]

Lungauer said:

Thanks both for your replies. Having looked at the Border Collie Rescue website I think I might steer clear of the small ads.

Some people say the small ads are fronts for puppy farms.

If you can rescue, always rescue!

[Boosted LS1]

^ My thoughts exactly.

[Thevet]

If you genuinely want a farm collie then go ask your local vet if they know any proper farm litters and also what they would say about the characteristics of the line. I can recommend great family friendly dogs and nasty excellent guard collies, many local farmers buy their next dog for a job and need it to be predictable at this. Just my twopennyworth from a rural vet pov. Most of our dogs are rescued though and the rottie and pit bull are the gentlest of the pack

[Lungauer]

Thevet said:

If you genuinely want a farm collie then go ask your local vet if they know any proper farm litters and also what they would say about the characteristics of the line. I can recommend great family friendly dogs and nasty excellent guard collies, many local farmers buy their next dog for a job and need it to be predictable at this. Just my twopennyworth from a rural vet pov. Most of our dogs are rescued though and the rottie and pit bull are the gentlest of the pack

This seems a sensible approach, other than going to a recognised dealer or rescue. Our last two collies were both rescues, the first a failed working dog given to me on a piece of bailer twine by a farmer in Scotland. He had a lovely temperament whatever his breeding (the dog, not the farmer) - perhaps a failed sheepdog makes a better pet. The second was a stray picked up by Battersea Dog's Home so what her breeding was no one knows. Her temperament even better and we had her for 14 years. Perhaps we've been lucky but I don't want to waste a good working dog by not allowing it to live up to its full potential, and I don't want to line the pockets of an unscrupulous breeder!