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[RC] [RC] Blue Heeler/Australian Cattle Dogs - Kari - Deanna German(Apologies to the list for this OT post -- I read the archives!) Kari - To find a well-bred pup (bred for soundness, temperament, health and trainability), you have a number of options. One is to go through the breed organization and get a breeder list or litter list. Another is to contact local kennel clubs or dog training clubs. ACD's are popular agility dogs -- go to an agility competition and introduce yourself to some owners to find out if they are breeders or know of any breeders with pups that they themselves might want if they didn't already have a dog. Think about it: an unsound, unhealthy, nasty, untrainable dog wouldn't be running agility. You can find a list of AKC agility trials on infodog.com. I think there's one coming up in Novi, MI in a couple of weeks. There are a large number of nice ACD's in breed rescue. These dogs have the reputation of being too smart (whatever that means!) and are high energy -- lots of people get them without knowing what they're getting into and then they end up in shelters or rescue. Consider giving hubby a puppy-sized collar and a photo while you take your time to search for a well-bred pup. Hubby might be a little mystified, but you won't regret it. Don't expect to find a well-bred pup through the newspaper ads. The pups in those ads probably are not carefully bred, likely the result of someone putting two random purebreds together because of convenience. Also, don't be put off if the breeder wants to make sure you'll provide a suitable home by asking a few questions. (See the note about rescue above.) I personally wouldn't acquire a dog from a breeder who *didn't* interview me. And to make this endurance related, I can't think of another breed that would be a more perfect trail buddy for training rides. Good luck! Deanna =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Ridecamp is a service of Endurance Net, http://www.endurance.net. Information, Policy, Disclaimer: http://www.endurance.net/Ridecamp Subscribe/Unsubscribe http://www.endurance.net/ridecamp/logon.asp Ride Long and Ride Safe!! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
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