Guest Anonymous Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 When I acquired Bandit a little over two years ago, it was my first experience with non family member breeders. All of my other dogs, I had gotten from either my father or grandfather who bred, except for my Collie and that was a Christmas Gift from my dad when I was 7 years old. But, being the son and grandson of two breeders, I saw how my father and grandfather acted around potential buyers. I saw how they checked them out. I also saw the questions that informed buyers asked of them. So when it came time to find a Cattle Dog, I was comfortable with what to ask and how to carry myself. I spoke with numerous breeders. I visited a few. Then someone turned me on the the breeder I eventually got Bandit from. She and I had 4 or 5 phone conversations. I told her up front what I was looking for. I asked her questions about everything from health screenings to temperment. She asked me alot of questions to. This breeder had a written application process. She faxed me the application. It was four pages. I completed it and faxed it back. Only after she approved it, was I invited for a personal visit. I found out later that she was particular about who ended up with her dogs, and found it easier to refuse a client over the phone than in person. I visited with the intention of placing a deposit on a pup from an upcoming litter. As she was showing me her animals, there was this one male I was almost obsessed with. He had it all. I loved his temperment, the way he carried himself, everything. She told me that the dog I was so taken by was actually an Australian Import. I played with that dog for a good while and told the breeder that he was what I was looking for and did she have any planned breedings with him. Her reply was actually she had a litter out of him and an Import female. All the pups were spoken for except one. But the one pup that was not spoken for had a bit of an AKC color fault. (he had a black patch on his side) so she was planning on placing him on a ranch. I asked her if I could look at that pup. She aggreed and showed me the litter, pointing out the one that was not spoken for. He was a spitting image of his father save the black body patch. Cocky and self confident. I watched him play with his litter mates a while then asked if I could inspect him closer. She brought him out away from his littermates and mother. I sat down on the ground and she put the pup down. He trotted right over to me and staired me straight in the eye. Then he tried to eat my shoes. Completely unafraid of thsi person he had never met. I spent some time with him then she showed me the male and female she was planning on breeding. They were impressive dogs. But I couldn't stop thinking about the pup with the patch. I ended up leaving a deposit on the planned breeding. I still couldn't get the one puppy out of my head. I called her up the next day and asked about the ofa ratings on the two import dogs. She told me the results then gave me the full registered names so I could look them up for myself on the OFA database. I did some checking and found out that the AKC color fault the pup had was somewhat common in working lines in Australia. So again I called her back and asked if I could come look at the one pup again. She agreed. So I went back out and looked at him again. I asked her if she would consider selling him to me instead of a working ranch. At first she said she was not sure but then agreed. I left full payment for the pup and made arrangements to pick him up that Friday afternoon. I wanted to weekend for him to get aclimated before I had to go to work on Monday. I have been more than pleased. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut feeling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bk_blue Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 Yippee!! Another Cattle Dog convert!!! May I also remind you that the terrible twos don't ever stop... they just turn into terrible threes, fours, fives... :drinking: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanvean Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 Sounds like you found a great breeder :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angelboddy Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 It sounds like you've got a great pup there. :D And it was ment to be. :angel: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjriggl2 Posted July 15, 2003 Share Posted July 15, 2003 Good story! Would love to see pics of Bandit! Can you post some onto the Picture forum? I was wanting an australian cattle dog I saw in HoustonSPCA.. couldn't stop thinking of it for several days. Then the next Monday I went to the shelter again with my wife. She was still there, so cute the typical tri-color ACD. Just before I was about to made the decision, I noticed another couple, kind-looking people, also played with the ACD. I said to myself: if they are going to adopt her, I will let her go... otherwise, she is mine! It turned out... YES, THEY ADOPTED HER :( But, later I found Wolfie curled in a corner in another cage. I was happy that two dogs were saved, instead of competing one. Now, I am soooooooooooo glad to have Wolfie, the master Aussie of mischiefs :ylsuper: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Anonymous Posted July 16, 2003 Share Posted July 16, 2003 That is GREAT Johnny Really nice story Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellieangel Posted July 16, 2003 Share Posted July 16, 2003 Great story ,Thank you for sharing it with us. :wink: She sounds like a wonderful breeder. :iloveyou: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommacat Posted July 17, 2003 Share Posted July 17, 2003 Those are both great stories - You know what they say - you don't pick the dog, the DOG picks YOU! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mouseatthebusstop Posted July 19, 2003 Share Posted July 19, 2003 :) :) loverly story I would love to see photos of him he sounds delightful :) :) :) :) :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shannon_C Posted August 13, 2003 Share Posted August 13, 2003 [color=darkred]What a lovely story Johnny :D The first time I saw a litter of pups of my favourite breed was at a Bullmastiff Kennel, we went there to have a look at there dogs with intention of getting a puppy, they had the one male and three females! Luck was in for us really because the breeders had the type we were looking for plus a red male puppy. When she showed us him, my heart sank....he was the most adorable little Bully pup I had ever seen...we stood by the pen while she went in and picked him up.....she passed him over to me, he was so soft and cuddly...no doubt he would be the one we would be taking home. I checked him all over for any lumps, checked is teeth etc..that was funny trying to open his mouth lol, the only fault he had was a black tail and a white tip on his toe.....but she did mention that as he grows it might fade...well she wasn't wrong there.....anyway she put him back in his pen with his sisters while we walked around the kennels.....I could have taken all those dogs home, I was so in love with them. On the way passed the puppy pen, we noticed the little male climbing up the mesh to get at us....awww I just wanted to take him there and then. We did end up putting a deposit on him because I had heard many nice words said about this kennel and that the breeder was very well known in the show ring with many champions in her line.....this wasn't the reason we decided to have one of there pups, basically there type just caught my eye....you know how it is, you see something you like and wayyy hey you just got to have it, well thats how it was with our little Charlie. The waiting seem to take ages, we had to wait a couple of weeks for the bank to cash the money, well it came round and there we were back at the kennel once again where our precious little bundle of fun was waiting and believe me he was.....another couple were there to pick up a female, there girl walked over to them and climbed up the mesh but our boy just lay there in the shade obviously waiting for us to appear....we could see from the caravan what he was doing, we went outside and when he spotted us he looked so happy and excited to see us, he was literally trying to get through the mesh lol....his little tail wagging and licks to our fingers awwww....so it does go to show that you don't pick your pups they choose you [/color]:D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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