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Header photo: Creekside Abe and Creekside Lad (2008 Tap x ## Mirk) |
Philosophy: At Creekside, we don't have a kennel full of "brood bitches". Our dogs enjoy an active life on the trial field and off. That is why we won't breed our bitches more than 3 times in their life, and try to space litters well apart. We are not professional handlers or trainers (darn day job!), so while you may not see our names at the top of the USBCHA standings, we will not breed our dogs until they have proven themselves as sensible working dogs on the trial field or off - and this doesn't mean chasing sheep into a corner to show "herding instinct"! Usually we wait until a dog has progressed up to the Open class (USBCHA) or equivalent working skill. Only about 1/3 of all Border Collies out there have the potential to do well in this top class, so we feel it is a good guide. |
Physical and mental health of breeding dogs: Dogs used for breeding are OFA (or equivalent) certified, CERF cleared in the breeding year and Optigen tested for CEA genotype and cleared as Normal or in some rare instances, as a Carrier*. They are always of sound temperament and are vet checked before breeding. Since 2006 all Creekside dogs are fed a natural raw diet for optimum health and puppies are weaned to raw. *A dog with a CARRIER genotype for CEA may be bred to a NORMAL genotype without producing any affected puppies. However, we may have the entire litter tested in this instance to determine which puppies are candidates for spay and neuter. NOTE: Hip evaluations / Health status of Creekside puppies to date available upon request to pre-screened potential puppy owners. |
Rearing puppies: Puppies raised at Creekside are whelped in a quiet area of the house. We love our Thermawhelp system, which allows the puppies to lie on a warmer surface if they need to. Puppies are then raised in a relatively high traffic area so that they quickly become accustomed to the goings on of life with a large pack of dogs, a cat, people coming and going etc. As newborns we perform the exercises for Early Neurological Stimulation until their eyes are open, and then the real fun begins! Puppies get to play with all kinds of toys and are allowed to romp on many different surfaces including a wobble board and crinkly tunnels, slippery linoleum and rough boards etc. We interact with them constantly to encourage play with humans and enjoy games of tug and fetch (well, puppy versions of fetch anyways!) . They are introduced to all walks of life including "rented" kids, elderly people, and us disguised in scary hats and coats etc. They interact daily with the "big kids" (adult dogs) to learn about bite inhibition and doggy language and rules. |
From about 4 weeks, the puppies may spend a few hours a day in the barn in a big clean pen with heated sleeping area. They learn about sheep sounds and smells, noise from the tractor and other equipment. Even our winter litters get playtime outside - where they romp under our supervision, often with the whole pack of adult dogs. At about 7 1/2 weeks, we temperament test the litter with the help of another experienced, unbiased person - and take the results with a (large) grain of salt! In our experience, the same puppy can test completely different in two separate instances depending on time of day, how close to nap time/play time/feeding time. Generally, after spending so much time with the puppies, we know their personalities pretty well by now! However, some people like to know the results of the puppy tests. We use a combined test of the Volhard PAT test and the PAWS working dog test. Generally, we match puppies with the appropriate homes and do our best to be sure each carefully screened potential puppy owner gets the puppy that will hopefully best suit their lifestyle, planned activities and competitive goals. To see more of how we raise our puppies, visit the Creekside Puppy Blog. We know that all puppies are a gamble! But we help reduce the odds by breeding talented, good tempered and healthy parents, and helping as much as possible with their early socialization. After that, it is up to you! |
Spay and Neuter: It is our goal to keep our carefully bred working dogs' bloodlines undiluted by "show" and/or "sport" lines, therefore every puppy from Creekside who’s future includes anything but a focus on stock work MUST be spayed or neutered at a suitable age*. (RARE exceptions will be made for talented working dogs who may also wish to compete in other dogsports.) In addition, the AKC/CKC herding programs do NOT, in our opinion, test the ultimate abilities of a well bred working Border Collie. Supplemental Spay/Neuter agreements or Breeding Agreements will be added to the standard Puppy Contract. *We recommend spaying or neutering around 12-14 months of age, once the dog reaches maturity. What about a Rescue? An adult dog is a good way of knowing just what kind of dog you'll have. "What you see is what you get". If an adult dog interests you, please visit our Rescue Pages! Not all Border Collies in rescue situations have irreversible emotional baggage. There are loads of super dogs waiting to be adopted! Blaze was adopted as an adult, and he is perfect! If you have been approved as a Creekside puppy owner but decide to go the rescue route, we will be happy to provide referrals to any rescue organization, or help you search for that special dog. |
Blaze waiting for the puppies to wake up and play. |
Articles: 1. USBCC BC Genetics 3. Canine HD (pdf) 4. USBCC Puppy Testing Do or Don't 5. Critical periods in your puppy (pdf) 6. Early Socialization (pdf) 7. Takes a Pack to Raise a Puppy (pdf) 8. Creekside Border Collies for Agility (pdf) 9. Early Neurological Stimulation (pdf) Creekside Forms: 1. Creekside Puppy Contract (sample - pdf) 2. Creekside Breeding Agreement (sample - pdf) 3. Creekside Spay & Neuter Agreement (pdf) 4. Creekside Deposit Agreement (Sample - pdf) |
Books: 1. Grow Your Pups with Bones (Billinghurst) 2. The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs (McConnell) 3. Before You Get Your Puppy (Dunbar) 4. After You Get Your Puppy (Dunbar) 5. Don’t Shoot the Dog! The New Art of Teaching and Training (Pryor) 6. On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals (Rugaas) 7. Dogs are From Neptune (Donaldson) Videos 1. Time Well Spent (Aled Owen) - sheepdog training 2. Sylvia Trkman's YouTube Channel - tricks and agility |
Health Certificates: Every puppy goes to their new home after having being health checked by our wonderful Holistic Veterinarian. Fecal checks determine whether deworming is needed or not. At Creekside, we prefer a limited vaccination schedule and our own vet follows the Dr. Dodd's schedule. This means that normally, Creekside puppies would NOT be vaccinated before going to their new homes (1st distemper shot best around 10-12 weeks, not earlier as the dam's antibodies are still in effect), however, should you wish to have your puppy's first "puppy shot", we will have our vet vaccinate your puppy. Raw Diet: It is strongly recommended that all puppy owners continue with feeding their Creekside puppies their species appropriate raw diet. We are happy to help you with any questions! |