Where can I find a puppy who will be a good herding candidate?
The short version is to go to trials, watch dogs work, talk to breeders, and try to get a puppy from parents who work in a manner that you find pleasing. You should only purchase from breeders who register their dogs with the American Border Collie Association (ABCA) or one of the other working border collie registries, and not those who register with the American Kennel Club (AKC). At this point, the AKC stud books are still open, which means that some working-bred border collies are registered with AKC and the distinction between AKC and non-AKC is a little murkier than it ultimately will be. But for now, stay away from breeders who talk about “titles,” since USBCHA trials don’t have them. For more detailed help, check out the Find a Puppy page on this site.
