Will this be your first Border Collie?
Yes. However the our first dog was a lab/border mix.
When did you decide that a Border Collie was for you and why?
The love affair I have had with the Border Collie started from childhood but it was only recently I decided that the border collie was right for me. A border collie's reputation precedes them as intelligent yet hard to manage by an average person. I love how humanly they seem to act. There is nothing quite like a border collie stare.
Have you read any books on the Border Collie or researched any information about this breed?
Yes I have. I have read several books about Border collies and read several websites about border collies and watched shows like Breed All About it and Dogs 101. However, I feel the books I have read so far have been too general. I am going to pick up some more.
Have you considered any other breed? If yes, what?
Yes I have. I have also been considering Australian Shepherds. They have many of the same qualities I am looking for in a breed. Aussies aren't as demanding as borders but everytime I look at an Aussie I think- I really just want a border collie.
List other pets or animals you have. (Species, breed, age, sex)
I have 6 pet rats. All of my rats are female and ages range from 6 months to 3 years. The rats are kept in a secure cage and and the new puppy and even as an adult dog will not come into contact with even the cage without supervision.
Have you had pets in the past, which you no longer have? If yes, how did you lose them?
Champ was a wonderful dog. Unfortunately at the time we did not have a fenced in yard. Many things were happening at the time. My dad got married. The family became blended. Step mom had a baby. I was in my junior year of highschool and was in college at the same time. We were having money problems. Step mom did not pay attention to the older boy all the time because she was trying to get her nursing certificate and she was busy with a newborn. Door was left opened...
Champ ran away 8 times in one month. We couldn't afford to bail him out of the pound for the 8th time. We regret this everyday. Sometimes I wished that I could have done something at the time. But in the end, it was better for Champ. He was adopted pretty quickly thanks to all the training I did with him. They even put on his credentials to help him get adopted- Fetches Soda.
We had Champ for 6 years before we had to give him up. He was 9 years old.
Have you ever bred a litter?
If you mean dogs, no. Rats I have one time. I have owned rats for ten years. I gave all 9 babies to good homes where they lived out their lives. I was 15 when I bred my rats.
Have you ever surrendered an animal to an animal shelter or rescue organization?
Yes, Champ. Told you my story. I regret that we had to do that everyday.
List all household members. If children are included in your family, please list age and gender of each.
Kevin Pridemore Male 50
Riza Pridemore Female 29
Brittany Pridemore Female 20 (me)
Alice Owens Male 21
Danyael Pridemore Male 8
Tyler Pridemore Male 3
Are you aware of any allergies to animals of anyone in your household?
I am barely allergic to certain types of cats.
Who will have primary responsibility for the care of the puppy?
My boyfriend and I will be taking most of the responsibility.
Please tell us something about yourself, your family and your lifestyle.
Myself: I am planning on becoming a dog trainer. I have already been training my friend's adult dog who knew nothing other than sit before I started training it. Sweet dog though. He now knows all of the basic commands, lay, stay, spin, shake, speak, and we are working on fetch. My parents think me becoming a dog trainer would be a great thing for me to get into especially given my history of loving animals. I love to hike, train dogs, and play frisbee. I take a two mile walk every morning and a two mile walk at night. I really wish I had a "friend" who would take even more walks with me.
My dad is 50 years old and is still very active in playing baseball and softball. When we had Champ, Champ came to all the games and played on the playground equipment. It was really cute to see him climb up ladders and slide down slides. He even played duck duck goose with the kids on the playground. Sometimes he chased when it wasn't his turn. LOL
My step mom is a registered nurse. She isn't home very much but supports me in whatever I want to do. She will be paying for things like vet care, training, and supplies.
My little brothers: I am sure my siblings are concerning to you. My siblings love to play with dogs. My uncles both have dogs that they bring over from time to time and my little brothers run the dogs ragged. One of my Uncles has a 2 year old golden retriever and you should know as a dog lover that it takes some running around to get that breed as tired as my brother's do. The other dog that my other uncle brings over is a yellow lab. He has hip problems and my brothers are very respectful to this dog. They still play fetch with it like the golden, but they know that the dog could be hurt if they climbed on it or were disrespectful to it. The three year old is constantly surprising us with how nice he is to dogs he has been properly introduced to.
My boyfriend: If I am not home, he is. We do almost everything together, so it is not surprise that he will be my second mate when it comes to raising this dog. Alice was raised with a dog. He was a German Shepherd mix. Unfortunately his parents were in charge and knows first hand how things like electric collars, mats, and invisible fences, should be considered dog abuse. Alice is a sensitive person and would need help being a confident figure in our dogs life, but in some ways, it is a good thing. I love how he sometimes is like the dog whisperer. He is more sedentary than me though. But unlike me, loves the rain and will enjoy walking a dog in the rain! He is always going outside in the rain to get all wet!
We are a very organized family. We do things on a schedule and prefer to do things the correct way. Schedules will be made. Owning a dog is a life style choice in it of itself.
Do you rent or own your housing?
If rent, does your lease allow dogs or does your landlord know of your
impending addition?
Single family
It is a rental and we rent from my Uncle Mark. He is fully aware of the new addition and is very happy for us that we are looking for a dog.
Do you have a fenced yard where your puppy will be supervised, if not, what are your plans for exercising and for your puppy to go potty safely?
Yes we have a fenced yard where the puppy will be supervised.
How and where will your puppy spend his/her day?
Puppy will spend most of the day with my boyfriend, my 3 year old little brother, and I. We are constantly home or out playing. My boyfriend and I's primary job is to watch my siblings. This means someone is always home. Puppy will not be left alone very often.
How and where will your puppy spend his/her nights?
At first puppy will be in a crate indoors, inside the laundry room till he or she is potty trained. After that puppy can have the crate/bed in the living room with the ability to move freely in and out as he/she pleases.
Have you heard of feeding dogs a species appropriate raw fresh food diet?
Yes
If yes, Have you fed it before?
No.
If no, Would you like more information?
Yes.
Have you heard of limiting or completely withholding vaccinations and the possible dangers of over vaccinating?
No
Would you be comfortable limiting or completely withholding vaccinations?
I am unsure. I have always viewed puppies/dogs to be like babies and need their vaccinations.
Possibly but I would like more information
If no, Why not? If yes, Have you limited or withheld vaccinations before?
I am just too unsure to answer this. If you gave me more information and instruct me on when you think the appropriate time to vaccinate is, I will follow those orders. I will not consider just not getting my puppy vaccinations.
Describe the ideal temperament of a Border Collie who would fit perfectly into your household.
Less herding instinct considering that we want a border as our family pet and we do have small children and are fully aware of borders with strong instincts are harder to distract/curb. We are fully aware this instinct does not go away. We feel it would be much easier though to have a dog you consider to have less herding instincts than the others.
We would like a people puppy. We have a lot of people in our home. We love fun loving happy go lucky puppies.
List all activities you might be interested in pursuing with your puppy. (Check all that apply)
Household companion
Obedience
Flyball
Agility
Hiking
Disc Dog
We are interested in a border that would/may like to do these things. I love to throw frisbees, am a training addict and go on really long walks.
For those interested in a Border Collie for Performance:
Please tell us a little about your training methods and experience.
My training methods are all positive. I do not believe that you have to "dominate" a dog to get what you want from him/her.
Using a dogs instincts is usually the best method to train a dog. For instance, dogs love to chase. You are more likely to get a dog to come to you by running away from it that chasing after it.
I take everything in steps. Teaching a dog to fetch is
Step one: get the dog interested in the object you are trying to get it to fetch.
Step two: get the dog to chase after the object
Step three: teach the dog to bring it back by holding a treat, running away from the dog, or holding a toy of higher value/ same object.
I will be enrolling any puppy I get into Puppy kindergarden and obedience classes. I feel this would be excellent time to be not only exposing the puppy to many things but will strengthen the bond that we share.
For those interested in a Border Collie as a companion:
How do you plan on exercising your puppy, both mentally and physically?
I am getting agility equipment for the back yard, I love frisbee, I love to hike, I love to train dogs to do tons of tricks.
If it is raining there are plenty of ways for me to mentally stimulate him/her indoors. I will still go on a walk, it just wont be as long. If we are stuck indoors I will try to find a trick for him/her to learn. Crazy tricks are the funnest to teach.
If you are purchasing for performance or a companion only, how do you feel about a spay/neuter contract?
I am perfectly ok with a spayed/neutered dog. I would have done this anyway.
Where do you plan on taking Obedience classes with your puppy?
I don't know yet. But I am going to find a place soon.
What is your main goal with this puppy?
To have a friend by my side everyday. A friend that I can communicate with. Have fun with. Get out and get lots of exercise with.
What training methods will you use to handle potential problems such as chewing, barking, and house breaking?
Chewing: Teach self control methods. "Leave it" is a very good command for this. To prevent chewing things and getting into things he/she is not supposed to.
Barking: First I would teach the dog to "speak". Then I would teach the dog what quiet is based on speak. "Quiet" is a good command.
House Breaking: I am a big believer in "crate training". Only in a positive sense though. I am hardly ever away from home so the crate will not be used often. Just at night or when I am shopping with my family.
Herding children: Though I have no experience with this, I would definitely start out by teaching my little bros not to run away from the dog as it encourages herding behavior/instinct. If you know other tricks please be sure to let me know. I am still very interested in this breed.
Do you prefer a puppy or an older dog?
My family and I really want a puppy. But if you think a younger dog would be a better fit for us, we would definitely take it into consideration. I would prefer a puppy so I could do all of the possible training classes.
Do you have a color or male/female preference?
We love black and white and black and blue merle. I would prefer a male.
Are you or have you been a member of any dog clubs or organizations? Please list.
no
Have you ever been suspended by AKC?
no
Personal references (phone or email)
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What is the name of the Veterinarian you currently go to?
Name____________________
Address______________________
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May we contact your Vet as a reference?
Any other comments?
Katsuya Jyonouchi Community Member 
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