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Guide To Australian Shepherd Training & Care

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Picking The Right Breeder

by Carolyn L.
(Nashville, TN)

My husband recently lost our beloved Koda Bear who was a mix of what we think to be Australian Shepherd/Lab. We are beginning our search for a new pup and are seriously considering getting an Aussie!

I saved Koda from some not so great parents when they couldn't take care of him any more back when he was just a baby so we have never purchased a pup from a breeder and would like some tips on how to make sure they are a good breeder. Also, after finding a good breeder how do you know if the parents are healthy?

I've seen different classifications for eyes, ears, general health but not sure what they all mean. Any insight into this would be super helpful as we want to make sure we go with the best breeder we can find!

Last question - as I've read through the forum I've seen people label dogs different classifications of energy, herding instinct, etc.. Are these things you can tell about a puppy based on the parents or based on the puppy itself or is it something you sort of figure out as the dog gets older?

We live in the Nashville, TN area so if anyone has breeder suggestions around the Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama area I'm all ears! (if that's allowed!)

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breeder
by: Anonymous

A good breeder will let you come onto their property and meet the parent dogs and see how the dogs are cared for. The breeder that I like in my area wants the new owners to come each weekend to interact with the puppies starting at three weeks of age. I think that is good. The health certifications for the parent dogs should be readily available. This should include at least the hip certification. If the breeder has a website, you could expect these documents to be available for reading there. I prefer a breeder who refuses to ship a puppy. When you interact with the parents of the puppy, you can get your own feel for the temperaments of the dogs. Talk to the breeder about what the parents do.... are they herding dogs, agility dogs, therapy dogs, family companions, conformation dogs, etc.... You just really have to talk to the breeders and check out the place and the parents.

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