Price of working sheepdog/border collie Working Dogs

Who do you mean by "well known breeders" though? Farmers/shepherds or people who breed ISDS collies but who target the pet/sport market rather than working homes?

Reading about how much some people have paid for their ISDS collies makes me wonder if the breeders actually charge more for pups going to pet/sport homes, and charge less for pups going to working homes :?

I think it all depends.

I know top class competitors in several disciplines who go and buy dogs off a farm and have done very well with them and for not too much.

Talking to them I have not found they have been part of a "scale of fees", the same applies to people who are well known for producing very successful lines of dogs for sports.

They do not charge more or less if you are a well known competitor.

Also, the dogs who are produced for sports, have the same work ethic and ability around sheep as those bred on farms. So the assertion that this is somehow bred out of them or they are inferior in any way is fallacious.

One of the reasons some people prefer to go to well known sports lines is because they have seen numerous individuals, of many litters over several generations successful in multiple fields. They know they perform and that their temperaments are sound.

Whixh is why, I would assume (as I do not have much to do with sheepdoggy people) those who want to trial or work their dog on sheep probably do the same.

It makes sense.

This is the same ethos that drives people who wish to pursue Schutzhund to go to lines that have the qualities required.

And why the police also now do this in many cases. What makes a good sports dog is the same thing that makes a good police dog and vice versa in most cases (not all).

Again the same reason that police and customs etc go to Field Trial breeders for dogs for bomb/firearms/ dogs etc.

Does breeding for them mean that these dogs would be unable to work in the field or produce field trial dogs?

Hmmmmm, I fail to see the logic.

The area in which I see the price differentiation is show or pet dogs, quite often show quality will cost more and in pet breeders, bitches cost more than dogs.

Odd that!

Here are some ...





All the dogs here cost less than £200 as pups



A pup we bred, who would have been sold for £150 as a pup, only we ran him on and sold him at 18 months to a good working/trialling home.



More ISDS reg pups for under £200

I was being a bit facetious - I don't believe there are a scale of fees either really, but it seems strange that some folk here can't find ISDS reg farm-bred pups for less than £200, when the MAJORITY of litters I have seen advertised or have had experience of are less than £200.

However, I do know there are certain "kennels" or breeders who breed ISDS reg collies but who tend to attract the pet/sport market rather than the working buyers and these breeders do seem to charge more for their pups.

I have no idea whether after a number of generations purpose sport-bred collies still have the same instincts, ability and drive around sheep. I suppose it is never proven and, as you rightly say, no shepherd wanting a working dog would go to a kennel that bred sport dogs in any event. I also have no problem with people specifically breeding collies for sport, and it makes sense for people wanting a dog for agility to go down that route if they so wish.

I would love to have been able to test this with Siren. Everyone who saw her work agreed that she could have done it - with the right training and exposure, I have neither the knowledge or time time to get her working as she needs to, to become a good working dog.

Just quickly before I go out.

Thanks for showing the pics of the pups Moobli. They look gorgeous!

When I said top breeders, I am talking about successful Triallers that breed from their champion trial dogs. (Matters not to me.)

The market value for working sheepdogs that I have come across seems to be a lot higher than it was when I bought my first collie and Polo. They cost is not the first thing I look at when buying a pup. Both Polo and Josh were ISDS reg and were bred by shepherds wanting a dog for themselves. They were ethical breeders as far as I am concerned and that would not have changed my opinion had they been asking less or more money (within reason.)

Thanks for the compliment Maisiesmum - the litters were gorgeous and turned out really well All pups from both litters are now working.

For me too, cost is not the first consideration when looking for a pup of either of my breeds

I saw an advert recently on Pets4homes which said 'not bred on a farm so no herding instinct' so someone obviously thinks they don't!

One £200 ISDS BC

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One £300 ISDS BC

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One £400 KC(3/4 ISDS bloodlines)BC

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One Free KC(same breeding as above-full sister)BC

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aww love them all!

Thanks BenMc