of lifestyle, the breeder will need to know what type of lifestyle you will be offering the puppy. Will he grow up to be a herding dog on a 2000-acre sheep ranch? Will the dog work in a confined area, such as a stockyard, to move the flock from one area to another? Will he be a family pet and a companion to small children or elderly family members? Will the dog be expected to travel with his owner for business or pleasure? The more information you give the breeder, the better able he will be to decide if you have a suitable home for the breed.
Kelpies play as hard as they work and provide entertaining companionship for children and adults alike.
SOME DAM ATTITUDE
When selecting a puppy, be certain to meet the dam of the litter. The temperament of the dam is often predictive of the temperament of her puppies. However, dams occasionally are very protective of their young, some to the point of being testy with visitors, whom they may view as a danger to their babies. Such attitudes are more common when the pups are very young and still nursing and should not be mistaken for actual aggressive temperament. If possible, visit the dam away from her pups to make friends with her and gain a better understanding of her true personality.
How tragic it is for a puppy to go to an owner whose lifestyle is not suitable for the breed’s temperament and the individual puppy’s personality. And what a shame for an owner to discover that the puppy he wanted so much turned out to have the wrong personality for the family that chose him. By doing your homework now, you’ll avoid all the pitfalls of random selection and lack of careful planning. Instead, you and your new puppy will be well suited to each other.
Once you’ve located a respected breeder with a litter of puppies, make an appointment to visit them. This will be easier for those selecting a working dog, as there are many more breeders who place puppies in working homes. There will be lots of things you’ll need to check out during your visit. First is the overall impression you get upon entering the breeder’s home. Is it clean? Does it have a pleasant odor? Is the dam (the puppies’ mother) there to meet you? Is she friendly and self-assured yet willing to meet you? What is her physical condition? After nursing a litter of puppies for five or six weeks, she may be thin, but she should have a clean coat and bright eyes and appear to be in good health.
Be aware that the mother’s basic temperament will be passed on to her pups, so spend a few minutes with her and observe her reactions to you, the breeder and her pups. An unfriendly, aloof, even aggressive mother will probably raise pups with the same undesirable traits. So look for a friendly, tolerant, easygoing dam who accepts you cautiously yet willingly.
GETTING ACQUAINTED
When visiting a litter, ask the breeder for suggestions on how best to interact with the puppies. If possible, get right into the middle of the pack and sit down with them. Observe which pups climb into your lap and which ones shy away. Toss a toy for them to chase and bring back to you. It’s easy to fall in love with the puppy who picks you, but keep your future objectives in mind before you make your final decision.
Healthy puppies are active, alert and playful.
Initially observe the whole litter as they interact with each other and you. If possible, watch them eat a meal. If you spot a particular pup who appears to be overprotective of his food, that puppy may become a problem in the future. You don’t need trouble with an adult dog who is so protective of his food and toys that he threatens to bite you every time you get near him when he’s eating or playing.
Do the puppies appear healthy and bright-eyed, with no discharge from their eyes or noses? Are they clean? Do they smell clean when you pick them up? When they have bowel movements, are their stools firm and well-formed with no hint of diarrhea? Are their coats fluffy and free of parasites and foreign matter such as grass, twigs, leaves, etc.?
As you begin to focus on particular puppies in the litter, concentrate on studying their behavior, as it usually predicts what they’ll be like as adults. For example, the bully in a litter may turn out to be a very dominant individual who is difficult to control. The smallest one may grow up to be very timid or, conversely, extremely tyrannical, challenging every other dog he meets.
SELECTING FROM THE LITTER
Before you visit a litter of puppies, promise yourself that you won’t fall for the first adorable face you see! Decide on your goals for your puppy—herding dog, show prospect, competitor, family companion—and then look for a puppy who displays the appropriate qualities. In most litters, there is an alpha pup (the bossy puppy), and occasionally a shy fellow who is less confident, with the rest of the litter falling somewhere in the middle. “Middle-of-the-roaders” are safe bets for most families.
A friendly, outgoing, yet not hyperactive, puppy begins life with a lot in his favor. He will be easy to train, work with and live with. His curiosity and alertness indicates his potential intelligence, and raising him will be fun, interesting and rewarding.
One final note: look for the puppy that, by his behavior, indicates that he wants to be with people rather than with his littermates. Some dogs are “dog dogs” and some are “people dogs.” “Dog dogs” are happiest when they’re with their own kind, while “people dogs” find pleasure in human company and are, therefore, easiest to raise and live with.
At some point during your visit, the breeder may mention that he considers one or more of the puppies to be of breeding or show quality. While the focus in the Kelpie breed is on preserving working ability rather than producing show dogs, the breed standard is still a valuable tool. There are those who show their Kelpies in conformation shows. When planning a specific mating, the reputable breeder strives to produce puppies that will grow up to represent the breed as best as possible in the stockyard or the show ring, depending on the breeder. If a puppy develops into a top-quality specimen, the pup must be kept sexually intact. The working-type breeder wants to get this puppy into a home where his working instincts will be utilized; the show-type Kelpie breeder wants the pup to be shown in conformation. These are the dogs that are used for breeding and contribute to future generations of the breed.
Finally, you’ll want to ask the breeder about pedigrees, kennel club registration papers and health records and certificates. A pedigree is a genealogical record of the puppies’ forebears. It will also tell you who of the puppy’s ancestors among the past four generations earned titles in performance events or shows. There are many titles available for dogs to earn, and you may be interested in getting involved in competitions with your Kelpie as he matures. If you are interested in a particular area of competition, look for a pup whose ancestors were achievers in that area. By knowing about the accomplishments of your puppy’s parents and grandparents, you can better appreciate your dog’s future potential.
PUPPY PARASITES
Parasites are nasty little critters that live in or on your dog or puppy. Most puppies are born with ascarid roundworms, which are acquired from dormant ascarids residing in the dam. Other parasites can be acquired through contact with infected fecal matter. Take a stool sample to your vet for testing. He will prescribe a safe wormer to treat any parasites found in your puppy’s stool. Always have a fecal test performed at your puppy’s annual veterinary exam.
You are entitled to registration papers from a national registry, which the breeder
