Rogue

Vertical pedigree for Rogue, born May 23rd, 2008:

Dual Ch Borderfame Mystery Label
PC Storybook Sorceress of Oz CD HT NA NAJ TDI

Aust Ch Danbeth Black Label
Aust Ch Borderfame Mystic Power
Altricia Deal
PC's Mega Party Girl NA OAJ

Ch Candleriggs Cadmus CDex
Ch Borderheath Maggie May
Ch Borderfame Heart N Soul
Ch Borderfame Forever Magic
Altricia Blue Diamond (blue merle)
Altricia Shannon (tri)
Kiss Me Cal (blue merle)
Ch Blacktie Irma La Spot (b/w) ROM

Ansavon Tiki
Marglo Black Velvet
Ch Sheermyst Sonofa Tart
Finestyle Fancy Nancy
Ch Khayoz Sail Deep CDex
Borderfame Token O Love
Ch Borderfame Bravo
Borderfame Red Supa Star
Altricia Silver Dollar (blue merle)
Altricia Hazie Miss (blue/white)
Blue Lad (blue/white)
Altricia First Love (tricolor)
Passims California Blue (blue merle)
Mojo (red/white?)
Ch Blacktie Bailey (b/w)
Rosaltess Blossom From Oz (b/w)

As you check out any litter of puppies and any breeder's website, don't be swayed by photos and markings, alone. The right match of puppy to owner is based on temperament, drive, and structure matched to the activities the dog will do when it matures, the home environment, and the experience of the new owner. By the time a puppy is ready to go to its new home, a responsible breeder will have hundreds of hours of play and observation to inform decisions. An irresponsible breeder will have raised the litter in a kennel run, without socialization with all kinds of dogs and people.

Each litter will usually be comprised of puppies with different levels of activity, boldness, and drive. There may be one puppy who is calmer than the rest, one puppy who is needier than the others, or one puppy who just needs to be thinking and working and solving all the time. One puppy may love playing in water, while another may not care for it at all. One puppy may constantly scale ex pens and push open doors, while another may never test enclosures or boundaries. A responsible breeder should be able to work with prospective owners to match the right puppy to the right home. With a responsible breeder, you may not be the one to choose the puppy. It may be chosen for you. You can always say "no, thank you" and walk away. You need to work with someone you can trust, however, believing that the pup placed with you matches what you need, not what the breeder needs to have placed in order to have homes for all of the pups.

A responsible breeder may make you wait because no pup from a litter matches what makes sense for you. An irresponsible breeder may place an inappropriate puppy with you, wanting to sell all of the puppies, and hoping it all works out. A low drive pup may go to someone who actually wants a high drive pup, and an over-the-top active pup may go to a pet home that is not equipped to deal with it. Do your homework and develop a rapport with someone knowledgeable.

We are planning a litter for the summer of 2011, but we welcome inquiries and requests for information. Satch is available at stud to approved females with excellent temperament and health clearances, but there are no litters in the works from him.

There is a thoughtful network of Border Collie breeders across the country, and we are happy to share information about this wonderful breed.

Rogue is OFA Good and CEA/CH/CL clear through Optigen testing of her sire and dam. TNS testing is pending. We are planning for a summer 2011 litter, sire still to be determined. A waiting list is started, and I encourage early contact to express interest, for puppies are usually spoken for before the breeding has taken place. The focus of the breeding will be exceptionally outgoing temperament, sound health clearances, and willingness to work, play, and engage with all kinds of people.

Rogue began competing in AKC agility in March 2010 and is in Excellent A JWW by summer's end and Novice B Standard. Clearly, I need to work on criteria for contacts, and the new rubberized surfaces have put a damper on her sliding into a touch-stop. She is fast, accurate, and super responsive. She would cheerfully run agility for the neighbor next door -- anything to keep engaging with people.

While some might call her markings tri-color, Rogue is technically a shaded sable. Much of her black coat has light-colored roots. Her parents are both black and white; in her litter, there was a true black tri and a shaded sable, along with two black and white pups.

Rogue began therapy dog visits at Cottage Hospital during the summer of 2010. She was a star, and I am excited to see her learn her way around the facility. Like her uncle Blitz, she didn't much like the elevator at first -- moving floors that make your stomach drop are a disconcerting puzzle for an alert Border Collie! She visited the Intensive Care Unit and the Psych Unit, and she was darling with all sorts of people. She is learning specific behaviors for propping up against bedrails and arm rests, and she can't believe the good fortune of visiting people in bed.

.... Self-stacked and ready to pounce into herding Satch and Jinx.....

The line up as it usually appears... Jinx plays with/herds human....Satch herds Jinx....Rogue herds Satch..... They play entirely differently when taken out one at a time or in different pairs.

Agility photo by Pam Marks -- Thank you for photographing my dog!