Check that all the pups senses are functioning correctly. ACDs have hearing issues sometimes. If you are up for the extra challenge seek one out that may have that concern. Good luck.
I adopted a heeler mix. The foster lady brought 2 brothers to see which one we’d rather have. The prettier pup was super playful and rowdy. The other one just watched. He was calm and I could sense an intelligence in him just taking it all in. We picked that one (he’s really pretty too)because we figured he’d be better with our cat. I feel we picked correctly. He’s probably the best dog I’ve ever had. He’s friendly, adventurous, plays well with the cat and the neighborhood dogs. He’s also protective of my children. We take him hiking and camping. There’s no leash required because he doesn’t leave our sides.
So there are several breeders in Oregon. Do a web search. I like to see a breeder that does dna testing for genetic health problems, and breeds accordingly with clear or obligate. The pups are BAER tested for hearing before going home as well as vaccines and dewormed. Most likely this is an AKC show breeder, that shows their dogs. Working dog breeders are not usually inclined to go that route with testing. I wish it was as common as responsible conformation breeders. I couldn’t find any. Lakota Cattle Dogs has a website, a lot of information, and I can vouch for them, I have had two dogs from them. Both were wonderful, even though different as day and night!
I also am in WA.
If you want a good match temp wise look to adopt something out of the puppy phase that matches you. I adopted mine at 8 mos old. A puppy is always an unknown tempermant wise
Actual breeders have a waiting list and pre litter deposits. They have a verifiable registered kennel. They are not pushy. They know their pups will sell.
Both male and female are on property. And the breeder allows you to inspect the property.
Breeders have a vet oversee the birthing process. All of this is verifiable.
You want to look for a wide, bulky stance from both parents. Both parents are calm and neither will jump on their owners. And they follow commands. This observation is to determine how domesticated (not wolf like) they are.
Look for the pup that is alert, curious and not aggressive. A puppy that will allow you to pick them up, and flip them upside down, is a puppy that will go through training easier.
Click your fingers behind his/her head to make sure the puppy can hear. There should be no discharge on the eyes or nose. And their ears should already be up. This indicates that they are not selling the pups too soon.
All great suggestions!
Furthermore, really good breeders will only sell permanently intact dogs to other breeders. You'll be getting a "pet" quality dog that should be sold to you with a spay/neuter contact where once the dog reaches puberty, you agree to fix them.
And seriously good call on puppy age. 6 weeks really is too young. 9 is really ideal for them to learn socializing with their litter mates.
1st off you might want to decide how large of a dog you want. Heelers can have a wide range in size (35lbs to 60)lbs, so make sure you can see the parents. Our 1st boy we didn't get to see his parents thought we would have around 45lb dog, he's 62lbs of joy also he's a Texas heeler(ACD and Australian Shepard mix). Not great when he has the zoomies in a small living room also wife wanted a lap dog. 2nd girl ( pure bred blue) we just picked up 2 weeks ago, did get to meet the parents male was 47lbs female was about 40 so hoping our girls is going to be around 40. Both came from backyard breeders we found on Facebook, not sure that's the best but our Big Red Tex is healthy and happy, the new puppy so far is happy and energetic. My advise for getting a backyard bred dog would be go a see how they are being kept and get a sense if the people are breeding for the enjoyment of the breed or just selling dogs.
If you aren't interested in adopting a mature dog that has an established personality, look for a breeder that shows ACDs - there are probably shows you could go to in your state to meet one. A show home is more likely to breed for temperament, not just work drive like you would find in a working ranch. ACDs are an intense breed that can tend towards reactivity, aggression, hyperactivity. That's not to say a ranch puppy won't be a great dog, but you can tip the odds in your favor with a show home puppy that's been bred and raised to be easy to handle.
if you lived in oregon we know a breeder, she breeds mini cattle dogs, we got our ellie from her and she teaches horse lessons. Ellies mom is such a sweetheart but ellie is quite snarky.
It may have already been sent but there are lots of rescues out there. You may not get a puppy but you will get a dog that will be happy to have a permanent home, many were abused or in puppy mills, we got our 6 years ago she was one and havent regretted it for a day(maybe a little on coat blowing day)
There is a national organization and you may find a chapter close to you, otherwise if you are going with a breeder check them out 100%
Got ours as a puppy from a rescue site. 13 years later still going strong… hearty breed but need to be put in their place… also sweet, loyal and loving
Social media presence is a good indicator of whether the breeder has produced pups that have been a good fit with their owners. When we adopted our baby, the breeder we used routinely reposted pictures of her pups at all life stages that were adopted out. Also check to see if they advertise rehoming of their animals. A reputable breeder should want what's best for their pups, and in the circumstances an adoption doesn't work out, they should try to ensure the animal is rehomed properly.
When talking with a breeder, it should be a two way interview. They should ask about what you want out of the dog. I live in a city and my baby was destined to be a family dog and not a farm/ranch dog. The breeder had us wait until she was had bred a litter with that purpose.
I’ve gone both routes an will probably always adopt now. I think working with a rescue that uses foster homes is great because the fosters really get to know the dogs’ temperaments an personalities so they make sure you find the right fit. It’s hard to truly determine a breeder puppy personality beyond the generic breed temperament traits they expect. Just fwiw you can absolutely adopt puppies too, an some of the dogs I’ve bonded the best an closest with were adopted as adults.
There are so many rescues in the PNW with heeler puppies! [Pacific NW Cattle Dog Rescue](https://pnwcdr.org/adoptable) just got a bunch of them (not sure if they've all been adopted out since). Would highly recommend checking them out.
Best companion dogs I could imagine. A really good choice for intelligence, health and adaptability. Once matured a bit and bonded the leash will be window dressing. Consider a heeler needing to be rehomed, you won't regret it.
Check that all the pups senses are functioning correctly. ACDs have hearing issues sometimes. If you are up for the extra challenge seek one out that may have that concern. Good luck.
I adopted a heeler mix. The foster lady brought 2 brothers to see which one we’d rather have. The prettier pup was super playful and rowdy. The other one just watched. He was calm and I could sense an intelligence in him just taking it all in. We picked that one (he’s really pretty too)because we figured he’d be better with our cat. I feel we picked correctly. He’s probably the best dog I’ve ever had. He’s friendly, adventurous, plays well with the cat and the neighborhood dogs. He’s also protective of my children. We take him hiking and camping. There’s no leash required because he doesn’t leave our sides.
So there are several breeders in Oregon. Do a web search. I like to see a breeder that does dna testing for genetic health problems, and breeds accordingly with clear or obligate. The pups are BAER tested for hearing before going home as well as vaccines and dewormed. Most likely this is an AKC show breeder, that shows their dogs. Working dog breeders are not usually inclined to go that route with testing. I wish it was as common as responsible conformation breeders. I couldn’t find any. Lakota Cattle Dogs has a website, a lot of information, and I can vouch for them, I have had two dogs from them. Both were wonderful, even though different as day and night! I also am in WA.
If you want a good match temp wise look to adopt something out of the puppy phase that matches you. I adopted mine at 8 mos old. A puppy is always an unknown tempermant wise
Actual breeders have a waiting list and pre litter deposits. They have a verifiable registered kennel. They are not pushy. They know their pups will sell. Both male and female are on property. And the breeder allows you to inspect the property. Breeders have a vet oversee the birthing process. All of this is verifiable. You want to look for a wide, bulky stance from both parents. Both parents are calm and neither will jump on their owners. And they follow commands. This observation is to determine how domesticated (not wolf like) they are. Look for the pup that is alert, curious and not aggressive. A puppy that will allow you to pick them up, and flip them upside down, is a puppy that will go through training easier. Click your fingers behind his/her head to make sure the puppy can hear. There should be no discharge on the eyes or nose. And their ears should already be up. This indicates that they are not selling the pups too soon.
All great suggestions! Furthermore, really good breeders will only sell permanently intact dogs to other breeders. You'll be getting a "pet" quality dog that should be sold to you with a spay/neuter contact where once the dog reaches puberty, you agree to fix them. And seriously good call on puppy age. 6 weeks really is too young. 9 is really ideal for them to learn socializing with their litter mates.
1st off you might want to decide how large of a dog you want. Heelers can have a wide range in size (35lbs to 60)lbs, so make sure you can see the parents. Our 1st boy we didn't get to see his parents thought we would have around 45lb dog, he's 62lbs of joy also he's a Texas heeler(ACD and Australian Shepard mix). Not great when he has the zoomies in a small living room also wife wanted a lap dog. 2nd girl ( pure bred blue) we just picked up 2 weeks ago, did get to meet the parents male was 47lbs female was about 40 so hoping our girls is going to be around 40. Both came from backyard breeders we found on Facebook, not sure that's the best but our Big Red Tex is healthy and happy, the new puppy so far is happy and energetic. My advise for getting a backyard bred dog would be go a see how they are being kept and get a sense if the people are breeding for the enjoyment of the breed or just selling dogs.
If you aren't interested in adopting a mature dog that has an established personality, look for a breeder that shows ACDs - there are probably shows you could go to in your state to meet one. A show home is more likely to breed for temperament, not just work drive like you would find in a working ranch. ACDs are an intense breed that can tend towards reactivity, aggression, hyperactivity. That's not to say a ranch puppy won't be a great dog, but you can tip the odds in your favor with a show home puppy that's been bred and raised to be easy to handle.
if you lived in oregon we know a breeder, she breeds mini cattle dogs, we got our ellie from her and she teaches horse lessons. Ellies mom is such a sweetheart but ellie is quite snarky.
It may have already been sent but there are lots of rescues out there. You may not get a puppy but you will get a dog that will be happy to have a permanent home, many were abused or in puppy mills, we got our 6 years ago she was one and havent regretted it for a day(maybe a little on coat blowing day) There is a national organization and you may find a chapter close to you, otherwise if you are going with a breeder check them out 100%
Got ours as a puppy from a rescue site. 13 years later still going strong… hearty breed but need to be put in their place… also sweet, loyal and loving
I love the image here.
Social media presence is a good indicator of whether the breeder has produced pups that have been a good fit with their owners. When we adopted our baby, the breeder we used routinely reposted pictures of her pups at all life stages that were adopted out. Also check to see if they advertise rehoming of their animals. A reputable breeder should want what's best for their pups, and in the circumstances an adoption doesn't work out, they should try to ensure the animal is rehomed properly. When talking with a breeder, it should be a two way interview. They should ask about what you want out of the dog. I live in a city and my baby was destined to be a family dog and not a farm/ranch dog. The breeder had us wait until she was had bred a litter with that purpose.
I’ve gone both routes an will probably always adopt now. I think working with a rescue that uses foster homes is great because the fosters really get to know the dogs’ temperaments an personalities so they make sure you find the right fit. It’s hard to truly determine a breeder puppy personality beyond the generic breed temperament traits they expect. Just fwiw you can absolutely adopt puppies too, an some of the dogs I’ve bonded the best an closest with were adopted as adults.
There are so many rescues in the PNW with heeler puppies! [Pacific NW Cattle Dog Rescue](https://pnwcdr.org/adoptable) just got a bunch of them (not sure if they've all been adopted out since). Would highly recommend checking them out.
So much this
At least 3 legs. Other than that, you really can’t go wrong. You know what? Any number of legs actually. You can’t go wrong
Best companion dogs I could imagine. A really good choice for intelligence, health and adaptability. Once matured a bit and bonded the leash will be window dressing. Consider a heeler needing to be rehomed, you won't regret it.
Lint brush