LITTERS

2009 UPDATE

Doesn’t time fly? Our lovely “Wonderland” litter are 8 weeks and leaving home. All have developed into wonderful out going little guys and gal and life at “Kirbyholme” will certainly be a lot less hectic but we will miss the little darlings!

They have all developed the skills needed to be dogs but also they are ready and willing to move on and grow with their new families.
The time between 7 and 12 weeks, the socialization period, is when rapid learning takes place, hence interactions with different people, new places, strange objects, unusual surfaces, other animals and noises etc need to be positive. Puppies are very impressionable and are most receptive at this delicate age to both good and bad experiences!

Fear imprinting takes place too between 8 – 11 weeks, and if new owners are not careful any scary interaction could have a lasting negative effect on the puppy. It could be as innocent as excited family members coming around to welcome the new puppy and everyone meaning well but reaching out and wanting to stroke him, children squealing with delight and the puppy being chased around a strange home. Not frightening to us but for a puppy it could be very overwhelming and if not treated correctly could lead to the puppy being wary of strangers and fearful of children! So great care must be taken in those early weeks to ensure that the puppy is well supervised and shielded from unpleasant activities, which include over excited kids, boisterous ‘other’ dogs, parties, long car trips and too many meet and greets! Positive and pleasant interactions with positive reinforcement and reward will ensure that the puppy grows up to be an all round perfect companion!

The “Wonderland” litter have turned out to be a very happy bunch. Curious and challenging: intriguing and interesting: playful and persuasive: entertaining and exasperating: obedient and observant: fabulous and funny. Have a great life little ones, we’ll be watching.

WAGS QLD	WHIP NSW	WICKET QLD
WILLOW NSW	WISH NSW	WISPA QLD
	WIZZ QLD

Week 6 and 7 and the “Wonderland” litter are full of energy and inquisitive, confident and enthusiastic, willing to follow and eager to learn. Border Collies are sensitive, biddable, intelligent and love to please and these little guys are no exception. Commands such as:“Sit” and “Down’ are nearly automatic but the staying in position still needs plenty of practice! All are responding and coming to their names and love the cuddles and the positive human interaction they receive daily. Time away from each other is also very beneficial and encourages the pups to become independent and think for themselves. Mild stresses are included like the slamming of a door, dropping a bunch of keys, dragging a wheelie bin, pushing a bike, someone running past them, turning on a sprinkler etc all help the pup get used to situations that they will face in their new homes. At seven weeks the neurological system of the pup is almost as mature as that of an adult canine, adult brain in puppies clothing! So don’t be fooled by their small size, as they are very capable of learning good and bad behaviours!

Play continues to be an important part of each puppies daily ritual and they have formed strong social bonds. The infrastructure of the litter teaches pups to interpret canine body language associated with behaviours such as play, sex and aggression. Vocalisation through paly can sometimes sound very aggressive and the snapping of jaws and the flash of teeth looks very impressive but it is all in the name of survival and is usually over in seconds! A Border Collie is famous for the crouching technique it using when eyeing the sheep, and these ‘babies’ will stalk each other and move slowly towards each other, stopping in mid stride if the other appears to be watching: then pouncing and wrestling in a flurry of fur and teeth!

Life for a five week old puppy is full of adventure, excitement and challenges. They have settled well into their outside ‘den’ and are loving the extra space to play and investigate. Their little noses take in all that is around them, except smelling some flowers carries hidden dangers like ants and bees!

They are enjoying their independence and are becoming very curious of their environment. They constantly experiment with their new found skills, and ‘playful’ interactions take up most of their time. Play fighting and ambushing a fellow playmate is all part of their natural survival instincts. Body postures such as: stalking, crouching, pouncing and wrestling need to be practiced daily. Play is important and even though it is fun to watch it also has its serious side. Puppies learn about ‘bite inhibition’, “dominance’ and ‘submission” and what behaviours are acceptable and what are not!
“Bayli” interacts less with her ’family’ but keeps a watchful eye on their interactions. They are submissive to her leadership and understand very quickly what a snarl or snap mean but also enjoy a loving cuddle!

They are now used to my tone, the rattle of their food dish and the familiar squeak of an opening door!  Positive and rewarding associations have been cemented which now causes them to respond with excited yaps, a flurry of tail wags and a race to get the first pat!

The “Wonderland Litter” are now four weeks old. They have encompassed rapid changes in their development. From being totally dependant and resembling hamsters, they are slowly developing into lovely little dogs. Their nervous and sensory systems have matured and they no longer crawl and squirm: they are able to co-ordinated and balance and can move quite proficiently, although stopping quickly stills needs some fine-tuning!

By the age of two weeks their eyes are open and they are aware of their surroundings, they respond to light and movement. (bright lights can hurt their fragile eyes so their area is kept in low light for the first three weeks). Ear canals gradually began to open and they can recognise sounds and detect where it comes from.

As their mobility improved so did their interactions within the litter: mouthing, licking and chewing were replaced with the more serious social interactions such as play fighting, stalking and learning bite inhibition! Playing too rough or nipping too hard has its consequences and there is usually only one winner! The ‘pecking order’ within the litter is established and peace resumes!

At three weeks they were introduced to the great outdoors. At first they were tentative with the feel of different surfaces and the change in surroundings but after a puppy huddle they began to enjoy the situation, which stimulated their senses and they happily investigated their new surroundings. All that fresh air wore them out and they soon crashed out like only ‘babies’ can.

“Bayli” teaches them basic doggy manners and lets them know the She is the Boss! The ‘babies’ learn through both painful and appropriate experiences what is acceptable and what is not. She has begun teaching them how to nurse standing up …… balancing and hanging on to a teat takes a lot of skill but these ‘babies’ soon got the hang of it! “Weaning” has just begun.

To help the transition the ‘kids’ are now receiving three to four small meals from me and as you can see they need to learn some basic table manners! From now on they will become less dependant and more independent and they will develop their own little personalities and they will learn to become real dogs.

At four weeks they are now fully alert to their environment. Everything from now on should be positive and rewarding. What they see, hear, touch and smell will have a huge impact on what type of dog they become!

The “Wonderland Litter” has arrived.

The “Wonderland Litter” has arrived. The proud parents, “Bayli” and “Deejay” have produced another lovely ‘family’ of six bouncing boys and one gorgeous girl.

Five are striking blue/whites and two solid black/whites: all are healthy, with great appetites, are very active and have lovely markings.

The following photos show dear “Bayli” through the different stages of whelping, from those early contractions through to her giving birth to a lovely newborn. Some bitches choose to lie down to whelp, others will squat, “Bayli” has to be different and prefers to stand for every birth! This called upon my ‘catching’ skills of which I’m happy to inform were perfect and all were caught before they reached the ground!

It was a long whelping, 5:00 am right through till 9:00 pm, thankfully a daytime one, and even though we were all very tired we were also extremely happy. Miss “Bayli” is a wonderful Mum and even Dad “Deejay” who has been in to say “Hi” to his kids, seems very chuffed with his new family.

Please keep checking in for updates of the “Wonderland Litter”.

2008 UPDATE

Week 8 - The puppies are independent, confident, out-going, full of energy, inquisitive and so very different in personalities. “Dino” the explorer, “Darcy” the attention getter, “Dice” the pleaser, “Delta” the inquisitive one and “Demi” the thinker!

They have refined their physical skills and their coordination has improved. They “toilet’ well away from their ‘den’ and have full use of their senses. They eagerly follow and chase anything that moves! They thrive on ‘human’ interactions and look up to them for guidance and security.

Their ‘Mam”, “Bronte” has taught them basic manners, what kind of play is tolerated and how to control their bite, (bite inhibition), the pecking order within the litter has been established, (order of dominance) and they are happy, well adjusted little dogs. It is sad when the leave us but we know that they will give their new families many years of loyal devotion and produced many happy memories. A ‘Kirbyholme’ Border Collie loves life, life is for living!

Week 7 - The puppies become much more curious and adventurous. They explore independently and have the confidence to ‘check out’ strange objects without the backup of their littermates! Play fighting takes on a more serious role and the puppies test each other on strength and tenacity. Puppies explore with their mouths and teeth nothing is safe!

Weaning is complete and these ‘babies’ now enjoy five small meals a day with lots of variety, tastes, textures and smells. If not overly hungry pups will ‘take’ a piece of food and wander off under a bush or pile of debris and try to ‘bury’ the prize and save it for a later date! This is an instinctive survival trait, which, unlike the commands to “Sit”, “Down” and “Come” will never be forgotten!

These “babies’ enjoy individual time away from their littermates and even though their attention span is short they are able to perform and understand basic obedience commands and actions. Training has to be fun, positive, rewarding and consistent. By 7 weeks their brain is fully developed. What they learn now will have a lasting impact. Every experience is a learning experience, good habits can be learned or bad habits established. Problem solving is all part of the learning process and sometimes puppies manage to get themselves in to some awkward situations

Week 5 & 6 - The puppies are very active and begin to run around together in their own little pack! Playful interactions take up a lot of their time. They climb, scramble, chase, stalk and pounce. They follow their ‘humans’ willingly and happily wag their tails during social encounters. Their Mam, “Bronte” joins in with their frolicking and lets them know that she is in control! Weaning is almost complete although if “Bronte’ stays still they will try and have a last suckle!

Play is so important for the physical and behavioural maturation of the puppy. Puppies need to have the opportunity to learn these social skills, which are the building blocks for social organization throughout adulthood. Our pups enjoyed their first Christmas and loved their presents. They investigated everything and loved cooling off with the ice-blocks!

Week 6 and they were introduced to our Vet. They happily stood or sat quietly while they had their health check, didn’t wriggle or squirm while they were vaccinated and patiently took the nasal spray.

All passed with flying colours and enjoyed their cuddle and treat afterwards! Daily handling and accepting their feet, ears, mouths and tails begin touched certainly pays off and makes such interactions so much more pleasurable for everyone!

Week 3 & 4 - “Dreamtime Litter ”are growing rapidly. They look and sound like “real” dogs and are so very cute. Week three to four their social and physical development is immense.  They learn basic manners from their Mam, “Bronte”, and interact well with each other and thrive on ‘human’ play- time.

“Play’ is very important and from this they learn what kind of ‘play’ is acceptable. “Bite inhibition” is practiced frequently on each other’s body parts and the ‘pecking order’ (order of dominance) within the litter is established. Puppies must ‘play fight’ and learn from first hand experience that biting too hard or playing too rough has consequences. Even at this tender age they are able to make an association between a painful experience and the appropriate avoidance behaviour. Life for a four- week old puppy is full of adventure and everything is worth investigating.

The “Dreamtime Litter” happily pose for another photo shoot.

Day 11 and the “Dreamtime Litter ”are getting mobile. Their eye slits are beginning to weep which means that soon their eyes will open. This is called the transitional period. Their motor behaviour changes very rapidily and they go from crawling to practising balancing and learning to walk.

‘Mouthing’ at each other’s paws, tails, bellies and ears are part of their development. They explore each other with licks and chews and play begins to take shape. They get excited and ‘yap’ and play ‘growl’ as they tumble and roll.  

By two weeks of age the pups are showing a lot of curiosity in their surrounds and show a strong approach behaviour. They begin to initiate “play fights  and use their mouths constantly. They are so much fun to watch.

Two weeks also marks their second worm and weigh-in and all are putting on weight and are lovely very healthy, with bright eyes and shiny coats.

The “Dreamtime Litter” has arrived.

‘Kirbyholme Border Collies’ is delighted to introduce to you our lovely new ‘family’ of five, healthy, strong and absolutely gorgeous Border Collie ‘babies’. “Bronte” delivered three boys and two girls, all showing good bone, lovely heads and classic markings.

Over the next couple of months we will take you on their journey as they develop and mature into happy, easy going and confident youngsters.

The following pictures show the birth of a “Kirbyholme” puppy as the journey of life begins.

The greyish, bubble-like sac appears to drop through the vulva. This is the protective sac that the puppy is in. Several contractions later the sac bursts, releasing clear fluid and the puppy drops from the birth canal.

The puppy is covered in a thin membrane which, if the bitch doesn’t clear away with her vigorous licks to help it breathe, I have to intervene as the puppy can only “live’ for six minutes without breathing for itself. (If left brain damage can occur even death!)

With the puppy comes the umbilical cord attached to the afterbirth.

“Bronte” very carefully chews through the cord and then begins to eat the afterbirth. This is a natural process, in the wild they would eat all the placentas so as not to encourage predators and also they would benefit a lot of nutrients from them. Today our dogs are well fed, but I allow them to eat a few but remove the rest.

“Bronte” dutifully licks and nurtures her new ‘baby’ and within minutes of being born the new pup locates the teat and begins to suckle and take in the colostrum. The first part of the bitches milk contains the immunities that protect the pup through till six weeks when they receive their first vaccination. All these ‘babies’ have a strong suck reflex. Our new litter is now one week old.

Here at 'Kirbyholme' were are pleased to annouce that "Bayli', our gorgeous black/white girl has been mated to our handsome boy. "Deejay".

"Bayli" is due anyday now. This 'Springtime Litter" will be "Bayli" and "Deejay's" first union. We are expecting a quality litter that will produce wonderful companions and well as top performance dogs. Pregnancy has certainly agreed with "Bayli" and she is looking at her very best. Her coat is thick and has a glorious shine and, even though she is still fairly active  she has induldged in some quality time-out in the sun where she has enjoyed being pampered and cuddled.

As soon as we have our new 'family' photos will be posted for you all to enjoy.

If you are interested in purchasing a puppy please fill out our questionaire and we will be more than happy to put you on our waiting list.

“Springtime Litter” now eight weeks old and are ready to tackle their next adventure, leaving home!

Here at “Kirbyholme” we do everything we can to ensure that our “babies” are healthy, happy and ready to take on the world. They are given every opportunity to develop all the skills that they will require to become well adjusted, confident and loyal companions.

Puppies at eight weeks of age are very impressionable and are capable of learning good and not so good behaviors! They require constant supervision so they don’t form inappropriate manners, they need careful, confident and clear instructions so they can understand what is expected of them, positive reinforcement, plenty of praise and heaps of patience will mould the puppy into the perfect companion that will fit smoothly and happily into their new life.

Eight weeks of age is the ideal time to take a new puppy home, but it is also the start of the fear/avoidance period which usually last for a couple of weeks.  If the puppy feels insecure or gets unsure in unfamiliar surroundings he will instinctively seek out his ‘new guardian” (YOU) which, indirectly helps with the bonding process.Puppies will follow you eagerly and in doing so will gain confidence in their new surroundings.

Please remember that everyday objects that look normal to us, can in fact appear very scary to a young puppy, especially when they are so close to the ground! It is very important to make sure that you don’t inadvertently scare your puppy, for example: starting the lawn mower when your puppy is casually walking by, dropping something near the puppy, turning the TV or radio on full blast, starting up the washing machine, dragging the wheelie bin out, screaming at the kids, having children run about squealing, having a neighbors dog bark at him, move suddenly towards your puppy etc. Even the most well adjusted and laid back puppy can get a scare which can lead to major problems later in life. With careful guidance your puppy will become familiar and comfortable with these new experiences and together will have a wonderful life!

"Springtime Litter Update 6 - 7 weeks"

“Springtime Litter” now six weeks old and are simply adorable. These youngsters have been well handled and are quite happy to “pose’ for a group photo! Each puppy gets individual play sessions and through positive rewarding methods learn basic commands.

Vaccination, worming and a general health check is done at six weeks. These pups greeted the Vet with licks and tail wags and were just as happy afterwards! Early handling with confident, positive interactions with nice “humans” helps them form positive associations. Pictured is “Scout” receiving his vaccination, he was so good.

Puppies are finding new ways to amuse themselves and they can make a game out of anything! From now on the pups will test their skills of strength, determination and confidence and will pit themselves against each other. Pictured is “Star” and “Savvy” ‘attacking’ the broom!

Six week old puppies are like ‘toddlers’ and sharing doesn’t come easy! Again this game of tug-o-war was actually a test of dominance and will power…who was going to back down, who was going to win?   Pictured is “Star”, “Skoota” and “Savvy”. (“Star” claimed the prize!)

Being able to explore and investigate their surroundings at night is just as important as during the day. Smells and sounds are different and shadows can make everyday objects very scary! Pictured is a very confident “Star” taking everything in.

Puppies love to “play’ and it stimulates inventiveness. It helps them problem solve as well as improving coordination. Puppies need lots of mental stimulation and fun activities. Pictured is “Savvy” with his treat ball. Already he has associated rolling the ball releases a tasty treat!

“Deejay” their ‘Dad’ is an excellent role model for his “children’. Puppies are very impressionable and need positive associations with their own kind as well as with humans. Pictured is “Scout” and “Star” having a wonderful conversation!

“Star” loves to ‘play’ and will amuse herself with whatever she finds. Here she ‘plays’ with a carrot….didn’t her Mam, “Bayli” tell her not to play with her food! Ha ha!

Puppies are nearly seven weeks old and their confidence grows daily. Everything is worth a closer look and some things are really interesting! Pictured is “Skoota” who is fascinated with a harmless spider!

Constant supervision is important as puppies, just like toddlers, will be amused by the oddest things. Puppies should never be left alone, even for a second, as their inquisitive natures can land them in a lot of trouble. Pictured are “Savvy” and “Scout” checking out the overflow pipe!

‘Springtime Litter’ is now seven weeks old. They are maturing into happy, well adjust and adorable youngsters. They all respond and “come” to their names, “sit” happily in-front and are now mastering the “down” command! They all love their cuddles and are very attentive.

"Springtime Litter Update 5 weeks"

From week 3 to 5 weeks pups become aware of their surroundings, their doggy and human family and begin to initiate play. Pictured is “Star” 4 weeks 2 days in a typical “play bow”.

By week 4 another important part of their social development/skills involves learning how to take care of themselves and how to become more confident and assertive; they learn how to be a DOG! Pictured is “Savvy” testing out his new wrestling technique on “Skoota”!

Puppies explore with their mouths and nothing is sacred!  “Savvy” keeps tight hold of poor “Skootas’ tail as “Skoota’ tries to get away! “Skoota’ got his own back later! They have a strong curiosity now which can get them into a lot of trouble… but they have to be given the opportunity to investigate and need positive experiences. Pictured is “Scout” checking out a plant!

Body language is a dogs’ main means of communication and by week 4 ½ “Star” has learnt that a lift of the lip and a turn of the head from her Mam, “Bayli” means, (in dog language!) “The toy is mine, go away! “Star” reads her Mam very well!  We can learn so much from watching our dogs.

Respect, showing submissiveness and understanding ranking are important social skills that continue to develop well into the pups first year. Positive experiences with well mannered and good natured dogs are invaluable so that the puppy receives positive associations. Pictured is “Skoota”, nearly five weeks old with his Dad, “Deejay” who quite happily accepts the youngster.

Week 5 and ‘play’ can become very vocal and sometimes painful as their physical skills are refined. Bite inhibition is very evident now and a pup will end a game and walk away if nipping begins to hurt or ‘play’ becomes too rough! Again we can learn so much! Pictured is “Star” giving “Savvy” a serious lesson in wrestling!

Teeth and investigation go hand in hand with growing puppies! Nothing is safe; everything is fair game and will be checked out! Rule of thumb…if it is yours remove it, put it out of reach or else it is your puppies and it will be chewed, ripped, shredded and trashed! Not your puppies fault! But Yours!! Pictured is “Savvy” testing his new ‘chew skill’ on a wicker basket….his!!

Also by five weeks the pups’ mobility has improvement and they can walk and run very well, although stopping at ‘fast pace ‘still needs a little practice as does knowing when to duck their heads when running under tables and low bushes! Exploring their environment is exciting and rewarding but needs to be full of positive encounters. Pictured is “Star”, “Savvy” and “Skoota” exploring their backyard.

Puppies are now five weeks 3 days, and even though they are tucking in to five meals a day the ‘mobile milk bar’ is hard to pass up! Pictured is “Bayli’ allowing her ’kids’ to enjoy a milkshake!

Pups are nearly six weeks old and are very adventurous; love new fun experiences and have very little fear. Their personalities are becoming apparent. Introduction to different sounds and novel/physical stimuli encourages their development. Pictured is “Scout” having fun running through the agility tunnel!

"Springtime Litter Update"

“Kids” now 20 days old are enjoying their first solid meal! Their little teeth have erupted and within days they will be as sharp as needles. Not only will they be able to enjoy a variety of foods but they will begin to learn the importance of bite inhibition! They are able to urinate and defecate without the help of “Bayli” and they have functional hearing.

“Savvy” and “Skoota” now 3 weeks and doing a lovely “Sit Stay”. Early training is so important! These little guys will be proficient with very basic obedience of: ‘sit’, ‘down’, ‘come’ and ‘heel’ by eight weeks!

Week 3 and another weigh-in and toe nail clip! Puppies’ nails grow very quickly and need to be trimmed regularly. Pictured is “Savvy who weighs a healthy 1 kg 650 gms!

By week three the pups movement becomes more co-ordinated and directed as both nervous system and sensory systems mature. To aid their development “Bayli” teaches her “kids” to stand or sit to drink which helps them learn to balance. This is the weaning process.

Three and a half weeks and the “kids” hit the outdoors for the first time. Their little nose work overtime as they take in all the different smells and their fragile ears pick up all the new sounds. They really enjoyed the experience.

It’s very tiring learning how to become a ‘dog’. All that mental stimulation really wore them out. Pictured is “Savvy” and “Star” literally flat out!

Even though “Scout” is only three half weeks old he is already showing a confident attitude and is very happy to check out his new training crate.

Week 4 and the “kids” have their regular weigh-in. This also incorporates their third worming treatment with two more to follow at week 6 and 8. Pictured is “Star” who tips the scales at 1 kg 850 gm, quite a respectable weight for a young lady!

"Springtime Litter"

Here at “Kirbyholme” we are delighted to introduce to you our “Springtime Litter”.

“Bayli’ gave birth to a lovely litter of four, one girl and three boys. Over the next couple of months I will add photos and news of their development and adventures.

“Bayli’ has settled nicely into motherhood and although giving birth was a little daunting at first, she soon got the knack of welcoming her new family into the world. Puppies are born only with a touch and taste sensitivity to the sugar in the milk and a burrowing reflex. They cannot see, smell or hear! Pictured is “Skoota” literally seconds old.

“Babies” are now four days old, putting on weight and know exactly where the “milk bar” is! “Bayli” is a terrific first time Mam and is loving every minute. They also received their first toe nail clip so as not to scratch “Bayli’s” teats.

I begin my “babies” worming regime at week 1, and then fortnightly from week 2 through to week 8. Weigh-ins are essential so that the right amount of worming formula is given. Pictured is “Scout” who weighs in at 600gms (birth weight 250gms!)

All are “babies” receive plenty of internal and external stimuli, conditioning and socializing. Their first ‘doggy’ visitor at 10 days old was their very proud Dad, “Deejay”. He just loves ‘babies’ and it was a mammoth task to get him out of the whelping box!  Even though they couldn’t see him the warmth of his body helped them find him. Very soon they were burrowing into his long fur for a snuggle!

“Babies” are now 2 weeks old and have been quite mobile. They are able to co-ordinate movement and can initiate ‘play’. They do tire very easily and soon it’s time for a ‘puppy cuddle’!

With week 2 comes their first fortnightly weigh-in and second worming. Pictured is “Skoota” who now weighs a very healthy 900gms (birth weight 350gms!)

“Babies” are now 16 days old and “Bayli” is loving being a first time Mam. In preparation for their weaning she is beginning to sit while they ‘drink’ rather than lie down. By doing so she is helping them strengthen their muscles.

By day 17 all pups can stand, sit and lie down quite easily without losing their balance. Pictured is “Star” in a very nice sit position.

As the days pass the ‘babies’ begin to be more adventurous and explore their surroundings. They vocalize now like little dogs rather than kittens and are beginning to show their ‘herding’ and ‘stalking’ instincts! Pictured is ‘Savvy” as he practices his climbing skills!

Our “Springtime Litter” is now 18 days old and are looking grrr-eat. Pictured the happy foursome with “Savvy” showing off his erupting teeth!

EARLY 2008

Our lovely red/white girl,"Diva", Jessomine Blaizn Amaizn and our stunning blue/white boy, "Koda", Kirbyholme Debonaire CD HIT produced a remarkable first litter, all black/white, all nicely marked and all with strong bone and lovely heads.

This"'union" promised a unique mix of quality, substance, and soundness together with attitude and personality and that is exactly what we got.

These "babies" were home reared with lots of TLC. as are all of our 'babies'. At four weeks of age they "camp out" in their outside enclosure where they are carefully introduced to novel stimuli, the inclement weather, socialised and conditioned to the rest of the "Kirbyholme" family, and where they are introduced to puppy training! When our "babies" leave us they are happy to "Sit". "Down". "Come" on command and are used to their collar and are semi toilet trained! Pups come on limit register CCCQ, fully wormed and vaccinated, Border Collie info, puppy training homework, diet sheet, collar, puppy pack and more!

‘Kirbyholme Love Song’ our last litter.

LEVI GLASSHOUSE MOUNTAINS - QLD	LUCY JINDALEE - QLD	LACEY ALBANY CREEK - QLD
LOLA BROOKEFIELD - QLD	LOUIE KENMORE - QLD	LEXY MOOLOOLAH - QLD
LULU BRIGHTON - QLD	LEAH MELBOURNE - VIC	DIVA BYE KIDS!

‘Kirbyholme B' s’ previous litter.

BARNEY QLD	BOSLEY QLD	BODIE QLD
BOBBY NSW	BROCKY NT	BENNY QLD
BINDI QLD	BING QLD	BONI QLD

This litter, of nine gorgeous “babies” were all adopted into wonderful new homes.

We miss all our 'babies' but know that they will give their new “families” many years of love and joy. Kirbyholme Border Collies are “born to please”!
.

Border Collies are very versatile, our little darlings are no exception and will happily fit into any lifestyle and will enjoy many of the numerous activities that are available.

Our questionnaire is designed to help us understand your household and what qualities you are looking for in a puppy. Please do not be offended by these questions, as we take placement of our puppies very seriously.

If you are interested in purchasing a Kirbyholme Border Collie, please copy the questions below into an email and answer them honestly. Then email them to us at: kirbyholme@iprimus.com.au.

General

1. When did you first become interested in owning a Border Collie?
2. Where are you situated?
3. Do you have a fenced yard?
4. Do you have children? If yes, please list number of children and ages.
5. How many hours during the week will your dog spend alone at home?
6. Is this dog going to be inside/outside?
7. How many dogs have you owned in the past 5 years?
8. What breed?
9. Do you have other pets now?
10. What type of activities are you planning to do with this dog?

Performance buyers: Obedience, Agility, Tracking, Fly-ball, Herding etc.

We feel strongly that all performance dogs should be trained using positive methods. We do guarantee that the dog you are buying is mentally stable and suitable for your performance needs if using positive reinforcement methods. Please tell us a little about your training methods.

1. If you are purchasing for a companion only, how do you feel about spaying/neutering?
2. Have you ever bred a litter?
3. When would you start your puppy in obedience class
4. Do you have a crate in your home?
5. Do you have a doggy seatbelt?
6. What is your main goal with this puppy?
7. How would you describe your daily activity level?

Describe your neighbourhood dogs.

1. What does your ideal Border Collie look like?
2. How would you define an active dog?
3. How would you describe an intelligent dog?
4. Describe the ideal temperament of the Border Collie that would fit perfectly in your household?
5. How often, if you have any other animals, do you visit your vet?
6. If you have other animals, how are they going to adjust to the new addition?
7. Do you travel/holiday frequently?
8. What provisions would you make?

Border Collies can live well over fifteen years, (ours have!). Are you prepared for a life long commitment? We are committed to placing our puppies in the best home possible. We will be glad to answer any questions that you may have about us.

Thank you for letting us get to know you better and we will reply to your email a.s.a.p.

Woofs,

Cora and Dave.