HOB NOB’N...
ON & OFF THE FARM
Lately, I have been asked some interesting questions pertaining to my breeding program of which I was more than happy to answer.
When I decide on a breeding pair, it is with great thought, not only to the immediate parents, but to the grandparents, etc. Within my own line of dogs, to which I know a good portion of the lineage, this is more easily done then with dogs that I have purchased outside of my line.
Many aspects go into the choosing of each mate with primary consideration directed to the health, structure and temperament of these individuals. As someone who has been breeding border collies for over 25 years, I have certainly developed a certain type of which I prefer.
When I got my first border collie Widget, my primary sport was competition obedience. Widget’s lineage stemmed from all working lines whom I purchased from a wonderful man named Edgar Gould then considered one of the premier breeders of working border collies.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Janice DeMello & Edgar Gould chatting as Craig watches his flock. Craig was the sire to my wonderful foundation bitch Static
Periodically, I would make the 6 hour round trip journey to visit Edgar at Cooperlane farm in the Bershires of Massachusetts. Since it was not feasible for me to work Widget on sheep, I always took great delight, as did Widget, in having a go with the woolies on our visit to the farm. Edgar took great pride in our obedience accomplishments even going so far as to attend an obedience competition that we were entered in only miles from the farm.
Widget was the first of several border collies that I purchased from Edgar which included Jeep, Static, Juice and a few others in between that I co owned with other individuals. It was at this time that I decided I would endeavor to breed my own line of border collies to which I affixed the name Hob Nob. One of my first endeavors into breeding was to lease a bitch named Gayle from Edgar to breed to Trivet. Since Edgar did not do any health clearances such as hips and eyes, I was given his permission to take Gayle (and dogs related to her) to test their hips and eyes. Very costly back then but I felt it was what I needed to do to ensure that my own line of Hob Nob border collies was off to a healthy start.
While it took years for me to be in a place to work my border collies on sheep, I continued to be very successful in the world of obedience competitions. It was only when I moved to Indiana that I was then able to work my dogs on sheep with Static paving the path on my new journey.
While living 2 years in Indiana, I finally stayed home long enough from traveling the country conducting obedience seminars to raise my very first litter of border collies. Prior to this, I had friends raise the litters for me.
I got a little interested in agility whereby I taught Static and Juice to weave and learn contacts. While my long time career of competing in obedience trials was waning, my new found passion was working my dogs on sheep and entering herding trials.
Making a move to California was next on the agenda where I was able to finally purchase my very own sheep! In addition, I then became more and more interested in agility competitions and found myself competing in both venues. Obedience competitions were becoming a thing of my past.
It was during this time that I got more and more into the breeding of my Hob Nob border collies. Many offspring were starting to become very successful in agility trials both locally, nationally and internationally. Hob Nob had been a familiar name among the obedience competitors and as these handlers were making the switch to agility competitions (where border collies were reigning supreme in the large dog divisions) they were contacting me in the hopes of acquiring their next agility super star.
I have always been one to be attracted to beauty. I had a certain look in my mind’s eye of what I wanted to produce. While keeping within the working border collie pedigree of which my line was founded on, I was also striving for a certain type. I believe that my current Hob Nob border collies portray that type. People have told me many times that they can spot a Hob Nob border collie when they see one!
Once settled in CA, my first ‘outside’ border collie that I acquired (aside from the earlier dogs I purchased from Edgar Gould to start my line) was none other then Scheme whom I purchased from Red Oliver notable USBCHA handler.
I had seen Scheme’s mother (Molly ABC 46845) run at the USBCHA nationals in Kentucky. I ‘picked’ Scheme from a picture that Red had sent me when he was 8 weeks old. I liked his traditional markings...the deal was sealed! I later learned that Scheme’s litter was from an accidental breeding when Bill (ABC 85709) got in with Molly when he was only 1 year old. Soon after, Bill was killed by a car so consequently his hips and eyes were never cleared. I had once again taken a chance on a dog whose lineage was not health tested.
Thankfully, when Scheme became of age, his hips scored OFA good and eyes cleared with CERF. He became my 2nd Herding Champion and went on to compete in agility and produce many wonderful dogs excelling in agility, herding and obedience competitions.
From that time on, I have periodically purchased several dogs from outside my lines as a breeder must do to continue the process. Many of these puppies have come from parents that did not have health checks performed and no contract commitments to their unfamiliar breeders. But it is a gamble that I have taken many times in order to bring in new blood. Some of these pups have turned out fine and put into my breeding program such as Kindle, Denim, Swirl, Shale, Journey and Fuchsia while others have not. It is a risk that I must be able to take from time to time.
For those puppies that I did not keep, I ensured that their chosen new homes would give them a wonderful fulfilling and active lifestyle much as I do with placing my own Hob Nob puppies.
I don’t breed a bitch or dog just because they can be bred...I am pretty discriminate on the dogs I feel would compliment my breeding program.
Some people have asked me about Rendition since they no longer see her on my website. Rendition was purchased primarily with the hopes of adding to my breeding program. As I waited it out for Rendition to mature a bit, by the time she turned 17 months of age I felt she did not meet my standards of what I wanted to add to my line. I had several opportunities to allow Rendition to live as an active loving companion and/or sports partner. Since I was under a contract obligation to give first right of refusal to her breeder, the mutual decision was made to allow her to go back and be with her breeder to add to her program.
As I continue in my quest to ‘breed outside the box’ by bringing in new bloodlines, my newest acquisition TBC Intrigue, holds all the potential of what I am looking for. His parents have all the necessary health clearances and are working bred of which I enjoyed watching their videos working sheep.
Time will only tell if Intrigue will mature into the type of dog that will compliment my wonderful line of Hob Nob border collies!
sire: Imp Red ‘Intrigue’ dam: Nell
