CheckItOut Border Collies

All Border Collie litters puppies born at CheckItOut are thoughtfully planned out. Most litters are planned with the intention of keeping the next show team member. Health, temperament, and structure are taken into consideration when pairing a dam to a stud dog.  

Health - I recommend familiarizing yourself with common Border Collie related diseases so you are aware of what to look for when researching breeders. 
All CheckItOut dogs are genetically health tested through Embark and/or Wisdom Panel. Genetic health testing like this shows if a dog is “clear” (doesn't carry any copies of a gene known to cause genetic diseases), “carrier” (only carries one copy of a gene, but is not affected), or “affected” (carries 2 copies of a gene is affected with a disease. Note: these dogs may never actually develop symptoms which is why genetic testing is extremely important). While clear is always fun to get as a result on a test, carriers do pop up. Carriers of a disease are NEVER intentionally bred to another carrier. Affected dogs are not bred at all.
OFA Hips and Elbows must have passing scores. BAER (hearing) and CAER (eyes) testing is done when clinics are available.

Puppy Health: All puppies go home with age appropriate vaccinations, as well as being up to date on deworming. They are weaned onto a high quality puppy food and have a vet examination done before going to new homes.

Temperament - Temperament is very important. While a lot of my puppies do go to show and performance homes, a lot also go to pet homes. No matter the type of home, all are still expected to be family members first and foremost. A good temperament is just as vital for that as it is for the show or performance dog. I will not breed a dog that has a bad temperament. To be blunt, I don't like dogs that require “extra work". For example, a shy dog that has to have extensive socialization or an aggressive dog that needs constant control. If a dog displays a temperament like this, there's no way I'm allowing it to reproduce. My dogs are my buddies on top of being competitive show dogs. I like a happy, confident, willing to please, make-you-laugh dog. I want a dog I can take out in public and not have to worry about them being scared or reactive. I want a dog that's a typical Border Collie that wants to work and make me happy, but not something that's too over the top. My dogs are also expected to get along with each other (no dog aggression). I regularly take my dogs out for pack walks and want everyone to get along and have a good time.
As I mentioned before, I breed when I want to keep my next show prospect and buddy, so this is the type of temperament I strive to produce. That being said, temperaments do vary from puppy to puppy. Some may be more laid back, some more higher drive. I try match my puppies to prospective homes based on temperaments.
 
All puppies born at CheckItOut are born in the house and raised with lots of socialization and common household commotion. They are raised around other dogs and a variety of animals - cats, horses, chickens, ducks. I usually have plenty of visitors come over for them to meet new people. I do use Early Neurological Stimulation (ENS), as well as exposing them to lots of different noises and situations from an early age.

"How Do I Get A Puppy?" - First, make absolutely sure a Border Collie is the right fit for you. Border Collies aren't for everyone, but they are the absolute best dogs ever for those who are prepared for them. Decide if you're ready for a Border Collie puppy or when you will be. After this, you can fill out the Contact Form to send me an email. I highly suggest including as much information about yourself, your home/family, your plans for a puppy, and what you're looking for. This helps me to match up a puppy to a prospective home 

I encourage prospective buyers to look through my website to learn about my dogs and breeding program, I try to have as much information as possible on here.

Puppy Prices/Deposits - Puppy prices can vary for different reasons, but are typically around $2500-$3500. Non-refundable deposits are taken to hold your spot on the waiting list, but not for a specific puppy. Deposits are typically taken when puppies are around 2-3 weeks old. Deposits can be transferred to other litters, they don't have to be a specific litter.

How puppy placing works - When you send an email in about yourself and what you're looking for, I take all of that into consideration. I do not typically let people pick out their puppy based on photos only (the one you think is the cutest may not be the best fit for your family and I want everyone to be happy with their new family members). I am constantly evaluating the puppies as they grow for temperament and physical structure. Things I look for is how much food and toy drive they have, how they react to new situations, who is the most adventurous, who is the most laid back, etc.. I take all of this into consideration and try to match up each puppy to a family based on their wants out of a dog and the puppy's personality.

I try to take updated photos and videos to post on the website and Facebook page so everyone can keep up with their progress. Puppies can start leaving for their new homes no earlier than 8 weeks old, but typically closer to 10 weeks.

"What will my puppy come with?" - All puppies will come with their AKC Registration papers for you to fill out and send in (CheckItOut is required to be the prefix the puppy's registered name) and vaccination records. I can send you a list of suggested supplies to purchase before bringing your puppy home.

Picking up/shipping - Some people prefer to drive to Oklahoma to pick their puppies up. I do offer shipping via airplane (plane ticket and supplies needed for shipping usually runs between $400-$800) or ground shipping through a professional animal transporter. If you prefer to fly into Oklahoma City airport, I can meet you there with your puppy and you can take them home as carry-on. I also can meet within 3 hours of Oklahoma City for a travel fee.

Hopefully this covers everything. Any other questions I might have left out, feel free to Contact!