"Why I sell collie puppies"

I am often asked how I can sell those cute collie puppies. My quick answer is that after spending 7-8 weeks of constant work, I am ready to get rid of them. But the real truth goes much deeper. Probably very hard to explain, maybe even a little silly, but I will attempt to put my feelings into words.

I have had collies most of my life. My first memory of a collie was from my neighborhood. Just down the street the “collie lady” had a beautiful pair of collies and my Aunt owned a collie. Then my family surprised me one early morning with our own collie puppy. It was like a hole in my soul had just been filled and I didn’t even know I had the hole! I vaguely remember watching the Lassie TV series as a child. I don’t think it had much of an influence on my adult decision to raise collies. But the series did always portray love, peace, happiness, family, and good moral character. This TV program maybe influenced me more subconsciously than I thought. And when I see a collie today, it brings these emotions together for me. This is not bringing back memories of a happier time in my life, but maybe a deep longing for that overall wholesomeness. It’s that pureness of heart that I shape my life from and the collies seem to keep that feeling alive within me.

I tried to raise collies 25 years ago. The demands from life at that time were too great and I could not devote the time and care to raise them correctly. In 1997, I came to a time in my life when I could start raising collies. Raising collies is not an easy job and collies are born very fragile. Life and death are in the hands of God, and the burden is in my hands! Sleepless nights include- making sure they are nursing, warm, and that the mother does not lie on the puppies and suffocate them. Weaker pups need special care and sometimes supplemental feeding. This is round the clock attentiveness and it may go on for a full week. This leaves me with many sleepless nights. Despite all the care I can possibly give, sometimes a pup still dies. This is very hard to accept, but I keep my sanity by doing the best puppy care possible. Sometimes the puppy just was not meant to live. I am still working with God on that one!

There are many litters where God’s plan just works perfectly and even if there is a loss of a puppy, the rest keep growing and get stronger each day. After the first week or so, things start to level off and I am able to get some rest. Some days you can almost see the little pups grow. In about 21/2 weeks, their eye’s open, and by three weeks, they start to look like collie pups. I spend a lot of time with the puppies. I raise them right in my living space and am always talking to them and handling them. From the positive remarks I receive, most families say they can tell a difference in their new puppy’s behavior and learning ability by this “hands on” raising process. . This is the only way collies should be raised. Seeing the puppies grow and their personalities develop is a joy to behold. Watching them run, play, and explore their new big world gives me hours of entertainment.

The next big job for me is to find loving homes for all of them. Each puppy is special to me and needs careful consideration in finding and placing them in a proper home. Collies need to be raised in a family environment to thrive. They need to be part of a family to keep their spirit alive and they need to feel like they belong. Usually they will find some kind of simple task to do. Sometimes it’s keeping the squirrels or birds out of the yard. Maybe bringing in the newspaper or waiting by the door with their favorite toy, ready to play with the children when they come home. They will take on this job with great enthusiasm. When a collie is allowed this freedom, the magic of a collie’s personality is revealed. The owner that understands this collie behavior will love and enjoy their dog as a family member. This will develop into a bond that will grow stronger every day.

So you see it is very hard for me to sell my puppies. Every single puppy holds a special place in my heart. My reward is the many letters I receive from families telling me how much joy their new puppy has brought into their home. This creates a great satisfaction in knowing I have done my job and have now passed the magic onto that family. We now understand and share the same feelings of owning a collie.

Chris Nestor
December 21st 2003