https://rightpaw.com.au/u/6333b6a5-8728-4055-b2c5-15c9e469f20b

Korben Park BorderCollies, Warrnambool (2026)

09/08/2026

Everyone gets regular practice at getting up on the grooming table for a brush and a trim.

I am forever grateful for this table that lifts up and down so I can protect my back. I don't miss the days of laying on the floor trimming around toes and working out knots. Now all the dogs jump on for a treat, get a lift up and can be brushed at standing height while we have the music going.

They have got very good at standing for treats and turning around to do the other side.

We also have a bath that lifts up and down now and I've just been loving the system and the extra clean puppers.

31/07/2026

We got the best update on Ralph (from Poppy and Doug's last litter) the other day. It's great to hear he's doing so well and fitting into his family perfectly.

"Ralph is about to be 9 months old & I feel like we should be in the midst of teenager terror times, but he is the easiest boy. Life with Ralph has been the best; he's a pretty relaxed boy, very cuddly. Easily self settles which, thanks to your great advice, we really tried to teach him and think that's paid off immensely. He loves love!

One of our favourite things he does is he 'says goodnight' to everyone before he goes to bed. It's very cute. He knows us all by our names. It's a fun game for him I think! He loves the cats; he wants to play with them all the time."

29/07/2026

How do you know you're getting a puppy from the right place? And what difference does it make anyway?

There is so much information out there encouraging people to buy from ethical, registered breeders who health test their dogs. But what does that actually mean? And how do you know a breeder isn't just using trendy phrases without actually doing the right thing?

These days it feels almost impossible for the average person to sort through all the information and know how to find a well-bred puppy from a genuinely ethical breeder.

Every time I scroll social media I'm bombarded with ads for breeders. At first everything looks great. They describe themselves as ethical, registered and breeding well-tempered dogs. Then I click on the ad...

Sometimes it's intentional. Other times the person with the puppies (I hesitate to call them breeders) simply doesn't know any different and repeats phrases they've heard because they sound good.

Usually they aren't registered for starters, and if a breeder isn't registered it's the wild west. There are very few regulations. Some even claim to be registered but can't provide an ANKC registration number, which usually means they've simply paid a nominal fee somewhere for a "breeder number" that has no real meaning.

They're advertising colours and breeding for appearance first, rather than temperament.

They have way too many dogs and litters and couldn't possibly be raising them all in an environment that properly prepares them for life as family pets.

They do very little with the puppies before they leave. This is a huge issue, especially when it comes to things like crate training and early socialisation.

They're too cheap. Yes, that's a red flag. It costs a lot of money to raise puppies well. Registered breeders generally have fairly consistent pricing, so if someone is significantly cheaper than everyone else you're comparing, there's usually a reason.

They say their dogs are health tested but can't provide proof or explain the results when you ask.

This is a big one. They claim every puppy is perfect for one particular job, whether that's therapy work, agility, stock work or something else.

I've never seen a whole litter that's suited to exactly the same purpose. Even Labradors bred specifically for assistance work are temperament tested because only some puppies have what it takes. The others become wonderful family pets. Finding the right therapy dog, stock dog, agility dog or sporting prospect takes careful selection.

On top of that, they should be able to show that dogs they've bred have actually gone on to succeed in the work they're advertising. If you're looking for a therapy dog, I don't think it's unreasonable to ask for references.

If they become defensive when you ask questions, it's often because they don't have the answers. Someone who genuinely cares about what they're producing should be happy to explain why they do things the way they do.

The next thing is proper breeder support.

Nearly every week I hear from people who bought a puppy from an "ethical breeder" but are now struggling and don't know where to turn. I always ask, "Why not contact your breeder?" The answers are usually things like, "They didn't really have any advice," "I couldn't possibly ask them," or, even worse, "They'd judge me."

Your breeder should be your greatest resource. They care deeply about the puppy they've bred and want it to have the best possible life, assuming they're breeding for the right reasons. You really can't bother a good breeder with puppy questions.

The breeder you choose should be someone you feel comfortable messaging or calling for advice. In fact, ongoing breeder support is part of the Dogs Victoria Code of Practice. You're choosing a breeder just as much as you're choosing a puppy.

It's become quite trendy to promise lifetime support, but how many breeders actually follow through? I'd happily ask for proof of this too.

Do they regularly hear from their puppy families? Can they tell you what their dogs are doing now? Do they share updates about past puppies? Can they talk about the individual personalities of dogs they've bred, even ones that have come back to stay for holidays?

These are all good signs that they genuinely stay involved.

It's also worth checking whether your breeder is knowledgeable about the breed and about dogs generally. That doesn't necessarily mean formal qualifications. They might compete with their dogs, have many years of breed experience or have been breeding successfully for a long time.

If someone is only just starting out, they'll naturally have less experience raising litters and supporting new puppy owners. That's why having a knowledgeable mentor is so important. It doesn't mean they're doing the wrong thing, especially if you genuinely like them and their breeding program. Just be aware they're still learning and there may be situations they haven't encountered yet.

Bringing home a puppy is a life-changing decision. Hopefully they'll be part of your family for 10 to 15 years, so don't be afraid to ask the hard questions or walk away if something doesn't feel right.

No breeder is perfect. But if you find someone you trust, who genuinely cares about their dogs and ticks most of the important boxes, you'll give yourself the best chance of enjoying the next 10 to 15 years with the right dog.

It's much better than ending up with a dog that wasn't what you were hoping for because you were won over by clever advertising, an unusual colour or a cute face.

At the end of the day, this isn't about finding the "perfect" breeder because they don't exist. Every breeder will do some things differently and every breeding program has room to improve. What matters is finding someone who is honest, transparent and genuinely invested in producing healthy, well-adjusted dogs. Someone who welcomes questions, can explain why they do what they do and wants the very best outcome for every puppy they breed. If you find that person, you've already taken one of the biggest steps towards bringing home the right dog for your family.

10/07/2026

I loved getting this photo of gorgeous Howie the other day 🥰 He's gown up into such a beautiful boy!

His family says: "Howie has been doing so great!! He's turning into a lovely little gentleman super sweet and curious."

05/07/2026

All our Border Collies are friends with the cats and Garf loves a snuggle at night so he'll often pick someone to cuddle up with.

Roo has been enjoying helping Ty in the shed with the projects and picked the spot next to Garf to lie down rather than on the couch.

03/07/2026

How cute is George from our February litter! 🥰

He has his very own ginger cat, Stuart, now and they get along very well. 😄

02/07/2026

Puppy Enquiry Etiquette

Reposting this as I don't think enough people understand what the process should look like. Feel free to share.

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I am posting this specifically because I do NOT have any puppies here now, and don’t anticipate any for a while. So you know that I’m not singling any real person out. This is because it seems that there’s a lot of confusion about the whole “proper” way to go about things. So, potential puppy homes and anyone else thinking about maybe someday approaching a good breeder about a puppy, here you go:

1) STOP LOOKING FOR A PUPPY. The classic mistake puppy buyers make is saying “I need an xx breed puppy at the beginning of the fall” or whatever it may be. So they go out looking for litters due in August from any and all breeders.

BAD IDEA.

Puppies are not interchangeable; one is not the same as the others and each breeder has their own, very specific criteria they are breeding towards. Even though all ANKC breeders will follow the same breed standards, so much of that is up to interpretation. Breeder X’s “perfect puppy” is not the same as Breeder Y’s.

Stop looking for a puppy; look for a BREEDER.

Make a personal connection with a breeder you feel shares your top criteria, and then wait for a puppy from them. Maybe they even have a litter on the ground, which is wonderful, but maybe they’re not planning anything for a few months. Or maybe they’re not planning anything for a year; in that case, ask for a referral to another breeder that shares those same priorities and has a similar (or just as good) personality and support ethic. However it works out, screen the breeder first, then ask about a puppy.

1b) EXPECT TO WAIT FOR A PUPPY. It’s VERY rare to wait less than a couple of months; four to six is normal. I’ve waited a year on a couple of occasions because my criteria is so specific. It takes even longer for the right breeder to have the right puppy from me. We ALL have to wait, and we ALL have to get matched up by the puppies’ breeder.

2) INTRODUCE YOURSELF THOROUGHLY. The initial e-mail should be several paragraphs long; block out at least an hour of quiet for the first phone call. When you initiate contact, clearly communicate three things: You are ready for a puppy, you are ready for a puppy of this breed, and you understand what sets this breeder apart from the others and you share that commitment. Specifically describe your plans for this puppy; be truthful. If you are not going to be able to go to four training classes a year, SAY SO. Don’t say “Of course, training is a huge priority around here,” or you’re going to end up with a puppy who’s flushing your toilet sixty times a day because he’s so bored and you’re not challenging him.

The ideal first contact e-mail usually goes something like

“Hi, my name is X and I’m writing to inquire about your dogs. I’ve been doing a lot of research on [breed] and I think they’re the right one for me because of [these four reasons.] I know puppies are a huge commitment, and I am planning to [accommodate that in various ways.] I’m approaching you in particular because of your interest in [whatever,] which is something I feel is very important and plan to encourage in [these three ways.]”

That’s the kind of e-mail that gets a response, and usually pretty quickly. If I get something that says “I hear you have puppies on the way; how much?” it goes in the recyle bin before you can blink.

2a) Bring up price either at the end of the first contact (if it’s been successful and you feel a connection to this person) or in a follow-up contact. It’s nice to say “If you don’t mind me asking, about how much are [breed]s in this area, if there is a typical price? I just want to be prepared.” The breeder will usually give you two pieces of useful information: Her price, and the median prices around you. That way, if you decide to go a different way, you know about what to expect. If the second person you contact names a price that’s double the median, try to discreetly find out why. A very difficult pregnancy, nationally ranked parents, a surgical AI, c-section resulting in very few live puppies, those are some reasons a breeder could be asking more and it’s reasonable. If there’s no real difference from the other breeders except price, think carefully. And different colours should never cost more!

3) BE WILLING TO BE TOLD NO. Not every person is the right match for every breed. That’s just fact. There is no way on earth I could make our home appropriate for a Malamute puppy, and I’d have to lie through my teeth to get approved for one. And I have my entire life devoted to keeping dogs happy. I don’t expect you to have anywhere close to the obsession I have, so that means there will be some dogs that are just plain wrong for you. If a breeder says no, ask why. If the answers make sense, don’t keep calling people until you finally get one who will sell you a puppy of that breed. Go back to the drawing board and be very humble and honest with yourself about what kind of dog really would be right for you and your family.

4) PLEASE DO NOT GET ON MORE THAN ONE WAITING LIST unless you are VERY honest about it. This goes back to rule 1. You need to understand that we think our puppy buyers are just as in love with the puppies as we are. We’re posting pictures, writing up instructions, sending emails, researching everything from pedigrees to nail grinding, all so we can hand off this puppy, this supreme glorious creature of wonderfulness, with the absolute maximum chance that it will lead a fabulous life with you, and we’ve built all kinds of air castles in our heads about how happy this puppy will be, and what it will do in its life with you, and so on. Finding out that you had your name on four lists shows that you don’t realize that puppies are not packages of lunch meat, where getting one from Shaws is basically the same as getting one from Stop and Shop.

Also, as soon as your name is on one of our lists, we’re turning away puppy buyers. If we’ve sent ten people elsewhere because our list is full, and then suddenly you say “Oh, yeah, I got a puppy from someone else,” it really toasts our bread. So just BE HONEST. If someone came to me and said “I’m on a list with So and So, but she’s pretty sure she won’t have a puppy for me, and I’d love to be considered for one of your dogs and I’ll let you know just as soon as I know,” I’m FINE with that. I understand how this goes. It’s not a disaster for me to have a puppy “left over” at eight weeks because you ended up getting that So and So puppy; it’s just frustrating to have the rug yanked out from under me.

5. PLEASE DO NOT EXPECT TO CHOOSE YOUR PUPPY. This one drives puppy buyers CRAZY. I know this, trust me. I have a lot of sympathy because I’ve been there. But the fact is that when you come into my house and look at the eight-week-old puppies and one comes up and tugs on your pant leg and you look at me, enraptured, and say “THIS IS IT! He chose ME,” I’ve been looking at people coming into the house all week, and every single time this same puppy has come up and tugged at them and every single one of them have said to me “THIS IS IT!”

What you are seeing is not reality. You are seeing the most outgoing puppy, or you’ve fallen in love with the one that has the most white, or the one that has a different look from the rest of the litter (when I had one lilac girl puppy in a litter of dark colour boys, every human that came in the house wanted her), or the one that’s been (accidentally) featured the most in the pictures I’ve posted. Or, sometimes, you have a very good instinctive eye and you’re picking the puppy that’s the best put together of the litter. And that puppy, of course, is mine, and you’re going to have to pry him out of my cold dead hands.

My responsibility is not to make you happy. And that, dear friends, is why I am posting this now, and not when I have a bunch of actual puppy buyers around. But it’s the truth. My responsibility is to the BREED first. That’s why my first priority in placing puppies is the show owners, because they are the ones that will (if all goes well) use this dog to keep the breed going. It’s not that I like them better than I like you; it’s that I have to be extremely careful who I place with them so that they can make breeding decisions with the very best genetic material I can hand them. My second responsibility is to the PUPPY. I will place each puppy where I feel that it has the best chance of success and the optimal environment to thrive.

So while I do care, and I will try to take your preferences into account, do not expect to walk into my living room and put your hand in the box and pick whatever puppy you want. And do not expect to be given priority pick because you contacted me first; conversely, do not expect that because you came along late you somehow won’t get a good puppy. Sometimes the person who calls me when the puppies are seven and a half weeks old ends up with what I’d consider the “pick” for various reasons (sometimes because somebody called me up and said they’d gotten a puppy from someone else; see rule 4 above). I am going to try to do my absolute best to match puppies to owners as objectively as I can, not according to who called first.

6) ONCE YOU GET YOUR PUPPY, THERE WILL ONLY BE THAT PUPPY IN THE WHOLE WORLD. If you’ve been sitting around with your fingers crossed saying “Please, Molly, please, Molly, I only love Molly,” and I say “I really think Moe is the one for you,” you’re probably going to feel disappointed. But take Moe and go sit on the couch, and put your finger in her mouth, and realize that she has a really cool white toe on one foot but none of the other feet have white toes, and let her try to find a treat in your pocket, and I guarantee you by the time you’re five minutes out of my driveway Moe will be YOUR puppy. And a year later you may remember that you thought Molly was so pretty, but Moe… well, Moe could practically run the Pentagon she’s so smart, and her face turned out MUCH more beautiful than Molly’s did. And so on.

7) PLEASE FINISH THE ENCOUNTER WITH ONE BREEDER BEFORE BEGINNING ONE WITH ANOTHER. If you end a conversation with me saying “Well, this just all sounds wonderful, and I’m going to talk it over with my wife and we’ll call you about getting on your waiting list,” and then you hang up and call the next person on your list, that’s not OK. If you don’t feel like you click with me, or you want to keep your options open, a very easy way to say it is to ask for the names and numbers of other breeders I recommend. That way I know we’re not “going steady,” and I won’t pencil you in on my list. If you are on my waiting list, and you decide that you don’t want to be anymore, call me AS SOON AS YOU KNOW and say “Joanna, I’m so sorry, but our life has gotten a little crazy and I need to be taken off the puppy list.” And I make sympathetic noises and take you off. If, then, you decide you want to get a different puppy, be my guest. Just keep me apprised and let me close off my commitment to you before you open it with another breeder.

…Which brings us to something that is super important and most puppy people don’t realize:

8 ) EVERY BREEDER KNOWS EVERY OTHER BREEDER. Now of course I don’t mean the bad breeders, but the show breeding community is VERY small and VERY close-knit. If you’ve been on my list for three months, I’ve kept in contact with you, I think you’re getting a puppy from me, I’m carefully considering which one to sell you, and finally I match you with a puppy when they’re eight weeks old, and THEN you e-mail me and say “Sorry, I got a puppy from someone else near you, bye,” my instant reaction isn’t going to be “Oh dear!” My instant reaction is going to be “From Jill?” I probably e-mail Jill several times a year, if not several times a month, and I’m probably going to pick up the phone in the next sixty seconds and say, “Did you just sell a puppy to Horace Green? Did you know that he put himself on my waiting list three months ago and has been saying all along how excited he is?” And two minutes after that she’ll get a call from Anne, and Anne will say “Did you just sell a puppy to Horace Green? He’s been feeding me lines for eight weeks! I had a puppy ready to go to him next week!”

And we will take your name in vain, and Jill will feel bad that she sold you a puppy, and oh the bad words we will say. And Horace Green will be a topic of conversation at the next Nationals, and t-shirts will be made that say “DON’T BE A HORACE,” and someone will name their puppy Horrible Horace and everyone will get the joke and laugh.

In the end, “Be excellent to each other,” as Bill and Ted so correctly ordered us, is pretty much the paradigm to follow. If you err, err on the side of this being a relationship, not a transaction. Try to act the way you would with a good friend, not with an appliance salesman. And the ending will be as happy for you as it is happy for me.

28/06/2026

It's so beautiful to be able to watch them run around and I'm so grateful we have the big area for them to do it. It makes such a difference to a Border Collies wellbeing to be able just to be a dog no matter where it is. You don't need a big backyard to let your dog run.

26/06/2026

Murphy lives locally and loves his regular visits out to our place to run around and play with his dad and uncle. He's such a character and has such a happy, fun loving personality.

24/06/2026

Thinking about getting a pet? The benefits go far beyond having a cute animal and the excitement of a new family member.

Pets can have a positive impact on both our physical and mental health. Growing up around animals may help support a healthy immune system, while spending time with pets can reduce stress, improve mood, and provide comfort during difficult times. They are great motivators to get us out of the house and to get moving.

They also give us a sense of companionship and security. Many dogs help owners feel safer at home, feel less alone and give that unconditional love we all crave.

Pet ownership can be great for kids to learn about responsibility and consideration for others. Feeding, exercising, grooming, and caring for an animal helps develop routine, commitment, and empathy. They can even help us build connections with other people, whether that's chatting to fellow dog owners on a walk or meeting like-minded people through training classes and pet communities. They can open a whole new world to us.

Korben Park BorderCollies

09/08/2026

31/07/2026

29/07/2026

10/07/2026

05/07/2026

03/07/2026

02/07/2026

28/06/2026

26/06/2026

24/06/2026

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