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The fact that they are uncommon and maybe just being discovered in some circles could contribute to the puppy mill syndrone. Retailer gets pups from any who and puts a sign up saying --"__rare"-- That's the start. Then they go on to say " Want the old fashioned collie to love and guard over your children? This rare breed still exists in America and so forth. " Lots of people start jumping onto the hotest new breed. Not that we thought it was so hot but we know it as it is. It is a good dog when bred and raised right. I will be 54 years old this month. 40 years ago I dragged my dad out to a sheep ranch in northern Ca. to buy me an australian Shepherd puppy for 35 bucks. He didn't know what breed exactly it was but that it was what his daughter wanted. He knew it was a farm type dog so it should be a good dog. Most people didn't know what they were. Only rancher types knew. I remember alot of people wanting them to get registered with AKC back then. It eventually came to pass. Even before that, I helped a friend pick out an aussie in 1978 to discover a whole bunch of ill bred puppy mill types in the aussie before they achieved AKC status. Twenty seven years ago I bought a border collie when I was in Alaska. There were none to be had were I lived. I had to ship her across many states. Most people didn't even know what they were. A few movies later and whammo they became AKC dogs inspite of most border collie fans being against it. Border collies are all over now. Go to dog rescue sites. The rescue places are filled to the brim with them. But when I was looking it was hard to come by them in the west. Don't think that it can't be puppy milled. Stay vigalent. Judy ----- Original Message ----- From: "jana lashmit" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Saturday, January 06, 2007 5:35 PM Subject: Re: [FARMCOLLIE] warning for breeders >I have to wonder though, why would ES be an enticing breed for a puppymill? >Most of the dogs in pet stores tend to be small - poo mixes, maltese, poms, >dachshunds. If it's a large breed, it's likely a labradoodle, boxer, lab, >golden - something common (or unique, like a dogue de bordeaux). But most >people don't even know what an English Shepherd is. They aren't exotic or >glamorous. You'd think that would make them safely under the radar of the >puppymiller. > > Jana >