Searching and Planning

When I realized that I truly wanted to have a new puppy after Braxton died I started talking to friends that had dogs and did the Agility trials with their dogs and thought that they would have some insight on breeders of Australian Shepherds .  I got some info and then did searching on the web and after several weeks I found a breeder in Silverton Oregon.  Now Silverton is not that far from where I live so I checked out her web site and sent her an e mail.  After several e mails we set up a time for me to go visit her and her dogs. 
As we drove up her driveway I was very impressed with her farm.  When we met I felt like she is the one I want to get a puppy from right from the get go.  Her dogs were beautiful and I fell hook line and sinker with her love of dogs and  how she liked to raise and care for them.  I wanted to impress her that I would be a good person for her to sell one of her puppies so I was on my best behaviour.

Braxton was with us of course. He had just had a summer hair cut  because I thought that would help him during the hot weather .  His panting was continuous so I wanted to help him be as comfortable as possible.  I didn't let him out of the truck because he was having difficulty getting up and down . 

She was about to breed her female and so I was put on her list.  Now this worried me when she told me how many people were on THE LIST.  Before she even had her female bred the list was made.  Yiks,  I am way down the list.  That was like coming in last in a race.  I was so let down, but she assured me that there usually were people that dropped off of the list for a number of reasons.  That was encouraging.  Off we go and my hopes are sky high.

She kept updating her web site and one day the bad news came.  Her female didn't get bred when she expected her too so it was going to be a long wait before another heat cycle and then maybe she wouldn't even try again.  I was devastated.  Braxton was not getting any better. I was so sad. So I felt like I was getting some sort of a warning.  DO NOT get another puppy but------- I didn't listen to my gut on that

One connection I had made on line was a puppy that was missing her toes on one foot and the price would be really good.  The sucker that I was we drove all the way there but there were some things that I knew I wanted and she wasn't it.  As we drove a way I felt sad and let down.  One more try.  Got a phone call that there were some pups over in Boring .  That was real close but when we got there there were only 2 left and they were Red pups, I had my heart set on a Blue Merle and a male.  I was so desperate by then I said yes--------.  My night was awful and I didn't sleep good and when I got up the next morning I had my husband call and tell them I had changed my mind.  It just didn't feel right, now I am really bummed.