“CJ is doing great! At little over 2.5yrs old, she is beginning to settle down (albeit a very small amount) CJ loves to learn new tricks and is rarely seen without a toy at least within snouts reach 🙂 CJ loves the water and swimming, has really excelled at her agility training/classes, and is a natural with a Frisbee! Our agility instructor is begging us to compete with her. My wife and I would love to but its just finding the time to make it happen. We recently added another to our household…CJ has taken very well to our first child!” CJ is from the 2012 Mat and Sable Litter
Can’t begin to tell you how much I love this dog. He’s such a challenge for me and so much fun to run agility with. His speed is what is challenging for me but I’m learning so much from him. Love, love, love him!!! Keegan is from the 2010 Rosa and Legend litter
I want to give you an update on Duff. He is a joy to have in our family. He gets along well with our other dogs. He likes to play chase with my other border collie. He also loves to play ball and will fetch almost anything I throw. He likes to learn and because of this winter we have learned lots of tricks. I am starting some foundation work for agility. I think he will be an awesome agility partner. Duff is from the 2013 Dealer and Wyn Litter
Do you want a dog with personality?
Do you want a dog that is never satisfied with “just going for a walk”?
Do you want a dog that is alway happy?
If you answered yes to the above questions, then a border collie is the dog for you.
You may be lucky enough that one of Doreen’s Branchwater Farms Border Collies will let you take them home.
We were and we love our Maizey.
We couldn’t imagine our life without a Border Collie.
The Sill Family,
Adopted by Maizey
March 2009
Maizey is from the 2009 Sable and Gill Litter
We lost our first BWBC a little over a year ago, Barley was just the sweetest dog one could imagine. We got him and his brother Kip when we lived in MD. He showed his younger brothers how to be great dogs. We relocated to Maine 7 years ago and have gotten 2 BWBCs since being here. After the mourning period I knew we needed a third to complete the picture. Also because now the oldest (Kip) was 12 and Rocco was 4. I knew that in time Rocco was going to be alone, and he loves his older brothers. It was the time to add to our BC pack. I knew the moment I saw Finn, he was the one!! I got him when he was just 8 weeks old. It was a quick down and back flight from Maine to Maryland and back. As I had hoped Rocco and Finn bonded right away and have become wonderful friends. It has taken Kip longer to adjust but he has always been that way. I knew just how perfect the addition of Finn was when I received his pedigree papers from Doreen and saw that Finn was a descendent of our first BC Barley. All 4 BWBC have been healthy and have thrived. They have all been easy to train, and each has done well with the others despite real different personalities. They love to hike the Maine woods, play in the Maine ocean, climb the NH mountains, and just hang out in the house. Right now Kip is 13 (no one can believe it), Rocco is 5, and Finn is 10 mos. Barley was Jiff and Tina 1999, Kip is from the 2000 Amber and Derek, Rocco is from the 2008 Bonnie and Bing, and Finn is from the 2013 Mandee and Dealer. **The Boenisch family recently added Apollo from the 2010 Thunder and Joe litter
Jessie continues to grow like a weed but I can’t imagine she will get much bigger but will still fill out a bit. She is really almost the direct opposite of Tessa in that she is very self confident and still loves people and other dogs. We don’t socialize this dog, she socializes us. She is full of life and can sometimes be a wild child but she will grow through that as she matures. She can be stubborn at times but that also seems to be getting better as she wants to please more as she gets older. One thing that makes us laugh is that she is very expressive and talkative with moans, growls, and mini barks when she wants to do something or is just happy and playful. She can also be very sweet and affectionate and will give us “kisses” in abundance. She is now swimming on her own and will go in the water if we say “go swim” but always looks back for direction before jumping in.
She is getting much more interested in “ Ball” and as time goes by she gets better about bringing it back…hopefully that will continue. She also loves frizbee and is really good at it but at this point she only plays inside. Still a lack of concentration when we are outside. Jessie is from the Fall 2014 Adda and Max litter
I had often passed the sign Branchwater Border Collies off to the side of Falls Road near Shawan Road. But, this time I turned down the lane. I had lost my Border Collie, Kate, at age sixteen and a half, a few months earlier and thought I’d see if a pup might be available. I told Doreen I wanted a black and white puppy. However, I was going away for a few months and thought it would be better to wait until my return. I wasn’t leaving quite yet–so I would go out and visit and play with the puppies to help them get adjusted to people. In January, when I returned from my trip I called Doreen right away. She didn’t have any puppies. I went out to the farm later in the week and on a whim asked her if she had something I could borrow. She looked at me kinda funny and after a few minutes said maybe I could borrow Patti. “She would like the attention,” she said. Patti was a year-old Blue Merle she was keeping to breed. I went home with Patti, a crate, a dog bowl, a brush and a container for the dog food. “You’re going to become attached to that dog,” my friends would say. “Oh,no”, I responded. I want a black and white dog. Besides, Doreen wouldn’t sell her. Sometimes I took Patti out for agility classes. She wasn’t interested. She would reluctantly climb the A frame or weave past some of the poles. She ducked into the tunnel and wouldn’t come out! This was not her idea of fun. She didn’t pay any attention at all to sheep either. Somehow, she wasn’t exactly a working dog. The months went by and Doreen decided not to breed her after all. I could buy her if I wanted. I didn’t hesitate a second. Doreen laughed and said she knew Patti was the dog for me right from the beginning–even though she wasn’t black and white. Patti is thirteen years old now. I still travel and I always board her at the Branchwater Kennel. I know Doreen will remember to scratch behind her ears and she will take her for short walks or let her play with one of her pups. Patti feels at home, but she still makes a beeline for my car when I come to pick her up. She knows where she really belongs. Patti (Pattern) is from the 2000 Savannah and Derek litter
Since bringing Copper home in April of 2012, we have enjoyed all his typical “border collie” traits. Like his older buddy, Tucker, he is curious, smart, energetic and just a wonderful addition to our household. He & I started formal obedience training at Branchwater when he was about six months old and we now attend the show class. We completed the CGC at 15 months and entered both Rally and Obedience shows the same month where he placed 3rd & 1st respectively. At the end of January 2014 our team finished our Beg Novice Obedience title, as well as our Novice Rally title. (just under two years old) This spring we attended several “disc dog” workshops which really is Copper’s true passion, chasing something and bringing it back. Tucker, Copper and I walk the NCR trail everyday and it never fails that someone stops to say how well behaved both dogs are and of course how smart they are. We live on a farm, so they have lots of room to run, but they never go out of our sight. (where we are – they are – carrying a ball, frisbee or rope toy) Both dogs have brought much joy and entertainment to our family. Tucker is from the 2003 Bea and Race litter, Copper is from the 2012 Wyn and Mat litter<
One Great Day almost 12 years ago, Chance came into our world from Branchwater Border Collies! Just wanted to let you know that even at 12 he is still competing and winning in Agility! We compete in CPE now, since they have so many levels where older dogs can still enjoy the sport! We pick and choose classes, and limit his classes now to two a day, but that’s only because I want to be sure he doesn’t’ get too stiff or get hurt. If it was up to CHANCE he would run everything, all the time! In April we attended the CPE Nationals in Jacksonville, FL. We had no idea of the format of these Nationals or how Chance would do, with the long drive and long days! But as usual, he’s CHANCE! He just loves to be with us, and loves the sport! He Qualified in 7 of 9 classes, and placed in all of them! He ended the week being 2nd place in overall game points at his height and received a beautiful plaque! He’s truly amazing whether he’s playing with his ball in the backyard, or still coming along to participate in agility. He and Grace have added more to our lives then you will ever know! Thank You for such amazing dogs! Chance is from the 2003 Kenna and Race litter and Grace is from the 2004 Kenna and Race Litter
Hey this is April (Andre’s Mom) and Nick (Bridges’ dad)! Andre is one awesome border collie. This is my first dog (on my own) and I couldn’t be happier. He does enjoy some Frisbee and herding of our two cats baby boy and baby girl. Bridge and Andre are neighbors since my brother and I only live five minutes away from each other and they are both avid hikers and water aficionados. Thick as thieves those two. Andre is from the 2013 Irie and Wolfe litter and Bridgette is from the 2012 Rita and Timothy litter (Branchwater’s Australian shepherds)
Just wanted to give you an update on Max! He is just a little over two and recently passed his ORT (order recognition test) so he is ready to compete in canine nose work through NACSW. Like most BC’s given a job he goes all out. He is definitely a frisbee fanatic like his mother and we have just touched upon the disc games but would like to do more. Max is a sweet boy and at the end of day loves to cuddle up and watch TV:) We are a Branchwater family of dogs my daughter has Max’s brother Andre and my son has a Branchwater Aussie Bridgett.
Max is not my first BWBC. in 1994 I got Bandit from Jiff and Dotties litter. He was a great dog and I have been hooked on the breed ever since. My border collies have been wonderful and keep me on my toes! Max is from the 2013 Irie and Wolfe litter and Bandit was from the 1994 Jiff and Dottie litter. See the update on Brigette and Andre above
Whitman is doing absolutely fabulous! He has been a wonderful, wonderful addition to our family. He gets along great with our 4 1/2 year old daughter and our 2-year old son. But his real buddy is our 13-year-old Border Collie/Husky mix! They play non-stop, all day. He’s keeping our older BC much younger!
Whitman is definitely a bit on the smallish side. But that’s fine with us. He has a HUGE personality. He’s got a penchant for snuggling and nuzzling. A bit jealous at times, he lives to be a lap dog. But he’s doing pretty good with his training, too. He loves playing ball, and we’ve taught him some great tricks in the house, since we haven’t been able to regularly go out to the dog park with this weather! All in all, Whitman is a loving-mischievous-playful-curious-at times destructive-ball of love, and we adore him! Whitman is from the 2013 Adda and Max litter
Branchwater 