Planned Litters
Willow is a phenomenal push button dog. She has a lot to offer to the breed and with the help, guidance and mentorship of other breeders, I have decided to begin carefully planning a breeding with her. This will be my first breeding and I am so so excited to get an opportunity at a Willow puppy and to continue on her line and her true to breed type and temperament.
Goals:
Work - Add more thinking/stability in stockwork. Improve feel (more respect of stock’s pressure).
Conformation - Improve movement, rear, feet, bone, tighter coupling
Meet the Breeder!
Hello! I'm Zoe Delilo. I am the breeder behind Jedda Farm and ACDs. I got started in cattle dogs 15 years ago with a not so well bred but sweet boy I named Jayce. I later got another ACD as a rescue hoping to do competitive sports but I soon realized that the easiest way to compete would be to go to a breeder who breeds for correct temperament and who competes themselves. That’s how I got into the well bred Australian Cattle Dog world with my first well bred acd, Willow in 2021. She turned out to be one of the best dog's I've ever owned: accomplished in the show ring, rally, obedience, coursing, dock, and getting our start on herding and scentwork.
To me, the ACD is the ideal breed. They are a medium sized, natural and athletic dog and they have an innate desire to please their master. That can be said of many of the herding breeds but what really sets the ACD apart is their indomitable working spirit. Once you have earned a cattle dog’s trust there is NOTHING they won’t do for you, and I really truly mean it. Watching a young dog work cattle for the first time you will see what I mean, it is pure power. A true and correct ACD will always give 1000% in accomplishing whatever task you set it forth to do, and after having experienced this in my own dogs I don’t think I could ever own another breed, they are just that great!
I breed on a very limited basis, with the intention of keeping a puppy for myself. You are welcome to fill out a puppy application at any time to be added to my waiting list. Planned litters will be announced here. I am planning a litter in cooperation with AE’s ACDs for the beginning of 2025. The goal for this breeding is to bring consistency back into the line and to maintain or improve stock work in the offspring. I am taking applications with high preference for performance and working homes or very active pet homes. Official plans will be posted a bit closer to and applicants will be contacted.
Puppy Raising Timeline
I will be raising puppies on the Puppy Culture Protocol.
1-4 Weeks
Different objects and smells in the whelping box every day.
Holding each pup several times a day
Early Neurological Stimulation
DNA swabs taken and sent to lab (embark, akc health, or neogen)
4-6 Weeks
Stacked photos each week to track development
Starting on soft kibble and goats milk. Practice hand feeding to help with gentling the mouth
Car rides to new safe locations. Interacting with strangers regularly
Begin to associate reward markers and work on sits, stands, downs
Regular outside playtime
Paired crating
Flirt pole work with lambskin hide
7 Weeks
Vollhard testing
BAER Hearing tests
First group sheep exposure with mom
8 Weeks
Final puppy stacked photos
Second group sheep exposure without mom
Puppy Party!
Puppies going to pet homes may go home at 8 weeks.
Individual crating overnight starts now!
10 Weeks
First individual stock exposure to sheep. Videos will be available of each. If showing promise: will be exposed to stock weekly going forward.
Learning patience at the fence (wait your turn excercises on the post)
12 Weeks
Final vet checkup
Final stock exposures and decisions made. New homes will be contacted for pick up of their puppy.
Puppies go home being comfortable in a crate, with being led on leash, basic potty training, recall, socialized with children, men, women, strangers, stores, various livestock, etc.
Puppy care package including food, toys, treats, health and vaccination records, blanket with mom and siblings’ scent, a clicker, a leash, and a print out of dna health results.
