Thoughts on this information regarding non-AKC reg

[Calliesmom]

You know this story makes me nervous. I already have an OCD about finding my perfect sheltie which I know in itself isnt good but I have to defend the time I spend looking, the amount of money a dog will cost and the years I hope to spend with my gal making me wanting her to be the look I want. I am 50 almost 51 so I imagine 15 years if I am lucky, more if I am really blessed so this dog I get will probably be my one and only sheltie ( unless I can get a second one shhhhh dont tell anyone yet) so I have a picture in my mind of the dog I would like and there are several dogs owned on this forum I would call my perfect dog. Getting a puppy that to me at the 5 ,7. 9 weeks stage pictures well looks like a guinea pig throws me off. Some older dogs I saw one wears diapers, not housetrained etc that I dont like in an older dog and I have to be on my game of there wont be anymore dogs in this house if this proves a disaster like changing diapers I know would cause. Then I see story about breeders, puppy mills and well terrible breeding practices and I think I will never find the dog I want. It seems there is major competition for a female when they are like 3 months or so and the real coloring seems to be coming out and you have a good idea of the beauty. I wont apologize for wanting a beauty that makes me get lost in her eyes and love her more and more. One I can give my unused maternal spoiling to and be happier for it. How in the world does one pick or get that beautiful creature?

Every sheltie is beautiful in its own way and you will love it no matter how the looks turn out

My first sheltie was a rescue and I told the rescue that I wanted her completely sight unseen- no pic was posted on the petfinder page. All it said was shaded sable female- no other info on her looks. it might have said something like would like to lie by your feet or something like that.....

Now my second sheltie was picked purely based on color. I knew that I wanted to have a sable merle that was recognizable as a smerle and when I saw a puppy very early on that looked like what I wanted- I put in for that puppy.
Third sheltie - I had already met her- she was 10 months so her color was completely irrelevant to me. I knew that she was a sweetie and that she would get along with the other shelties.

I know that many others on this forum will tell you to go for temperament first and looks second. that is good advice because since it's a sheltie, it will be beautiful