I personally disagree with the fact that the kind of puppy you want is hard to find in shelters. There are puppies of ALL types (as I'm sure you know!) and I think you could find one that would meet every one of your needs. The only thing that would be hard to tell is the hips, but you could easily find a healthy pup with a good temperament in a shelter. It hurts me to see so many people thinking you can't find what you're looking for in a shelter.

Do you have any Border Collie or Aussie rescues in your area? Maybe they will get some young puppies. If you let them know now, you could possibily be number one in line for when they do receive pups (spring time is coming!).

Good luck in your decision and I'm sure you'll be happy with what you choose to do in the end