Monday, 28 August 2017

A young bitch I'm hoping to pick up this week is a cross of sport malinois with working farm dog (kelpie x Welsh sheepdog). I hadn't even heard of the Welsh sheepdog before, so I've started reading up on this type. The aim/vision of my Bull-Herder Project is a multi-purpose, all-round 'survival' dog- and so you can imagine my pleasure and excitement when I read the old quote in this Wikipedia entry!!! :)

''At one time there existed many sheep-herding dogs peculiar to Wales; during the 18th century Welsh drovers taking sheep for sale took with them five or six sheepdogs as "herders on the narrow roads, guards against highwaymen, and providers of game on the route". These were an early type of Welsh Sheepdog, higher on the leg and more racily built than the modern day breed.''

Taking herder/shepherd types from protection sport/security/police, detection/tracking and actual herding lines, as well as bull terrier types from hunting, protection and athletic sport backgrounds- and then mixing the two is a VERY intriguing (and hopefully practical!) experiment...  


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My project's quite different to the other crosses of bull x herder that I've been seeing people do. Usually, people's aim seems to be focussed solely on protection/security work. Essentially, the aim (I guess) is for them to create tough, hard dogs that are a physically imposing deterrant, and that can defeat a criminal in combat if needed. The trainability, intelligence, drive, focus and lighter, quicker frame of the shepherd type must be there to improve the dog's all-round 'workability' (I don't even know if that's a real word! :p LOL). That, too is a part of my aim/vision- but I also need hunting ability, and a dog that can fit into a rural working environment where it roams free, OR live in a family flat and be taken on lead to the fields to run (and come back when called!) OR be a security dog that stays in the van until he needs to come out OR a sport dog who's kenneled until training/competing time. Sounds like a lot to ask, but then that's what makes it challenging and stimulating. Choosing the right dogs, testing widely and then (universe willing!) doing breedings that 'match up' well, there should be some useful and interesting dogs produced...certainly after a few generations (though hopefully even from the first breeding! :) :) :) ).

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