First Friend Fact #20

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Black and Tan English Shepherd

The pattern of rapid, horizontal tail wagging is one of domestic dogs’ most noticed behaviors. It begins at a very early age and continues as long as the dog lives, appearing most often in situations in which the dog is friendly and submissive. It has no other function than a social one, and in all respects is much like a human smile.

(Scott and Fuller 1974)

The Old-fashioned Black and Tan English Shepherd is a breed of working dog native to the United States. The English shepherd is an all-purpose farm dog capable of working with any species of livestock. Rural families have favored these dogs for generations due to their grit, loyalty, and desire to please. ES activities include hunting, tracking, search-and-rescue, agility, obedience, companionship, and guard dog duty.

Farm Puppy Owner’s Manual
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Tony Bierman, "First Friend Fact #20," OBTESA, Accessed January 12, 2025, http://esbt.us/ee.

As a Dog Breeder, Prepare to Succeed

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Black and Tan English Shepherd

High-volume breeding is a qualitative, not quantitative label.  It is not about the number of puppies being produced, although that is usually a factor.  High-volume is qualitative because it means a breeder does not have the knowledge, time or decency to give puppies the appropriate care during some or all of the critical development periods … Read more

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Tony Bierman, "As a Dog Breeder, Prepare to Succeed," OBTESA, Accessed January 12, 2025, http://esbt.us/ee.

Vixen Paw Lift

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Black and Tan English Shepherd

In this photograph, Vixen is displaying the body language of a confident dog. Her head is held up, with her eyes and nose oriented in the same direction, toward the unblinking eye of a large 55 mm camera lens. Her lips are relaxed but held back slightly. Her ears are alert but not tensely forward. … Read more

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Tony Bierman, "Vixen Paw Lift," OBTESA, Accessed January 12, 2025, http://esbt.us/ee.

What goes into an Old-fashioned Black and Tan English Shepherd?

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Why is it difficult for a retired urban professional in Portland to consistently breed dogs that are true to the ancestors bred by farmers of the southern Great Valley region? Because social influences, selection pressures and gene/environment interactions form the foundation of what makes an Old-fashioned Black and Tan English Shepherd what it is.

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Tony Bierman, "What goes into an Old-fashioned Black and Tan English Shepherd?," OBTESA, Accessed January 12, 2025, http://esbt.us/ee.

First Friend Fact #13

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Black and Tan English Shepherd

Dogs have approximately 30 calming signals they use to alleviate tension during interactions with humans and other dogs. The Old-fashioned Black and Tan English Shepherd is a breed of working dog native to the United States. The English shepherd is an all-purpose farm dog capable of working with any species of livestock. Rural families have … Read more

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Tony Bierman, "First Friend Fact #13," OBTESA, Accessed January 12, 2025, http://esbt.us/ee.

Chase and Ruger Intro to Barn Hunt

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Black and Tan English Shepherd

Here are Chase and Ruger being introduced to Barn Hunt. If you’re unfamiliar with the sport of barn hunt, those PVC tubes have live rats. The goal is for the dog to identify as many tubes as quickly as possible. Chase and Ruger are both UKC registered, out of the OBTESA Breeder Incubator Program, and … Read more

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Tony Bierman, "Chase and Ruger Intro to Barn Hunt," OBTESA, Accessed January 12, 2025, http://esbt.us/ee.

How Do Dogs Learn?

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Our dogs learn in the same way that every animal learns, with the added advantage of being able to understand the desires of their human cohabitants. (Ha, 2019) Operant Conditioning Operant conditioning is a type of learning that occurs based on the associated rewards and punishments for behavior. There are four forms of operant learning, … Read more

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Tony Bierman, "How Do Dogs Learn?," OBTESA, Accessed January 12, 2025, http://esbt.us/ee.

The Problem with Bumblebees

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Black and Tan English Shepherd

I recently saw a post in a Facebook group where an individual adamantly stated that English Shepherds don’t have black on their tongues.  I didn’t jump to correct the individual because I understand the nature of cognitive bias.  The availability heuristic, also known as availability bias, is a mental shortcut that relies on immediate examples … Read more

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Tony Bierman, "The Problem with Bumblebees," OBTESA, Accessed January 12, 2025, http://esbt.us/ee.

Our Purpose

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Black and Tan English Shepherd

Through effort and expenditure, we know the genetic signatures for several of the Blankenships’ dogs.  By testing our current dogs, we can determine their congruency to the ancestral line bred by the Blankenships and their co-breeders.  In our effort to preserve the genetics of those dogs, we emphasize the objective over the subjective.  We do … Read more

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Tony Bierman, "Our Purpose," OBTESA, Accessed January 12, 2025, http://esbt.us/ee.