Black and Tan English Shepherds
Old-fashioned Black and Tan English Shepherd Association
This category investigates the role of farm dogs in history, society, and culture. It covers stories about the historical significance of specific breeds, their contributions to human endeavors, and the cultural impact of dogs in various societies.
There are a lot rural families here in the Southeast who breed unregistered black and tans. Through my ads in farm magazines, I personally know and have spoken with 8-10 such breeders. Every once in awhile, a club breeder will “discover” an unregistered line of dogs from here. Kind of the way Columbus “discovered” America … Read more
Mr. Charles Barnes of Virginia recently traveled to Alabama to pick-up a puppy by Sallee’s Rustie Jr. out of Sherling’s Princess. The Barnes family has kept Old-fashioned Black and Tan English Shepherds for two generations, dating back to IESR and UKC dogs from the 60s. The Barnes’ dogs included Barnes’ Lady by Blankenship’s Buster out … Read more
This week, OBTESA produced a promotional video about the history of the Old-fashioned Black and Tan English Shepherd.
The farmcollie movement influenced the English Shepherd breed community via internet lists, AWFA, and the vocalness of its proponents. Since this all coincided with the breed coming out of a pretty severe bottleneck, it skewed what was being bred and it influenced a lot of new breeders. So now, black and tans are in a … Read more
Before the Farm Collie Movement propagandized the intermixing of their farm collies with everything else in the farm dog world, we had a bloodline of English Shepherds that weren’t predominately collies. Here’s an article from the April 1952 issue of Dog World Magazine titled “They Are Not the Same.” Interesting point of fact; none of … Read more
This article was originally published in Dog World Magazine of April 1952 Could you please give me the following information? Why do you have your English Shepherds and border collies advertised in the same ad column? Are they the same kind of dog? And is the border collie sometimes short-tailed? Are the short-tailed shepherd and … Read more
This is a copy of the January/February 2022 issue of the Newsletter of the Rutherford County TN Historical Society. You’ll find two articles about Old-fashioned Black and Tan English Shepherds on pages 8 and 9. Download
OBTESA became a Tennessee Nonprofit Corporation on August 10, 2021. The initial board of directors was John Sherling, Larry Raulston and Tony Bierman. The mission of the Old-fashioned Black & Tan English Shepherd Association is to assist and promote the breeding, registration, training, and use of the Old-fashioned Black and Tan English Shepherd bloodline. OBTESA … Read more
For a century or more, a culture and tradition has existed around the Old-fashioned Black and Tan English Shepherd dog. John Blankenship’s father rode into town on an old gray mare with a black and tan at his side to drive home the livestock he purchased. Walter Oglivie followed on horseback while a pair of … Read more
Back as a kid on the farm in the 1940’s and 1950’s, dad always had at least one English shepherd to help him with the stock. I don’t remember exactly where we got those dogs, but I seem to recall somewhere down around Mufreesboro. Those dogs we had were black, with a tan spot above … Read more
A year ago last January, I spent my mornings and evenings moving a herd of seventy-five yearling steers. I over-nighted the herd in my barn lot. But each morning, I would move them about a half-mile to a crimson clover pasture. Those steers would liked to have run me and my horse half to death. … Read more
It is hard to put a finger on how many Old-fashioned Black and Tan English Shepherds were bred by John and Pauline Blankenship of Rutherford County, Tennessee. Considering that the couple bred dogs for the better part of four decades, I think it is safe to say the number probably clears a thousand. But the … Read more
This article states that English Shepherds were used in World War I “in large numbers.” All dogs’ jobs were ranked in order: Sentinels’ assistant Patrol dog Courier Drafting Guard dogs Ratters When Dogs Go To War Dayton Daily News (Dayton, Ohio) · 7 Apr 1918, Sun · Page 30
An English Shepherd named Jasper wowed audiences in the 1930’s by taking the stage alone and obeying commands issued over a sound system. His trainer was a R.L. Edwards of Greenville, SC.
