My girl Vixen (UKC P969-673 Sherling’s Stone Cold Vixen) got her Embark DNA lab work back today. Vixen was found to be free of the breed-relevant conditions tested for by Embark. Xen’s dam is Sherling’s Meg (UKC P858-816). On her bottom line, she goes back through Meg to Raulston’s Roxie Foley, Foley’s Dixie Bell Patton, … Read more
Here on Roanoke Creek Ranch, there are usually three opportunities per day for goat dog training. The early morning feeding Mid-morning open range rumination Late afternoon open range rumination Generally, the youngest member of the goat dog team comes along for early morning feeding. The interaction is safe, and the pup/young dog gets face time … Read more
Sugar is the most valuable tool on my ranch. She is what I’ve come to call a three tool goat dog. I’ve spoken previously about Sugar’s ability to help me move my goats from pasture to pasture. I’ve also written about Sugar’s ability to hold a goat while we’re in the catch pen so we … Read more
The orchard grass in the goat pasture was getting nibbled down a bit low. I felt it best to let the goats out of their confinement to ruminate freely around the ranch. With Sugar in season, it fell to Liberty to help me manage the herd for a few hours today while they were out. … 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
By definition, a landrace consists of composite strains built atop foundational strains. Textbook best practices call for the preservation and sustainment of those foundational strains so that every dog in the landrace always has a true outcross available. Responsible breed management organizations pursue best practices for carefully identifying and nurturing foundational strains. See figure 1. … Read more
