As I sit here waiting for Cheyenne to have her puppies…I remember when Cheyenne was born at Maple Grove Farm…She sure has grown up good! A happy, healthy, loving, biddable, beautiful, hard working dairy farm dog! She is so lucky to have Lawana and Stacey as her people, and to live on their beautiful farm.
Sigh…
As a breeder of English Shepherds I have placed my puppies thru the years very carefully. All have wonderful homes. I have worked hard to work all the parents of my puppies and to know what they truly are capable of. I have strived to keep the working instincts in my dogs. Cheyenne is a fine example of what I have been breeding for. My program did not happen overnight…I have and still work on my ideas, theories, and ways I use to achieve my goals.
In the beginning I had pretty dogs that had good structure and excellent conformation. Good minds and great dispositions, and biddable. With strong pedigrees, all registered.
That was great but I quickly realized that most breeders were far removed from the farm setting that the English Shepherd Breed was bred for. Jerry Rowe made a statement on one of his training videos that “if you change the job you change the breed” this statement stirred me and I totally agree with it. At that time I tried to have a conversation within the breed organization about this…but it was not something people were really thinking about at that time. I think this is changing and that is good!!!
So I purchased ducks and sheep and I started working my dogs daily on stock . It was no longer acceptable to me to just attend a clinic here and there…and take my dogs on horseback riding adventures. (we still do all of this) 🙂 I had to see what the dogs I am breeding are made of.
Like in the middle of the night will my dogs stick with me while we hunt for a lost lamb, or a ewe that forgot to come up with the flock or a whole flock (yes this happens). Will my dogs stay with a ewe while she is penned up because I need to graft a lamb on to her…or be trusted to “mother up a lamb” Can my dogs take the pressure of training and working daily? Are they willing to listen and do as I ask them…can they work on their own when needed. Do they bite the stock to harm or do they grip the stock to move them when necessary. Are my dogs able to work sheep, cattle, and ducks? and are my dogs friendly but alert to anything off or different…do they stay home on the farm?
I have never on purpose placed dogs to be bred…Several have been bred thru the years and had fine offspring!
Unlike most of the puppies I place… Cheyenne lives close by about an hour away. I have given her lessons on stock and watched as she has grown into an amazing English Shepherd (my Grandpa would be proud of) and working on her owners dairy farm daily.
Cheyenne is out of my Drover and BOO. That strong Helms blood in BOO makes this cross brilliant minded.
I am excited about the puppies that will soon arrive via Stork Express. (I will need a word about that express part with the Stork on this run) LOL!
We are prepared, ready, and waiting. In the meantime I have been talking to Cheyenne about being an awesome Mother, and all the fun she will have and work…She is good with it!
Now to talk to the puppies and soon we will know what that ole Stork has for us!
POSSIBILITIES
