This article first appeared in the AKC Gazette.
Written by Marianne Sullivan
If we are indeed going to call ourselves preservation breeders, that is, preserving pure bred dogs (in response to those who would end that dedicated practice), then we surely must include the original purpose of our chosen breed. W. Baskerville’s 1906 book Show Collies describes the earliest known origins of the Collie. It isn’t until about 1860 that the first show in Birmingham England brought these dogs to the public’s attention.
He says that little was know of pedigrees of these early show Collies, dogs like Cockie, Old Mec, Trefoil, Tartan, Tricolour and Old Bess, except the majority of them came from working strains of Sheepdogs. Many of the show dogs worked sheep in a “creditable manner,” and that show and working Collies came from the same families. The first recorded herding trials occurred in the early 1870s in North Wales. One outstanding pioneer was Mr R. S. Piggin’s show Collie Ormskirk Charlie, who was well known. Mr Charles Wheeler, an early pillar of the breed, also referred to Ormskirk Charlie, a son of Christopher, as a talented lowland worker but (arguing that Collies shouldn’t be too large) had to give way to smaller and lighter dogs in the rough mountain terrain.
Baskerville refers to other talented Collies that were the foundation of early show dogs like Carlyle, “Who was bred from a well-known strain of working Sheepdogs. And Lutra, another tricolor was bred in Scotland from a celebrated strain of working Sheepdogs, with correct type of head, proper ear carriage and a capital coat.” Wheeler also refers to Carlyle and Lutra and comments that Lutra was bred to an unshown son of Old Cockie and produced Duncan. He was bred to Old Bess, and she was described as intelligent and a clever worker with sheep. From there the Duncan-Bess strain was founded.
Even over 100 years ago Wheeler had to address the complaint that the show dogs lacked the capability of the working dog, but he says there is no doubt, “It is a safe affirmation that hundreds of them are engaged in that occupation all over the country. One in particular, by Edgbaston Royal x a Tottington Pilot bitch, is a winner on the show bench and a wonderfully good worker.”
If we want to proceed to a little more current history, away from those early pillars of our breed, we go to Glen Twiford of Wind Call Collies. Living in Wyoming in the 1930s he began using his sons of El Troubador of Arken and Cock Robin of Arken as the foundation of his working Collies. He initially chose dogs for intelligence and instinct but soon began paying attention to aesthetic qualities. These dogs would work up to 3,000 sheep and in a day move them 15 miles or more. Glen learned that he couldn’t train them like Border Collies, they don’t crouch or use eye, and discovered Collies are a “moving dog.” He learned from working experience that his dogs “strictly had to be in constant motion.” This style of herding meant they had to be quick and able to change direction easily. He points out that putting a dog to work proves the correct balance and proportion. Glen insisted that it’s not difficult to breed for the aesthetic head qualities along with well put together dogs of working ability. I would add, that to succeed in that combination you have to want it and diligently select for it.
Our history is of a herding, working dog. If we are to preserve our breed, then this is part of that heritage like temperament, aesthetics and health. From an early article about Glen Twiford’s herding Collies he says “It’s the very features that make the dog outstanding in the field and over rough terrain where he moves effortlessly, the balance, the proportion are the identical things that make us see the beauty of the dog in the show ring.” These features-for show or working-are one and the same.
