THE OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOG
CLUB OF SCOTLAND
The Club's History, (1932 - .....)
By Lew and Margaret McWilliam
Chapter One
The first written
record of Old English Sheepdogs in Scotland can be traced back to 1878, although
it is thought that the ancestors of these dogs existed in Scotland as workers
for hundreds of years prior to that date. These working dogs would have belonged
to farmers, shepherds and drovers and as working dogs there would have been
no need for written details such as pedigrees or Kennel Club records. Some dog
historians believe that the ancestors of these workers may have been descended
from the Russian Owtcharka, which reached Scotland by way of the Baltic sailing
ships, and was crossed with the Old Highland, Scotch or Bearded Collie. However,
it is the authors opinion that the bobtail is a pure strain - a breed of its
own.
It was the late 19th century, however, before breed pioneers laid down the first
blueprint which was later to become known as the official breed standard. The
names of these pioneers are now well recorded for posterity in breed specialist
books, and include such men as Dr. George Macgill - an expert breeder and judge
of all manner of livestock including Old English Sheepdogs. Dr. Macgill was
born and brought up on his father's farm at Ardwell near Stranraer before attending
Edinburgh University and qualifying as a doctor. After living and working in
England, he retired to his native Wigtownshire where he involved himself with
all manner of livestock Another pioneer was Dr. Edwards-Ker who helped establish
the breed in those early days. Dr Edwards-Ker recalled "when quite a lad
I remember seeing an old grizzle and white sheepdog lying outside a farmhouse
here in Suffolk, which three weeks or a month before was purchased in Dumfries;
the dog worked a herd of bullocks all the way from his Scottish home to the
eastern corner of Suffolk by road. After remaining comfortably for a fortnight,
in his new quarters, one day he was missing and no tidings could be gleaned
of him in the neighbourhood, and no wonder, for within the week his Suffolk
purchaser received a letter informing him the old dog was safe back in Dumfries".
Although a Suffolk man the name Ker is common in the borders of Scotland. The
clan Kerr or Carr is the only left-handed clan in Scottish history and the phrase
'Carrie Fisted', derived from this clan, is ~ common Scottish description of
a left-hander. The principal division of the Kerr family became known as the
Kers of Cessford, near Kelso, of whom the Duke of Roxburgh is now chief.
The largest use of the pre-standard bobtail was thought to be in southern Scotland,
and in particular the borders, where almost every town grew up around the market
place and where cattle raiding and sheep stealing were to be the cause of constant
conflict. The river Tweed - Scots for twill - twists and turns through this
huge pastoral landscape making itself fully available to all the woollen mills
which have become renowned for quality garments down throughout the years. When
the whole economy of the borders depended on these mills and on the sheep which
supplied the raw material then its only natural that the finest sheepdogs would
be used to protect their flocks - the finest being the Bobtail.
In 1881, The Kennel Club stud book listed the breed as "English Short Tailed
Collie" which is an obvious contradiction of terms since most dictionaries
and encyclopaedias describe the colley or collie as "a dog pertaining to
Scotland - usually a sheepdog". The word collie is derived from the Scots
word coally meaning dark or black like. Is it possible that the word 'English'
may have been used in its broadest sense? We note that in the sportsman's Cabinet
of 1803, "The breed is propagated and preserved with the greatest respect
to purity in the Northern parts of the Kingdom. as well as in the Highlands
of Scotland. where in the extensive tracts and uncultivated wilds their services
exceed description". In 1882 The Scottish Kennel Club listed the breed
under Sheepdogs (English, Old Fashioned, Short Tailed). It is a pity that the
words 'Old Fashioned', were later rearranged to 'Old English' for the definition
of 'Old Fashioned' in dictionaries and encyclopaedias is "being made from
the root" or 'Original', and thus we have the 'Original British Sheepdog'
from which others descend, including our own modern bobtails.
It is thought, however, that 'Old Fashioned Sheepdogs' may have existed in Europe
as early as the 15th century. The first pictorial evidence of what is thought
to be a 'bobtail-like character' in England is in the famous painting of the
Duke of Buccleugh by Gainsborough. 1771. However, it is reported that at least
two earlier paintings by Van Eyck and Durer may suggest that dogs of a similar
appearance to the original bobtail have existed in other European countries
long before this date. George Louis Leclerc - the count de buffon - wrote "That
of the 37 varieties or races of dogs, 17 are subject to change by the influence
of climate, but the shepherds dog (Sheepdog) he calls the root of the tree".
He further suggests that hounds, although very different, are probably descendants
of sheepdogs because sheepdogs would be more useful for the protection of livestock
which must surely have been the purpose of the first dog. This seems to be a
rather unusual suggestion since hounds of various types have been depicted and
mentioned in Egyptian writings and even the Bible contains references to them.
However, shepherding is one of mans earliest occupations and it is perhaps possible
that the sheepdog. along with his master and charges. made his way to Britain
via Europe on a similar route to the' Stone of Destiny.
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OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOG CLUB OF SCOTLAND
Secretary: Mrs. Margaret Strachan
31 Fortieth Avenue, Whitehills, East Kilbride G75 0SS
Phone: 01355
520417