Mountaindell's Blacksheep Kenzie
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Kenzie is a purebred black and white English Shepherd, born 4/26/2018. Mark and I traveled to Colorado to get her, and she is the best family and farm dog we have had. She loves to chase balls and jump and play with her humans. A farm manager, she is good with chickens and livestock while helping to keep them in line. For example, she has alerted us when a steer escaped his pasture or the goats were in the wrong pen. One of her favorite jobs is guarding the milk room door from Boer goats that shouldn't enter (but think they deserve to get grain like the milkers). She also protects us from pushy steers and rams. Kenzie is good with our grandchildren and nephew, but is somewhat aloof to strangers until she accepts them. She is biddable, resilient and fun. She travels with us on our family vacations.
Kenzie has been DNA tested by Embark and is clear for all genetic mutations, except that she is a carrier of Progressive Retinal Atrophy, prcd (PRCD Exon 1). She was tested by OFA at 27 months of age and her hips are rated excellent and elbows are rated good. Kenzie is registered with the English Shepherd Society, #ESC-6311.
We are hoping to breed Kenzie to a suitable English Shepherd soon, with an emphasis on breeding for good temperament and resilience, as well as health.
Kenzie has been DNA tested by Embark and is clear for all genetic mutations, except that she is a carrier of Progressive Retinal Atrophy, prcd (PRCD Exon 1). She was tested by OFA at 27 months of age and her hips are rated excellent and elbows are rated good. Kenzie is registered with the English Shepherd Society, #ESC-6311.
We are hoping to breed Kenzie to a suitable English Shepherd soon, with an emphasis on breeding for good temperament and resilience, as well as health.
English Shepherds
English Shepherds are old-time farm dogs that originated in early America from stock brought from England. They are a landrace registered through the English Shepherd Society or the United Kennel Club. (They are not recognized by the AKC, and most breeders are content to keep it that way.) They form a strong bond with their people and look for ways to help them around the farm. Some of them are good farm managers, helping control livestock on the farm. They can be good at herding and guarding livestock (though they do not live with livestock like Livestock Guardian Dogs). Many excel in vermin eradication. They are also wonderful family dogs who usually enjoy playing with children. Sometimes described "like Border Collies with an Off-Switch", English Shepherds enjoy spending their down time relaxing with family. Unlike Border Collies, they are upright herders and tend to use their bark to move livestock instead of the "eye". They have been bred to be intelligent, biddable, and to work independently. ES are good "rule enforcers" that tell you when something is out of line (often by barking, unless trained to alert in other ways). They need strong direction and a job to keep them busy or they will take matters into their own hands.
