Blasts From The Past…
Below are links to information on many of the great Shelties which are the foundation of the breed today. Some interesting reading on rainy days…
I’ve had six Shelties in my life since I was 7 years old. I remember well the night our family picked up Shep, our first. It was a dark night in late 1962 when five kids and their parents piled into a station wagon for the trip to a Kansas breeder. We got lost during the drive, and had to look at street signs with a flashlight, but finally arrived none the worse for wear. For me, it was the start of a love for a most special breed of dog.
One can imagine five (later to be seven) kids and a Sheltie. Shep would actively “herd” us, and we had many wonderful experiences with him. He lived over 15 years, and my love for the breed (and dogs in general) is rooted in those times.
I became interested in the history of the breed, and especially learning more about those special dogs which had so much influence on my own. All of the Shelties listed below have had distinguished careers as among the finest examples of the breed and many have had tremendous impact on our dogs of today. The careful, thoughtful breeding programs many of these dogs represent have allowed me to enjoy the relationship I have with my Sheltie today. Knowing them helps us all know our own dogs even better…
–RJMc
(This is only a sampling of many great Shelties who have influenced the breed – there are many more. But most of the best known greats up into the 1980’s are listed. Most of these links are from Sue Bowling’s site.)