6 tips to see signifiicant progress

Irish Jackson

‎6 tips for progress in your program in 2012

1.Learn to say NO!

Get a vision, and stand by your decisions that you have made. You have the right to say no anytime you feel like. You dont have to sell dogs to people you dont want to, you dont have to be nice if you dont want to, you dont have to do anything you dont want to when it comes to working with others. Also, learn to tell yourself no.
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2. Learn to live without excuses

The dog is not acting foolish because he was beaten as a pup. The puppies do not have cleft pallate because of too much vitamin a. Your line is not messed up because of some environmental problem. The reason stuff is messed up is because of the dogs you are using. No excuses. No excuses. never make excuses for failure. Learn from it and move on.

3.Ask advice from experienced breeders

There is nothing wrong with seeking advice from prosperous people. You will save yourself alot of trouble if you will learn from thier mistakes rather than your own.

4.Every action you take in your program should be with the end result in mind.

Your vision should be the basis of all your decision making. From what dog to breed to what dog, from which pup to keep and why, from whether you should do an inbreeding, linebreeding, or outcross. How does it relate to your goals, and how will it help you get there?

5.Without a clear vision, significant progress is not possible.

Having your ideal dog in MIND is not good enough. you may think im beating the same drum but Ill say it again, if you dont have a clear vision for your ideal dog, for your program, and for your life, you will run a baja race in a geo metro.

6. Realize everybody is a somebody

There are hundreds of fools who should not be breeding dogs, much less our beloved Olde English Bulldogge. However, I have underestimated people quite a bit. I believe everybody knows something I dont know, therefore I can learn something from everybody. Dont count people out. You never know who it is you're helping out in the game

WHERE THERE IS NO VISION

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  Irish Jackson

  Where there is no vision... (long read)
  Posted by irish on 12/24/2011, 11:39 pm
  
  The book of proverbs says in chapter 29, verse 18 "Where there is no vision, the people perish..."
  
  I would like to apply this to dog breeding. if you have heard someone talk about having a vision, or have one yourself, this post may help you. If you want to be a successful breeder with a line that betters the breed, this post may help you.
  When a breeder doesnt have a vision, they are limiting thier potential.The dictionary definition of "vision" is unusually keen perception, or mental state of something imaginary. So to have a vision means to imagine something so much it becomes your mental state of mind. You believe its true. You believe its possible. Your mental state does steer your direction in life.
  
  WHY SHOULD I HAVE A VISION?
  (1) A vision helps you not to get sidetracked.
  DONT GET SIDETRACKED!!!
  (a) Know where you're going, & dont go anywhere else.
  (b) Know who you want to be, & dont be anyone else.
  * You are what you think you are. be honest with the man in the mirror. Do you really believe you can breed a quality line of bulldogges, or do you just hope you can? Do you really believ you can help raise the bar of the breed, or do you just hope you can? Hope will have you thinking about it, but not reaching it. Belief will have you seeing your vision come to reality.
  
  *Whether or not you think you can, you're right!
  
  (2) A vision gives you clear direction.
  (a) Having a clear direction tells you where to go and what to stay away from. if Im going to California, Im going to look at my map, fill up the car with gas, plan my route, and drive. Im not going to get sidetracked to Michigan. DONT GET SIDETRACKED!!!
  
  (3) A vision of your end result will create the proper vison for today
  (a) Visualize your ideal dog. How much will he weigh? What are his height to weight ratios? What is his height, length, chest, and head in inches?
  (b) Visualize your ideal program. What activities would you like to be involved in? Visualize your kennels & whelping pens. Visualize your dogs getting great hip scores.
  
  * Where there is no vision, there is no clear direction.
  
  A QUESTION TO ASK YOURSELF
  "What are my intentions in dog breeding?"
  
  Just as a father asks a young man what his intentions are before he takes his daughter out on a date, all breeders must ask themselves "what are my intentions in the dog game?" Why are you breeding dogs? What is it you hope to accomplish? Now ask yourself, "AM I MOVING FORWARD WITH THE RIGHT INTENTIONS?"
  Positive intent brings positive outcome.
  Negative intent brings negative outcome.
  
  * Breeding for color,head, or muscle as a premier goal is negative intent because of the negative impact it has on the breed.
  *Breeding for health, temperament, ability, drive, & conformtion are all postive intent & they bring positive outcome!
  
  FINAL OBSERVATIONS
  (1) People with a vison are often misunderstood
  (2) Nobody will ever see your vision as clear as you do
  (3) A right vision does not come to those who are not on a right path
  (a) Breeders who are not currently concerned with health and temperament as a priority will not be able to have a proper vision unless they change the way they think.
  
  *People who get a vision in life have already been on the path to that vision. They were in the right area and were able to recieve and develop it. No matter where you are in your breeding program, get a clear vision & think about it every day!

How to not let others bother you

1. Have a "closed door" program

Whenever other breeders have access to our dogs, they also have access to our hard work, selective breeding, time, and money. Choose your friends carefully, because there are many who will one day use your kindness against you.

2. Dont associate with good people who have close friends that are bad people.

Have you ever dated someone and thier best friend all the sudden became an integral part of your life? Its the same way in dog breeding. Sometimes if you get one breeder, you get thier friends too.One bad apple spoils the whole barrel.

3.Annoying people bring headaches. Rid yourself of annoying people.

The last litter I had for sale, I sold as pets. many would've called those same pets breedworthy. I had a man in florida raedy to buy a pup as soon as I would let him. He called, emailed, or texted every day for weeks. He asked for TONS of pics at all sorts of angles, and was overall a pain to deal with. I came to the conclusion that he was causing me stress. I decided there was no way his $1,500 was worth me being annoyed for the next several years.

4. Avoid unhappy people

People who have no sense of humor, cant laugh or smile, or a constantly negative should be avoided at all cost. They will cause you to act like them, and negativity breeds negativity.

5. Avoid proud people

People who cannot admit they are wrong(when they ARE) should be avoided. They are self righteous, unteachable, and they feel they are better than you. Theres nothing wrong with having alot of self confidence. Theres nothing wrong with staking claim to things when youre hard work caused it to be done. There is good pride, and bad pride. Learn the difference, and avoid prideful people who havn't accomplished anything of substance.

6. If you cannot live without access to a dog, dont let it leave your yard.

People in the dog game are always letting dogs go for pup back deals and all kinds of odd situations. If you want to use the dog, keep it. If you dont want it, get rid of it.If you want it but cant afford to keep it or dont have room, get out of breeding. Dont trust someone else with a valuble piece of your program. It doesnt matter how well you know them!

7 tips to stay happy in the dog game

1. Think happy thoughts

Thinking positive thoughts will encourage and help develop a positive outcome. If you think negative thoughts you will encourage negativity in your life, and in your program.

2.Give credit and gratitude to whom it is due

(a) We all like it when people give us thanks for something we've done. Not only does it make us feel good, it pushes us to do more. We should do this for other people. Theres alot of great people in the dog world who deserve credit. Give them a call, send a text, send an email, just do something to let them know you appreciate them.

(b)If someone has a nice post or a nice dog, say so. We are more than willing to tell someone when they have a crappy dog, or a post of misinformation. We should be just as willing to pay a compliment.

3. Let a standard "guide" you, not "control" you.

We've heard it before: "Breed to better your line, and breed to better the breed" A standard is not the law, it is a written example of a registries ideal dog. A standard can help you stay on track. Use it as a tool.

4. When trying to grow, don't compare yourself to others. Compare yourself to the old you!

Where did you used to be in your line, compared to where you are now? Even if you've only made a little bit of progress, ITS STILL PROGRESS. Be happy and keep learning.

5. Reach out to others.

"Give and it shall be given"
I believe that 80% of the time, people who recieve things without working for them do not have a good appreciation for what they recieved. However, I do believe there are simpler things we can give that are priceless: Encouragement, Knowledge,Advice,Information, & Correction are a few invaluble things that can change someones program for the better.

6. Avoid others personal drama

I believe in exposing corruption in the dog game. If i had been shown the true light of some of my earlier "mentors" I would be years further down success' road. I do not, however, believe we should get involved when there is personal issues between 2 other breeders. "He that meddleth with strife belonging not to him is as one that taketh a dog by the ears" ( the Bible). It will only come back to bite you. If someone is an enemy of my friend, they are my enemy. If someone goes after my friend, I go after them. Even so, there are times when we should avoid others' drama.

7. Stay active with your dogs

I love the fact that between testing, training, and companionship, the people of this board are very active with thier dogs. That is more important than anything else. We need to be spiritually and emotionally close to our dogs. Dogs look one way on paper, but sometimes different when you get truly close to them. We should know them like we know ourselves.

It takes 2!

I beleive there are 2 big ingredients to being a responsible bulldogge breeder.

Ingredient #1 = PASSION

Why are people flocking to this board? Because the creator, and the contributors of this board ooze passion. Passion is a very attractive emotion. It starts out as an emotion, but becomes part of who we are. Many breeders have passion. They are excited, energized, and full of life when it comes to olde english bulldogges. People with passion are driven to fulfil thier goals.

Ingredient #2 = CHARACTER

Many people who do not have passion have something else: Character. Character can be a learned behaviour but is usually related to genetics. Character doesnt have very much life or excitement to it, but it gets the job done. Your character is who you are in the dark, when no one else is watching. Your character doesn't motivate you, but rather pushes or forces you to complete the task with quality.

So.....
Many people have one or the other, but rarely both. I myself have passion to spare, but am very disappointed with my level of character. A person with just one of these attributes can accomplish alot. However, someone with only passion will face a brick wall when the going gets tough. Someone with only character will have a hard time when passion is needed. A lack of either places us behind the curve.

So I conclude that it is best to have a fair amount of both. A strong work ethic and powerful drive makes for an unstoppable human being. we should all analyze ourselves and come to terms with our true self. If we are lacking in one of these areas, we should work on it! Theres no need to panic. Character will develop needed passion, and passion can drive you to develop character.

Passion is an emotion that comes and goes, character is an attribute that is here to stay!

3 dedications for discerning direction

1. Dedicate our programs to QUALITY

(a). Discern what is true quality
Quality is not just what we like or favor. Quality is not our favorite color or type. Those things are preferences. Quality is defined as the standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind. OR simply decribed, whichever thing is better, is more quality. A dog with health or temperament issues is not a quality dog. We should be dedicated to producing the best quality possible.

2. Dedicate our programs to the STANDARD

(a) A standard is an example held up so everyone can see.This standard should create an amazing dog when we visualize what it describes. Very few, if any dogs will ever reach the standard in every area. However, if we push for a standard dog in our own program that exemplifies the physical and mental traits of the standard, we are getting closer to reaching the perfect dog.

3. Dedicate our programs to GROWTH

(a) Our ideal dog may change down the road. Show me a breeder who is satisfied with where they are in thier life, and I will show you a breeder who has reached thier prime and will never grow further. they will eventually grow stagnant because they sit in one place, and in time, stagnation will cause them to rot. We do not remain in one place for long. A breeder is either going up, or going down. Getting better, or getting worse.
The Breeder who is constantly thinking, educating themselves, and moving will be the breeder who sees growth in thier program. Everybody knows something I dont know. Therefore, I can learn something from everybody. Education is the key to growth. Don't be like a sponge who soaks up water but doesn't give it back out. If you soak it up and keep it for yourself, you will grow hard, smelly, and useless. if you give it back out, you will be useful and effective.

Five F's for a firm foundation

1. Follow

* We all follow someone. We are imprinted upon by the people we associate with, the TV we watch, the music we listen to, and the material we read.Who do you follow?
(a) Following the wrong person will lead to failure
(b) Following the right person will lead to success.

2. Focus

(a) People who lack focus justify thier flaws by focusing on others' flaws.

(b) Comparing our dogs to a good vision will give us a proper view of our flaws so we can correct them
* A football player does not take the ball, and while running to the end zone, stare at everybody else. He startes at the end zone, and runs with all his might. Just a a breeder should have a clear goal (or end zone) and keep thier eyes on it.

3. Fruitful

(a) A good breeder is known by thier productions. What "fruit" do you produce? What is the fruit of your labor?

(b) More fruit being produced does not mean it tastes better. (QUALITY not QUANTITY)

4. Fulfillment

(a) What is it that fills the void for you? Are you fulfilled by a specific dog, a color, a physical attribute, an action that the dog can do, a type of dog, or perhaps a combination of several of these things?

(b) We should never be satisfied or fulfilled with mediocrity. If our favorite thing on a dog is not good for the breed, it should no longer be our favorite thing.

5. Foundation
* Who are your foundation dogs?

(a) A bloodlines foundation must be started with the right dogs in order to stand the test of time.

(b) We will all experience issues and storms in our program, but the wrong foundation will cause our line to crumble when we run into issues.

10 principles for better bulldog breeding

Posted by Ben Jackson on December 14, 2011 at 12:25 AM

1. If successful breeders are against it,so am I.
Not every breeder is going to have a program we want to emulate. By "successful", I dont mean the person with thier name on the most pedigrees.(often that is a sign of unscrupulous breedeing)
I am talking about someone who has perpetuated a line of healthy, functional olde english bulldogges & has been proven to be an ally of the breed. You are who you hang around, so surround yourself with people you want to be like.
2. I will not let emotions overrule logic.
Science, logic,& education must preside over how we feel when it comes to breeding bulldogges. Our favorite color or bloodlines are not deciding factors when it comes to producing bulldogges. Just because our male is a great dog doesn't mean he's the right stud for the next breeding.
3. Its easier to keep your program healthy than to fix it after its been defiled.
With all the health issues in the breed, we should be aware of these issues and how they affect our individual dogs and line. Testing for these issues will make us aware and help us to breed accordingly. Don't get off on the wrong foot in a breeding and try to fix problems in a later generation. If there is an issue in a line, breed against it.
4. Indulging in visual appetites does not make a good dog.
It may create a good looking dog. When the emphasis is placed on looks, we sacrafice the things that matter most. Do not sacrafice the future for what you want today.
5.Small compromises lead to great disasters.
I am one of many breeders who has thrown in the towel and gone back to the drawing board, frustrated with the lack of progress my line was making.A person who is careful about the little things is also careful about the big things. The little foxes spoil the vine, meaning its the little things that tear into our program, coming back to bite us when we least expect it. be wise with the little issues, because they turn into big issues.
6. Those who do not breed quality bulldogges, will not help me breed quality bulldogges.
Sometimes we recognize the lack of progress and quality in someones dogs, yet we still use a dog from that line. We should be careful about this. A quality dog is where you find it, but you will find very few true quality dogs from low quality people.
7.Our bad breeding habits do hurt those who follow us.
None of our lives only affect just our own lives. Whether we breed for ourselves or not, one wrong move can affect a whole litter, and one bad litter can affect a whole breed. Every move we make within our program should be for the betterment of the breed.
8.It is not possible to fix bad genetics with other low quality genetics.
If there is a problem area in a dog or line, the only ways to fix it are either to cull the dog, or to introduce blood that has NEVER had issues in these areas.Go past 3 generations of the dogs pedigree. Look deep into it, and make sure you know what youre breeding before you breed it.
9. We lose our freedom of choice after we have chosen our actions.
The consequences are inevitable, incalculable, and up to fate. Take your time when deciding what to do and how to do it. All of your moves should be well thought out and calculated. Once we act, we can't take it back. Act slowly, and decisively.
10.If we accept the blame when we make mistakes, our guilt is erased, and we can learn from those mistakes.
Honesty in the dog game is a rarity. People are not honest with each other, let alone honest with themselves. If we are going to better the breed, there must be an element of honesty and trust amongst each other.

Working with other people in the dog world

Posted by Ben Jackson on December 14, 2011 at 12:25 AM

Hope this helps, lets face it, working with different people is one of the biggest factors in the dog world today.
(1)People are going to question our methods and practices.
(a)What we believe? (about color, culling, healthy breeding)
(b)Why they should believe it?
We lay the facts out there,yet they still say "convince me." When i was in the dark,people laid the facts out there.I studied and came to the conclusion that I had been wrong for years. I humbled myself & learned. We live in a society that says "Prove it to me". However, it seems in the bulldogge world that even after we show the facts, many still do not believe.
(c)Whats different from what they believe?
People who have different views than we do will sometimes claim they "agree with us". They say "I too, believe in breeding for health, temperament, form, and function first!"
Yet thier actions tell a different story. If we do not follow the same ideals, then we do not agree. The Bible says, "Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" The answer is NO. We cannot walk with those who are not headed in the same direction.
(2) People will test our knowledge and patience.
(a) The registries do it.
The KC of England and the AKC have denied the Olde English Bulldogge as a legitimate breed and have both dubbed it a poor copy of the great English Bulldog. They deny the severe need of altering the EB, as many in the Olde game deny the need to fix thier line.
(b) The breeders do it.
They say "whats wrong with breeding for color?" They do not actually want to know the answer. For when we tell them everything that is wrong with it, they do not change thier ways.
(c) They will keep doing it
This is going to happen til the day we die. Prepare for that, and do not indulge them. If they draw us out of the ranks, it makes us look weak. Great people are not drawn to weak people.
(3) Some people may claim to be our friends or followers
(a) Make sure your friends believe the same way you do.Remember: You are who you hang around.
(b)Just because someone has good dogs does not mean they are a good person.
Someone could get quality dogs from Evo Empire, & it would take them a few breedings to make total crap out the genetics.
(c)The dogs THEY PRODUCE indicate thier true ideals.
If you want to know something about someone, look at thier product, what they produce, and how they produce it.
(4) You can hang your entire philosophy on 2 statements: (A.) "Breed the best to the best and hope for the best". Not our ideal of what is best, but what has been proven to be the best.
& (B.) "You are who you hang around".
*There are plenty of great philosophies when it comes to breeding dogs, but these two are guiding lights on the path to good bulldogge breeding.
(5) There are 3 big responsibilities of a breeder:
(a) To choose and breed stock that has the necessary potential and genetics to better the breed
(b) To test for issues within our stock & cull dogs who will lower the quality of the breed
(c) To be honest about our dogs, our pedigree's, & our productions.

A better me, a better you, a better breed.

Posted by Ben Jackson on December 9, 2011 at 7:40 PM

A BETTER ME, A BETTER YOU, A BETTER BREED
Sometimes I say things in writing or verbally and I dont remember where I learned it from. When you talk to most bulldogge breeders, they don't have anything that stirs them up. Nothing they are passionate about. ( I said "passion" not "interested in"). To me, there are hundreds of different topics we could discuss about the olde english bulldogge. Genetics, history, purpose, form,structure, ability, health, temperament, and training are just a few of the important factors that could and should be discussed regarding the breed. Too often only color, bone, and head are the main highlight of breeders conversations. The only reasons I can figure as to why so many people don't discus these important topics is one of two reasons. #1 Breeders just do not care OR #2 Breeders just do not know these things (which means they shouldnt be breeding yet).
I hear all the time that we should educate other breeders. I disagree somewhat. Far too often I have tried to teach and guide those who seem to not understand the important aspects of the breed only to be ridiculed and hated. I have done it straightforward, and I have beat around the bush. I have been nice, sweet, and tactful. I have been rude and abrasive. Nothing seems to work. I then remember Abraham Lincoln said " Advice not asked for is often resented and rarely heeded". The information is out there for all to see. Those in the bulldog game who seek an education have all the knowledge and material they need at thier fingertips. With boards like these and all the informational sites out there, its a wonder that our beloved breed is still in the state its in! If people have questions, they can ask. I am well educated, and a "student of the breed", yet I ask questions daily. If we are going to raise our breeding programs to the next level we MUST arm ourselves with a good education of what we are doing. Every time I learn something about bulldogges, i make myself a better man and I make my program a better program (thereby bettering the breed). I have come to the conclusion that for many breeders, they just do not care to educate themselves. As for us, we are doing it daily here and other places. If we keep it up, we will revolutionize this breed, and take it out of the hands of those who would destroy it.

My ideas for my program

Posted by Ben Jackson on November 3, 2011 at 12:05 AM

My first experiences with the oeb were not good ones. I was heavily into pit bulldogs for quite some time. I love them, and still do. I think they are the "superman" of dogs,just not for me for a few reasons. when i first started looking for something, i came across the OEB. i bought 2 from a man in kansas city. I dislked them very much and gave them away after awhile.My only impression of the OEB was some IOEBA papered dogs that i didnt care for. Going from good pit stock to weak Oebs is a hard thing to do, lol. I ended up talking to nathaniel rutan for about 3 years before i finally ended up getting another OEB, and the 2nd time around, i was hooked. I want to breed them close to what Niel Rutan was trying to do with his program. I cant go let all my bulldogs loose and expect there not to be a problem. Some males are going to play king of the hill and some females are going to argue. I dont want to breed the kind of dogs that i have to worry about a catastrophe if someone gets loose. Granted, some of these dogs are my favorites and if they get loose, theres a chance somethings gonna go down. But not every OEB i have is some dog aggressive crazy loon. Some of them will even chill with other dogs as long as they dont get pushed around or challenged. This does not make them any better or worse.

I think when i threw the words "aggression", "game", "hardcore" out there it scared people. Sometimes i dont explain my thoughts as well as id like to. I dont want tiny dogs, i dont want weak dogs, and i dont prefer dogs who are afraid or cant roll with small game in the field. They dont need to be human aggressive, and not neccessarily dog aggressive. if i could teach them all to be great with dogs but go after small game, i would, but many dogs do not make the difference in thier head. 4 legs is 4 legs to alot of them.
However, i do not have a yard full of crazies. One of my toughest dudes, odie, jumped on another male when i first broguht him into the house and immediately i called him off and he responded. IMO, thats a good dog. he is fearless, and cannot be around other males because he feels the need to prove himself and wont back down, however, he obeys, even when its against his nature. Thats the kind of dog im aiming for.One that isnt so insane he has to be held down with a log chain in order to prevent chaos

My rules for breeding bulldogges

Posted by Ben Jackson on November 3, 2011 at 12:05 AM

1. Breed out of love for your dogs, for your happiness and your pleasure, but NEVER for profit. keep your breeding stock and pups around you as much as possible. If they do not play well with others, make sure you give them individual attention. Your dog is not another household servant. he should be your friend.
2. Remember that olde bulldog breeding must be the breeding of working dogs, if it is to remain olde bulldog breeding.if you no longer wish to work them, then dont call them olde bulldogs anymore and breed for conformation. It is not fair to the dogs.
3.Strive for the highest mark in this goal, but do not overwork yourself or your dogs. this is to be a stress relief in life, not a stress giver.
4.Breeding for a championship is not a worthy goal. rather, you should strive to improve the breed with every breeding and breed dogs who raise the breed average.
5. City or apartment bred dogs are rarely good breeders. Choose your b###h( the basis of future breeding) from tough, healthy, working stock, and select a good corresponding stud. Show dogs and prize winners are not always the best match for breeding.
6.Pair your breeding pair according to bloodlines, build, character, capabilities, and workability. weak nerved or shy animals should not be bred. Spirited dogs will serve the breed well.
7.Breed on good blood but dont overdo inbreeding. Leave inbreeding to the experienced breeder who has raised 4 or 5 generations.
8. Make sure your animal has the characteristics of its sex. Doggy b###hes and b###hy dogs throw things off balance.Both partners should relate in size and bone structure.
9. Plan your breedings ahead of time, not at the last minute.A weak or sickly b###h should not be bred. Do not breed b###hes every heat. She is not a factory. She is an animal, and needs rest and peace.
10. Keep the area clean. If the dogs are kenneled or tethered outside, keep straw on the ground and in the dog house. If they are kenneled indoors, keep the area clean to avoid disease, bugs, and stench. Keep puppies areas clean. negligence has a bitter way of biting back.
11. The more dogs you have, the more accidents you have. The more dogs you have, the less attention each dog gets. The more dogs you have, the more it costs, and the more it costs, the more you think about money rather than the breed.

Main differences between the show and working olde bulldogges

Posted by Ben Jackson on November 3, 2011 at 12:00 AM

IF YOU DONT LIKE TO READ, OR DO NOT TRULY CARE ABOUT THE OEB, THEN THIS NEXT ARTICLE IS NO GOOD FOR YOU
Anyone can breed a "pet". the dog pound in every county in america is filled with "pets". To take a working breed and get in on it and start a kennel, yet say your goal is to breed family pets, means you are shooting so extremely low. Breeding pets is easy. Pot belly pigs can be pets. The largest reason why people do not want to breed working dogs is because they themselves do not want to work. In this day and age in america, our society is so lazy that we want everything now, now, now. Breeding a breed and keeping it in line with proper goals is a lifelong endeavor for all involved.Breeders should not be breeding for pets. They should be breeding for working, able bodied, champion contender dogs that make good pets.
What does "form follows function" mean to you? Regardless of our own opinions, or how we see it, to fit our own lifestyle, the OEB is a functional dog and there are certain functions it should be able to perform.
The show ring is greatly responsible for the decline of breed purpose, ability, and temperament in far too many once great breeds. Notably bulldogs, hunting dogs, and sled dogs.
the QUICK & EASY gratification of ribbons and trophies all to quickly ruins the hard work and preservation of the fanciers who try to preserve the breeds purpose.
If our breed is to conform to the idea of "a sound mind and sound body" like the AKC puts forth for all breeds, we must find some way to ensure that less breeding takes place amongst those who will not preserve the purpose of the breed, but rather conform to popularity, and take the easy way out to get thier finished product in 3 or 4 years rather than a lifetime. Greater attention MUST be placed on working characteristics, temperament and trainability.
A balanced outlook on our breeds identity must be in place by looking at all current and historical aspects of conformation, type, workability, and a difference between other breeds. Ours did not come from the english bulldog. The english bulldog came from ours. At one point in time, the english bulldog was a larger, healthier, workable specimin. Tough and tenacious it was. However, the "fancy" joined with conformation. As emphasis was laid on looks and family attitude, the breed declined vastly. All kinds of breeds, even small dogs, can perform useful functions and respond to training. Those aspects should be given accordance and importance as it is not only past and current history, but also breed founders intent.
Breeding and exhibition of utility breeds such as gundogs or sleddogs or bulldogs, merley for sale as pets and show dogs, with no effort made to maintain and advance thier working capabilities, is an obvious abuse which does inevitably lead to mental and physical degeneracy in those breeds later generations.

main differences between the olde boston bulldogge and the boston terrier

Posted by Ben Jackson on November 3, 2011 at 12:00 AM

What in your opinion are the main differences between the boston terrier and the olde boston bulldogge?
In 2 words, i would say the best way to see a differnce between breeds, is "breed standard".
That is why we need a good working standard for our breed. The best way to do this is to decide the breeds purpose, and the breeds future, and then form a standard around those goals. Having multiple types within one breed standard never works and never lasts. The BTA had 3 classes with AKC when they first joined up, and it did not work out for them, as it would not work out for us.Before we form a standard, we should look at the breeds history, and perhaps read the Olde Boston Bulldogge article by the late great Niel Rutan. That may give us some positive perspective.
One i would say, is of course size and color.How you paint your dogs is up to you. there is just one color in the OBB that makes me raise an eyebrow. Other than that, i think less focus should be put on color, and more thought on ability, drive and health. I believe if we are to excell in this thing of breedmaking and furthering our cause to even those who have corrupted opinions ( by those who are involved with a certain "international bulldog kennel club", then there needs to be a spacing in between the typical 15-20 lb. boston terrier and the robust boston bull. We have all seen enough sickly, small, shivering boston terriers by now to have learned our lesson not to sink back into the same trance of glistening lights and trophies.
Another, i would say, is temperament. An olde boston bulldog may have 2 personalities. One when he is in the house or outside playing with people, another when he is called upon for some task or work. You will not find the ability to switch gears in the typical boston terrier. What you will find is a one weak setting. Perhaps it would be safe to say the only gear the AKC BT has is "reverse".

Outcrossing in olde bulldogges

Posted by Ben Jackson on November 3, 2011 at 12:00 AM

Let me say that i believe in several tools in perpetuating a bloodline. I do believe in inbreeding and linebreeding as they have been proven to be the best tools in perpetuating a solid, consistent bloodline of bulldogs. I believe outcrosses are neccessary and should be used. However, outcrosses are tools in the toolbox. Now, what i do is none of your business.What you do is none of my business. However, when we take the hard work of another man or men, and dont even add to the breed with an outcross, we just mix up some bulldogs and call them whatever we want, like olde  bulldogs.Thats when we get into foolishness.
I believe that outcrossing in the OEB is ok, and i will do it. However, i believe that what is acceptable to outcross to is very limited. I do not outcross to rat, jack, or patterdale terrier. I do not outcross to any dog that does not have something to offer my line and the breed itself.Those dogs are not and have never been a part of the breed .However, even then the eligible dogs are limited. The dog we outcross to must be a dog that is self assured, and doesnt fear other dogs,people, or animals. It will undergo temperament testing and health testing. If it gets the ok in every department, then i will outcross to it.
Some people outcross too much. They outcross because they like a males looks, color, or build, rather than outcrossing because thats what thier pedigree needs at that time. Theres no reason, imo, to take a breed and dilute what it was created for by adding useless show breeds or dogs to a line when an outcross wasn't necessary.

conformation bulldog vs. working bulldog

Posted by Ben Jackson on November 2, 2011 at 11:55 AM

Before we decide which dog is better for our individual lives, we must decide which dog is better for the breed as a whole.Before we can do that, lets look at some of the differences between the 2 types of dogs. I guess the whole reason to have a dog is to meet certain needs. The conformation dog cannot do anything that other conformation dogs cannot do. It can only look good, be healthy, and be a dog.Working dogs are for certain purposes. Perhaps a size difference helps in the field, perhaps previous working breeds have fallen off and true working dogs in that breed are hard to come by. It always strikes me as odd when i see on TV working breeds that are trialed strictly according to looks and bone structure. You could rarely take one of those AKC champions and expect them to be able to keep up with a dog bred for purpose.People feel they have accomplished an incredible thing when they trot a dog around a ring and created him to look exactly as someone else said they should. There is no individuality. Bruce Lee always taught his students not to practice karate, or jeet kune do, or jiu jitsu, because then they fall into a specific style and become locked into that. rather, thier standard of fighting should be just that: fighting. We should not strive so hard to create and conform to a conformation standard. A standard written for a working breed must be based off of working dogs.
We talk about how we are prooducers of champions, home of champions, but our meager accomplishments are light and weightless when our loftiest goals are to breed a dog that a judge feels up and gives it a trophy. If I simply wanted a companion, i would go to the shelter and adopt one of those precious "mutts" that some jackass left behind.
In the show world, there are great folks involved, but also a large element of beuracratic snobs who feel as if the standard is the law. God help those who deviate from it. In the world of working dogs, the breeder breeds his dogs for his purposes, keeps one or two back for himself, and makes the rest available to like minded people. If he is constantly talking about coloration, bone, and muscle, then his focus is lacking. If those are the major things he pushes when selling pups, do not buy a pup from him. If another person doesn't like his dogs, not only does he not care, it may even motivate him more to work harder. When a Christian does right, he gets the devils attention, and when a working dog breeder does it right, it gets the conformation peoples attention.
The only people i would let get in my ear about my program are my mentors, and the breed creators themselves. In high end kennel clubs, if the breeder mixes in his flavor, he is in danger of losing his membership, and his dogs get noted on thier paperwork.Then all of his hard work goes down the drain because of conformation. therefore, the presiding kennel club decides what your goals are, what your dreams, vision and plans are. You dont run your breeding program, they do! All because you want conformation correct dogs. Conformation will not chase the unwanted animal out of the yard. Conformation will not protect you on a hike or in a dark alley, conformation will not protect your children from a would be attacker, rapist, or kidnapper. IMO, conformattion doesnt always even look good. Conformation does not prevent a C-section birth, it doesnt promote healthy breathing, deep lungs, and proper internal function. It doesnt promote solid workable temperament. CONFORMATION DOESNT PAY BACK ALL THE HASSLE IT CAUSES. Winning shows are not that hard. the basis for the word "conformation" is "conform". What is it we are striving to conform to? Conform to what? A club or boards opinion? Another groups likes and dislikes of your breed of choice? You give up the freedom of choice when you choose show dogs. Temperament, health, then purpose, should be the 3 biggest things you really shoot for when breeding dogs. Temperament is vital in working dogs. He must be even, steady, predictable, and reliable to handle the daily situations that come his way. he can have the attitude or drive he needs to posess his working ability, but he needs to be able to be around people and not lose his edge. Ability and drive can be developed even though they are a part of his breeding, his temperament is bred into him. The show guy( or gal) would argue that the show dog has to be even tempered to be in the ring and be judged and touched by strangers. I will argue that the average show dog is bred and raised for conformation. Many trainers wont even put collars on the dogs because it will hurt thier fur for the show!!!! I have been threatened more by show dogs than by working dogs. In fact, i dont think ive ever been accidentaly bitten by a working dog. If a breed was intended to be a companion, then dont try to turn it into a working dog. BUT----- if a breed was intended to be a working breed, then dont try to turn it into a show breed and conformation dog. Dont try to change the dogs purpose. Work entails a huge list of variety, alot of different things your dog can do.Im still sort of new to working my dogs, But i have bred and raised both show dogs and working dogs, and i know which side of the fence im on.
If we went and got shih-tzu's & labradors and tried to make them do pp and weight pull, dont you think the shih-tzu and Lab people would be upset? Pretty much yes, and with good right. We are going out of the bounds of the breeds purpose. Thats why so many of us get uptight when people select for color and couch potato conformation.
I believe in breed standards. I believe in conformation. But I think we should be extremely careful about what/who we are conforming to.

companionship of a hard bulldog

Posted by Ben Jackson on November 2, 2011 at 11:55 AM

Posted by ben jackson on May 19, 2011 at 4:20 PM comments (0)
I guess it is pretty easy for an old dog to be a good companion.He has lived out most of his energy. But many people do not realize that even a hard working bred bulldog can make a great family dog. Dogs have all sorts of purposes and reasons why they live, but the biggest reason is to love and be loved. I can see how it may be hard for someone with alot of dogs to show them all the love and attention they deserve.This gets especially dangerous with breeders. A breeder should not be focused on the amount of pups he has available to the public, he should be focused on the quality of pups available to the public.A breeder should know evey detail of the dogs in his program. Not just the physical aspect, not just the emotional aspect, but the spiritual aspect of the dog as well. You cannot know this simply by feeding them and turning them lose in the backyard. the only way to truly know how to breed the right dog is to spend focused quality time with each dog you plan to use in your breeding program. A good way to do this is to do some sort of training with your dogs. Obedience is a good launching pad for any venue in which your dog is to do more than run the end of a chain. Obedience work gets you close to your dogs, as well. I have had such good companions out of good hard working stock that a skimpy show dog just wouldnt have a place next to me. A bulldog that displays that trait of gameness, or that honored and respected display of fearlessness, or the dependable attitude of awareness, is a bulldog that makes the best companion possible. He walks a certain way. He looks a certain way. He has a certain air about him that makes him seem like more than just a dog.Almost part human. The bulldog that poseses these traits is unlike any other type of dog in the world. There is just something about a good hard bulldog that is unexplainable.
However, let me assert that just because your dog is aggressive towards the neighbors dogs does not make him a hard bulldog. In fact, many old time hrd pit dogs wouldnt even bark at thier opponent. they didnt need to throw on a big display to show what they had. they knew why, they knew when, they knew what. Its different today. We see pictures online and on tv of a bunch of thugs taking good, innocent, sweet little bulldogs, pitbulls that arnt even old enough to breed yet, and these punks go down to the basement of thier rental property and try to force these dogs to fight. No order. Lawlessness. These street thugs that derive from the very scum on thier dogs cage floor have destroyed a breed. You can see them grabbing the shoulders of the dogs and rubbing the heads together, trying to get them to fight. If the young dogs are not into it, they will kick them, cuss them, maybe even kill them. Calling them a cur to the very end.If i had it my way, id locate one of these "fights" and show up and give them the worst beatdown of thier life. Then id take thier dogs to good, caring homes. However, since i cant do this, all i can do is speak out and speak up in the form of the written or typed word.Power of the press. We can test and breed for working ability in more safe, legal ways. we can breed hard bulldogs without fighting them. Its not 1930 or 1960 anymore. We need to move past that.
A good bulldog will be more than just housebroken.He can go almost everywhere with you. He behaves correctly, in almost evry situation. Being a hard bulldog doesnt mean he has to act like a wild beast. It just means he is soft as often as possible, but when he turns it on, he will be fury on four legs. He should trust you enough to let you control his fury. No other type of dog can compare to a hard working bulldog. part of a dog being hard and tough depends on how it is raised. I have seen hard dogs who wern't well socialized. I have had people tell me dogs were hard but come to find out they were weak, scared, and skiddish. A bulldog is not a hard dog just because his parents were. To have a good bulldog, you really have to raise it right. Its better to have the underlying hardness, and never need it, than to need it, but not have it. Hard bulldogs make great family companions. Period.

How important is color in bulldogs

Posted by Ben Jackson on November 2, 2011 at 11:55 AM

I can remember when there was a craze amongst old dogmen about the red nose pit bulldogs. How some said they were more game than others, how they were stronger, or just plain better than others. Of course, that phase died out. there has been a recent yet dying craze for the "blue" color in anything dogwise. People put big emphasis on it" these pups for sale, blue carriers!! act fast!"
The sooner that dies out, the better. I can remember an old terrier man i had the privelage of knowing. This guy was a one of a kind.He had over 20 mixed up terriers and he used every one of them pretty much. He also had a few odd exotic animals he fed.One thing he told me that always made me laugh was that out of all his terriers, the brindle ones are the hardest,toughest dogs in the whole stable.he was dead serious. Perhaps his brindle dogs WERE the hardest, but im sure it want the color that made them that way.It may have been that along with the color getting passed down amongst those blends of terries, the ability and grit was also being passed down.
There is no magic in the color of a dog.Blue is not better than black, white is not better than brindle.Color is color. It has nothing to do with drive, health, ability, temperament, or strength. A responsible bulldog breeder should not put so much focus on color that he fails to concentrate on the traits that matter.There are far more important issues to deal with than color. Now, i know the consumer wants what the consumer wants. However, I do not want to attract a clientele that focuses on color. If we are breeding for the right reasons, we couldnt care less what the consumer wants.The consumer wants a certain camera they see on TV and then next year they want a different one. By the time we build a bulldogge to fit the consumers desire, they have changed thier mind and want something else. I personally love red with red nose, or chocolate with chocolate nose on bulldogs. However, i own no dogs like this. The rest have various coloration. Every bulldogger has his or her favorite color. Thats natural. Henry Ford had a lock on the car market, but when Louis Chevrolet was hired by GM, he offered color choices. Chevrolet cars sold like hot cakes because he offered a choice of difference. I dont know which brand was better made back then, but the color choices chevy had to offer attracted more business. If a bulldog breeder is out for sales and business, you will see it by the emphasis of colors. By them talking about the color of available pups, what color they carry, and sometimes they call a black dog a blue, A brindle dog a blue brindle, a buckskin dog a blue fawn, a rottie colored dog a blue tri, and i have even heard of a new color out there titled platinum lilac. OOOOOOHHHH AAAAAAAHHHH!!!
Far too many bulldog breeders aquire quality dogs from quality strains and ruin the creators hard work, the dogs health, ability, workability, and temperament by worrying more about "color" or "bullyness" than important things. I like white dogs. I like black dogs. I like red dogs. I like muscled up beasts. I like eye candy dogs. However, i would much rather own a solid white pink nose pink eye rim dog (I HATE that color)that was healthy, even tempered, and workable, than a beasty blue who was a lazy temperamental bum that suffred heat stroke. The heart, mind, and soul of a bulldog are so much more important than the size, color, and muscle. Breeding for color or buying for color is a mistake.Focus on the traits that make a bulldog a bulldog

Culling

culling

Posted by Ben Jackson on November 2, 2011 at 11:55 AM

This is a subject many do not like to discuss.We would like to think that all of our perfect little angel bulldogs are all "keepers". I guess most of them are because for many breeders, the goal and desire and vision for thier program is sooo low that all they want is head, muscle, and bone. 3 things that are easily attained. "Culling the herd" is a popular term. It is a practice of removing the undesirable animals that dont best represent the breed or species. farmers do it, ranchers do it, breeders do it, scientists do it, mother nature does it, God does it. The reason (IMO) for culling in dogs is that the dogs being removed display traits of health, temperament, stabilty, drive, or conformation that are undesirable in the line or the breed.One bad apple ruins the whole barrel! Culling can only be done by taking the dogs life. Culling is a necessary means of bettering the breed, the bloodline,a kennel, and a communtiy. There are a few, safe, sane, legal, and sanitary ways to do it, which we will not discuss here. By culling, you will be bettering the breed & improving on the the quality of your bloodline by removing the dogs with undesirable traits. As years go by, you will begin to realize that you need to cull less and less. The fact that you breed "the best to the best" and cull those that stand in the way of that goal means that with every breeding and every culling your bloodline is improved. A good bulldog bloodline will not be created in 1,2, or even 3 years. It takes alot of time, alot of patience, and alot of work. Rome wasn't built in a day. However, i believe if we institute culling into a program, we will begin to see marked improvements. There is enough "pet only" dogs out there. A breeders goal should not be to make good looking pets. Our goal should be to improve the breed, thats just my opinion.
Culling should be done on dogs and pups that display negative health or temperament issues that will affect the breed, the bloodline, and quality of life for the dog. Freezing, needles to the heart, drowning, are all inhumane and foolish ways of culling.