The English Shepherd is a breed of
herding dog
A herding dog, also known as a stock dog or working dog, is a Dog type, type of dog that either has been trained in herding livestock or belongs to one of the dog breed, breeds that were developed for herding. A dog specifically trained to he ...
from the
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
.
Description
The English Shepherd is a medium-sized breed of dog, it weighs between and stands between , males are
typically larger than females.
[ The breed has a long, straight or wavy double coat with feathering on the legs and tail, traditionally it has four different color combinations, black and white, black and tan, sable and white or tricolor (black, white and tan), although shades of fawn and red tan to white are also seen in the breed.][ According to the breed standard, the coat may be straight, wavy or curly, except on the face, skull and front of legs where it is short and smooth.]
History
The progenitors of the English Shepherd were collies of various types brought to the New World by early settlers from Britain and Ireland, as such it shares ancestry with the modern Border Collie
The Border Collie is a British list of dog breeds, breed of herding dog of the collie type of medium size. It originates in the region of the Anglo-Scottish border, and descends from the traditional Sheep dog, sheepdogs once found all over the ...
, Rough Collie
The Rough Collie (also known as the Long-Haired Collie) is a long-coated dog breed of medium to large size that, in its original form, was a type of collie used and bred for herding sheep in Scotland. More recent breeding has focused on the Co ...
and Australian Shepherd
The Australian Shepherd is a breed of herding dog from the United States. The name of the breed is technically a misnomer, as it was developed in California in the 19th century. It is believed to have its origins in sheepdog breeds from northwe ...
.[ The ancestors of the English Shepherd were used extensively on farms throughout the eastern states, principally as a sheep and cattle herder, although it also performed the roles of watchdog, ratter and companion.][
The ]United Kennel Club
The United Kennel Club (UKC) is a kennel club founded in 1898 in the United States. In contrast with the American Kennel Club, which is non-profit and which only clubs can join, the United Kennel Club is a profit-making corporation, open to indivi ...
(UKC) has been registering English Shepherds since 1927, originally the UKC called the breed the American Farm Shepherd but in 2003 renamed it the English Shepherd.[ The breed is not recognized by the ]American Kennel Club
The American Kennel Club (AKC) is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit breed registry, registry of purebred dog pedigree (animal), pedigrees in the United States. In addition to maintaining its pedigree registry, this kennel club also promotes and sanctions eve ...
.[
]
See also
* Dogs portal
* List of dog breeds
This list of dog breeds includes both Neontology#Extant taxa versus extinct taxa, extant and extinct dog breeds, Designer breed, varieties and dog type, types. A research article on dog genomics published in Science/AAAS defines modern dog breeds ...
References
{{American dogs
Herding dogs
Dog breeds originating in the United States