Why do you care so much about collecting data?

Having the full picture is incredibly important when it comes to responsible breeding or puppy buying! We strongly encourage you to check out our Why Collect Data page for a great explanation of our reasoning.

Are you trying to create a new breed?

No, we are working within the English Shepherd breed and will be registering all project dogs with the English Shepherd Club Registry (ESCR).

Are you outcrossing to other dog breeds?

We are only interested in purebred English Shepherds for the project at this time.

What is an English Shepherd?

English Shepherds are a herding breed dog developed in the United States. Please check out our What Is An English Shepherd page for more detailed information.

What is a Shadow Shepherd?

Shadow Shepherd is our pet name for the dogs involved in this project. For more information please see our What Is A Shadow Shepherd page.

Why are you trying to preserve this family line?

Part sentimental and part maintaining genetic diversity by making a regional pocket of dogs known. Preserving this family line is not our main goal but rather a springboard to start the project.

Are you only breeding black and tan dogs?

No, we are open to all colors when seeking future outcross mates. The founding family for this project descend almost entirely from black and tan lines.

What testing are you doing on dogs?

We are aiming for comprehensive testing, which includes screening hips, genetic diseases and temperament surveys. We will also be recording data such as allergies, structural issues, diseases that are not genetically screenable, and any significant behavioral issues. For more information on health and temperament testing please see our Health Screening and Temperament Testing pages.

Why did you select a founding dog with hip dysplasia?

Due to the ‘off-grid’ nature of this founding family there are a very limited number of known dogs from which to begin this project. We are screening hips on as many project dogs as possible before deciding how to proceed with this family line. Consistently good hips and sound bodies is a major goal for this project.