Bob, Son of Battle: Red McCulloeh

[Katelynn & Gang]

In the book Bob, Son of Battle by they talk of Red Wull and disclose that his breeding, rather he was indeed from the famous "Red McCulloch" line or not, remained a mystery in the Daleland. In a added note, at the end of the page, it tells you just how you would spot a "Red McCulloeh" which is by a ring of white about two inches from the root.

 

So, I know a lot of us know a ton about pedigrees and breeding lines. I for one have neer heard of a "Red McCulloeh" line BUT there is a John Herries McCulloch who wrote two books about Boder Collies and their pedigrees with the last name McCulloch (books I do not have, YET lol).

 

The Author of the "Bob, Son of Battle" is Alfred Ollivant who appears to have been born in 1874 and died in 1927. "Bob, Son of Battle" was published in 1898.

 

If you wish to read the book, it can be found online but here is what was in his book about the Red McCulloeh:

 

"And the puppy's previous history--. whether he was honestly come by or no,

whether he was, indeed, of the famous Red McCulloch* strain,

ever remained a mystery in the Daleland.

 

*N. B--You may know a Red McCulloeh anywhere by the ring of

white upon his tail some two inches from the root."

 

Now, my question is: How long could something trait as a white ring be passed down? Is it possible that more then a 100 years later that such a trait could still pop up in a related dog? Even if not being shown in parents, grandparents or even great grand parents?

 

I think this is neat even though I know "Bob, Son of Battle" is said to be fiction (all fiction holds some truth, right?). This is Trick's tail, a pup of mine. She carries a white ring around her tail about two inches from the root. She is not the first puppy (red puppy at that) her Dam has produced with a white ring but the second one. Both puppies are from different Sires with different breeding.

 

Here are some pictures.

 

 

 

So now, I am just wondering if anyone knows anything about a "Red McCulloeh" line or maybe if their dogs go back to any dogs bred by someone with the last name "McCulloeh"? Or if anyone else has had a puppy with a ring of white and if its breeding reflects that of this puppies Dam's breeding.

 

Sorry for the rambling. I just thought it was kinda neat and interesting.

 

Katelynn

 

ETA This puppies tail has not been damaged in any manner which I believe could also cause the white ring.

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

This is very odd because we were just looking at some pups who were at the Jack Knox clinic this weekend and they all have this white spot in that same place. Funny. It came from their mom, who is a granddaughter of Aled Owen's Bob but that's all I happen to remember of her breeding.

 

Yes, traits can travel right down the ages, otherwise we'd never have dogs that work as well as they do. But incidental traits can obviously be passed down - others might be better able to explain founder effect or you can google it - I'm starting to feel the effects of my migraine meds and need to lie down for a bit.

[Rebecca, Irena Farm]

Oh, and I doubt the red McCollouch line and JH McCollough are related. That's a fairly common anme in the Border counies.

[MrSnappy]

Oh Tweed must be related to famous dogs then, as he has that same white ring on his tail.

 

 

RDM

[Katelynn & Gang]

Oh Tweed must be related to famous dogs then, as he has that same white ring on his tail.

 

Well it'd help if anyone knew if the line was even real. Either way, if no one knows about it, it cannot be to famous unless it died out back when the book was wrote (which I think the book was getting at, that it was hard to find even then).

 

This may indeed be a stupid question, as I know you rescue but do you by chance know what Tweed's breeding is?

 

Katelynn

[MrSnappy]

Yes I do! A bitch of a border collie bred with an arse of an Aussie and produced a bastard named Tweed!

 

He is a rescue dog, of course.

 

RDM

[Katelynn & Gang]

He is a rescue dog, of course.

 

I knew that.

[Liz P]

I have a grand pup of Fieldstone Holly who has that white spot. Most of her pups also have it, including Frankie and Sage. I used to own a dog sired by Dingo, the littermate brother of Holly. That dog (a red smooth coat) also had the white spot. None of my other BCs have it.

[Tracey M.]

My dog has that spot on his tail, and also a similar one just behind his withers. It showed up at about the age of your puppy (just when the adult hair starts showing through the puppy fuzz). I asked his breeder about it, and she said it was because he was "white factored". He does have white on the inside of his back legs all the way up, which I had heard was another indicator of white factoring (?). Now that he is two, the white is only at the base of the hairs; the ends are the same color as the rest of his body. So the white only shows if the hair is parted. It may be that quite a few dogs have this white tail spot, but it is hidden under the main coat color. Are there a lot of white factored dogs, and what does it mean to their offspring? (My dog is neutered, so I'm just curious. Oh, and there are MANY generations between him and any true working dogs!)

[Katelynn & Gang]

Trick (puppy with the white ring) is indeed a white factor (even though its only from a very few peices of hair), so was the other red and white! Good call, I never would have put both of them together (Dice was also white factor but I am not sure if she had it as a pup or not).

 

Were the puppies at the Jack Knox clinic white factor? And what about the ones you've seen Liz?

 

Katelynn

[Liz P]

My dog has that spot on his tail, and also a similar one just behind his withers. It showed up at about the age of your puppy (just when the adult hair starts showing through the puppy fuzz). I asked his breeder about it, and she said it was because he was "white factored". He does have white on the inside of his back legs all the way up, which I had heard was another indicator of white factoring (?). Now that he is two, the white is only at the base of the hairs; the ends are the same color as the rest of his body. So the white only shows if the hair is parted. It may be that quite a few dogs have this white tail spot, but it is hidden under the main coat color. Are there a lot of white factored dogs, and what does it mean to their offspring? (My dog is neutered, so I'm just curious. Oh, and there are MANY generations between him and any true working dogs!)

 

Nope, I own a white factoted dog without the spot.

[donna frankland (uk)]

ooh brighid has that ring on her tail!