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A DOG CALLED BLUE published October 2003 |  |
A Dog Called Blue is
the first researched and documented history of the Australian Cattle Dog and the
Australian Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog to be published.
Set against a background of colonial and later history,
the book traces the development of Australia's Cattle Dogs from the Halls Heeler,
a working-dog breed developed during the 1830s by Thomas Hall (1808-1870), from
a cross between the Dingo and a Drovers Dog strain from the north of England.
The book considers the probable origins of the Drovers Dog, imported by
Hall, and the influence of Harry (d.1914) and Jack (d.1909) Bagust on the early
Cattle Dog breed. The alleged early Dalmatian infusion is discussed in the context
of Robert Kaleski's (1877-1961) mind-set. Kaleski's comments (with photos) on
Sydney Royal exhibits, during the 1920s and 1930s, record his concern about the
quality of some of these exhibits and the changing breed type he observed.
Chapters by Dr Helen Hewson-Fruend deal with changing breed type since
c.1900, the effect of variant Breed Standards, the inheritance of coat colour
in both breeds and the inheritance of taillessness in the Australian Stumpy Tail
Cattle Dog. Bernadette Merchant reviews the Stumpy Tail Cattle Dog Redevelopment
Scheme and the progress of the redeveloped Stumpies.
Format: A4; hard cover;
216 pages; 148 figures and photos; glossary; maps; index.
REVIEWS
Bernadette Merchant, in National DOG -
The RingLEADER Way
A DOG CALLED BLUE had me
captured, from the first page. The book takes you through time, with the
Hall family, the cattle empire they built and the conditions in Australia at the
time. It walks you through the reasons why these two great Australian
breeds were developed.
It answers many of the myths that surround these two great Aussies ...
A 'must have' book ... accurate and well researched ...
I am honoured and proud to have contributed a chapter.
Connie Redhead, in Oz Dog Newspaper
Noreen, typically, has not just accepted the word of others.
Rather,
she has conducted her own research into the development, establishment and
expansion of our great Australian working dogs...
In doing so, Noreen has been able to sift fact from fiction ...
We now have a much truer picture of Australia's Cattle Dogs ...
Be you a dedicated breeder, an enthusiastic exhibitor, a faithful owner, a
grateful stockman or simply a casual admirer, this book is one you must have on
your shelves if you want to take your admiration further. It is a good
read, an excellent resource, well illustrated and well authenticated.
Rosemary Hoffman, in ACDCA Newsletter
This is the best book on the history of the ACD that I've ever read.
I must admit that I haven't read very many, because they often put me to
sleep. This one certainly didn't. There's lots of really good stuff
in it too ...
In addition to the history, there is also extensive analysis of breed type
and standards (Hewson-Fruend), the redevelopment of the ASTCD (Merchant), and
detailed maps, a glossary of terms and an extensive reference list ...
Perspective is given to the development of the breed as changes occurred
through time -- change in those people most influential in steering the breed in
different directions, changes in the type of land cattle were put upon and
changes in the type of cattle used ...
The analysis of Kaleski's writings will be of particular interest to
history buffs ... Clark makes sense out of confusion. I felt I had
gained an appreciation for [Kaleski] that I had lacked previously ...
I found myself enjoying it immensely, often learning something new,
occasionally laughing out aloud. It's a remarkable book, a good read, and
it belongs in any serious ACD fancier's library.
Alison Skipper, in ACD Society of Great Britain Newsletter
Have you ever wondered whether Dalmatians were really used in the creation
of the Australian Cattle Dog? What did those early ACDs look like and who
bred them? How did ACDs first move from the stations into the show ring?
This book gives an insight into the foundations of our breed, answering
all these questions and many more.
A Dog Called Blue sheds new light on the Hall family, who were
fundamental to founding the breed, and on Robert Kaleski, who wrote the first
book on the breed. Later chapters cover the breed's emergence as a show
breed and its spread across Australia.
I found this book fascinating. I think it will become a classic
reference book for anyone with a serious interest in the breed and I would
recommend anyone, who wants to study the history of the ACD, to buy a copy.
R M Williams Outback magazine (June/July 2004)
The origin of the Blue Heeler as an Australian dog breed is explored in
Noreen Clark's A Dog Called Blue. Set against a background of Australia's
pioneering history from colonial times, this A4 hard cover book traces the
heritage of our cattle dogs.
The story begins with the Halls Heeler, a
working-dog breed developed by Thomas Hall in the 1830s from a cross between the
dingo and the Drovers Dog, a breed from the north of England. Noreen Clark, a
librarian and geologist, has combined her experience as a dog breeder of 20
years standing with her research and scientific training to produce a
well-researched account of the working dogs that have been the backbone of our
rural industry. The genetics of the Australian cattle dog and the stumpy tail
cattle dog are discussed in scientific detail over several chapters.
With the
input of editorial assistant Dr Helen Hewson-Fruend, the book examines these
breeds' gene series, and the ancestral data of three generations of dogs. A
Dog Called Blue
deals with changing breed type since 1900, the effect of
variant breed standards, and the inheritance of characteristics such as coat
colour and, in the case of the Australian stumpy tail cattle dog, taillessness.
Many of the myths associated with breed characteristics are debunked in the
book, such as the alleged Dalmatian infusion into the breed. This comprehensive
text also incorporates recent genetic breakthroughs in the breeding world, and
includes maps, family trees, references, a glossary, endnotes, as well as
anecdotes from people at the heart of the Australian working dogs' story.
