English Shepherd Dog Names

The English Shepherd was, according to the notable author Leon Whitney, one of the most popular breeds of dog in America during the early twentieth century.  In fact, Whitney said of the dog breed, " ...known variously as the farm shepherd, the barnyard collie, the old fashioned shepherd, the cow dog, the English Shepherd and by other colloquial names... I doubt there is a more alert, trustworthy, or American dog." (qtd. from Whitney's book How to Breed Dogs). Certainly, as times change, so do the needs of dog owners. While the English Shepherd may not be the most popular dog in America (a title arguably held by the Labrador Retriever, a working dog in their own right) it is likely Whitney was inspired to write these lines about the English Shepherd due to the story of Bobbie the Wonder Dog, an English Shepherd mix who was determined to find his way home to his family after becoming lost during a family vacation. 

Bobbie the Wonder Dog didn't start life as an exceptional dog; he earned the title. Bobbie's owners, Frank and Elizabeth Brazier, took Bobbie on a family vacation to Indiana. While out and about playing, Bobbie encountered three unfriendly dogs, and he ran away out of fear. The Braziers looked for Bobbie everywhere (and for several days), but he was nowhere to be found. The Braziers reluctantly returned home to Oregon, without any hope of every seeing Bobbie again. They were in for a pleasant surprise. Bobbie showed up at their family home six months later. 

Bobbie is thought to have made a trip that encompassed a little over 2,500 miles. That in itself is a "wonder," but that is only a small portion of what this faithful fellow did to return home to his family. Bobbie showed evidence of having swum across large bodies of water, in particular, many of the treacherous rivers between Indiana and Oregon. He is also thought to have crossed the Continental Divide during the winter. (To make a comparison, the Donner party attempted this crossing but were snowed in and many of these pioneers lost their lives as a result). Bobbie arrived back at his home very thin and rather dirty plus his nails had been worn down. Bobbie's story was published in newspaper articles and made famous by the Ripley's Believe It or Not writers. The family would learn that Bobbie did have some help along the way. Bobbie was fed and sheltered by a number of families along his route, who later contacted the Braziers after reading about Bobbie's return. Experts think that somehow Bobbie was able to pick up their scent and find his way home.