A Fable.....

Once upon a time four Collie breeders were coming home from a big show. They were driving over the Yorkshire moors in a violent snowstorm, when suddenly their car went into a skid, overturned, and went careeing down a slope.

The trailer which the car had been pulling landed relatively undamaged beside the car and in it were four beautiful Collies "Show Dogs", all four breeders were trapped inside the car, they woud freeze to death, except for one thing their Dogs!

As luck would have it the door to the trailer had burst open.

The first Dog out was a beautiful type as this was what his breeder cared most about, but he only made it about a quarter of a mile up the slope, for the snow had killed all smells, and you see this dog could not see very well for he was in the early stages of P.R.A

The secound dog out of the Trailer was bred for the most important things, or so his breeder thought, size, markings, beautiful eyes, he could see where he was going alright, and he made off up the slope for help - but unfortunately he collapsed after only 300 yards from Hip Displaysia.

The third Collie out would be sure to get help. He had been bred for soundness. His breeder would not dream of using a dog which had not been x-rayed for H.D. and P.R.A. He made it half way up the slope before he too collapsed from exhaustion. He could not cope with the huge snowdrifts.

His breeder had not realised that soundness involved more than H.D. and had neglected to include neck, shoulders, chest, lungs and heart in his programme for soundness.

The breeder of the fourth Collie to get out was conscious in the car, and he knew that all his years of breeding would pay off. He had bred for type, his dog had storybook markings, he had superb conformation, a well laid shoulder, muscular forelegs, good pasterns, tight feet.

He had a wonderful spring of rib ample room for heart and lungs, perfect rear angulation, and when moving this Collie was flawless -

He seemed to just floast through the air, an elegant creation. With great pride and tears in his eyes the breeder saw his perfect collie drive through the snow to fetch help.

He made it up to the road with ease, where a passing motorist saw the dog and stopped.

As he got out of his car the dog attacked him....

(Have we forgotten something?)

by Diana Cochrane