When we began this venture we had no real intention of developing a “New” breed of dog. We had a very fine canine friend named Buck, whom everyone loved, and we had requests for a pup of his if he ever sired any. And so, it all began.

The first mating was Buck (Airedale x Border Collie) to Libby (Jack Russell Terrier, [a tall “Legger” with  broken-coat], X reddish brown Cardigan Welch Corgi).* (*Libby and Buck were both Tri-color).

Two matings produced 8 pups total, including a male pup named Emmett. He was tri-color, whiskered face, fluff /rough coat, intelligent and agile. Emmett was bred to Cayenne,  (Irish Terrier x Jack Russell Terrier) and they produced a nice litter of pups, including Rinka, a red female with whiskered face, fluff/rough coat, great personality, intelligent, agile and eager to please.

(Meanwhile, all of the other pups from these matings were making good names for themselves and we heard many positive and enjoyable tales from their people.)  A breeding  between Buck and Rinka produced a litter of four pups  (including “Pete”, red and white/ broken coat, eager to please, intelligent and agile).

The following year another litter of six pups from Buck and Rinka included Ted the Dog, (red and white, fluff/rough, intelligent and agile) and Mackie (white with red, fluff/rough, intelligent and agile), both are very eager to please their people. Coinciding with these matings, Cayenne and Buck also produced some fine pups as well.

[These activities took place over a period of six or seven years. At this time, we still had not set our sights on a “breed” factor per se, but we received praises and encouragement from many of the people who had  our pups.] With the knowledge that linebreeding was a rather touchy subject and an area of concern genetically, we decided to out-cross to another Airedale sire.

Cayenne was mated to “Rudy”, (purebred, nice looking, athletic, intelligent Airedale) and their offspring were essentially all red (Irish/JR terrier x Airedale) intelligent and agile pups. We kept a female pup from that litter (E.Taylor, red, broken-coat, intelligent and tough) to possibly breed to Buck.

The (4) pups from this mating are half Buck (original/foundation Sire) and half Taylor ( being one-quarter Cayenne, one quarter from Airedale Rudy). Coinciding with Buck’s breeding to Taylor, a sister of hers, Kate, was bred to Pete and produced eight pups. The offspring from those matings were put together (Her Majesty Jes x Buck’s Shot Ricochet) and produced (9) fine pups. But, what is easily seen is the closeness of the family. This closeness is called Homozygous, being from the Same family lines and much the same heritage, as opposed to Heterozygous which means from different family lines, or not the same heritage.

At this point, I must clarify certain aspects about the “Breed” itself. NorthWest Farm Terriers are breeding ‘True’ to type with pleasing temperament, great personalities, ease of training, size and color variations, adaptability, eagerness to please, intelligent and they seem to be endowed with what is an insight or intuitiveness concerning human nature.

There have been many “distant cousins” brought together and the offspring are proving to be quite true to type in both body and mind. The broad range of colors are very appealing to people. The variations of Ear type are of little concern, as is the Tail carriage (saber or curled over the back, tails are never docked) since these have to do with esthetics and personal familiarity and have nothing to do with the individual’s ability or utility as an all-around dog. We see dozens of NorthWest Farm Terriers and they are all very similar with the minor variations of ear or tail being unbeknownst to and certainly of little regard to their people.

Indeed, many of the folks believe they possess “ the Cutest “, or “the Smartest”, or even the “Best” dog (“of them all” or “in the World,” etc.) And of course they are wrong because --We have that dog! (Heh, heh, little joke there.) But seriously, these dogs are not “Dog-Show”dogs. I have no doubt that they can out perform many hotshot dogs of well-known breeds in contests and trials with little trouble at all and possess equal beauty. They are highly intelligent and can do many things, but, as with all dogs, they must be trained in how to do them.

Now, to the most crucial part of the formulation of the breed known as the NorthWest Farm Terrier. This being, to properly move forward in the breeding program without breaking down the natural breed tendencies, traits, and defining qualities (both physical and mental) that make a NorthWest Farm Terrier. I don’t know for certain, but I do not believe that by simply throwing together a bunch of the same dog breeds that were used to build this breed that one would get the same result.

Oh, I think that perhaps a physical resemblance would be possible, and to a degree, the mental capacity may be similar as well. But, there is just something about their (NWFT) nature and their understanding of human frailties that sets them apart from many other breeds. They are still just dogs that’s for certain, but perhaps they are the latest version of the modern canine, I don’t know. What I do know is a–re-infusion—of new genetic elements needs to occur soon.

That is to say, at this point everybody (the entire breed) is rather closely related [Homozygous] and some out-crossing is due for a number of reasons. A proper balance of heterozygous (different) and homozygous (same) alleles need to be present within a genetic code for continued safe propagation of the breed. Therefore one or more of the known progenitors (i.e., any quality specimen of the aforementioned origin breed-types) of the breed need to be re-introduced.

Dogs from a great distance, relative-wise, though still of the same breed, are permissible and of heterozygous value, genetically speaking. As long as the “original strain” of NorthWest Farm Terrier does not become completely “Lost” through continued out-crossing the breed should prevail. And with a breed-back to pure NWFT after each out-cross and a return to line-breeding the half-bred offspring, the replenishment of the heterozygous genes should revitalize the “pool”.

I do not know how many out-crosses would be too many, but I would not depart more than two (2) times without a long sequence of “Pure NorthWest Farm Terrier” continuous breedings. (Seems we have already done much of the “hard part” in getting the breed essentially true to type with desired relativity factors predominant and less desirable traits at a reasonable minimum. In keeping with the ideal of “working/sporting” Terrier, companion, basically just an all around dog for whatever need, these dogs have proven their worth with little negative response from their people.)

While I am certain that they exist, I know that it is difficult to find dogs of the formulation breeds that are the ‘type’ which will compliment (or conform to) the NWFT breed of today. I have seen many good-looking Border Collies, but they could not calm down or restrain themselves from their vulture-like posture intent on herding children, old folks or anything that moved (these dogs were too keen and possessed too much ‘eye’).

I have seen nice looking specimens of Jack Russell Terriers that—yapped incessantly, were always gaily disobedient, and obviously determined to dig through their owner’s couch to China besides the fact that they never stopped peeing indoors. Granted, much of that behavior can be attributed to the dog’s owner (little training, lack of attention, etc.), but the JRT is a lot of dog for such a little terrier. I have seen a few that are tractable and eager to please their people.

Those are the individuals I’d prefer to include in future out-crossing. The same is true of Irish Terriers, though more often these just need an attitude adjustment and a loving upbringing to help them relate to others. They are tough and game, and when they are crossed with NorthWest Farm Terriers the offspring will likely think more clearly and perhaps even care about others on the planet.

I am reluctant to re-introduce Cardigan Corgi because of the obvious short-legged factor, though these can be fine and intelligent dogs and if by chance a Corgi cross (with one of the other formula breeds) were to present itself then there is a possibility of infusion. Our motive in the building of the breed has much to do with how the dog relates to people, not how it eagerly dives in a hole or herds the flock, but in All of what it will do—for its People.

The predecessors of the breed, that is, the foundation Sire and Dam of the first lineage were devoted, intelligent, savvy and good-natured dogs that people enjoyed being around. Obviously, that was one of the reasons we even considered this venture. Now we are beyond those early stages of naivete, and having made a determination to go forward we found that the early type of dog was an ideal, and by chance we’ve captured something within this breed that people really like.

Still, the need to introduce / out-cross new genetically diverse members of the formulation breeds cannot be neglected, and must be attended to by—this generation—of NWFT owners. Otherwise, it is a certainty that the breed will ultimately risk a breakdown from the overt closeness (lopsided) in their relativity factor (Homozygosity) and lack of available diverse (Heterozygosity) genetic material to allow for proper mutation of the allele building processes, which ‘fix’ and stabilize heredity factors.

There are thousands and thousands of elements required for a genetic code (streaming) to transfix the millions of possible diversities being directed by a string of 39 pair of chromosomes (strings), and all the while we are hoping for a return of the inherited traits we desire. We must remember that among all those wanted characteristics are many that are unwanted as well. Dominant and recessive genes direct the programming of each new generation.

That action encompasses a sorting of sorts, and those thousands of sorts will assimilate into all of the possibilities within (and beyond) one’s imagination. A little bit of this and a touch of that...present you with…What? That’s right, What—one can only try to imagine, until a litter’s arrival time. Will the outcome portray proper reasoning on the part of the breeder? Will the judgement call be good…or not good?    We can proceed with only the best intentions and the hope that those interested in the propagation of future NorthWest Farm Terriers will do the same.

Greg