While the English Shepherd is a healthy breed, it is not completely free of health concerns.
Hip dysplasia- Commonly seen in many breeds, hip dysplasia is characterized by an abnormal formation of the hip joints which gradually deteriorate …show more content…
The now defunct Southeastern Kennel Club was the first to register the English Shepherd, although breeders shifted to the United Kennel Club (UKC) when it recognized the breed in 1927. In 1950 Tom Stodghill’s Animal Research Foundation (ARF) also began to register the breed and was used to create a studbook supporting the first English Shepherd breed club, the English Shepherd Club of America (ESCOA). Tom Stodghill had a preference for black and tan colored dogs, considering them the highest class of the breed; an opinion that not all breeders agreed with. The ESCOA petitioned the AKC for recognition of black and tan English Shepherds in 1953, but was unsuccessful. Disagreements over coat coloration and use of club funds led to the formation of a second breed club, the English Shepherd Club (ESC), in 1954. The ESC would eventually go on to become the breed club for the UKC, while the ESCOA stopped operating, although the ARF continues to register the …show more content…
Ed Emanuel had been the first judge licenced by the ESCOA and when he left to help found the ESC, he launched the International English Shepherd Registry (IESR) which operated independently from the club. The IESR is notable for being the first registry of the breed to allow a process in which the descendants of unregistered dogs could be fully registered. By 1956 the IESR had expanded to include other breeds, particularly the closely related Australian Shepherd, and today operates as the National Stock Dog