Book Reviews - The Total Australian Shepherd

2009-06-10T17:53:00.000-07:00

Here is what people are saying about The Total Australian Shepherd: Beyond the Beginning book:

"I am fascinated by the new historical facts that Ernie and Carol Ann have found, and the easy-to-follow manner in which they have presented them ... No one is more qualified than the Hartnagle family to bring us this long overdue historical account of the Australian Shepherd." - Richard W. Pittman

"A panoramic view of the breed from obscurity to its enormous popularity today. The Total Australian Shepherd is a complete atlas of information about this great breed of dog." - Dr. Weldon T. Heard

"There is no family other than the Hartnagles that could produce such a definitive book." - Michael J. Ryan

"For newcomers and old-timers alike, the Aussie's unique essence shines throughout this latest Hartnagle family book." - Monica Canestrini

"The Total Australian Shepherd ... follows a line of investigation thoroughly documented and richly illustrated." - Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor

For more information please visit:

http://www.lasrocosa.com/education.html

The Total Australian Shepherd: Beyond the Beginning

2009-06-10T08:42:00.000-07:00

My daughter, Carol Ann and I wrote The Total Australian Shepherd: Beyond the Beginning to give readers insight from the beginning of the breed’s formation. We did not research the breed from a book, nor was it our mission to offer a reasonable explanation of the breed’s history. We simply shared our line of investigation through the years. It was also our mission to put faces with the names of the early foundation breeders to link to present to the past.

To illustrate the character of the breed, we tried to bring the descriptions to life with interesting anecdotes and photographs illustrating the Australian Shepherd’s true temperament. Juanita Ely, Fletcher Wood and many other early owners recount stories about their dogs such as Ely’s Blue, Wood’s Jay and Dandy. Readers will be delighted as Jay Sisler reveals the positive training techniques he used to teach Stub and Shorty and his other great Aussies the amazing tricks and other antics seen on the Wonderful World of Disney in movies such as Stub: Best Cow Dog in the West and Run, Appaloosa, Run.

We introduce the reader to the philosophies of foundation breeders such as Dr. Weldon T. Heard who developed the famous Flintridge bloodlines and others who give insight about their successful breeding programs and dogs.

We tried to bridge the past genetic studies to the contemporary nomenclature and the latest research with the most current medical information. Our breeding chapter is designed to empower breeders with information they need to build better, healthy bloodlines. The Genetic Chapter was written specifically for The Total Australian Shepherd by the late, world-renowned geneticist George A. Padgett, DVM and author of Control of Canine Genetic Diseases.

Finally, we wanted to convey our lifetime experience working and judging the breed in the Judging Synopsis. We answer many questions owners have about the structural differences between working and show bloodlines. Readers will learn the differences about the sprinting and trotting drive trains in our presentation of structure and gait. Whether you simply own and love an Australian Shepherd or are deeply involved in breeding and competing, we have included a little something for everyone.

For more information please visit:

http://www.lasrocosa.com/education.html