Loosahatchie's Story
Max and me
As a child (some 30 years ago) I remember my mom having a dog named Toro, a German Shepherd, take note that I said my mom and not our family. He was easy on the eyes, black with fawn markings but very unreliable and sneaky too. Although extremely loyal to my mom he was unfortunately a known legend for running between men's leg's and clipping their knee's and flipping them in the air. My mom loved him, my cousins and I feared him. His dark stare was menacing, his bark made your skin crawl, he lacked social skills, didn't like strangers and was not a playmate for any of the children in the neighborhood.
When Toro passed away at the ripe old age of fifteen the new so called family dog became P.J a Poodle/Schnauzer mix (or what I to this day have forever labeled "an ankle biter"). The only difference between the two dogs was 85 lbs and the cost of dog food, I walked on eggshells fifteen years in fear of a 10lb psychotic Kujo wanna be. Growing up around untrustworthy dogs left a bad taste in my mouth and I didn't put much merit into the canine species until I was pregnant with my now six year old son Jacob.
I decided to give the 'dog thing' another chance and that was the turning point in my families life. I did my research (dogbreedinfo.com is quite a trustworthy sight), it lead me to Ray Lane or in his direction I should say. I wanted a kid friendly, non aggressive yet protective when needed FAMILY dog a.k.a loyal to more than one person and not animal aggressive either. My first dog acquired through Ray Lane of Arkabutla Kennels (from here on out I will just call him Ray) was an American Bulldog out of Puppy (Johnson/Kershner bloodline), we named her Patches and oh what a beautiful, friendly, compassionate soul she was. She spent five years with us, bonded with my children, she was family and honestly the best psychologist I've ever talked to.
It was a sad day in November when we lost her and her pups, here is a picture of her http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v448/mom2fourmonkeys/Layouts%20and%20Icons/patches-memorialII.jpg I cried and immediately picked up the phone and called Ray. I didn't think he would remember me as it had been almost five years but I told him who I was and he immediately remembered me and my family and showed sincere emotions about our loss. We talked on the phone and he actually listened while I cried my eyes out, sobbing and snotty I asked if he was still breeding bulldogs. My journey began with Ray five years earlier and I hadn't known it then, but he forever changed my life in a way I can never repay.
Papered name King Maximus of Ark a.k.a Max joined our family in April of 2009 a mere five months after our loss of beloved Patches. One look at Max and I was in love, Ray and I talked like there wasn't a five year gap and at that moment I realized how passionate he was about his dogs by the way spoke. The spark in his eyes, the unbelievable amount of knowledge and even the excitement of historical pictures as he showed them to me. I found myself intrigued and unable to learn enough, Ray kept mentioning his friend Heather and the breeding program of the OWE and he recommended I check out the OWEPS website when I returned home. Since Max has joined our family, I have learned just how unbelievably remarkable these dogs are. I've gained a friendship with Heather of Kaolin Belt Old White English and an even deeper friendship with Ray and have the same passion to preserve the Old White English. My journey is just beginning but if one of Max's pups gives the same life and passion to another family, I have done my duty.
When Toro passed away at the ripe old age of fifteen the new so called family dog became P.J a Poodle/Schnauzer mix (or what I to this day have forever labeled "an ankle biter"). The only difference between the two dogs was 85 lbs and the cost of dog food, I walked on eggshells fifteen years in fear of a 10lb psychotic Kujo wanna be. Growing up around untrustworthy dogs left a bad taste in my mouth and I didn't put much merit into the canine species until I was pregnant with my now six year old son Jacob.
I decided to give the 'dog thing' another chance and that was the turning point in my families life. I did my research (dogbreedinfo.com is quite a trustworthy sight), it lead me to Ray Lane or in his direction I should say. I wanted a kid friendly, non aggressive yet protective when needed FAMILY dog a.k.a loyal to more than one person and not animal aggressive either. My first dog acquired through Ray Lane of Arkabutla Kennels (from here on out I will just call him Ray) was an American Bulldog out of Puppy (Johnson/Kershner bloodline), we named her Patches and oh what a beautiful, friendly, compassionate soul she was. She spent five years with us, bonded with my children, she was family and honestly the best psychologist I've ever talked to.
It was a sad day in November when we lost her and her pups, here is a picture of her http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v448/mom2fourmonkeys/Layouts%20and%20Icons/patches-memorialII.jpg I cried and immediately picked up the phone and called Ray. I didn't think he would remember me as it had been almost five years but I told him who I was and he immediately remembered me and my family and showed sincere emotions about our loss. We talked on the phone and he actually listened while I cried my eyes out, sobbing and snotty I asked if he was still breeding bulldogs. My journey began with Ray five years earlier and I hadn't known it then, but he forever changed my life in a way I can never repay.
Papered name King Maximus of Ark a.k.a Max joined our family in April of 2009 a mere five months after our loss of beloved Patches. One look at Max and I was in love, Ray and I talked like there wasn't a five year gap and at that moment I realized how passionate he was about his dogs by the way spoke. The spark in his eyes, the unbelievable amount of knowledge and even the excitement of historical pictures as he showed them to me. I found myself intrigued and unable to learn enough, Ray kept mentioning his friend Heather and the breeding program of the OWE and he recommended I check out the OWEPS website when I returned home. Since Max has joined our family, I have learned just how unbelievably remarkable these dogs are. I've gained a friendship with Heather of Kaolin Belt Old White English and an even deeper friendship with Ray and have the same passion to preserve the Old White English. My journey is just beginning but if one of Max's pups gives the same life and passion to another family, I have done my duty.