Procida
So much and yet little is known about the McNab Shepherd. After countless hours of research on and about this breed, here is my version of what most likely happened. In the early 1800’s Scotsman Bruce McKinsey moved his family moved from the cold damp climates of Northern Scotland to the Grampian Hills of Central Scotland. With him and his family came his stock dogs, those dogs became know
n as “Colleys” (named after the Colley sheep they were responsible for)
These same Colleys were also referred to as “Fox Shepherds” the breed, relatively unknown was said to have survived in Scotland for centuries, however very few, if any kept records mention them as Fox Shepherds. The McKinsey family moved nearby Alexander McNab and as they shared the same livelihood, the two became friends. After spending time together working the sheep in the fields and watching how McKinsey’s dogs worked the livestock, Alexander eventually acquired a female Scottish Colley from Bruce and named her Flora. (see picture above)
In 1868 Alexander McNab (at 48-years of age) his wife Suisan and their 3 sons: Charles, Gavin and Arthur left Glasgow Scotland, setting sail for the warmer climates of Northern California. Once there he purchased a 10,000 acres parcel in the ranching community of Ukiah, in Mendocino County. He brought with him Flora, his Scottish Colley, unfortunately she died shortly after arriving at the ranch. Alexander spent the next 16 years attempting to find a good stock-dog among the local dogs, frustrated with the lack of a dog who worked in a way he had been accustomed to, he made the long trip back to Scotland in 1885 to visit with his old friend Bruce McKinsey. Once there he purchased two black and white dogs from Bruce. They were named Peter and Fred. He brought back Fred to America, but left Peter behind to finish up his training. Fred, the dog Alexander brought back with him, was the shorter-haired version of the Collie, and a year later Alexander sent for Peter to join Fred. Soon after, Alexander crossed paths the Spanish Basque Shepherds, after watching their dogs working the livestock, he found himself quite impressed with their working abilities and stamina in the hot climates of the California summer and decided to breed his two Colley dogs to a few select female dogs belonging to Basque sheepherders. Alexander was very pleased with the results of this breeding and they developed into dogs that would head or heel, so pleased in fact, that he called them “McNab Shepherds”
McNab’s dogs became very popular with the other California Ranchers, one of them being Ed G. Brown. He put in an order for a McNab pup with Alexander in 1895. The dogs were extremely rare and in such demand he didn't get one until 1915. In the early 1900's Alexander handed off the ranch to his youngest son, California born, John L. McNab. There isn’t any information as to the demise of Alexander, but he was well into his 80's at this time. In 1915 more dogs were transported to America aboard the cargo ship Howth. The dogs were a red male named Clyde and Bessie, a pregnant female who whelped three weeks before their arrival (only 3 pups survived Gyp, Tweed, and Jet) in America. John L. Brown sold Ed and Myrtle Brown one of the pups that were born on the Howth. This pup would come to be known as "Jet", a black pup with a faint line of white up his face, a white chest and socks. The Browns had waited since 1895 for this dog and never out-crossed Jet, instead breeding him to other Colleys brought over from Scotland. followed in his dad’s footsteps with this breed and continued importing more dogs (according to various stories and Myrtle Browns notes, John L. McNab however, never out-crossed these dogs) from Scotland. He later imported a pair of red Scottish Colleys, Ready and Clyde who arrived in 1906. Over the years the McNab family had both females and male dogs brought over from Scotland and continued to breed their Scotch Collies. So, we already have TWO distinct lines of dogs called McNabs, Alexander’s cross (Scottish Colley-Basque shepherd dogs) which has now developed into a lean, almost smooth-coated dog with tight feet and amber eyes, and John L. and Ed Brown’s dogs, which carried on the Scottish traditional Fox Shepherds aka Scottish Shepherds lines featuring a heavier bodied "medium" coated dogs. Both these strains worked from the head and didn't have the “loose eyed” working style of the traditional Collies. If you look at the picture of the Basque Sheepherder, taken at the turn of the century, you can see the resemblance of our modern day McNab in the Black and white dog in the back on the right side. This picture also shows the different ear sets that the Basque dogs handed down to McNabs dogs. There was no official registry or bookkeeping of any kind that can trace these lines back to Peter and Fred and to the local ranchers a “McNab” became known as any good working dog with a short black and white coat and tight feet. This is one only one of many reasons for the wide variance and different appearance(s) of McNab Shepherds. This is just the beginning of this journey; I would like to invite any and everyone who has honest history to e-mail me their story as I plan on adding a chapter for every breeder. I would like to include not only their history with the McNab but also the lineage of their dogs. The last of the McNab Clan and their sheep disappeared from the McNab Ranch in the early 1970’s. The original 10,000 acres has been split up into smaller parcels and there are now 3 Wineries located there. BREED DESCRIPTION
So, when we look at what is common among the various accounts and descriptions from old history we see these common traits:
Height: 15 to 25 inches at the shoulder. Some males may mature taller. Weight: 25 - 50 lbs. Some males may mature heavier. Coat: Short to Medium -never long. Coat color: Black with white markings, red with white markings, blonde with white markings, black and red tri colored. Speckling on the legs is at the breeder’s discretion. However they are never red or blue merles. Ears: Pricked, also a variety of sets in between - tipped mid to top of the ear (usually outward, but forward is acceptable) some even flop over. Tails: Long however some old lines throw a natural bob. (The docking of tails was NOT originally traditional)
Eyes: Almond in shape
Eye color: brown, hazel, or copper. Never blue or marbled. Feet: tight - cat like on their feet. Not long toed as seen in Border Collies.
