As I have stated many times over the past four decades, I never thought that I was setting out to develop a "breed"! I was only interested in producing the type of puppy I needed for my training program -- super intelligent with great hips!  You can read my entire testimony via hundreds of web articles!!   Although, this page1 will provide you with most of the links you could want.  However, if you are just looking for a quick synopsis with some nice pictures, then click on About Us.2

John Barber with Festus, 1978

Since my original focus revolved around producing sound hips, I was very diligent in researching lines with good hips, as well as the latest articles  (back in the early 70's) that revolved around that subject.  Among my research I ran into Fred Lanting³ (at a local show) and we discussed Dr. Barden's theory, among others, and before long (with his help)⁴ I was starting to develop my littermate X-ray program.  http://www.shilohshepherds.info/lmx.htm⁵
 

Shiloh Farm, 9/1978-1/25/2000

After I moved to the farm on Shearing Road, I was able to go into full bloom research!!  Thanks to my inheritance I went into full blown research producing  dozens of litters6  (hundreds of puppies) so  I could try to "keep" at least one experimental litter per year.  Those pups would be housed in a special 10 run "puppy" unit.  They got the same food, water, air, exercise, etc. etc. and then they would all get their hips x-rayed at the same time, so that I  could compare the results!!  I also wrote the article "What are We Breeding For"7 (among many others) way back then!!

By the end of the '80's I felt like I had to attain more control over my breeding program!  Too many BYB's were out there mass producing puppies that they claimed were AKC papered 'Shiloh Shepherds' -- or they would go off claiming that their pups had "Shiloh" (or Rin Tin Tin) "bloodlines" in order to charge more money for them!!  The public just couldn't understand that this was just a scam!  It was almost like selling an old (junk yard) shoe that "Elvis wore" for thousands of dollars!!  Some people can be so foolish!  However, when it hurts my dogs, I tend to get VERY upset! If you want to see how mad I can get, read some of the articles⁸ I have written about the frauds, LOL!

Back to the late 80's,  when I started to dream about a "magic" computer program,⁹ one of the breeders I was working with was Steve Betcher. He was trying to produce larger White Shepherds with good hips; he liked what JC had done, he just wanted them bigger!!  I told him that I loved that kind of dog too and would do what I could for him!  During our genetic talks I explained to him about my data research¹⁰ and how I would love to put all of it into **that** special **dream** program!  I had been searching all over to find something -- and after the short FIC failure, the only thing I could find was Compuped, but it just couldn't handle the kind of reports¹¹ I wanted to generate!   So enter the TCCP, Barbara actually built a super specialized program for the ISSR¹² and we were off and running!    Now we would be able to keep on tracking all of the hip data¹³ on all of the puppies¹⁴ produced by the Licensed Breeders!  

 

 

If you click on the http://www.shilohshepherds.info/issrHipRatings.htm¹⁶ you will note that "we" lost some momentum between the  '96 and 2001 reports, but this can be easily explained.  There was nothing wrong with the system, just a few of the people!  If you take your time to compare the BYB problems I had to deal with during that period, you can easily see how that happened!  http://www.shilohshepherds.info/issrLicensedBreederMatrix.htm¹⁷  and be sure to view the chart carefully, that problem has been resolved after I added much stricter rules to the Licensed Breeders Agreement¹⁸!!!

 

Unfortunately, when I first opened my doors to these folks I was only focused on gene pool expansion!  Just like I did with my satellites, I was willing to allow them to make all of the money on the puppies they produced, and sold for thousands of dollars  -- via my name and reputation -- and all I asked for was that they follow the ISSR rules¹⁹!  However, as we all know, greed overtook some of those folks²⁰ and they were not willing to follow my formula, because they "thought" that they knew more about "having puppies" then I did -- so they went off just to do "their own thing" resulting in a few short set backs for the breed!    www.shilohhistory.com²¹

 

But does that capture the full essence of these wonderful dogs? In 1990 I wrote "What is a Shiloh Shepherd?"²⁴, yet there are still uninformed people out there that think that my dogs are just a "variation" of the GSD!! They couldn't get farther from the truth!

3 year old Matthew Barber with Megan

The most important feature these dogs possess is their "GENTLE NATURE"!! In 1974 when I named these dogs "Shiloh Shepherds" (from the BIBLE)25, I had two small boys, Richie, born in 1970 and Johnny born in 1972. My boys would play out in the kennels while I did my chores.  These dogs had to be 100% safe around them - PERIOD!! Despite the fact that they would be trained as *Personal PROTECTION* dogs for VIP homes, coast to coast!!

9 year old Joshua Barber with Adam

2 year old Lisa Barber riding Shep

Over the years I have shared long stories about their adventures!! How my son John would "bronco ride" on Tammy while she would spin and buck - all in fun - until she got too close to the kitchen island that Johnny smashed his head into!! She howled all night (while he was in the hospital getting stitches) and she would never let him ride after that! If he climbed on her back, she would roll on her side!! Her son Shep actually saved Lisa's life in 1978.  I shared the entire story in my book!26

Temperament must be considered critical!

7 Year Old Lisa with Contessa (in training for her future role as a Texas border patrol dog!

As you have probably already read, I started out as a trainer and my first focus was to breed dogs with good hips -- but I also had very small children and I wanted to make sure that THEY would be safe!! Furthermore, the dogs I trained for "personal Protection"27  were sold to families that had children, and a Mom that had NO clue as to how to deal with an aggressive dog -- they didn't want a .357 Magnum -- they just wanted a (harmless) water pistol that looked like one -- and they were more then happy to pay 7-8 times the normal "trained Import" price in order to get EXACTLY what their family needed!!

I made a lot of money during those years, selling my oversized -- CHILD SAFE -- "protection" dogs for unheard of prices!28 During those decades I also designed a unique form of training, that accomplished what I needed for my clients, dogs that can "put on" a great act, but be 100% safe! I called this method STM, you can read more about it here: STM-What Is It?29  For even more links and pictures of dogs in training, be sure to visit my STM WEB RING30  and Temperament and Training31 articles.

Two year old David Barber Parkhurst  with Artus after a Sch. session

Please note, most of the pictures that I am able to share were sent to me by family/friends after the fire! However, they only represent a tiny portion of what I have been able to recover! Nevertheless, we have continued to rebuild and have lots of new pictures to share!!

It's because of this strong focus on temperament that we can share yearly pictures of the children at Homecoming:  200132 (a new decade): A tradition is being set!     2002:33 Starting young?  Matthew can't walk yet, BUT ... 2003:34 My 2 year old grandson is being featured again!! 2004:35 This was a great year for the kids! 2005:36 Matt continues to grow and show! 2006:37 Now even more kids join in the fun!! 2007:38 Every year more children want to show their dogs! 2008:39 And the beat goes on! 2009:40 Some of these kids JUST met the dogs they are handling! 2010:41 More and more kids come just to have fun!

As you can see, the Homecoming has always been a major event for me because it allowed me to see all of the pups I had been producing over the years!! Not only could I evaluate structure and temperament, but I was also able to talk to the owners about any potential health problems, etc..
 

Lisa with NS CH Megan's Last Miracle of Zion, 30 inch female at two years of age

Since 1975 it has been our special "family reunion" that people planned on attending months in advance!! If you find the time, just visit each year and follow all of the picture links!42 Homecomings are not the only shows that we attend!! Check out our Shilohs at the Shows43 and Shilohs and Kids44 web rings! New sites are added on a regular basis. You won't want to miss ANY of them!

Three year old Matt with Charley

If you are working towards developing a *breed* (type) then structure and movement have to be carefully maintained also!! If a show ring is full of dogs that represent a particular breed, the novice should be able to walk past those dogs and be able to tell an Akita from a Husky!! That's why I worked so hard to write the breed standard⁴⁵, and then had to fight to protect it!

Of course most judges are conscientious enough to study and respect Breed Standards, unless they work for ARBA and then we have another story all together! Full documentation is available via this site!46   As you can see, once I dumped ARBA, the frauds stopped attending their shows too and they have been fading out ever since!

At this time IABCA is the "new kid on the block" but even that organization has been fooled into putting up BYB pets, loaded with disqualifying faults! I guess some folks don't seem to care that ONLY the best representatives should be rewarded in the ring!! Not to worry, I am fully aware of politics, but what I have been watching is just plain old stupidity!! If you need a good laugh, just check out my reports!!!⁴⁷ For more information, please read my article:

Ideal plush coat NS CH Pinewood Lazarus Comforth Zion, ROM DOB 1994

If you view my Acer blog48  you will be able to see the consistency that has been maintained as far as breed type is concerned! Even Linda Shaw has used him as an example of the Shiloh type.49  Once we can attain full breed recognition, and no longer have to deal with the sliver imposters, this breed will be able to march forth and grow stronger then ever before!!

Ideal smooth coat CH Ptd. Shiloh's Easy Rider ROM DOB 1986

Every breeder has had to deal with disappointments and setbacks

And I've certainly had my share, most of mine have been revolving around the greedy people⁵⁰ that insisted on producing puppy mill quality mixes and using my name to sell their pups! Everything has been fully documented via several articles, so just Google up our breed history archives⁵¹ for exact details! However, much of the information can be found in my last Who's Who article!!⁵² After dealing with the foolishness those folks had been spewing forth for over a decade, I just let it all hang out!! So if you prefer  to avoid conflicts, don't read that article! But if you have a strong stomach and understand how low some folks can sink, you might enjoy my approach⁵³!!

Maybe that's why I feel that we must look into AKC recognition, so that I can get some honest protection for my Shiloh Shepherds⁵⁴ -- in order for this breed/these dogs to survive (as they should be) for another decade or two? Can AKC help? I don't know, when I look at all of the breeds that have been destroyed, maybe not? But what other choices are there?? At one time the SV ruled the GSD's future with an iron hand, but now even that has been destroyed!! I just read about a LHGSD that had 5 genetic problems⁵⁵ and had to be put down at 15 months!

Is this what we have to deal with forever, or can we find enough honest breeders, that care about their breeds, to step up to the plate and insist that some rules must be incorporated in order for things to improve? Will the puppy millers just keep doing their thing, or will we ever get to see a day where breeders must be licensed, just like doctors and other professionals that affect peoples lives!! Even hairdressers must meet specified cosmetology license requirements!! That's why I set up my registry the way I did, and why I write articles like this⁵⁶!!

If you have a strong opinion about these issues, please join my forum⁵⁷  and share!

 

Click and read my Honest Answers article!!

If you are reading this article about my dogs, and still have a lot of questions, may I suggest that you visit my "Honest Answers"58 !! Just click on the picture collage on your left, and it will take you to all 54 pages (that's what this article printed out at, just a few years ago) that I plan to update shortly, so go ahead and print it now, before it turns into 74 pages!!! VBG As you can see, I tend to get a bit lengthy, but I have been trying very hard to keep these pages as short as possible, I talk a lot more on my forum, so don't forget to join!! If you just like looking at puppy pictures, be sure to visit my "watch them grow" blog59  or just click on the picture collage to your right!! That blog is full of excellent examples of our REAL DEAL Shiloh Shepherds!

Meet our breeders at www.shilohpuppy.com

If you would like to contact me in person, all of my info is on my website!⁶⁰
Just click on my house to enter -- or take a tour⁶¹!

Back to the future - 3 year old Andrea Barber contemplates her future destiny!

so that you can see what we have been doing here in the new millennium, since the loss of our Shiloh farm.62  We have continued to document the progress that we have attained yearly!! As our stock continues to improve, I have another grandchild who is already in training for her role as our future handler! So, even if we do not receive full AKC recognition soon - the Shiloh Shepherd is here to stay!!63 Tina Barber is still a young 63 and her daughter Lisa Barber has been running (New) Zion as her full partner since they entered the rare breed world in 1990! Tina now has 4 grandchildren, Joshua (17), David (15), Matthew (9) and Andrea (3) who are getting very involved with the dogs too!!