The Carr White English - Agris Tutela Canis
"They are a proud gift from the past, a gift that we may not all be able to appreciate, a gift that may only speak to the hearts of a few, but a gift all the same. It is the matchless courage and sheer amazing heart of the dogs that were capable of such a feat that are worth saving. Our ancestors considered the dogs worth passing on to the future, and we can do no less."
My Great Grandfather
As a child I can remember running around my great grandfather's farm. It was a real old fashioned farm with small patches of crops and just enough animals to feed his family. He had a cane mill that he harnessed his mule to every fall and milled the sugarcane into syrup. He had goats and horses, rabbits, mules, all kinds of fowl, a fishing pond, and dogs; lots and lots of dogs. Eighteen Beagles he used for rabbit hunting and three big Old White English, Kate, Daisy, and Bull that tended the other animals, keeping them in line where they were supposed to be and doing what they were supposed to be doing. All of the animals were kept behind fences and in pens, all but his cherished bulldogs. They were his farm hands, loyal and deeply devoted dogs that helped one man run an entire farm right by himself. His chickens had free run of the fenced in farmyard away from the house. Occasionally a chicken got over the fence only to be met by the bulldogs who, as a team, got the wandering bird back into the fenced in farmyard, which included opening the gate to the farmyard. These were the Carr White English.
They were truly remarkable dogs with remarkable abilities. Abilities I've yet to see matched by any other breed of dog. That is part of why I am so passionate about saving the rapidly disappearing breed. Below is a newspaper article from the local 'Dispatch and News' October 10, 1984 edition about my great grandfather and his bulldogs with a description of how he used them on his farm. Also mentioned are his kenneled hunting dogs.
They were truly remarkable dogs with remarkable abilities. Abilities I've yet to see matched by any other breed of dog. That is part of why I am so passionate about saving the rapidly disappearing breed. Below is a newspaper article from the local 'Dispatch and News' October 10, 1984 edition about my great grandfather and his bulldogs with a description of how he used them on his farm. Also mentioned are his kenneled hunting dogs.
These dogs are a tradition in my family dating back generations on my father's side. I've recently found an old family photo from 1893 of the family with their beloved OWE. My great grandfather, (B. 1898 - D. 1991), grandfather, (B. 1920 - D. 2009), and father, (B. 1946 - ), have all bred the CWE throughout their entire lives. I grew up with them always around. Wherever I went they were there too. Some of my very first memories involve these dogs, many of which were the best memories of my life. In the summer of 2014 I discovered a long forgotten, (unknown to me), family photo from 1893. Along with the family, beside the patriarch, sits their White English, looking identical to the dogs I grew up with and the dogs we are producing today.
My great grandfather passed and my grandfather no longer had the dogs. When I returned to my small hometown in 2003, I wanted a few bulldogs for my kids. By this time my father had one male remaining. So we went to the source, the Carr family. He too only had one male left, a seven year old named Spike. It had been his father, Jake Carr Sr. who had established the Carr line. His two sons had continued breeding until recently. He knew of only a handful of remaining dogs from his blood. We were in for a very difficult search. We began looking all over the surrounding area for them. Finding many dogs from out of state and northern Georgia that people called WE, we soon discovered that what they called WE and what we had around here were two different breeds entirely. While aspects of these dogs were similar to the CWE, none were like the local Carr blood. This is the dog I grew up with, was familiar with, and what I wanted my children to know. As we are discovering though, finding the CWE is very difficult, but the time and effort to do so is very well worth it. As old man Ashley put it, "Nobody else had dogs like these, You're sitting in the middle of the best bulldogs in the world." This remains a true statement for the remaining pure Carr dogs left. They are almost completely gone and we are attempting to preserve and to protect the purity of the old Carr blood, 'the best bulldogs in the world.' The numbers of 100% pure Carr dogs dwindles below 75 dogs; and that is an exceptionally optimistic figure. Read more about the role of the CWE.
My great grandfather passed and my grandfather no longer had the dogs. When I returned to my small hometown in 2003, I wanted a few bulldogs for my kids. By this time my father had one male remaining. So we went to the source, the Carr family. He too only had one male left, a seven year old named Spike. It had been his father, Jake Carr Sr. who had established the Carr line. His two sons had continued breeding until recently. He knew of only a handful of remaining dogs from his blood. We were in for a very difficult search. We began looking all over the surrounding area for them. Finding many dogs from out of state and northern Georgia that people called WE, we soon discovered that what they called WE and what we had around here were two different breeds entirely. While aspects of these dogs were similar to the CWE, none were like the local Carr blood. This is the dog I grew up with, was familiar with, and what I wanted my children to know. As we are discovering though, finding the CWE is very difficult, but the time and effort to do so is very well worth it. As old man Ashley put it, "Nobody else had dogs like these, You're sitting in the middle of the best bulldogs in the world." This remains a true statement for the remaining pure Carr dogs left. They are almost completely gone and we are attempting to preserve and to protect the purity of the old Carr blood, 'the best bulldogs in the world.' The numbers of 100% pure Carr dogs dwindles below 75 dogs; and that is an exceptionally optimistic figure. Read more about the role of the CWE.
Spike
Hedden's Spike of Carr - sire to Hedden's CWE Buddy Roe
I remember my daddy's old Carr dog Spike. I judge all dogs against him to this day; only Gus has come close. Spike was a very aloof character that appeared to be, to all intents and purposes, a yard dog. He laid aroun in the yard or on the porch pretty much all the time. My Daddy kep a few horses and cows and Spike never paid any attention to them at all, except when wild dogs, coyotes, bobcats or wild hogs came lurking. He was all about running them out of that pasture and protecting that stcok. He used to follow me and my cousins everywhere we went while riding horses or my dad's old four-wheeler. Back then, we had pretty much run of the county and could ride anywhere. We would ride all day with Spike following along. He never tired or overheated, even in the sweltering south Georgia summers. He never bothered other's livestock nor their dogs, unless of course their dogs came after us. Spike was something else; just a dog to me, never appreciating him until I found myself without a CWE.
I remember late one afternoon three stray dogs came wandering onto our place. Spike and all of his 60 pounds watched their approach. When they finally realized he was there, they were in range and it was too late. They engaged in a gruesome battle that we were certain Spike would not survive. But after about 10 minutes and with Spike on his back, we realized that he was tearing their chests open from underneath. He gored all three dogs while on his back, quickly and efficiently killing all three of them. Spike got up, shook off, and limped back up the steps and laid down on the porch. He had some bites on his legs and ears, but that was it. I'll never forget that day nor will I ever forget Spike.
I remember late one afternoon three stray dogs came wandering onto our place. Spike and all of his 60 pounds watched their approach. When they finally realized he was there, they were in range and it was too late. They engaged in a gruesome battle that we were certain Spike would not survive. But after about 10 minutes and with Spike on his back, we realized that he was tearing their chests open from underneath. He gored all three dogs while on his back, quickly and efficiently killing all three of them. Spike got up, shook off, and limped back up the steps and laid down on the porch. He had some bites on his legs and ears, but that was it. I'll never forget that day nor will I ever forget Spike.