Welsh Hillman

Welsh Hillman

He is not recognized by the F.C.I.

Origin

Translation

En français, cette race se dit

Diese Norm ist in deutscher Sprache sichtbar

En español, esta raza se dice

In het Nederlands, wordt dit ras gezegd

The Welsh Hillman was an old local breed or type of Welsh herding dog used for driving and moving livestock. It was long believed that this variety had gone extinct around 1990.

The Welsh Hillman likely descended from ancient Welsh herding dogs. It may have been the oldest Welsh herding dog, possibly descended from the ancient *gellgi* or "Welsh wolfhounds" used about a millennium ago. Some sources, without clear evidence, suggest it was crossed with similar dogs found in North Africa.

It was a large yet slender dog, standing up to approximately 64 cm (25 inches) at the withers; it was described as "fast and fearless," with an appearance reminiscent of a lighter-built German Shepherd. It had erect ears. Its coat was generally light fawn, sandy, or golden-red, featuring a black saddle, a white chest, white markings on the legs and tail tip, and a white blaze on the face. Blue merle dogs were also occasionally seen.

The breed was not widespread in modern times. In 1948, C. L. B. Hubbard described it as "almost extinct" and "rarely seen at work nowadays." The last known Welsh Hillman, a female named "Jess," was purchased in 1974 from an upland farm near Hay-on-Wye by author and broadcaster Jeanine McMullen; the animal was spayed before its owner realized just how rare the breed was.