COLBY’S DIME

COLBY’S DIME

WHEN COLBY’S DIME WAS FEATURED ON THE FRONT COVER OF THE JULY/AUGUST 1975 ISSUE OF THE SPORTING DOG JOURNAL, JACK KELLY NOTED THAT “YOU WOULD BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND A COLBY DOG THE LAST 20 YEARS, THAT DIDN’T HAVE DIMES NAME IN THE PEDIGREE AT-LEAST A FEW TIMES. COLBY’S DIME WAS A SMALL DOG, A 32LB PIT WEIGHT. THE SIRE OF OVER 200 DOGS, MANY OF THEM ACES.” HOWEVER IT WAS STATED IN LOUIS COLBY’S BOOK THAT DIME WAS BRED 15 TIMES AND THOSE FEMALES PRODUCED A TOTAL OF SEVENTY-EIGHT PUPPIES. IT MAKES THE FACT ONLY MORE REMARKABLE THAT, HERE IT IS, MORE THAN 40 YEARS AFTER THAT ISSUES OF SPORTING DOG JOURNAL CAME OUT IN 1975,  AND THE NUMBER OF GREAT DOGS, FAMILY OF DOGS, AND YARDS THAT HAVE BEEN BUILT FROM THAT  FOUNDATION, COLBY’S DIME, CONTINUES TO GROW. MANY OF THEM STILL ACES!

Colby’s Dime was bred by Louis Colby, as was his sire and dam, and his grand-sire and grand-dam. Colby’s Dime was whelped by Colby’s Penny – also known and recorded in some pedigrees as Fuller’s Penny – and was

Colby’s Tweedie, sire of the famous Dime dog. In his later years was sent to Mexico

one of a litter of ten pups. They were sired by Colby’s Tweedie The litter was whelped August 26th,1949. Colby’s Tweedie, in turn was sired by Colby’s Judo, a direct son of Colby’s Primo. The story of Colby’s Primo – Colby’s Brandy x Colby’s Mable – is unique, interesting, and forged in ground-breaking history of the breed. Here is why. After great effort, mainly on the part of the man W.T. Brandon, and about three years of correspondence and hard work started in 1933 the American Kennel Club (A.K.C.) decided to consider registration of the American ‘Pit’ Bull Terrier into their husbandry. They decided to adopt and register Pit Bulls under the name of Staffordshire Terriers to ‘down play’ their fighting ancestry. It was on June the 9th, 1936 that the American Kennel Club finely gave recognition to the American ‘Pit’ Bull Terrier. A committee headed by W.T. Brandon was then delegated to come up with a standard for the breed to be used by the American Kennel Club. They found that standard on the yard of John P. Colby in a dog named Primo. This committee measured and observed Colby’s Primo and the standard for the breed established by the American Kennel Club was based in part on this dog. A picture of Colby’s Primo was used to represent this standard for the American Kennel Clubs Staffordshire Terriers for many years that followed.

Colby’s Primo was one of the first triple registered dog between the United Kennel Club (U.K.C.) UKC #223-460 and the American Dog Breeders Association (A.D.B.A.) ADBA #500-01 and the American Kennel Club (A.K.C.) AKC #641-443. Even a quick review of the pedigree on Colby’s Primo will reveal the half-brother to sister mating on Colby’s famed Galtie – through Colby’s Demo and Jule – to produce the sire to Colby’s Primo, named Colby’s Brandy. Colby’s Brandy was a beautiful little dog, a dark brindle, weighing only thirty-one pounds in good shape. A Grandson to Colby’s Galtie on both his top and bottom side through Colby’s Demo and Colby’s Jule. He was a prominent stud dog for John P. Colby during the 1930’s. Colby’s Brandy was the type of dog to grab anything on four legs. He would grab any dog on sight, even a female in heat. During breeding he had to be placed on a very short chain, about 18 inches in length. The females would be backed up to him, with extra caution taken that their heads would never be together for even a moment. The sire to Colby’s Brandy, Colby’s Demo, was a red dog with an exact opposite personality of his son. Colby’s Demo was kept by John O’Donnell, who ran a restaurant on Inn Street in Newburyport, Massachusetts. Colby’s Demo was bred to some of the most respected fighting dogs of the time and was a noted producer. Yet, he was a very friendly dog himself. He made many friends in the neighborhood and loved the children who played in the schoolyard where he visited most often. He would not bother another dog, unless he was first provoked himself. Do not get lost. Remember that at this point we are still discussing the breeding behind Colby’s Primo the first Triple Registered American Pit Bull Terrier and the standard for the breed as they were entered into the husbandry of the American Kennel Club (A.K.C.). Remember also that Colby’s Primo was the Great-Grand-sire to Colby’s Dime, the subject of this study. For now, let us now turn our attention to the dam of Colby’s Primo, a noted female named Colby’s Mable. Colby’s Mable was sired by Colby’s Blind Jack. Colby’s Blind Jack was a very handsome built dog whelped April the 10th of 1932. When Colby’s Blind Jack was bred to Colby’s Peggy H, Colby’s Mable was whelped. Colby’s Blind Jack was sired by Colby’s Billy and whelped by Colby’s Belle. When you recall the pedigree on Colby’s Primo you can see that Colby’s Peggy H was an older halfsister to Colby’s Primo, both being sired by Colby’s Brandy. Colby’s Brandy was bred to his own Grand-Daughter to produce Primo.

Then, as you review the pedigree on Colby’s Mable, the dam to Colby’s Primo, you will also note that Colby’s Gyp III, the dam to Peggy H is a half-sister to Colby’s Blind Jack as well. In other words, a son of Colby’s Billy bred to a grand-daughter of Colby’s Billy. Colby’s Billy was first entered into the United Kennel Clubs (U.K.C.) stud books in July of 1930. Colby’s Billy was also known as Ruschleau’s Billy. Joe Ruschleau was John P. Colby’s barber and often kept dogs for John P. Colby. To further illustrate the intense line breeding done by John P. Colby, one only needs to compare the pedigree of Colby’s Billy to those of Collagan’s Marshall Female and Colby’s Dinah. Colby’s Merle, the dam to Colby’s Tweedie – sire to Colby’s Dime-, was also known as Vose’s Merle, came by way of a half-brother to sister mating between the dog remembered and recorded as Cammetf s Flash to Colby’s Buffy. Both of them were sired by Colby’s Flub-Dub. Cammett s Flash was whelped by Colby’s Pupsy and Colby’s Buffy was whelped by Colby’s Trixy – sometimes spelled Trixie, the littermate sister to Colby’s Primo. Since Colby’s Flub-Dub was the sire to both Cammett’s Flash and Colby’s Buffy, let’s take a look at how Flub-Dub was created. He was sired by Colby’s Billy, which we have already discussed. His Dam, Colby’s Chips came from a father to daughter breeding. She was sired by Colby’s Brandy back to his daughter Peggy H, both of which you already know. This also makes Colby’s Chips a half-sister to Colby’s Mable through Peggy H. Now, the dam to Cammett’s Flash was Colby’s Pupsy. Colby’s Pupsy was whelped June 26th, 1933. She was a beautiful reddish brindle female that weighed approximately 33 pounds. She was also a half-sister to Colby’s Peggy H, both being sired by Colby’s Brandy. The dam to Colby’s Pupsy was Colby’s Jill, a full sister to Colby’s Blind Jack. Colby’s Pupsy was also the dam to the litter-mates Colby’s Buddy and Fool when bred to Colby’s Rowdy. Colby’s Buffy, the other daughter of Colby’s Flub-Dub we are discussing at the moment, and the dam to Colby’s Merle, was another good looking female. She was red with a white head. She was whelped by Colby’s Trixy. Colby’s Trixy was whelped May 29th, 1935 and was a half-sister to Colby’s Pupsy, both sired by Colby’s Brandy. However, Colby’s Trixy, whelped by Colby’s Mable, that is another female that we have already covered. Colby’s Rifle was the sire to Colby’s (Fuller’s) Penny, the dam to Colby’s Dime. Colby’s Rifle, in turn, was sired by Colby’s Buddy. Colby’s Buddy was raised by the U.S. Coast Guard Station on Plum Island, Massachusetts.

Colby’s Buddy was later sold to the lifelong friend of the Colby family, Howard Heinzl. Howard Heinzl and Bud Borrelli used Buddy in the Chicago area to wins some great battles. Howard Heinzl once stated that Colby’s Buddy was, without a doubt, the best fighting dog he ever owned. Howard Heinzl went on to state that he would have to rate Buddy even above dogs like Heinzl’s T-Bone – littermate brother to Colby’s Dime – and the famed Tudor’s Dibo. Colby’s Buddy was a half-brother to Cammett’s Flash, both being sired by Pupsy. He was also the full brother to Colby’s Fool. We will talk more about Colby’s Fool in a moment. Colby’s Buddy and Fool were whelped August 11th, 1937, sired by Colby’s Rowdy and whelped by Pupsy. The dog Colby’s Rowdy was the sired by Colby’s Blind Jack. This makes him the half-brother to Colby’s Mable. The dam Colby’s Rowdy was Colby’s Maggie, the half-sister to Colby’s Brandy through Jule. Colby’s (Fuller’s) Penny, the dam to Colby’s Dime, was sired by Rifle and was whelped by Colby’s Sassy. This is the point where we come back to Colby’s Fool for just a moment, the full sister to Colby’s Buddy. Colby’s Fool was a beautiful brindle female that was also duel registered into the American Kennel Club as a Staffordshire Terrier. As stated, she was a full sister to Colby’s Buddy. She was also the great grand-dam to Colby’s Dime. Colby’s Sassy was sired by Colby’s Trim. Colby’s Trim was whelped June 20th, 1940. He was a good looking red dog with a blazed face. Trim was sired by Colby’s Puggsy. Puggsy was sired by Colby’s Paddy 2, the full brother to Rowdy. There were more than a dozen dogs named Paddy over the last century. However, this one was a beautiful gray brindle and, as stated, the littermate brother to Colby’s Rowdy. Colby’s Paddy 2 was known as the dog with the big head and a big heart! ‘ Sometimes you will see the name of Colby’s Puggsy misspelled as Pugsy, but it should have two “g”s. The dam to Colby’s Trim was Colby’s Shirley. Colby’s Shirley was whelped by Colby’s Wasp. In turn Colby’s Wasp was whelped by Colby’s Blaze, the full sister to Colby’s Jule, and she was sired by Colby’s Turk. Colby’s Turk was whelped August 9th, 1940. In turn, Colby’s Turk was sired by Colby’s Rowdy and whelped by Colby’s Trixy. We find ourselves; once again, back to the dogs like Colby’s Brandy, Demo, Jule, Mable and Blind Jack and Billy, Gal tie and Dinah, these are the dogs that lead us back to the very foundation dogs of John P. Colby. Some of you reading this review may have been around long enough to recognize some of these old names. While to a great many others of you reading this, these names may have been new to you. Up to this point we have discussed the ancestors of Colby’s Dime, to give you a basic understanding as to what produced him. However, we shall now cover what might be considered as more familiar ground for the new comers to the breed. Even the most recent new comers and novice will, or at least should, recognize the name of dogs like Finley’s Champion Bo R.O.M. Finley’s Champion Bo was sire to some of the most famous dogs of recent history.

He sired such great dogs as Hargrove’s Grand Champion Outlaw, R.C. & the So-So Boys’ Grand Champion Magnum R.O.M., and their Champion Bronco dog. Finley’s Champion Bo also sired Hooper’s Champion Bully. When bred to Crenshaw’s Champion Honeybunch R.O.M., Finley’s Champion Bo sired the ever famous litter that gave the world of the American Pit Bull Terrier Swetman’s Champion Holly and James Crenshaw’s Champion Charlie, Champion Missy and the famed, top racking Register of Merit producer, Crenshaw’s Champion Jeep R.O.M. Finley’s Champion Bo R.O.M., was a tight line bred dog on Colby’s Dime. Colby’s Dime, in turn, was considered one of the top ranking producers of his era, long before the Register of Merit title was established by Jack Kelly. The name of Colby’s Dime appears eight times, top and bottom, in a six generation pedigree on Finley’s Champion One cannot forget about the famed Bass’ Tramp Red Boy. I have found it personally humorous, when I hear young fanciers talk about what they refer to as a Jeep/Red Boy cross. There is no doubt that breeding the descendants of James Crenshaw’s Jeep to those of the dog recorded as Ron Bass’ two time pit winner, Tramp Red Boy has produced a great number of outstanding, more modem day, dogs. Regardless of the descendants used, these mating’s may be considered as line breeding, but never a cross, as both Crenshaw’s Champion Jeep, sired by Finley’s Champion Bo and Ron Bass’ Tramp Red Boy sired by Howard Teal’s Jeff, are both line bred on Colby’s Dime. Howard Teal owned the dog recorded as Teal’s Sarge, a pure Colby male sired by the famous Colby’s Dime and his dam was Colby’s Margie. Howard Teal considered Louis Colby a close personal friend. Louis Colby, of course, was the breeder of Teal’s Sarge. Teal’s Sarge, a multi-time pit winner himself, was a full littermate brother to the famed Lyman’s Champion Paddy. Jim Lyman’s Champion Paddy was known to be the forty-eight pound Champion of the Northeast and/or the Champion of New England. Even though Teal’s Sarge eventually lost to Edward’s Silky, a son of Tudor’s Dibo, this loss did not lessen the importance of his wins nor diminish his popularity as a stud dog. As to the dogs , Howard Teal once told me that Teal’s Sarge was one of his favorites, Teal’s Jeff, that was sired by Teal’s Sarge, was his best all around dog. Howard Teal also stated that his best pit dog was old Fritz – Frank Fitzwater’s Cheyenne – the half-brother to Sarge. It was the son of Teal’s Sarge, recorded as Teal’s Jeff’, that not only went on produce one of the most popular stud dogs in modern history, Bass’ Tramp Red Boy, Teal’s Jeff’ also went on to prove himself to be a dead game dog in a battle lasting over two hours and forty minutes. It must be noted that Teal’s Jeff’ was over seven and a half years old at the time. In time, Teal’s Jeff proved to be an outstanding producer. As Teal’s Sarge had passed his legacy of gameness to his son Jeff, such gameness and ability was now bestowed upon his own sons. Sons like Joe Medlin’s Grand Champion Outlaw and the famed two time pit winner Bass’ Tramp Red Boy. He became the foundation for the dogs that fanciers now refer to as those Red Boy dogs. Howard Teal owned a deeply game female by the name of Teal’s Gyp. She was a daughter of Bob Neblett’s Congo. Teal’s Gyp produced Howard Teal’s Lou, the dam to Teal’s Jeff’. Thus, the line breeding on Colby’s Dime is preserved with Teal’s Jeff’. When Teal’s Jeff’ was bred back to his own daughter, McCloud’s Susie Q Gal, they produced the ever famous Bass’ Tramp Red Boy. One of the more famous of the off-spring of Colby’s Dime might be considered to be Bob Neblett’s Congo, whelped November the 16th, 1953.

The dog remembered as Neblett’s Congo was whelped by Colby’s Tibbie. Neblett’s Congo came from a litter of twelve pups bred by Mike Colby. Neblett’s Congo in turn, was the sire to Kelly’s Bob Tail Buddy, who at the weight of 50 pounds won an outstanding battle in 1961. Neblett’s Congo also sired Cole’s Pete. This was the dog that defeated Shumaker’s Ringo in a battle that lasted one hour and thirty minutes in 1961. Mr. Robert Neblett had an outstanding line of dogs in his own right; they were based on his Neblett’s Grand Champion Bucky McCoy. However, he lined in the Colby dogs to preserve his strain. Beside Neblett’s Congo, another such

Neblett’s Congo was sired by Dime

Colby dog he found favor in and produced for him with outstanding results was Neblett’s Little Cookie. Neblett’s Little Cookie came from a breeding of Colby’s Dime bred to Colby’s Margie, whelped October the 21st, 1953. That’s right; she was the littermate sister to Howard Teal’s Sarge and Jim Lyman’s Champion Paddy. Another great dog was recorded and remembered as Ed Crenshaw’s Colby Rusty whelped June 25th, 1954. He was later known as Hobb’s Rusty. Ed Crenshaw’s Colby Rusty was also used as a stud dog by Maurice Carver under both names! Ed Crenshaw’s (Hobb’s) Colby Rusty will be found within the pedigrees of many of the greatest dogs of their times. He will be found in the pedigrees of dogs like The Plumber’s Champion Alligator, Adams & Crutchfield’s (also known as Stinson & Glover’s) Grand Champion Art and dogs like Lewis’ Champion Hope and Lewis’ Champion Catfish. As we mentioned before, the full brother to Ed Crenshaw’s Colby Rusty was Lyman’s Champion Paddy, Neblett’s Little Cookie and Teal’s Sarge. What a breeding that must have been. Most fanciers, even the ones using this line of dogs, never made these connections. Concerning Colby’s Margie, within this writing, she was bred to Colby’s Dime three different times. An earlier breeding, Colby’s Dime to Margie produced the dog Colby’s (Sparks’) Texas, owned by Pete Sparks. Pete Sparks’ Texas is the dog that produced such dogs as the game winners known as Bishop’s Crazy and Bishop’s Jeremiah and the great producing female named Burkette’s Dutch. When he was bred back to his own daughter, they produced the outstanding producer recorded as Colby’s Mandy and her littermate brother and great producing sire Loposay’s Colby Rusty. Colby’s (Sparks’) Texas, when bred to Hetrick’s Bootsie Girl produced the great pit winner, and highly popular, pure Colby stud dog, recorded as B.B. Hetrick’s Colby Chopper. However, back to Neblett’s Little Cookie, she came from the second mating of Colby’s Dime to Margie. A little history here concerning Neblett’s Little Cookie is the fact that she is the Great-grand dam of Maniscalco’s Lady. Maniscalco’s Lady made her debut at the Cajun Convention in October of 1960.

She was the female that defeated Gaboon Trahan’s Diamond at a weight of 4314 pounds in a contest lasting 35 minutes October the 23rd, 1960. Trahan’s Diamond had been conditioned by Gaboon Trahan and was handled by Howard Teal. David Maniscalo and his brother Roland did the conditioning on their little red female named Lady. This was the debut for Lady into the world of professional competition and she was only eighteen months old at the time. During her competition Roland Boutte was betting a hundred to twenty on Lady. This was the longest odds heard of at this convention! At the end of the day, not only did Lady win her contest, she was also voted the Best Female of Show at the Cajun Convention. It was Gaboon A. Trahan himself, who owned the female named Diamond that Lady defeated, that proudly presented David Maniscalco and his Lady with a custom made collard and leash as a trophy for Best Female of the convention. Neblett’s Little Cookie was also the Great-grand dam of Tipp’s Dutch’ that won a hard fought contest in 2 Hours and 45 Minutes. Through the breeding experience of Bob Neblett the female registered as Creed’s Iron Lady was produced. Creed’s Iron Lady was the grand-daughter of Neblett’s Little Cookie. She was also the dam to the fame Creed’s Iron Dusty also known as Ross’ Grand Champion Red Devil. Ross’ Grand Champion Red Devil gained a large and loyal following of his own and entire yards were based on his off-spring. In turn, Ross’ Grand Champion Red Devil produced the great little three time winner remembered as Al Offer’s Tuffy. At a weight of 49 pounds Offer’s Tuffy defeated Kelly’s Domino in 30 minutes and Joe Corvino’s Buddy dog in a contest lasting three hours and ten minutes in 1963. These examples only go to demonstrate the continued proven producing abilities of the offspring produced by Colby’s Dime. In breeding, such as father to daughter or sister to brother, is a system that was not normally used by Louis Colby. However, after a careful review, a fancier can easily see the in-breeding and line breeding that was utilized by his father, John P. Colby, in the creation of the foundation that produced Colby’s Dime. Even Louis Colby admitted that one of the greatest and most popular breeding came from an accidental breeding, when Dime had gotten loose and bred his own daughter Colby’s Cheyenne. These pups were whelped February 14th, 1958. Five pups were whelped in this litter. From this litter came such great dogs as Jack Kelly’s Champion Kayo who went on to become a winner of three professional fights and his litter mate-sister Jack Kelly’s Cookie. Jack Kelly’s Kayo was first owned by Joe Blanchard, who used him to defeat Jack Kelly in 1959. Jack Kelly then acquired Kayo and won two more professional fights with him.

Also included in that litter was and outstanding producer recorded as Joe Orday’s Smokey. Colby’s Dime, himself, was a beautiful dark brindle bulldog with a white blaze down his face and other white markings. He grew into a nicely built thirty-six pound dog as an adult. He was raised by and spent his entire life with Louis Colby. Louis Colby once stated that the only time that Colby’s Dime was ever licked was by a four pound game hen. The game hen had a brood of chicks with her and, one day Colby’s Dime, who was running loose, got way too close to her. The game hen took off after Dime and peppered his fanny all the way to the barn. A more modem fancier may not think that a dog that has sired as many outstanding, proven game dogs, as Dime has would take such abuse from a chicken! However, those who truly know bulldogs will be amused by the story, are not amazed, or even surprised. A couple of his highly noted littermate was dogs like Howard Heinzl’s T-Bone and Al Brown Socomo. Howard Heinzl stated that T-Bone was his all-time favorite dog and rated him in the top ten of the best dogs he ever saw. He also stated that T-Bone was by far the best all-around dog he ever owned. Even in 1961, when T-Bone was 101/2 years old, it was felt that the old time Colby dogs like T-Bone would soon be dying off and a question even then was, what would the new fraternity then do for breeding stock? Howard Heinzl not only owned Heinzl’s T Bone, the litter mate brother to Dime, he also owned Heinzl’s Champion Peter, the son of Colby’s Dime. It would be hard pressed to name all the outstanding dogs produced by Colby’s Dime. Others that come readily to mind would be Ed Crenshaw’s Red Boy, Freeman’s Susie, Lyons’ Pucky and Eaton’s Snookie. This list would also have to include McDonald’s Sally, Colby’s Brenda Lee, and Taylor’s Flossie. Once again, as stated before, these examples only go to demonstrate the continued proven producing abilities of the offspring produced by Colby’s Dime. This list was not meant to be all inclusive. I am sure that a great many other sons and daughters of Colby’s Dime that should have been listed, was left out. I have only my feeble mind to blame. As was stated in the beginning of this review, you would be hard pressed to find a Colby dog of the last 20 years, that didn’t have the name of Colby’s Dime in the pedigree at least a few times. Those words were written in 1975. Forty-one years later, in 2016, those words still hold true. Louis Colby once stated, and rightly so, that when fanciers think of his father, John P. Colby, they would think of the dogs like Twister, Kager, Pincher, Joker and the Irish dog Galtie. However, when fanciers think of Louis Colby, they will always think of Dime. Colby’s Dime passed in bulldog history on January 21st, 1961. He had already gone blind and had terrible arthritis at the time. However, he was not alone when he passed. He was with the one who loved him as much as he loved in return; he was in the arms of his life long companion, Louis Colby.

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