This article was published in the national magazine: "Full Cry"
(Printable version - pdf)
Written by the late: Donald Cain
Foundation Blackmouth Cur Breeders Organization, Inc.
Hello to all our members, Blackmouth owners, breeders, hunters, fanciers and to all our members, and we wish everyone a prosperous and Happy New Year.
Our Premier Stud Dog this month comes to us from Referred listed Breeder, David Thoms.
Thoms’ Blackmouth Cur cow dogs. Thoms’ Colorado, (McDonald’s Bubba 999 x Wright’s High Sierra), carrying 36.71875% Weatherford’s Ben on ten crosses bred by David Thoms. Buckskin, black mask and ears, Colorado is a solid 60 pounds in hard working shape, exceptionally long body and legged, deep, wide chest, tight, high flank, nice arch to his back, nice wide head, a real strong, chiseled muscled conformation. David said Colorado is the tallest, longest bodied and legged dog he has had. Everyone comments on how exceptional a looking dog Colorado actually is, as well as his outstanding athletic and working abilities. Very intelligent, easy, light handling, listens well, you speak he always hears you. A medium nose, very heavy winder, an outstanding find dog with plenty of wide hunt. Extremely athletic, outstanding cat quickness, agility and speed, hard catch dog (ear and nose, whichever he hits first), heavy windmill hard, fast sweeping led dog that will quarterback hard, an extreme lead dog on cattle.
All his outstanding attributes and abilities are simply natural as Colorado started working on his own at five months old. By six months he was winding and finding his own cattle. A very physical working dog, the rougher it gets the better he likes it, the harder he works the rougher he gets. Just a hard, fast rolling dog, with intense, outstanding, complete and extreme focus, natural athletic and working abilities, grit, drive, desire, bottom, heart and intelligence, very complete in all his abilities, a dog David said “Isn’t for Sale, Period!”
As a producer, Colorado is making an impact fast, and his pups are very long bodied, deep leggy dogs. Most carry his conformation and disposition. They want to work and could really care less about being a pet. His pups start early and are very independent, hard rolling, outstanding working and hunting dogs at young ages. From his first litter by Naylor’s Lolly (McDonald’s Bubba 999 x Naylor’s Sugar). Stoney Naylor has two pups going to hogs hard. They started young and never looked back. By nine months they were outstanding for their age in the timber. His last litter by Toms’ Gato, (Wright’s Bounty Lobo x Wright’s Western Hell Kat) were baying cattle before four months old that David has at his house. He has several upcoming litters and I know we will be seeing his sons and daughters rising to the top in breeding programs as well. Colorado represents everything this breeders organization was founded on, and as a Breed Standard representative, he is outstanding. Colorado carries solid hard, deep line breeding, however, he still carries a high vigor, which makes him the type dog a breeding program can be started on, built from, used to improve on, used to carry his line breeding on without worry of blood burnout, and a dog a hand can make a living with catching the baddest of the bad. Thanks, David, for sharing Colorado with us all, we will be keeping updates on his pups as we get them.
David Thoms has bred Cur dogs for cattle over 50 years, a reputation breeder for four decades plus, breeding dogs for his personal use on cattle. “I’ve always worked cattle with dogs and truthfully wouldn’t know how to work them without good dogs. I always had good dogs. I had to in order to handle the numbers and type cattle we ran. When I was 12 years old, my dad bought a Cur cow dog, and he was one eyed and dad paid $500 for him. That was the 1950’s, and at that time, that was a big price for any dog. I took care of that dog, and we got some females and I was active in every cross. I started all the pups and culled and kept the best. At a young age I was taught the importance of culling hard and keeping the most outstanding”.
In David’s words, “About 1999 I had bred myself into a corner with the strain I had and worked 40+ years. I decided to try Foundation Blackmouths. The big draws were the genetics which had been proven for many years. The bloodline and breeding program I bought out of only bred outstanding cow dogs first, this was extremely important to me as this was all I use dogs for. They bred true importantly in working style, natural working and athletic abilities, natural drive, desire, nose, conformation, it was all there.”
Being a cattleman, David used those first dogs hard on cattle, studying all their natural abilities. When proven, he bred and raised them and kept and started every pup on cattle himself. “I started the pups from the first crosses, not a cull in either litter. This was a first for me as a breeder. In late 2001, I sold the last female I owned that carried my original blood. The genetics I have now are better bred and known. One hundred percent working litters and all these pups start early. From the first crosses I started with every pup working at six months old, solid. By a year, most were better than any finished dog I had seen.”
Throughout the last decade, David has worked and proven his dogs hard, bred the best dogs to the best, and the best genetics to the best genetics possible. “With our Original dogs I had over those 40 years, I bred kept and used those dogs. I sold a few males only. I couldn’t sell and know pups would work or breed true to what they were. Today, I can take any stud dog I own, and brood female I own and do anything I want to with them, and pen any set of cattle with them. Before (with his original strain) I have had two pens of working dogs and a cow run off and not a dog go after her, let lone bring her back. That was a frustrating year and half. With these Ben dogs I have now, if a cow leaves, they go to her fast and hard. They catch as fast as they get there. I mean right now and bring her back faster than she left. With all these dogs, they are always busy, over here over there, be it hunting and finding, wind milling, stopping, catching and bringing back a run off, to lead style and hard quarterbacking. They are complete control dogs. I’ve trotted behind a lot of dogs in my time and never thought it possible to have this many dogs and everyone work outstandingly and produce true”.
David stresses the point its genetics. “This was going to be a hobby, raising a few litters to use and sell. It turned into a business. The only reason is because I got into the right genetics, pure and simple. When I got into Randy Wright’s genetics, I could sell a dog and guarantee them without hesitation and knew they would work. All those dogs used to develop these genetics were used hard, catching what was considered uncatchable, the rankest of the bad.”
At the onset developing his breeding program with Foundation Blackmouths, David worked hard to maintain the outstanding dogs he started with and worked hard with ever litter to prove and improve his dogs. Through a lot of hard work, dedication, knowledge and time, David has improved his breeding program over those first three dogs. David uses and proves every dog they have to be outstanding. He knows their strengths and weaknesses, and he breeds those best working dogs to the best and the best genetics possible.” I watch and listen for the most outstanding dogs and genetics I can breed or buy, and I constantly am working in new genetics to improve our breeding program. It’s genetics, pure and simple.”
Today, David carries five finished proven stud dogs, McDonald’s Bubba 999, Thom’s Colorado, Thoms’ Randy, Thoms’ Dandy and Thoms’ Hornet, along with one prospect that is working well… Thom’s Western Magnum. Bubba is the only hybrid Vigor outcross male as all others are heavily linebred.
Females include Lucy’s Chara, one of the first pups David bred originally; Flash’s Molly, Flash’s Sugar, Thoms’ Coyote, Thoms’ Western Sally, Thoms’ Gato, Thoms’ Wanda, Wright’s High Sierra, Wright’s Bounty Cayenne, Wright’s Western Randa, and a young gyp, Thoms’ HS Little Chata that is really making an outstanding dog quickly. Each female is line bred and represent some of the most outstanding producers and working dogs we have ever registered. Proving this fact, “the solid foundation laid in the past is the future, its genetics.”
We look to the past at a very unselfish, humble, dedicated breeder who has always worked to own and produce the most outstanding working cow dogs possible, over 50 years to date. A breeder who never needed anyone keeping his enthusiasm up about breeding dogs or a profit to work hard and remain dedicated to breed the best possible. A breeder for whom brutal honesty with himself always came first, as it does today, his honesty and word to his customers mean everything. Brutal honesty with himself led David to improve his breeding program “drastically” in his words in the ability to produce outstanding litters time after time with every pup working. Had he had the attitude, “I have the best.” He would have never improved his dogs and breeding program where it is today. This says more about his character than anything even as a highly respected, reputation breeder most considered to have the best cow dogs in South Texas. David never quit working to improve, and this led to his greatest accomplishment; one of the most outstanding breeding programs ever established. The year 2008 alone saw David sell 54 pups to date to seven states and Texas with most reports of pups starting solidly by six months old. The majority of his customers use and work dogs hard be it on their own cattle or ranch or making a living catching cattle for the public and day working. Ninety percent of David’s sales are repeat customers. Most buy one or two and call back and buy several. The problem isn’t having buyers – it’s having enough proven females to produce pups for the demand. “I breed cow dogs, and in the end, I want to be remembered as always having good dogs and a connoisseur of fine cow dogs! David has worked tirelessly to preserve, promote and protect the Original Blackmouth Cur breed and this Breeders Organization. He is one of our cornerstone breeders. His hard work, dedication, knowledge of working dogs and genetics, time, hard use of his dogs, endless support are very appreciated. We are perhaps prouder to represent David Thom’s Blackmouth Cur cow dogs than he is of his breeding program, if its possible. David has produced some of the most outstanding dogs walking. David is one of few breeders to consistently place outstanding dogs in the nation’s top breeding programs at the helm – top hands and ranches all over the nation and hunters. It is with great honor, respect and gratitude we inducted David Thoms into the Texas Breeders Hall of Fame on January 1, 2009. David becomes the ninth overall breeder inducted into the Breeders Hall of Fame, and the seventh breeder inducted into the Texas sector. No breeder has worked harder, been more dedicated, had more commitment, been more knowledgeable or more deserving of this induction and prestigious award. Thank you David.
Stud Dog of the Year for 2008 is Thoms’ Hornet (Wright’s yellow Jacket 075 cWright’s Little Nina), a 60 pound light yellow, black mask and ears, conformation described as “chiseled from granite.” Hornet is deep, wide, heavy chested, tight high cut flank, long body, nice arch in his back, long legged, strong, stout, chiseled muscle, good heavy bone, wide head, heavy jaws, square muzzle, a nice big eye and outstanding disposition. Hornet is an extremely outstanding cow dog in every way possible –hard, fast, steady hunt with plenty of range, good medium nose, hard windmill, heavy, hard, fast sweeping front end lead style with plenty of quarterback. If a cow leaves, she has had one bad day. He is a very hard driving catch dog, cocked primed, loaded and ready right now, all the time. A very physical, fast, hard working machine, outstanding in every aspect. David has said many times, “Hornet has it all, very complete in every aspect. He may well be the best dog I own. If he is loose, go looking for cattle, that’s where he will be. He lives and breathes cattle. He works as hard as he can. Bottom – his stay is unbelievable, drive, desire, heart and real intelligent. He reads cattle extremely well and can handle anything or any wreck thrown his way. He is a true lead dog by himself of with other dogs(s). Hornet always gives 110% and always has more if needed. He lives to work, extreme intensity, nice handling dog that is just outstanding and complete in every aspect.”
David was looking to Hornet to step up and become his lead stud dog, and step up he did in a big way. Hornet carries 62.50% line bred Wright’s Yellow Jacket and 56.054685% Weatherford’s Ben on 20 crosses. This was the first time in history one dog was bred on such a high percentage basis, with this many crosses back to him. Hornet is a genetic marvel, bred to be an outstanding producer, and David certainly put him under pressure. David bred Hornet to Flash’s Mollie and Flash’s Sugar. These pups carry
51.65235% line bred Weatherford’s Ben on 32 crosses. Every pup we have had reports on were baying cattle before six months old and started the first time they saw cattle and fast.
Wright’s Hard Twist at five months and 12 days old and on the sixth day that Wright’s Curs had him, went to cattle and was working hard in seconds. Two days later and the second time to see cattle, Twist went to the cattle and when a bull came out fighting, he hung him hard. He has never looked back, simply getting better every day – just one example. His littermate, Wright’s Red Wasp, went to cattle two weeks later. The first time he was put on cattle. He has a huge mouth and is working and getting better on every trip. Both are very outstanding young dogs.
Andres Garcia in Seguin, TX said at three months old his gyp pup was baying hogs within days of getting her and she is really turning on and making a nice dog at eight months. Bred over Wright’s High Sierra, these pups carried 52.24609% Weatherford’s Ben on 29 crosses. These pups also went to work hard, are fast and natural on cattle and hogs.
Thoms’ HS Pretty Girl is a female David said may be the best looking gyp he has ever raised as well as the most intelligent. Bred over Thoms’ Star, these pups carried 42.480467% line bred Weatherford’s Ben on 25 crosses – again super early starters. Thoms’ HS Little Chata went to work her first time out just days past four months old and working solidly, hard, fast, rough working, and going to cattle by herself before five months.
These are a few examples of how outstanding his pups are working and how outstanding Hornet is producing over such high pressure line breeding, proving he is just as exceptional, outstanding, complete producer as he is a working dog. He also is proving quickly that he deserved the Premier Stud Dog status. And as expected, is a impact producer who will influence the breed for decades to come. In David’s words, “The only reason they produce this way is because I got into the right genetics to start with.”
This wraps things up for the month. Until next month, please keep those cards, letters, and pictures coming our way and those big yellow dogs in the timber.
Written by the late: Donald Cain