The Blue Lacy is a breed of working dog that originated in Texas in the mid 1800s, the only dog breed to have originated in that state.  The Lacy was first recognized in 2001 by the Texas Senate. In Senate Resolution No. 436, the 77th Legislature honored the Lacy as "a true Texas breed"; In June 2005, Governor Rick Perry signed the legislation adopting the Blue Lacy as "the official State Dog Breed of Texas."

History

The Lacy dog was named after the Lacy brothers--Frank, George, Ewin, and Harry Lacy--who in 1858 moved from Kentucky to Texas and settled in Burnet County, Texas.  The dog, according to the Lacys, was a mixture of English Shepherd (or perhaps coyote), Greyhound, and wolf.   House Concurrent Resolution No. 108 also mentions scenthound.   The brothers originally developed their natural herding instincts to work their free-roaming hogs.On March 15, 2005, in the 79th Legislature of the State of Texas, Representative Joaquin Castro filed House Concurrent Resolution No. 108 proposing the Blue Lacy as state dog of Texas. This legislation was proposed to recognize the original breeders and their contribution to the State of Texas as well as to honor the Lacy as a Texas original. House Concurrent Resolution No. 108 was adopted by the Texas House of Representatives on May 15, 2005, and by the Senate ten days later on May 25, 2005. Governor Rick Perry signed the legislation adopting the Lacy as "the official State Dog Breed of Texas" on June 18, 2005. The Blue Lacy was proposed by some in 2008 to replace Reveille VII, a Collie, as the mascot dog of Texas A&M.   In accordance with tradition since Reveille III, however, a Collie was chosen. In June 2009, the Lacy Dog was featured in Life After People on the History Channel.  The segment showed the fate of Lacys would be different than that of watered-down pets. Tough dogs with the drive and skills to fend for themselves, they are portrayed surviving in a world without people. 

Appearance and Size

Lacy dogs are strong and agile, lightly built but proportional within the height-to-weight ratio. Height at the withers is between 18 and 21 inches. Dependent on height and working condition, weight should be approximately 30 to 45 pounds for females and 35 to 50 pounds for males.  The standards listed in the Texas House Concurrent Resolution No. 108 are slightly different: height between 18 and 25 inches, weight between 30 and 50 pounds.Though they are often called Blue Lacys, there are three permissible color varieties. Blues are any shade of gray from light silver to dark charcoal. Reds range from light cream to rust. The tri combines these colors with a blue base and distinct red markings as appropriate for trim. Blue shading or trim on red dogs is not permitted. White should appear on the brisket and may stretch from chin to groin. White should also be present on one or more paws. Excessive white is discouraged and markings on the face or above mid-line are a disqualifying fault. Their eyes are sharp and alert, ranging in color from bright yellow to rich brown.  The coat should be short, smooth and tight. Excessively long or rough coat is a disqualification. Lacys require minimal grooming.

Personality

Lacys are intelligent, intense, active, and alert. Developed to be both hunting and herding dogs, they display great drive and determination to work with big game and control difficult livestock. Lacys are naturally protective and may be wary of strangers. Young dogs may have too much energy and drive for small children. They are easy to train, learning new skills quickly.

Wikipedia and GNU

The content of this entry is from the Wikipedia article "Blue Lacy" licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License.