THE BENTLEY MARK

I learned something today about the white strip that is running down the middle of Charley’s head. I actually never really thought about it or noticed it was significant until I happened to be scanning the internet for grooming tips on her coat and why is it matting in different places. All of a sudden. My eyes caught a sentence “you can tell if you have one of the original cattle dog from the “Bentley’s Mark on their head.” It is a patch of white hair that is seen on the foreheads of many cattle dogs today. I quickly looked at Charley’s head and was weirdly filled with pride for she has a fat white stripe on her head, which I now know is extravagantly called the “BENTLEY’S MARK.”

I decided to read about this Bentley mark and it ended up taking me on a rich, yet vague and sometimes conflicting history of the cattle dog, and found out they were mixed with a variety of other dogs. They did originate in Australia, sort of, and also originated from the British territories in the late 1800’s. The early British settlers from South Wales migrating to Australia brought a bunch of cattle, and the Smithfield sheep dog, their only known herding dog over there, but found out the dog did not perform well in the harsher climate and the different terrain. Wanting a dog that was smaller, quicker, leaner, and one that could perform at herding they crossed the Smithfield sheep dog to Australia’s indigenous dingo. The end product was close to what they were aiming for, yet the new breed tended to be a very bite hungry bunch, and not herd friendly at all. They would actually bite the cattle, and would cause the herd to freak out and all hell would break loose.. They were named Timmins’ Biters, after the breeder Mr. Timmins, and for their biting ways.

The next breeding mix was a cross of a domestic Dingos and different collies by a Thomas Hall. His dogs, called the Hall’s Heelers, were excellent at herding, crouching low to the ground and keeping the livestock contained. The Hall family pretty much kept them their secret, and nobody else could really have one until Thomas Hall passed away. The dogs became available and a Tom Bentley supposedly acquired a few and started breeding them with Blue Merles and other collies and after awhile the puppies would acquire as white patch or star, as some called it, on the foreheads of the dogs. Bentley ended up with a sturdy stud that became some what famous for his studly ways and after awhile the little patch of hair was dubbed the “Bentley’s Mark,” and any dog with that little mark was called a “Bentley’s dog”.

That is a brief synopsis of the Bentley’s Mark. After I looked it up I don’t think Charley’s has a Bentley Mark. It seems like it is just a small little white patch. She has a full on stripe. Take that Bentley Mark!

Anyway, I still need to look up why Charley’s hair is matting on her back and on her side. That is what started this in the first place. It is not from not getting brushed, that’s for sure. She’s got 3 different combs/brush and a back scratcher as the finale. She refuses to get into the shower. She’s hiding in her room right now..

I have not written in this little diary thing in awhile. I am actually trying to refine her little .com site. It’s funny (not!) that when I get on the computer Charley will start stretching, roll over playing cute, thinking it will work. Then she will sit and just stare. I think that is the worst. People are saying “Just let her stare. Ignore her.” Yeah. ok. We’ll do that.

And then I’ve got Stella Vader wanting the keyboard. But, ha ha. I tricked her. I have a Bluetooth keyboard. Gotcha!

Stella at park

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pdog, known as a Smithfield, and an Australian Dingo, .were bred together to try to meet the needs of the migration and the lode of both [arts