The Plantation Dog
What exactly was the 'Old Timey Plantation Dog' that Lana spoke of so often? Were they a breed of dogs, a variety of breeds, or more likely, were they simply a type? One thing is for certain, they were not the Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog. The ABBB was named for the very localized area in which it was developed ... the head-waters of the Alapaha River Basin. "Alapaha is a Cherokee name which means “smiling sunshine” or “laughing waters.” http://alapahaga.org/ the 'BBB' behind the Alapaha comes from John Conner's dogs, known locally as 'Blue Blood Bulldogs' for their high quality of breeding. "Blue Blood" derives from an English term to describe high bred (in bred) royalty.
The photo at left was taken in Hawkinsville, Georgia, some 37 miles from Rebecca, Ga., the home of the ABBB. The town of Alapaha, Ga. is another 42 miles further south of Rebecca. Both Hawkinsville and Alapaha are well within the 75 - 100 mile radius of Rebecca that Lana stated as being the source of the breed. "The Alapaha is a true breed of plantation dogs found only in a 75 - 100 mile radius of South Georgia."
At left we can clearly see a plantation dog from within her stated radius, a common dog found on rural south Georgia farms and plantations. (As a side note, the image at left is the more common scene of the average upper to middle class farm. 'Plantations', as depicted in "Gone With the Wind' and other stereotypical portrayels of life in the south, were few and far between, with most of society living as pictured here and or much worse off, with many being share-croppers, working side by side with blacks and even land owners).
Pictured below left is a scene of Alapaha, Ga. from the early 20th century. Here we see a dog that very much resembles that of the dog pictured above in the farm scene, both being mostly white in color, just as Lana stated that her Papa Buck's dogs were, and attested of the ABBB that 'some are solid white', as shown in her brochure. Below right is a very typical old farm scene of Georgia with it's 'plantation' or farm dog. These dogs are very much of the type still found in these same local areas of south Georgia. They were and are known as the White English or Old English White.
The photo at left was taken in Hawkinsville, Georgia, some 37 miles from Rebecca, Ga., the home of the ABBB. The town of Alapaha, Ga. is another 42 miles further south of Rebecca. Both Hawkinsville and Alapaha are well within the 75 - 100 mile radius of Rebecca that Lana stated as being the source of the breed. "The Alapaha is a true breed of plantation dogs found only in a 75 - 100 mile radius of South Georgia."
At left we can clearly see a plantation dog from within her stated radius, a common dog found on rural south Georgia farms and plantations. (As a side note, the image at left is the more common scene of the average upper to middle class farm. 'Plantations', as depicted in "Gone With the Wind' and other stereotypical portrayels of life in the south, were few and far between, with most of society living as pictured here and or much worse off, with many being share-croppers, working side by side with blacks and even land owners).
Pictured below left is a scene of Alapaha, Ga. from the early 20th century. Here we see a dog that very much resembles that of the dog pictured above in the farm scene, both being mostly white in color, just as Lana stated that her Papa Buck's dogs were, and attested of the ABBB that 'some are solid white', as shown in her brochure. Below right is a very typical old farm scene of Georgia with it's 'plantation' or farm dog. These dogs are very much of the type still found in these same local areas of south Georgia. They were and are known as the White English or Old English White.
Below are a series of period images of 'plantation' or slave dogs of the time, none of which come close to resembling the ABBB. Certainly a variety of dogs were used as 'plantation' dogs. Various hounds, mastiffs, and bulldogs and mixtures thereof made up the population of 'plantation' dogs. Perhaps this admixture of breeds and types is what Lana had in mind when she assigned the term 'plantation' dog to her ABBB??
Above center, 'Moro con Mastini', 1884, ie, African (Moor) with Mastiffs, part of 'Slavery in America' series by sculptor Diego Sarti (1859-1914). Slave with two 'plantation' dogs; so named, African with Mastiffs. One of many depictions of 'plantation' dogs as such.
Below is a series of photos of White English which show remarkable similarity to the Mastiffs sculpted above. I make no claim or argument that the WE was THE 'plantation' dog or that any other breed was THE 'plantation' dog, as there was no single breed or even type of 'plantation' dog. As stated, these dogs were a variety of breeds and types. The point is to prove that the ABBB was NOT the 'plantation' dog as Lana claimed and marketed them to be. No where in history, American or otherwise, has the ABBB ever been named as a 'plantation' dog until the early to mid 1980's when Lana first began to market her breed. No where in history, American or otherwise, has the ABBB ever even been mentioned to exist until the early to mid 1980's when Lana first began to market her breed. Unfortunately, many breeders and fanciers of the ABBB have bought into the genius marketing tactics employed by Lana, and have themselves perpetuated the myth that the ABBB is THE 'plantation' dog and is a very rare and pure old southern breed that once graced the estates of the South's wealthy slave owners.
For more information check out http://connerdogs.weebly.com/
Below is a series of photos of White English which show remarkable similarity to the Mastiffs sculpted above. I make no claim or argument that the WE was THE 'plantation' dog or that any other breed was THE 'plantation' dog, as there was no single breed or even type of 'plantation' dog. As stated, these dogs were a variety of breeds and types. The point is to prove that the ABBB was NOT the 'plantation' dog as Lana claimed and marketed them to be. No where in history, American or otherwise, has the ABBB ever been named as a 'plantation' dog until the early to mid 1980's when Lana first began to market her breed. No where in history, American or otherwise, has the ABBB ever even been mentioned to exist until the early to mid 1980's when Lana first began to market her breed. Unfortunately, many breeders and fanciers of the ABBB have bought into the genius marketing tactics employed by Lana, and have themselves perpetuated the myth that the ABBB is THE 'plantation' dog and is a very rare and pure old southern breed that once graced the estates of the South's wealthy slave owners.
For more information check out http://connerdogs.weebly.com/