In Memory
Lizzy
‘PR’ Johnson's Elizabeth-Ann Squier (AKC Star Puppy)
June 29, 2019 - January 12, 2023
‘PR’ Johnson's Elizabeth-Ann Squier (AKC Star Puppy)
June 29, 2019 - January 12, 2023
PR' Johnson's Elizabeth Ann Squier was born on June 29, 2019 and is the daughter of Red and Lilly. I am told she looked like her great grandfather "Blacksheep Rowdy Yates" as a puppy. Lizzy successfully completed Puppy Kindergarten and the Star Puppy program. She had attended foundation agility classes, and did well, with lots of drive.
Lizzy passed suddenly from complications of leptospirosis on January 12, 2023. She was absolutely the best dog, through all the hardships life had thrown her way. So affectionate, adored her pack and humans, loved chasing predator birds and when able, she loved agility, especially the tunnel.
Lizzy stood 20" at the shoulder, weighed 54 pounds and when feeling well, was a very athletic girl. She was a strict rule follower and loved to cuddle. She spent a lot of time with her Grandma Gracie and guarded her area, chasing off the wildlife. Gracie taught her well.
Lizzy was clear for all Embark tests by parentage.
Lizzy pedigree
Here are more photos of Lizzy: http://johnsonsenglishshepherds.weebly.com/lizzy.html
Lizzy passed suddenly from complications of leptospirosis on January 12, 2023. She was absolutely the best dog, through all the hardships life had thrown her way. So affectionate, adored her pack and humans, loved chasing predator birds and when able, she loved agility, especially the tunnel.
Lizzy stood 20" at the shoulder, weighed 54 pounds and when feeling well, was a very athletic girl. She was a strict rule follower and loved to cuddle. She spent a lot of time with her Grandma Gracie and guarded her area, chasing off the wildlife. Gracie taught her well.
Lizzy was clear for all Embark tests by parentage.
Lizzy pedigree
Here are more photos of Lizzy: http://johnsonsenglishshepherds.weebly.com/lizzy.html
Katy-Ann (11/25/2006 - 3/1/2022)
Beautiful Katy-Ann, 15 years old, was very athletic, stood at 23 1/2 inches and weighed 47 pounds. Her hips were OFA Good and she was MDR1 normal/normal. Her hips were recently x-rayed and still looked great at 11 years old! Katy-Ann was extremely loyal to her family and is always at my side or another family member's side. She aggressively protected me, never allowing any stranger/animal to get near me, a true "got your back" English Shepherd. She likes to be the manager of all the dogs, but passed this job onto her daughter Gracie. Also, she had strong herding instincts. She was very responsive to my commands, and quickly adhered to the given command. She eagerly greeted friends and loved to curl up with family members in the evening.
Katy-Ann was very observant of all activities on our farm, or any farm she was visiting. She sits and watches much like an English Shepherd we had on the dairy farm I grew up on. She alerted you if anything was “out of place”, and had a powerful, deep bark that she freely uses. She keeps wildlife out of her area, even trying to get the ground hog out of my car recently! She will kill wildlife intruders, but will also stand down when I feel it is not necessary to kill the intruder.
She was a wonderful mother to her puppies and has been a wonderful grandmother to Gracie's puppies. She loved to play with puppies and to show them the rules.
She earned her AHBA HCT on September 5, 2015.
Katy-Ann pedigree
There are more photos of Katy-Ann (click here).
Katy-Ann was very observant of all activities on our farm, or any farm she was visiting. She sits and watches much like an English Shepherd we had on the dairy farm I grew up on. She alerted you if anything was “out of place”, and had a powerful, deep bark that she freely uses. She keeps wildlife out of her area, even trying to get the ground hog out of my car recently! She will kill wildlife intruders, but will also stand down when I feel it is not necessary to kill the intruder.
She was a wonderful mother to her puppies and has been a wonderful grandmother to Gracie's puppies. She loved to play with puppies and to show them the rules.
She earned her AHBA HCT on September 5, 2015.
Katy-Ann pedigree
There are more photos of Katy-Ann (click here).
Josephine (Johnson's Eternal Flame) December 11, 2014 - November 21, 2016
Josephine was born on December 11, 2014 and passed on November 21, 2016, losing her battle with PARVOVIRUS in her central nervous system. We deeply miss this courageous girl. She was a true English Shepherd shadow. She loved to boss the males in her pack and couldn't wait to go for car rides. She was always kind and gentle to those she met on her trips, especially children. Her parents were Gracie and Yukon (owned by Caroline Betts). A real sweetheart, she was 48 pounds (plus) and approximately 21 1/2" tall and very good with other dogs and children. She came back to us April 21, 2016 when her owners no longer wanted her. I purchased her back from them since I saw her health declining. She was quite sadly misdiagnosed by the former owners veterinarian (questionable when profile is viewed on the public website for the state licensing board for veterinarians) with idiopathic epilepsy. She was not taken to a neurologist, nor were MRI's taken or spinal fluid tested by this veterinarian. Instead, my wonderful vet group did not see her presenting as idiopathic epileptic since she looked "dizzy" (eyes) , had bile vomiting and was almost passing out/collapsing, and sent us to a great neurologist. Josie was initially diagnosed with symmetrical brain swelling and an infected right tonsil . The brain swelling was causing seizures that came in clusters. She also had bile vomiting. (Both of these severe medical issues were happening at the former owners before I took her back, in addition to poor appetite and lethargy/depression, all symptoms of parvovirus.) The brain swelling and bile vomiting was then found to be caused by Parvovirus in her central nervous system after spinal fluid tests confirmed the disease. (The virus is not shed when in the central nervous system, so she did not/will not spread the virus to other dogs at our farm, but could have at her previous owners, before the virus moved to her central nervous system.) Her compromised immune system caused the tonsil infection. With a compromised immune system, she got some special care and her health was being managed by the neurologist and some assistance of a great holistic veterinarian. Ultimately, the parvovirus was raging in her brain and the swelling couldn't be controlled with the medications. A reminder to watch where you take your puppies after leaving the breeder, including the vet's office. My pups arrive at my vets in my container and do not touch their floor. Also, no petting by staff or other customers. Also no stopping to potty at rest stops when traveling or boarding at a veterinarians office. These are prime spots for parvo. I could go on and on...... Such a shame to lose a young dog to a disease that could have been prevented.
To the right is our lovely, smiling girl, who our family will always remember as "Curly Josephine". For more photos of Josephine (click here).
To the right is our lovely, smiling girl, who our family will always remember as "Curly Josephine". For more photos of Josephine (click here).
Tucker (1996 - February 7, 2014)
We said goodbye to our old boy on Friday, February 7, 2014. Tucker was not an English Shepherd. He was 17 years, 4 months plus old, but probably 18 years old. Tucker was very frail and was spending his last days in the kitchen with his family, dogs and humans. He was dropped off at our farm one cold January day when he was approximately 4 months old. It was 17 years that he was with us in mid-January 2014. Due to the location of our farm from Harrisburg, PA we were a popular spot to drop your unwanted pets, both cats and dogs. We feel he was probably a Christmas gift that the family couldn't handle. He howled until we took him in. Typically we find homes for the dogs, but we felt Tucker would fit in our family. Molly, our female English Shepherd at that time, took care of him. Our veterinarian estimated him to be about 4 months and he had definitely been abused. He did not bark for seven years and it took years to bring him out of his shell. He was a loving dog who enjoyed being with Miles, Red, Gracie and Katy-Ann. Miles especially liked to spend time with Tucker. Tucker was a neutered male.
Ben: Johnson's Benjamen Squier (CGC) (11/19/2011 - 12/23/2012)
Ben passed away after stomach surgery from eating miscellaneous items. He was a very large pup at birth, was not breathing, and had to be resuscitated. Unfortunately lack of oxygen caused neurologic issues. We miss his playful antics, throwing his toys in the air and edging his siblings on for a good game of chase.
Ben earned his Canine Good Citizen title on August 22, 2012.
Ben was 13 months old and a clear sable son of Katy-Ann and Whiskey and had a very loving personality and was a great guardian, alerting us to anything unusual including the Hershey Life Lion helicopter flying over at night!. He was both UKC and English Shepherd Club registered. Ben was an affectionate, large, solidly built pup and was 23" tall and 55 pounds. Ben loved a good hug from his favorite people and was just a big lovable pup that also loved to spend time with his brothers and sister! There were three male pups in this litter and all were wonderful dogs so I chose to retain all three.
Ben earned his Canine Good Citizen title on August 22, 2012.
Ben was 13 months old and a clear sable son of Katy-Ann and Whiskey and had a very loving personality and was a great guardian, alerting us to anything unusual including the Hershey Life Lion helicopter flying over at night!. He was both UKC and English Shepherd Club registered. Ben was an affectionate, large, solidly built pup and was 23" tall and 55 pounds. Ben loved a good hug from his favorite people and was just a big lovable pup that also loved to spend time with his brothers and sister! There were three male pups in this litter and all were wonderful dogs so I chose to retain all three.
Sega
Sega: A wonderful boy who passed away April 2011 after spending almost 15 years with us. He was our son's companion.
Molly, Tucker, Shep and Sega
Left to right: rear - Molly and Tucker; front - Shep and Sega
Molly, Tucker, Shep and Sega
Left to right: Molly (Augie and Foothills Lady daughter); Tucker (rescue that still lives with us); Shep (Molly and Byron pup); and Sega; rear Ian and Greg Johnson
Byron
Byron, a clear sable and white male, was with us from 1980 until 1993.He was a once in a lifetime English Shepherd. He was born on my family's NE PA dairy farm and was from the Maitland's line and my Shep pictured below. He was a great guard dog, hunter, loved to help with the cattle when we visited my family's dairy, and just so smart. One morning I heard our son saying, "help mom, help" from our attached garage. There was Byron with our son pinned to the garage wall. Byron was not letting our son out the door without one of us being with him. While many say the English Shepherd is changing, I see the same look and intelligence in the dogs I have today. Byron was lean and agile, just like Katy-Ann, Redmond and Lilly. He and Lilly look and act very much alike.
Shep and Ginger (1960's and 1970's)
My dad, Frank Squier, with my first English Shepherd's in the 1960's on our northeast Pennsylvania dairy farm. He is holding Ginger and Shep is at his feet. They arrived in Scranton via rail. Shep lived to be 16 years old.
Shep
This is Shep again, this time posing with me and cousin Valerie who was visiting from Texas. My girl Gracie, reminds me of Shep.