HISTORY OF TOKALON BLUE MERLES

For three generations, the Davis Family of Louisiana has bred high quality Field Trial Champions and AKC Conformation Show Champions.  All the way back to the 1930's, Champion Field Trial Hunting Beagles ran the fields and woodlands of properties owned by the family.
In the 1960's, Collies entered the scene and within a few years, breeding Champion Collies became a full family focus. Shortly thereafter, Chihuahuas were added.

In those "middle years", the main focus of the family was breeding and showing high quality Collies. In the beginning were of course Sables and Tri colors. Down the line came the blue merles and that ultimately became the focus of the entire breeding operation. But in Collies, as in any breed, a thorough understanding of the rules of genetics was necessary. In that regard, the entire family researched, studied, and learned everything was to be learned concerning BLUE MERLE genetics.

In our study of Blue Merle coloration, we acquired Blue Merle Collies from the major blue merle breeders of the day. Those breeders knew more about the color than anyone in the world. And they were not hesitant to share what they knew. Through them, we learned how the first blue merles were imported and bred by the fountainhead kennels back in the 1920's and onward. Bellhaven, Wind-Call and most importantly, the great ToKalon Collie Kennel of Elizabeth B. Browning. An artist of incredible talent, she used her talent to mold and create Collies in the Blue Merle color pattern that were not only competitive to the "standard" colors of the day, but in fact many were superior.

I had the wonderful opportunity to walk through the property of ToKalon in the 80's. I even saw the old stud barn were Elizabeth Browning kept the stud dogs. Standing there, in the peace and quiet of long empty kennels, I could almost hear the dogs barking, and visualize the great merles of the day. Having looked at the pictures of the great ToKalon Blue Merles hundreds of times, I could visualize them there with me, in those pens, in those barns. The experience was like none other that I have ever witnessed in the dog show world. There I stood, somehow knowing that this place would form an indelible imprint in my mind. I knew I would never forget it; I knew that in a sense I would never leave. ToKalon would rise again someday. This I knew.

In time, our interest centered on Chihuahuas. And our focus increased in the following years. Our love for Collies never dwindled. That there is no doubt. But our focus could only remain intense and steady toward one main objective. And that objective in time was the goal of producing world class Chihuahuas with proper movement. Particularly side gait. We were successful in doing this. But it didn't come easy; and it took a quarter of a century.

A few years ago, we began hearing rumors of Chihuahuas with blue merle color patterns. At first dismissive, I became intrigued in time. So, I began looking. And I looked the country over. Finding many, but none to suit my purpose. And this went on for several years. Finally one year, quite by accident, I was told of a litter of merles. I contacted the owners of the litter and ultimately purchased 3 individuals from that litter. Those would be the only blue merles ever purchased. We didn't need anymore; we had our start. Quality dogs in a merle pattern. I knew I would be able to breed blue merles to be competitive on a national scene.

So, we had a beginning. We had the tools. It would only be a matter of time. This I knew.
One afternoon, I was exercising the dogs. I was watching several of our Best In Show winners play. I knew the sons and daughters of those dogs would influence our merle puppies and someday, in some later generation, all this effort would reach fruition. I stood there watching the dogs and remembering back to the day I stood in the stud pens of ToKalon up in New York a quarter century before. I had had this feeling before and I knew what it meant. ToKalon had been reborn!