How We Began

The concept of a registry designed to preserve the WEB was first begun in 1999 when I realized just how difficult it was to actually find a WEB that had not been crossed with other bull-breeds. My husband and I had gotten a CWE pup, a Buddy Roe son, from my father. This was the last litter my father ever produced! He was finding it increasingly difficult to locate the CWE.  My father was down to one male, Buddy Roe. We began our search for a female or two with no luck. A search that lasted years. In the meantime, we had begun our own efforts to back breed on the CWE blood from those dogs crossed into AB lines, in hopes we could achieve something close to the CWE. It never worked. We were producing two types in every litter and had no choice but to consider these dogs simply ABs. We established a personal site discussing our back breeding program using Buddy Roe. Ultimately this program was never able to reproduce the CWE. Though reminiscent of the original American Pit Bulldogs as first registered by JDJ, thus began our program of the Vanguard Bulldog. (left)

I have known the CWE my entire life, just as my father, his father and mother, and his grandfather, my great grandfather have. They extend back 4 generations in my family. No other contemporary breeder can prove or even claim this extensive history with the WEB or even the recently developed AB, a descendent of the WEB and the American Pit Bulldog! Legendary 'old-timers' today can only prove their involvement with the WEB or the AB no longer than 40-50 years. These 'old timers' obtained their foundation stock from rural southern farmers such as my great grandfather. The CWE is the same today as it was in my great grandfather's day, unchanged in form and function. They remain and will remain in my family, unchanged, and passed on to my children. 

In 2000, we were reacquainted with John Conner by my father. Local residents, John and his father, Curtis Conner, were long time bulldog breeders. Mr. Curtis had bred the CWE most of his life and this is was what John was most familiar with. At this particular time, they were breeding mostly ABs, and some ABBB. The two had played a major role in the development of the ABBB, working closely with Lana, and supplying her with many of the WEBs she used in her program, such as Lana's Dakota Connor (ABBB484); or in the words of the ARF registrar, "Marvin's Coty", a/k/a/ "Lana's Dakota Connor Lane"; an "Old English White" [an NKC-registered American Bulldog], registered as an ARF "Alapaha Blue Blood Bulldog", by Lana Lou Lane." Pictured left, Cody, aka Lana's Dakota Conner Lane, was in fact a CWE from Hawkinsville, Georgia; John's, Curtis', and my hometown; which is within the 75-100 mile radius Lana often spoke of. Compare Cody to the CWE with my great grandfather to the right!

In 2003, John Conner wrote the very first WEB standard for the NKC. According to John, he allowed for outcrosses within the NKC WEB standard as he said there just weren't enough WEB around anymore that hadn't been cross-bred, and that in order to hold a class for the WEB and to ensure adequate competition, he needed to make these allowances, as well as to ensure WEB registrations with the NKC would increase. (Though a very close friend, we disagreed with this and chose to no longer use the NKC as our registry for the WEB. The WEBPS DOES NOT recognize ANY WEB registered with any registry or club that is not WEBPS sanctioned.) At the urging of our friend John, we took my father's CWE Buddy Roe with us to the show as we had, and still have, no interest in showing a working farm dog, or even taking one to a show. Once at the show site with Buddy, John approached us about entering him in the WEB class. This was the first and only show we ever entered a WEB in and was done so at the request of our close friend John Conner, as the only two dogs entered belonged to the same owner. Yet another dog, belonging to Danny Barnes, was asked to be entered as well, to provide adequate competition for the WEB class.  We have never believed in showing the WEB as they have been and are working farm and guard dogs. Buddy Roe was one of the first of only four WEB shown as a WEB at the very first NKC show with a WEB class in March of 2004, and was the first WEB ever to place first in ANY dog show sanctioned by ANY registry both nationally or internationally. (Mentioning this NKC show and standard is important, as it is relevant as to why we did not stay with the NKC as a registry for the WEB and was pivotal in the formation and establishment of the WEBPS. Had the NKC standard required and enforced breed purity, as is our goal, we would have remained with the NKC.)  In order to ensure the survival of the traditional function of the WEB, we do not approve of turning a working farm and guard dog into a show dog, and believe this is the surest and quickest way to alter a breed from it's traditional form and function, ultimately corrupting a breed. The WEB has nearly been lost to the world due to the practices of allowing for outcrosses and alternate functions. The goal of the WEBPS is to prevent this. In a phone conversation with Alan Scott in 2008, I asked him why there were no more NKC WEB shows and his response was that there were just too few to even hold a show. (This is exactly what John Conner had said and why he allowed for outcrosses.) He went on to say that he thought what we were doing was a great thing, that he was glad someone was breeding and finally saving the old stuff. While Alan was at the 2004 show with Crusher, he was not shown in the WEB class...much respect to Mr. Scott!

In 2004 we were contacted by Ray Lane of Mississippi. After obtaining one of our back bred pups, he too joined our search for the pure CWE. We spent the next couple of years researching and educating ourselves, not just on dog history written by biased cynologists on breeder's payrolls, but by studying world and American history ourselves. This was how we learned of the real story behind not only the WEB and CWE, but the AB, APBT, American Pit Bulldog and various southern cur and hound breeds. What we found was amazing, and yes, contradictory to 'histories' people had been told and sold by many AB 'old timers'. The more we researched, the more archaeologists, historians, history professors and researchers, geographers, cattlemen both here and abroad, and breeders of various alaunt type dogs from around the world, the more the pieces began to fit together, to take shape, revealing the truth. These, archaeologists, historians, history professors and researchers, geographers, cattlemen both here and abroad, and breeders of various alaunt type dogs from around the world have been intrigued by our work and continue to work with us in our efforts and progress. They have been an enormous help in our work. During this we have befriended several Alano breeders in Spain. After reviewing our findings, they are convinced, as our we, that the WEB is unquestionably of very early Spanish imported origin. 

In 2006, we finally organized and published an official organization to preserve the WEB...The WEBPS. Though our concept had begun some 7 years prior, we felt it dishonest to claim the WEBPS had begun and was established from the time of it's conception in 1999 when it was no more than a thought, an idea. Rather, we chose to wait until after we had done our research and had overwhelming evidence and the support of top experts in their field of study to officially establish ourselves. We press on with our research and with the help of these experts, continue to unravel mysteries, debunk myths of various breeds and uncover facts once lost to time. The information we have discovered can and we believe one day WILL re-write the history of various breeds. 

During this very long process, we have learned a great deal about people as well. Over the years, we have taken unbelievable flack from fanciers of these various breeds, including the WEB. We have found that most people are content with the 'histories' they have been told and sold for years, and are unwilling to accept the evidence-based information we have found and provided to the public. People prefer these romantic tales and are deeply offended and angered that we offer an evidence-based history. Sadly, we have also learned that people are more concerned with their dog's titles and trophies than they are concerned about their breed's purity or the truth of it's origins.

In 2007, the BBC as well as the ARF began their recognition of the WEB and the WEBPS as the Parent Registry of the breed. We provided the first written WEB standard to be implemented by both the BBC and the ARF. Very shortly after establishing a working relationship with the ARF, and providing them with the accurate history of the ABBB, AT THEIR REQUEST, we chose to terminate our relationship with the ARF and requested our information be removed from their site. This decision was reached by us based on the blatant hypocrisy and extremely unethical, immoral and dishonest practices of the ARF, all while claiming to be a Christian organization. We would not nor will we ever be a part of such. Evidence of these practices are now being made public and can be seen here. 

Today, the WEBPS is focused primarily on the CWE as their numbers dwindle to less than 100 known left in existence. As the CWE is native to a small area of middle Georgia, our efforts are geared heavily towards preserving a breed so rare as to classify them as critically endangered. Several breeders worldwide have been granted exclusive access for the use of or the purchase of CWE specimens in helping them to re-establish the traditional alaunt type in their own endangered alaunt type breeds that too have nearly been bred out of existence by modern breeds.

The WEBPS continues working with experts in numerous fields worldwide. With their help, our achievements thus far have been ground-breaking, though largely criticized and rejected by mainstream breed fanciers: Those content with mediocrity. We have also received a large and welcome response by many people from all over the world. Specifically, those truly familiar with the old alaunt type breeds such as the CWE. These are the people we wish to reach the most. Those who are seeking the truth and have a firm understanding of the basics of history and the ability to think for themselves. We have endured slander and criticism of every sort by every sort for years. These attempts at driving us away or shutting us down have and will remain only attempts. We will not waiver from the facts we have uncovered, facts that are upheld and proven by parties larger and greater than us. We stand firm in what we have proven and will continue to prove. Since 2006, the WEBPS has been the world's largest, most inclusive and accurate source for information pertaining to the WEB and will remain so.

Heather Wilkins 
WEBPS Founder

Rt. 2 Box 1220
Hawkinsville, Georgia 31036

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