APBTs & American Sentinels bred to catch man or beast!
In the pursuit of perfection, one obtains excellence!
Despite extensive experience & study, the perfect dog I envisioned simply did not exist.
Many canine trainers are well versed in working traditional working dogs such as German Shepherds, Malinois, and Dutch Shepherds, and these breeds perform exceptionally well in police work, military work, patrol work, and sport work where their handlers are trained canine professionals. However, when it comes to civilian personal protection work or home protection work, I think there are better options than the breeds above stated breeds. All good guard dogs need to be healthy, active, healthy, stable, confident, highly trainable, and should display a high work ethic and a high level of determination; however, these traditional working breeds often come with a bit of rank drive, which can be problematic in a home or family setting. Rank drive is one of the few drives that actually leads to potentially dangerous conflict within the pack, as rank drive motivates the dog to attempt to move up in within the family's hierarchy by challenging other members within their "pack." This is something I personally dislike in family dog.
The APBT and various mastiff breeds, despite their gladiator ancestry, generally tend to yield to trusted human members within their "pack," which produces a dog that is more stable as a family canine companion. Additionally, gladiator dogs also tend to be much more determined during stressful combat than many of the herding breeds and dominant minded breeds often used as guard dogs. Gladiator dogs are not seeking dominance over their targeted opposition, which explains why dominant minded dogs will quit when they are dominated while dogs with a true gladiator mindset will remain engaged even when they are losing. For these reasons, I find the gladiator breeds to be more suitable for my home, personal, and family protection requirements. In addition to this, I also prefer short haired dogs that are easily kept clean.
The concept of the American Sentinel was something I began putting together in the early 1990's. To pursue my goals in developing the American Sentinel Bandog, I sought to gain more knowledge and experience with breeding working dogs. By using performance testing, health testing, and knowledge in genetics, in 2000, I began pursuing my goal for the American Sentinel Bandog program. Understanding the concept of gene flow (the movement of genes from one population to another) provided me with the knowledge to produce our foundation dogs from carefully selected high performance working dogs. From there, the course of genetic drift (altering the frequency of genes within a population) was simply guided by objectively testing and selective breeding for many generations to refine the American Sentinel as a breed.
Today, American Sentinel K9, LLC strives to provide individuals and families with safe, stable protection dogs and guard dogs with the genetic components required by bandogs so they can develop into highly effective family companion guardian canines with minimal proper training, or that can truly excel in any type of work when advanced training is provided. We also expect our dogs also excel at catching dangerous game, such as feral hogs; however, we only endorse using our dogs to catch dangerous wild game when and where such work is legally permitted.
American Sentinel: the Family Companion Protection dog
Producing the Family Companion Guardian
American Sentinel K9, LLC supports the right to defend ourselves & others
The Declaration of Independence acknowledges certain unalienable rights, rights we are born with, and specifically mentions our rights to life, liberty (freedom), the pursuit of happiness. The Bill of Rights also acknowledges many rights, among the list is the 2nd Amendment, which is there to protect all of our other rights. The loyalty offered by a good dog is unmatched, which is why they are often referred to as "man's best friend," and a high caliber working dog not only serves as a great companion, but adds another layer of protection to one's home and family.
American Sentinel K9, LLC strives to produce the best bandogs the world has ever known. From here, we try to match the right dog to each client. We do this by listening to our clients to help them find the right dog for their situation. It is our goal to treat our customers the way we would want to be treated. While customer service is important to us, yet, it is generally best to review the information on our website before contacting us; however, make sure you speak with us to discuss your personal needs and expectations before sending in a deposit for a puppy so we can make the best recommendation for your situation.
H. Lee Robinson, BS. & M.S. Animal Science. Biology/Genetics professor. Vintage Ray Allen K9 suit.
About H. Lee Robinson, the founder of the ASC.
H. Lee Robinson, M.S. is the owner and training director at American Sentinel K9, LLC. Before working to improve the quality of working dogs in the United States, Lee pursued accurate information on the various philosophies, theories, and practices as they pertained to animal behavior, anatomy & physiology, husbandry, genetics, and reproduction. Lee's research and personal interests with working animals led him to study bandogs and their use as protection dogs, guard dogs, and hog catch dogs in the early 1990's while obtaining a Bachelor's Degree (1993) and a Master's Degree (1997) in Animal Sciences from the University of Illinois.
While pursuing his education, Lee also gained experience in animal behavior, training, and reproduction by working with professionals in the animal industry, including various trainers versed in obedience and protection dogs and also worked with the Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden's, after becoming certified in Artificial Insemination.
Every dog bred at American Sentinel K9, LLC is performance tested and hip x-ray tested, and we offer one of the best health guarantees in the bandog industry. In addition to the above, Lee has produced and trained hundreds of working bandogs. For these reasons, American Sentinel K9, LLC is able to offer a level of education, experience, and service that other bandog breeders cannot match. Thank you for reading.
Keaten Temple
Assistant K9 Trainer, K9 Handler, & Hog Hunter
Keaten became involved with the American Sentinel program around 2009. While Keaten has been a hunter nearly all his life, since 2009 he has also developed a lot of interest in the protection side of the bandogs, and has really expanded his knowledge and skill set as both a handler and trainer in this regard.
Keaten began by working some of our seasoned trained dogs to learn the mechanics of bitework, and once he understood these components, he then began working young development dogs under our guidance. He has also studied animal behavior extensively and over the years, he has developed an excellent understanding of canine behavior. Learning what motivates a dog, the foundations of training, and obtaining experience working many dogs, Keaten has developed a great deal as a handler, and also developed a lot as a training decoy for working protection dogs and guard dogs.
Keaten currently owns and handles Rebel, Kovu, Valkyrie, Grendel, Rogue, and Freya, all of which are American Sentinels. He also has a few Jag Terriers and hog bay dogs that he uses for hog hunting.
Of all the people we have ever worked with, Keaten has without a doubt has remained the most dedicated person we have worked with, and we are blessed to have him on our team.
Keaten Temple & his American Sentinels after catching a rough hog.
Our Breeding Philosophy
Animals do not define behavior or genetics. Many people can understand words, but can they recognize what is going on? Animals cannot tell you what they are thinking in words, they display behavior and phenotypes that are defined by their experiences and genetics. We observe what the animals displays, and then define our observations with words. Experience provides an understanding to the "observation" component. Education provides the "definitions" component. By developing both our education and experience, we build upon the knowledge acquired by those that came before us, and develop our own understanding...and only after a true understanding begins to occur is the proper application of true knowledge possible. Many newbies simply have not yet invested the time, research, education, and/or experience to really develop the knowledge that they often think they have, which creates unnecessary hurdles in their achievements.
In my private and professional studies, I began to realize the best performing domesticated animals were produced by people that 1. accepted limitations of man's abilities and 2. removed delusional mindset often created by wishful thinkers. Throughout history, the best breeders of performance animals yielded to reality and accepted the practices of natural selection.
Mahlon "Pat" Patrick received the 2000 ADBA Dogman Hall of Fame due to his exceptional breeding program that lasted 40 years. After purchasing multiple dogs from American Sentinel K9, LLC, Mr. Patrick generously gave that memorable award to Lee, as seen pictured, in order to express his gratitude towards their friendship and Lee's excellent service. Additionally, Mr. Patrick stated "the American Sentinel is the only dog of any other breed that displayed the same level of drive and intensity as the gamedogs I use to breed."
(H. Lee Robinson pictured with veteran breeder and working dog handler/conditioner, Madison "Maddog" Parker).
Natural selection is based on the concepts of survival of the fittest. What I mean by this is...Simply because we want something to be so, doesn't make it true. If we want success, we cannot be kennel blind or just wish something into existence. Producing quality takes work...and a lot of it. Desire is not enough. To get the best, we have to select for the best, and to do that we have to place the performance of the desired task above all other criteria.
People have purposefully mutated many breeds of dogs and then try to justify it by stating they are "breeding to the standard." Have you ever noticed that registered show dogs of "working breeds" are almost always owned and bred by people that do not work their dogs? It is delusional to think one can produce working dogs without actually working them. One cannot simply speak performance into existence. We are not gods here, and hoping is not going to cut it. When breeding working dogs, we should put stability, ability, and health over all else. Ironically, many "working dog" breeders purposefully produce dogs towards a mutated standard knowing the dogs are unable to perform the most basic aspects of life. The Neapolitan Mastiff, Chinese Shar-pei, or the English Bulldog are just a few examples of many breeds of dogs ruined by poor breeding.
(H. Lee Robinson pictured with Mickey Smith, an accomplished breeder of working APBTs for 40+ years.)
Such dogs are plagued with genetic diseases caused by traits that are described as desirable in poorly written standard, turning working breeds into nothing more than shadows of what they once were before they were replaced by technology. Breeders of such animals lie to themselves in attempt to justify such practices, meanwhile they deny the truth that sits in front of them, which is the overall well being of canines is being completely ignored. Dogs obviously do not wish to be imprisoned within mutated bodies and genetic disorders, and ethical breeders need to hold themselves to a higher standard.
People have also continually tried to find short cuts to replace performance testing, but the truth lies in what works. There are no short cuts to replace performance testing. Be it milk production in dairy cows or the speed of a greyhound, actual performance testing for the desired task is the only way to truly and objectively measure performance. If you want to include other tests, such as some lab tests, fine...but do not let those tests replace good old fashioned performance selection. It should be noted that the healthiest breeds on the planet were produced by performance testing, and that is because when it comes time to work, only the strongest and healthiest specimens routinely win.
"Beat 'em in the brood box"
(On the left is Bert Sorrells, the 1992 recipient of the ADBA Dogman Hall of Fame. The Sorrells' line of APBT is still alive and well at American Sentinel K9 to this day).
Breeding selection within the gene pool in nature is controlled by "natural selection." Although breeding animals within captivity is technically called "artificial selection," by using performance criteria to select breeding stock we are able to model the process of "natural selection" and achieve our goals...even when our goals are different than what would be best in nature. In the wild, the selected task is survival in nature, but in captivity the selected tasks are often set by the breeder. Breeders should ask themselves, "what is my goal?"
If one desires performance, then they need to breed for it! If you desire to produce performance animals, don't select for head size. Selecting for head size will get you head size. Selecting for blue will get you blue. Selecting for hip scores will get you hip scores. Selecting for loose skin will get you loose skin (and likely skin disease as well).
All the above methods are selecting for a form or a type, but not a function. The answer to producing quality living beings is very simple...to get performance, you have to start by selecting for performance. This is the practice at American Sentinel K9, LLC!
(Pictured: Wade Ford working ASC's Tate)
One of the finest lessons I learned runs parallel with the thoughts of a great dog man, Bert Sorrells, who for decades produced one of the finest lines of working dogs that existed. Bert Sorrells' knowledge of working dogs is extensive, and he is well known for producing dogs that excel in truly competitive performance measures. According to Mr. Sorrells,
"If you want to produce dogs that perform, you breed dogs that perform. You can't make excuses for why a dog fails, and then try to justify breeding it. This will only produce more dogs that fail. If a dog is consistently a strong performer though, you can make allowances for things you don't really like if you wish to breed this dog. The difference between excuses and allowances is determined by performance. Excuses are made for losers. Allowances are made for winners. For a breeder that desires performance, it doesn't matter how the dog over comes the challenges to perform. All that really matters is if the dog is a consistent performer or not. Breeders that consistently produce dogs that consistently perform do not make excuses for dogs that consistently fail. Dogs that don't perform have to be removed from the breeding program (gene pool) regardless of how much we like certain things about them. And, dogs that consistently perform well can be bred (given they have appropriate temperaments) if we wish to breed them regardless of if we like everything about them or not. Breeders have to decide what traits they are going to select for. If a breeder measures performance as a trait, and selects on this basis, then the breeder is more likely to produce dogs that perform."
Wade Ford working ASC's Tate
This is what we strive to do at American Sentinel K9, LLC, as I agree with Mr. Sorrells completely. He also stated that you have to decide what performance features you desire to obtain and be clear about that goal. During our discussion he referenced to desired selection measures being set by the "traits," and for performance dogs the expression of these traits are to be measured by performance criteria in order to maintain objectivity just as if we are doing scientific experiments. Sure we should see and observe...and we know what we know...but we shouldn't let our knowledge lead to speculation...and we should accept the performance truths as they present themselves (assuming data is fairly represented). Bert knows dogs and knows what he is talking about. The use of this thinking though shouldn't be used just because he stated it though...it should be used because he is right.
The pressures placed upon a species by natural selection determines how a species "evolves." If a dog fails the test, it is "not breed worthy." Do not make excuses for failures. Likewise, if a dog does perform, the dog is "breed worthy" if you choose to breed it. If you select for non-performance goals (blue coat, head size, hip scores, etc), do not expect to produce performance dogs as these traits do not ensure performance. And, if you want performance, then performance measures need to be your selection pressures...not anything else.
If additional desired traits exist in your performing dog, that is fine, but to produce performance dogs you can't select a dog just because a dog expresses a particular physical feature within its phenotype. When we start looking for "other traits" besides performance, we will often loose our objectivity into accepting the truth as it is presented. This type of thinking is why many show breeders have ruined or are ruining so many working dogs. It is happening today because the strong voices of ignorant show breeders influence many uninformed people...and without in depth thinking on such issues the blind quickly follow the blind assuming that if these things are popular they must be correct.
Performance selection will remove for any reason of failure...be it temperament, angulation, tendons, ligaments, muscles, drives, cardiovascular, respiratory, and the most important nervous system. Performance is obtained by a combination of features. To "test" for all of the needed features for performance we would first have to be able to... 1. Recognize all of the contributing factors of performance instead of simply looking at the performance results (the sum result) AND 2. Have a test for ALL (hundreds, if not thousands) of each individual component. Obviously, this is not only impractical, but it is impossible. Instead just select for performance and you will end up combining working gene pools together and improve the dogs rather than "improving" the paper work. If you want a bandog that works, get one from a breeder that tests their stock as protection dogs, guard dogs, or at catching wild hogs.
Why choose American Sentinel K9, LLC
Why choose American Sentinel K9, LLC?
To produce healthy, practical, and functional protection dogs, we at American Sentinel K9, LLC strive to maintain the highest standards in the working bandog (bandogge) industry, and with a little research you too will discover we are unsurpassed in this regard. By "practical and functional," the American Sentinel must...
- display mental stability by being safe with their family unit, even in stressful situations;
- display the determination, size, athleticism, & power needed to stop an intruder; &
- be mobile, clean, & agile enough for regular transport and performance in a multitude of conditions.
American Sentinel K9, LLC is licensed by the State of Mississippi and has the highest standards in the Bandog industry.
While pursuing his education, Lee also gained experience in animal behavior, training, and reproduction by working with professionals in the animal industry, including various canine trainers as well as the Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden's, and became certified in Artificial Insemination. Every dog bred at American Sentinel K9, LLC is performance tested and hip x-ray tested, and we offer one of the best health guarantees in the bandog industry. In addition to the above, Lee has produced and trained hundreds of working bandogs. For these reasons, American Sentinel K9, LLC is able to offer a level of education, experience, and service that other bandog breeders cannot match.
To ensure every generation of American Sentinels is performance tested, the American Sentinel Canine Registry (ASCR-side 1 & Side 2) requires all breeding stock to display the traits required by bandogs before their offspring may be registered with the American Sentinel Canine Registry (ASCR). Criminals and wild hogs both have a devastating impact on the lives of honest hard working people, which is why the ASCR remains true to the bandog's history and requires protection training demonstrations or documented legal catch dog hunts as validation of working potential. American Sentinels must display exceptional athleticism, drive, heat tolerance, stamina, determination, and combative abilities.
If we can help you, it will be our pleasure to do so. These K9 companion guardians are suitable for active lifestyles and family settings. It has taken years of research, education, and experience to produce the breed we consider to be the ultimate family K9 companion guardian. We believe our dogs are some of the finest canines in existence when it comes to being a family companion guardian.
Thanks for reading.
Sincerely,
The Goals of American Sentinel K9, LLC
* Performance Tested * Loyal Family Companions Guardians * Health Tested *
Protection Bandogs: Our Primary Goal
Owning a sentry dog, guard dog, or protection dog requires responsibility and is not the best option for people that are irresponsible or that do not like animals, so we do not recommend dogs for everyone; however, there is a reason dogs are the oldest domesticated species on the planet. Simply put, a good dog is a great asset. Dogs do more than provide companionship, they also watch, alarm, protect, hunt, and excel at scent detection. Criminal activity occurs far too often, and in a struggling economy crime is a legitimate concern. Here at American Sentinel K9, LLC, we find great pleasure in helping honest law abiding citizens do what they can to maintain their safety and security by providing them with an additional layer of protection for their property, themselves, and their family and children.
Even in today's technological world, crime prevention statistics report that a large confident dog is still one of the best layers of home and personal protection that one can have. A home alarm is great, and we recommend them, but they do not actually stop people from coming into your home. Instead, they only notify you after someone is already in your home. Obviously, it would be far better to stop criminals from ever entering your home in the first place.
In the hands of trained individuals, accessible firearms are a valuable asset; however, firearms cannot come to your aid when you need them nor can they wake you up when you are sleeping. Additionally, criminals are generally cowardice individuals that look for easy targets. When a criminal sees a big dog clearly telling them to go somewhere else, criminals tend to quickly honor that request. In summary, a quality protection dog not only reduces the chance a criminal will come in, but should a criminal come in the dog will let you know when that happens and can come to your aid when needed...that is if one has the right dog for the job.
Hog Catch Bandogs: Our Secondary Goal
Catching dangerous game has remained a large portion of the Bandog's history, yet few bandog programs test their dogs in this venue. We welcome hunters of wild boar to try our dogs as catch dogs in legal hunting applications where catching wild hogs is permitted. The American Sentinel is the premier bandog program in existence.
- Our dogs are screened & selected to fit their job.
- Our catch dogs must display exceptional prey drive, determination, grip, and athleticism. Dogs found to be lacking the necessary traits for catch work are NOT placed into our catch dogs program.
- Dogs in our catch dog program are guaranteed to be genetically healthy.
- To deter the breeding of sub-par dogs, our 2-year working dog and health guarantee is void if the dog has been bred.
- The 2-tier ASCR registration process models natural selection in order to protect and preserve the health and high performance working qualities of the American Sentinel by requiring each generation of offspring to pass performance evaluations before the next generation of offspring can be ASCR registered. This process allows other breeders to produce and register American Sentinel offspring with the ASCR only if and when the offspring were produced from...A) two American Sentinels, and B) only after both parents passed the required health and performance testing requirements as clearly described within the ASCR 2-tier registration process.