inLayn 
helties
LinLayn Shetland Sheepdogs is a small hobby kennel located
in North Little Rock, Arkansas.
LinLayn was originally LinLayn Orchids, which was a partnership
with a friend. "LinLayn" was a combination of our names. We grew
and sold orchids as a hobby, traveling throughout the Southwest to exhibit
in malls, banks, and other venues. LinLayn Orchids won several American
Orchid Society (AOS) awards, and one of our exhibits won the AOS Show Trophy,
an achievement of which I am very proud.
Orchids are the largest variety of plants in the world -- some 20,000 species with more than 100,000 man-made hybrids. Orchid plants can be propagated by division.When the AOS gives an award to a particular orchid, that plant is named by the person winning the award (the "breeder" of the plant, as it were), and from then on, the plant and its divisions will carry that name and the award designation. The orchid pictured above left is one of mine -- Eurychone Rothchildiana "LinLayn" HCC/AOS. One of my favorite orchid species, phalenopsis, is pictured on the background wallpaper in this website.
I acquired my first sheltie as a pet in 1980. A few years
later, I bought my first "show prospect," a bi-blue, from Tom
and Nioma Coen and began my breeding program based on their Macdega lines.
My foundation sable bitch, "Maddie" (Woodbridge Macdega Madeira),
pictured at right with her then eight-month-old daughter, "Lexie"
(Macdega LinLayn Lavish), arrived a few years after that, also from Tom
and Nioma. Inasmuch as Tom taught me to keep the best, I ended up keeping
sables and gradually selling my blues and tris. I now have all sables, but
I hope to have blues again someday, since they are still my favorite. I
will be forever indebted to Tom and Nioma for their patience and understanding
and for mentoring me in this beautiful breed. They have taught me so very
much.
LinLayn has one to two litters per year with the goal
of producing the best Shelties possible -- dogs that are healthy and sound,
that have good temperaments, and that conform as closely as possible to
the AKC Standard for the breed. Puppies are whelped in our den, where the
TV plays 24 hours a day, and are kept there until they are old enough to
go outside for short play periods in the play yard, which is complete with
Little Tykes picnic table and "castle" play structure. Outside
time spent romping with the six to seven adult shelties is gradually increased
as the puppies get older, but they sleep in the house until it is time for
them to leave for new companion homes (a minimum of eight and a half to
nine weeks of age). We keep our numbers low due to limited space, and all
our dogs are housedogs.
LinLayn Shetland Sheepdogs
Linda Smalling
North Little Rock, Arkansas
(501) 753-1968
E-Mail: linlayn@aristotle.net
