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Going Light Barney and Blue Dogs by Richard F. Stratton

37K views 78 replies 22 participants last post by  ramonabulldogs 
#1 ·
Going Light Barney and Blue Dogs by Richard F. Stratton

Although I have been often referenced as the authority on Going Light Barney, I must confess that I never even saw Barney in holds. I found it quite fascinating, however, that he was one of the most controversial dogs of which I ever knew. I think part of the reason for that fact was Barney's flamboyant owner, who is still alive as I write this. Although not a bad fellow, he had a way of stirring up the dander of other dog men. Consequently, all of Barney's accomplishments were always scrutinized with a jaundiced eye. Since I had my picture taken with Barney, a lot of people seem to think that Barney once belonged to me, but such was not the case, although I did own a daughter of his which I bred back to him. That breeding produced George, one of my finest all-time dogs from a pit dog perspective.

It is hard to believe now, but Barney was whelped way back in the sixties, so he is definitely an old timer. He was the product of breeding a daughter of Johnston's fabulous Goofy dog to a Rascal bitch. That produced Barney's mother, Penny, and she was nothing to write home about-possibly a cold bitch and a trifle shy. She was bred to Rootberg's Booger, strictly on the basis of his being a pure Corvino dog. So it is not surprising that not much was expected of the litter, but it produced Barney and several females which were renowned for their gameness, one of them, Going Light Babe, winning a Best in Show down South in a losing effort!

Barney had a storied career. He had been farmed out to some guy in the inner city to raise and was rolled from the time he was six months old, something no educated dog man would do. After he killed Two-Dollar George, a highly valued pit dog in a pick up match when he was only a little over a year old, he was reclaimed by his owner, who called himself Larry Light in the pit circuit. He was matched into fast company down in Mississippi against a Carver dog and won handily in about twenty minutes. This was the convention which also featured Boomerang and the immortal Bolio. Bolio won best in show because he won over the dog with the highest reputation, a dog which was thought to be unbeatable.

The controversy comes from the fact that Barney was counted out in his third match in Dallas. Larry swore up and down that he was doped, as the dog didn't know where he was, and he had lost his equilibrium for several hours. Whatever happened, Barney came back to win six in row against the best the other side could come up with. One match was raided and the dogs confiscated. This was before the felony laws, and the dogs were broken out of the pound in which they were held. The match was held, and Barney won in an hour and five minutes. Barney was dyed black and shipped to a preacher in New Mexico. Part of the reason for all of this chicanery was that Larry was suing the animal control people for losing possession of his dog!

Barney's toughest match was against another ear dog, extremely well thought of, and the match went nearly two hours before Barney prevailed. That was back in the oil crisis days, in which you couldn't plan a long trip, as you might run out of fuel. Larry and his cohorts loaded up a station wagon with several gallons of gasoline so that they could make the trip there and back without having to stop or having to worry about fuel. I was invited to go along, but I was not of a mind to travel in that rolling bomb! Hence, I missed my chance to see a great match. Barney usually had an easy time with his opponents, controlling them with ear holds until the dog was worn down, and then Barney went in for the kill. I think it was the "quit" in Dallas that made it possible for Larry to go on finding matches for Barney.

After the above mentioned match, a fellow named Jobe, who put out a pit dog magazine, did a cover story on Barney. He had been there at the match, and he dubbed Barney a "grand champion." That was the first time I had ever seen that term used. Now, he would not be eligible for the title because of the loss in his second match. Mitigating circumstances don't count, and besides, Larry was never able to prove anything.

Barney was known more for ability than for gameness, but he was game enough to win, and the loss came under suspicious circumstances. Barney was an unusual Bulldog in that he had an aloof personality, in direct contradistinction to most Bulldogs. He won Larry's wife over because he would sit up and do tricks on the chain or in the kennel run, but once he was taken out, his demeanor changed completely. He had achieved his goal, so the charm was gone, and he simply was off to do what he wanted. Larry, who was a real estate speculator who owned half the land in San Diego county, loved the deviousness of the dog. He was also delighted that his wife, who abhorred the pit dog game, was Barney's stoutest ally-although she certainly never went to a match.

Barney was never open to stud, and he was never bred much, as Larry seemed to concentrate his breeding program on breeding dogs that were down from Penny and in breeding Barney's sisters, in particular Babe. Larry was one of those guys who kept track of litters by naming all the pups with the same letter, but somehow one in this litter got named Scarlet. Although a fine pit dog, she escaped Larry's ownership. Another game sister of Barney was Belle, who won several matches.

As for blue dogs, most of them are sought out today by those who want a dog for appearance. I have even heard it said that all blue dogs stem from Staf blood. Being of a skeptical nature, I tend to doubt that "fact." One of the best dogs I ever saw was a blue dog and his brother in a Las Vegas convention. They were both talented and game, but I was never able to ascertain their breeding-but they certainly seemed to have no Staf blood in them. Besides, the Staf standard calls for a black nose, so I doubt that would be the source of the blue dogs. In truth, there are probably a multitude of sources, as it seems to be a simple Mendelian trait.
Readers may be amused to learn that Heinzl once informed me that the last Stratton he knew was an African-American gentleman who had a strain of blue dogs. Again, he didn't know the breeding on them, but Howard said they were as game a line as he had ever seen. And Howard was tough to please!

People with a little experience are quick to denounce Barney and the blue dogs. I would suggest a little caution in that respect. Barney may have not been the greatest dog of his time, but he beat some really good dogs. And not all blue dogs are alike.
 
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#2 ·
It is not a experiance issue,it is a opinion,also stratton believes all apbts are actually the real bulldog with no terrier blood so just because he was mentored by a knowledgeable individual,and experianced in the breed his word is not absolute nor 100% acurate,it is a opinion.
One thing i believe,and from countless hours of research is that the blue color comes from a ancient european dog of molloser heritage in this particular breed and all fighting dogs as this was the grandfather to the modern battle dog via the old bullinbieser dog or bulldog then crossed into terrier bulldog crosses.
No matter what anyone thinks,most have read that artical,i think it has been pasted before and is possably acsessable through a engine search.
And it is basically saying dont count out the blue dog as people counted out barney,not that barney was a blue dog as he was brindle with a white blaze on his chest.
 
#54 · (Edited)
It is not a experiance issue,it is a opinion,also stratton believes all apbts are actually the real bulldog with no terrier blood so just because he was mentored by a knowledgeable individual,and experianced in the breed his word is not absolute nor 100% acurate,it is a opinion.
One thing i believe,and from countless hours of research is that the blue color comes from a ancient european dog of molloser heritage in this particular breed and all fighting dogs as this was the grandfather to the modern battle dog via the old bullinbieser dog or bulldog then crossed into terrier bulldog crosses.
No matter what anyone thinks,most have read that artical,i think it has been pasted before and is possably acsessable through a engine search.
And it is basically saying dont count out the blue dog as people counted out barney,not that barney was a blue dog as he was brindle with a white blaze on his chest.[/quo
Opinions are like asses, everyone has one, but who should one consider a nobody or the tests and proven. Richard Stratton tested and proven, you on the other hand I deem the unknown expert.
 
#4 ·
Going Light Sunny

Going Light Barney was a Grand champion and he had many good litters. One offspring was Going Light Willie who was a genius and an ACE just like his old man.(And in my opinion was the best puppy he had, he was exactly like barney in every way and maybe even better than he was.) Willie end up becoming a 5 time Grand Champion and never lost. He was the badest and smartest dog i think i had ever seen.(and i have seen alot)
Willie had a few litters and my father got Sunny who was just like willie and barney he was full going light.(He was defiantly the ACE of willie's litters.)We had Sunny for 14 years and he just recently passed away from old age we never breed him but i wish we did because he was an all round phenomenal dog. He is defiantly a blood line from barney. in my opinion from how dominate Barney, Willie, and Sunny where they r defiantly the ACE's of there generation. They where so talented and smart nothing could even touch them. They dominated in every challenge they have been in! So in my opinion the going light breed is one of the badest breeds if not the badest breed of pitbull!!
 
#5 ·
Going Light Barney was a Grand champion and he had many good litters. One offspring was Going Light Willie who was a genius and an ACE just like his old man.(And in my opinion was the best puppy he had, he was exactly like barney in every way and maybe even better than he was.) Willie end up becoming a 5 time Grand Champion and never lost. He was the badest and smartest dog i think i had ever seen.(and i have seen alot)
Willie had a few litters and my father got Sunny who was just like willie and barney he was full going light.(He was defiantly the ACE of willie's litters.)We had Sunny for 14 years and he just recently passed away from old age we never breed him but i wish we did because he was an all round phenomenal dog. He is defiantly a blood line from barney. in my opinion from how dominate Barney, Willie, and Sunny where they r defiantly the ACE's of there generation. They where so talented and smart nothing could even touch them. They dominated in every challenge they have been in! So in my opinion the going light breed is one of the badest breeds if not the badest breed of pitbull!!
 
#13 · (Edited)
Barney was never blue, blue like you see today blue, barney was mixture of dark buckskin fawn because of the fawn it left the tint and some will call it blue, barney is on the front of Strattons book so it is up to you. Not many dogs back then were colored like that. Far as his pedigree, there is good speculation Barney was a mutt of the street and very possible for me to believe because of Corvino being the man he was. I know family members of his protege and friends of his protege, so could have been very possible but doesn't take away from who is (Barney). This is one that I own and the picture is crappy, when he was a puppy but there is no blue dogs being thrown from the blood, we (friends) have it dang near pure and still no blues, that bottom side is some of the tightest going light alive and unless there is some hidden dogs from the world, this is it. Blood just wasn't saved like other types of blood. My boy now looks like a spitting image of Tudor's Dibo. Just at 2 years old.

ONLINE PEDIGREES :: [255046] :: SAVE YA SON AKA BRUNO
 
#15 · (Edited)
The one with the kids standing by his side, that is barney on the back cover, I believe it is - This is the american pit bull terrier, it has a boy on the front cover with a spotted white/buckskin bitch and the back cover is barney with the girl and boy holding him. I owned the book for years before I realized it , but something to consider is the time the book was written because of that the book publishing coloring could have been off, we have so many more advancements in photograph and that was probably just taken by anyone, so it could be off in color.
 
#22 ·
That's true Barney was a brindle .... Here is a picture of Barney in Color I believe he was heavy bred Corvino ... He looks like a corvino dog to me LOL



His Pedigree
ONLINE PEDIGREES :: [14057] :: GOING LIGHT BARNEY (8XW)(1XL)
Never seen that picture before, good one, he does remind you of braddock from corvino but if you wanted a certain style dog, corvino would find it for you to make a buck too. Look at Corvino, kind of looks like a used car salesman, LOL.
 
#19 ·
No he is just a brindle LOL .. I dunno where they saw blue lmfao !! But I am sure there were many blue dogs in black and white back then LOL .. Old dogger's were just not willing to use them in the box because they looked at the color blue as being a serious fault and no game LOL because they were blue thus culling those blue dogs ... It's like a myth if you will were they right for doing it? I don't think so .. Old dogger's didn't like red dogs for the same reason at one point but eventually they were able to prove themselves . Color should never be the determining factor for how good a dog is or why it is bred. Each dog should be measured by it's own ability regardless of what color they are. There is a blue game line in Mexico called the Bellon's these dogs are being fought today and proving themselves and are the real deal

ONLINE PEDIGREES :: [231848] :: BELLON CLUB'S SOGA
 
#20 ·
The Bellons dog is a true black gene default, just like eli blood has thrown blues before and been culled out. I talked to the old black man that stratton talks about in his book and had some very game blues, bert clouse also confimed this fact, and many people still talk crap on him in todays standards many dogs of yesterday wouldn't hold up. There was one truely game blue kennel and not fantasy out of Louisana back in the late 70's and 80's with the last name being Talamo, not much of the blood is around today pure but I was told they were the best of the best, and they were true blues like we know today. He produced the blue color on purpose but culled very hard, down from old zebo blood crossed into bits of staff.
 
#24 ·
So if these "game blues" such as Bellons and Talamos were "the real deal" then how come other "blue" dogs cant recieve credit. Not every pitbull is game bred but that doesnt mean that a pit bull cant be game right? game dogs are where you find them LOL Old 35 for example...

It seems TNT lines tried to achieve the same thing as Bellon and Talamo.... but they dont get as much credit.

BTW bellon Clubs Soga is DAMN IMPRESSIVE what an awesome lookin dog!
 
#25 · (Edited)
Because Dan The Bellons are being fought Right now In Mexico and are proving themselves game there are a few TNT dogs that were matched ( supposed to be game) but the matches are questionable they are considered controversial matches and there is no real proof on the Foundation Game dogs from the TNT line as far as them actually being game and winning... and as shadow games stated the bellon dogs come from a true black gene default I believe the bellons are bred behind a lot of crenshaw stuff ... TNT dog's are bred back to show/amstaff/ game line mixed in the ruffian line I believe is what they cross bred with the TNT dogs... These Bellon dog's are bred for and from the box they are bred back from True game lines only no staff blood mixed in.
 
#27 ·
TNT wouldn't have gotten the grief that did back when the mag was out but many supporters of the mag threaten not to suscribe to it or place ads or information on the dogs if TNT wasn't removed because of the blue color. Bill (false name) said he wouldn't remove it if TNT proved theirselves and he gave a crap less what they thought, they didn't and then comp. they did claim on wasn't much of anything. I am not taking away from the TNT line but that is what I was told from the horse's mouth. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a soft spot for TNT, always love the line and style of dogs they produce. So take it as a grain of salt.
 
#30 · (Edited)
LOL .. It's nice to have you here... Do you know anything about those matches from the foundation TNT dogs ? Were they really game ?? I have heard a lot things about them and there is no real proof that those few foundation dogs were even matched LOL .. So I am just curious...

I consider TNT line a working/show line I don't consider it a game line ... JMO
 
#32 ·
I don't know specifics of the matches, and that is what I was told by the owner of the pit bull reporter. I am sure with the supporters on here, someone has to know. There has been game staff mixtures out there, york had game dogs years and years ago from what I told, also the lady (brain dead) who help preserve the ruffian line had them too, I also was told when Carver was on the side getting some (lol, no bs the silver fox) he had bred ruffian dogs into his dogs, maybe just another urban dog legend but who really knows except people that were there.
 
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