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CB Dog Breeders Review of Southern Roc Airedales
Southern Roc Airedales

Southern Roc Airedales review: poor business practices 40

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This kennel is deteriorated and filthy, just ask Diane Johnson of Big Bend Airedales- she was there to witness this first hand. Southern has been breeding for many years and has put out some good pups but has had many run-ins with breeders mainly because of promises that she don't carry out or lies that she tells. We where one of those, we got a pup from her not knowing about her demise. It seems to us that she has lost track of whats really important! How can one woman in the mental, physical, and financial condition that she's in handle 25 dogs and their pups and give them them the kind of attention that they need? When one of her mother dogs got badly injured, (regardless of how it happen) she never took Dixie to the vet and ended up loosing her and half the litter because of a horrible infection that spread throughout her whole body and also infected the pups drinking the milk. The dog even lost all of it's teeth and she still didn't take her! We had several problems with this lady... even had her drunken husband call in the middle of the night saying that we owed them money. We had sent the money to her but she lied and said we didn't but we have all the receipts to prove it.When we told her that we didn't want anything else to do with her because of all her drama then a we started seeing negative information posted on-line about us. One post is here, the funny thing is that she posted it under a false name of John Wohn, that is the exact name she had told us she used in the past to do the same thing to someone else! Anyone who has dealt with her in the past knows that she uses this name often. Real whack job! Beware!

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40 comments
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Kindness333
Moriarty, US
Feb 02, 2023 1:56 pm EST

Southern ROC airedale is still at it 😢. Southern Sollars admitted on January 20 2023 on video I took. she has 60 dogs on her land right now. She has 30 cats on and off that she says lives under the house. She admits on video how unwell and disabled she is. She stated that she couldn't even walk outside with me because she can't move and needs to wear a back brace. All this being said let me now tell you why I was there and what I saw first hand. All the dogs were filthy unwell looking locked in kennels with tons of taped together extension cords. Hot wire fence to keep them in. The dog houses are falling apart and she was very worried about me getting close to them. I went there because of cats. And found these poor dogs suffering. Southern posted on Facebook that she needed cats and lots of them. I saw this and called her. I have a voicemail from her that said "she is still excepting cats, they have heat lamps under her home to keep them warm and she provides food , water and of course there are mice the cats can eat". Well a friend of mine had 2 house cats that belonged to his mother who had passed away. He couldn't keep them and the shelters were full. So his friend told him about Southerns post looking for cats. They give her a call and explained the situation. She told him the same thing she left on my voice mail. When he got there she didn't come out to meet them and told him to let them go by the gas tank near the house. He felt strange but didn't know what else to do. Next day I see him he tells me what happened. We went back to check on the cats. She was not happy about me being there and another woman was in the house with her. The other woman states on video that she doesnt know anything about any cats. She didn't know there were feeding bowls for cats. I was finally given permission to go check on the cats. There is one crack to enter under the house. Southern said the cats are probably in the field hunting. There was absolutely no sign of any living cats anywhere on the property, no heat lamps like she said, and one tiny bowl of food and water by the gas tank. Now my friend left cat food and it was still outside where he left it untouched. If there were "30 cats more or less " I would have smelled it, seen at least one, or some kind of evidence cats even lived there. She also said on video "we don't brutalize the cats". What? SO WHERE ARE THE CATS? WHAT IS SHE DOING WITH THEM? she took her cat post down that next day. There is something going on at Southern ROC Airedale's . The dogs are mistreated, filthy, injured , and obviously need attention and new dog houses. I'm sure if we search this property there will be dog and cat bodies because she can't even walk outside she is so disabled. Those are her words. We need help out here. And she needs to be shut down.

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aka southern
, US
Sep 16, 2019 9:30 am EDT

still con artist in 2018 any positives are surely from themselves!

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Benadale
, US
Jun 30, 2016 5:47 am EDT

Best marketing photo ever

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Benadale
, US
Jun 30, 2016 5:45 am EDT

Photos did not submit with previous post

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Benadale
, US
Jun 30, 2016 5:34 am EDT

This photo is from her "new" facebook business page. She posted it herself. She sees this as something of pride? Or something that would entice buyers? She has now sent her felonious husband 1200 miles to stalk and harrass one of her many vocal opponents. It seems they have become even more unhinged and downright deranged now than ever before. There are more and more owners of her inbred dogs that are coming forward every day now that they can be found through the internet with mountains of medical bills. IMHA, hip dysplasia, genetic stomach cancers not to mention the miriad of health problems of new puppies coming from her, giardia, worms, eye problems.
Truly hard to believe she continues on. Dogs with aluminum roof shelters in 100+ degree heat (even cows these days have cooling misters) OSB shacks for shelter in temperatures below freezing the winter and she rails on about how well treated her dogs are. Photos of newborn pups laying in the dirt with the parasites and other bugs. Shows her dogs eating food that is spilling all over the same urine soaked dirt. Yet continuing to blame everyone else for her current problems. Just completely insane.

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ricky111
, US
Mar 30, 2016 12:38 am EDT

This Breeder was exposed as a "puppy mill" operation by a local news station in the Denver, Colorado area. They said these people were being investigated by the Dept of Agriculture as operating without a license and had many complaints and health problems with the animals. There was a huge expose on the local news warning people about this very breeder. Beware !

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Anonadale
Caldwell, US
Feb 29, 2016 9:22 pm EST

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOKNeD9Qmm8&feature=player_embedded

This is Southern Roc Kennel

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Anonadale
Caldwell, US
Feb 29, 2016 4:20 pm EST

https://www.oximity.com/article/Animal-Legal-Defense-Fund-Files-Compla-1#.VtSyrMBF5I8.facebook

Check that link above for information on Southern Roc PUPPY MILL! Animal Legal Defense Fund is now on the case

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Alisha Moore
, US
Dec 24, 2015 12:14 pm EST

My family has been so excited about getting a Airedale . We have never owned a dog and are new to this. I spoke to the owner of southern rock . I had many questions and unfortunately she was nothing but rude . She was a bully with terrible phone etiquette. I simply had questions about personal dog breeding (which I know nothing about). This women was so incredibly rude and decided she didn't like my questions and told me I needed to find a different breeder. Like I said, I'm new to this. I've never owned or bought a purebred dog before. I could tell there was tension on the phone so I went ahead and apologize for my questions .she continued to be rude and try to bully me telling me I needed to find a new breeder and I simply said ma'am I am just trying to ask you some questions and I feel like you do not like my personality or my question and I tried to say sorry again but she hung up on me. I'm not sure how people in Arizona do business but where I'm from we don't treat each other like that. Who does that ? I would never recommend this company to anyone. If she's that rude to a customer how would you treat her dogs. I've personally never in my life had to make a complaint or claim against any company but this lady went too far and I did not deserve to be treated this way I just simply had questions and she obviously felt they need to be irrational with her business practices.

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Southern
Mc Intosh, US
Feb 02, 2015 8:55 pm EST

Diane, Johnson

This letter is to inform you that all comments good or bad regarding Southern/Roc Airedales are to be immediately discontinued.

To explain the point of the a fore mentioned request the details of your visit to the kennel follow:

Day one; waited 3 hours at airport while you were unable to be found and did not reply to any pages, a missed a vet appt. that day was time and money lost.

Day two; Well out in the kennel you let one of the dogs out of her kennel, this mistake has cost dearly

Day three; loaded dishwasher with pans filled with gravel and dog feces then tried to run dish washer, another time consuming and costly mistake.

Day four; kept you to the kitchen to keep any more disasters out of the kennel

Day five; did it ever occur to you why you were taken to the airport at nine when your plane didn't leave for hours? You can't learn anything when your on the cell phone or just plane talking. You need to listen to receive information and learn.

As a direct result of the events the took place on day two of your visit, Dixie, the dog let out of her kennel, ended up with a secondary infection that did not present itself until shortly before her last litter was due. Upon finding this infection the dog had to be put on high doses of antibiotics that resulted in the death of many of the pups. Eleven in the littler, four lived; pretty sad.

Due to these deaths the resulting losses incurred at the kennel:
$1600 pick of the litter male and female
$6400 for remaining pups
$97.12 medication
$384.12 vet bill

All sorry's in the world won't make up for this.

Taking this all into consideration, after receiving the pup that you had hand picked and were wekk aware of an umbilical hernia; you had the nerve to complain upon the said pups arrival. It seems quite out of line after all the carnage that was created during your visit.

...and now you want to be friends?

Southern/Roc demands that you;
do not email
do not contact
do not use as reference
do not ask for advice or expertise

At this time cease and desist all contact.

Regards,

Southern/Roc Airedales
Secretary

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Morrison Moose
Galt, US
Dec 04, 2014 11:59 am EST

Southern is a very bad business person. She sent me emails and left voice messages to harass and call me names!

I have kept my messages and emails if anyone wants them. She called me names like liar and childish, and am acting like
a teenager and then more harassment though voice mail. She is a very sick women to run a business like that.

I am glad I am not the only one she has treated with disrespect and lies because someday (and we all know what day that is)
she will get her just rewards.

I totally agree the post! And I wish the BBB would put her out of business. I think if people would quit buying her poor dogs that would work too!

She is a sad a desperate women who doesn't know how to treat others...so sad. DO NOT BUY HER DOGS! Read all the negative posts. There are many other breeders out there that do a wonderful job of respecting there customers. AGAIN...DO NOT BUY HER DOGS! Again I agree with the post and agree she is a REAL WHACK JOB too!

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Mike Fullerton
Church End, GB
Aug 18, 2013 8:43 pm EDT

It is well known in England that the rare solid " red" and "black" airedales some are selling in the states are not purebred. We never see these strains in England and as breeders we find it amusing that these colours emerged from the same kennel. I have researched the evidence and found the complaints and concerns of Mr. Righker to be substantiated. Of the current breeders selling these mongrel "rare solid black and red" dogs, the progeny of their lines can all be traced to Southern's kennel. These breeders occupy the site "Real working Airedales." The title alone tells you there is real uncertainty as to the legitimacy of their dogs. I believe that there is dishonour in selling a lie. These dogs, based on Southern's own dna test, have shown that they are not entirely airedale, yet she continues to sell multiple litters a year to foolish American buyers.
These breeders not only harm the breed by introducing genes, of other dogs of questionable worth, into the airedale genepool, but they also raise the price of the breed, thus preventing the Airedale from becoming an affordable option as a hunting dog. These breeders are poisoning the breed for their own selfish profit. I call on all decent people to boycott these breeders and spread the word across the internet to stymie the pollution of the breed. Knowledge is power, it must be used to stop stop these black and “reddaile” breeders from destroying a noble breed. Thank you.

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Southern
Mc Intosh, US
May 28, 2013 8:43 am EDT

emails I get from members who are keeping in contact with her..some under pretense, simply to see what she says

My name is Southern Sollars. Already I show that the person writing this, is using back street efforts to disclaim my breeding program. Our DNA was preformed by a vet. I am sure she has an attorney that will back her up in court. We have logged all pertaining to it, by photos and have the receipts. There is no way to disprove the solid reds and solid blacks. I have a book written, which will publish very soon, showing the reader just what I have had to deal with in the past 30 yrs. These avid defenders are "show" dog breeders., and owners. They have been emailing me for information that is already in the book, which I will not divulge. NO WHERE is there a complaint about the health of my dogs, nor basically any other complaints. These are personal attacks. If you read everything on the Internet and believe it, then you are a fool. I come with proof in hand, what do they come with except admissions that they have tried to lie to me.

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Anonadale
Caldwell, US
May 25, 2013 5:42 pm EDT

I have noticed that the name Southern Sollars has arrived recently in an Airedale Terrier lovers and owners site. I was aware of the complaints and the background of this kennel, the owners, the lawsuit with the AKC and their claim that DNA proves purebred, when in fact, it only provides an educated guess on the blood samples mailed into the lab...meaning any blood sample can be mailed in. When asked questions, the response was antagonistic, and since Southers is now epublishing a book, it was "buy the book". She has also been emailing and private messaging members. The moderator of the site is attempting to block her, based on her sales pitch and push for her kennels, if not the background she has also investigated. They very well be pure Airedales, but most that I speak to have expressed concern that it is only a few kennels, all out west, all based from the same registry and with World Wide Airedale Registry, and somehow seemingly connected with the same dogs...that perhaps the health and genetics of these dogs may weaken breeding. I do not own a kennel..nor am I a breeder..but I've read enough that I am concerned. The more she speaks, the more emails I get from members who are keeping in contact with her..some under pretense, simply to see what she says. Things may have changed over the years for this kennel, and others like it. I don't know. But I read little that shows that Southern can justify what they claim.

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KingOorang
, US
Mar 29, 2013 11:50 am EDT
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Well five years have now passed and nothing has changed in that you are still peddling black colored hybrids and calling them Airedales. Having a registered kennel, paying taxes and donating dogs is not a licence to dupe the public that there are black Airedales.

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KingOorang
, US
Mar 28, 2013 7:14 pm EDT
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If you think the passage of time has cooled off the black Airedale controversy you are sadly mistaken, there is no such thing as a Black Airedale and everyone with rudimentary knowledge about the Airedale breed knows it. I feel sorry for the poor folks who do not take the time to do their research and get duped by you people and buy one of your mongrels.

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Southern
Mc Intosh, US
Mar 27, 2013 2:18 pm EDT

Well its now 5 yrs later, and none of the fools that have posted against us have come out of the closet. I called Mrs Johnson and thanked her for all the publicity she has given me over the years. For any and all curious, we have a crew of 2 men, whom have worked for us for years, who maintain our kennel, and trains our dogs. One of them is the trainer for the sherrif in our county. I am also a registered kennel, sanctioned in the State of New Mexico. We pay taxes, we donate to the handicapped. None of these who have lauched their private personal attacks can even claim any of this. We have emails from Mrs Johnson, showing very questionable behavioral issues. If you can believe slander, then pigs fly

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Southern
Mc Intosh, US
Mar 27, 2013 2:10 pm EDT

A Black Airedale

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DavidLovesSteelers
Hershey, US
Jun 02, 2011 4:37 am EDT
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Highcountry, the website operator spoken of earlier, does little else with his time BUT type on web boards) does not own any Airedale Hunting dogs at present, despite his claims, Nor has he hunted his dogs in a years and many generations. This was outed on a hunting web board and was sent to me.

His 'photos' of hunting consist of Fat Farm pigs being molested, ie fat sows chasing and intimidating his dogs, and are nearly 2 decades old.

Highcountry aka Don Turnipseed, IS a Marketing genius, a few thousand puppies in 20 years, and titles on his dogs are more Rare than a 4 leaf clover, other that a 'Therapy' dog (Dog that likes to be petted) and an obedience title.
He's produced Thousands of pups and has 2-3 titles to his kennel name. Thats it.

Highcountry is a small time Puppy Mill, no hip checks, females are never tested of hunted, they are only 'brood 'mares' confined to pens to ring the register for profits.
Sad commentary, but facts is facts.

Last time he tried to prove he had hunting dogs, he got a male dog killed. He breeds conformation show type dogs that he claims hunt, but has been exposed for what he really is on many forums.
Sorry you were kicked off his board, its a small clique of folks, some seem pleasant, some not, but he has no business in dogs.

His motive is pure profit, not working ability, not love of dogs.
There are hunting airedale breeders-small time guys still working dogs, and that is where I would look, unless one goes to Europe. Still many fine dogs over there.

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Southern
Mc Intosh, US
May 13, 2011 11:05 pm EDT

https://buy.wisdompanel.com/PetCareDNA_Insights/idtv/status/Login.aspx

DNA report can be found on this website. Code name is Sollars, the test report code is [protected]. This is the 2nd DNA I have done in 25 yrs. Bull dog was introduced into the breed in the late 1870's for the jaw power. Mars labs were picked, due to the fact that if there was anything else in the Black Airedale, it would have shown up.

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jonathon righker
, US
Jan 13, 2010 9:36 pm EST

mr. espinoza,

i have no quarrel with you. my concerns focus on the nature of the black and red airedale. it is my understanding that ms. johnson breeds black airedales as well so she is no ally of mine. i want to get to the bottom of this debate and you can't do that without questioning southern. instead of answering some very reasonable questions southern( and her eunich sammy) have attacked me and ms. johnson(who hasn't participated in this debate at all.)

consider the record between us settled. i never meant to insult you. i was under the mistaken assumption that you were breeding black airedales from info obtained from the "real working terrier" website. thankyou for setting the record straight. i will google your page and email you if i have any further questions.

like i said, my main concern is for the purity of the breed. i obviously question the purity of southern's dogs so i would suggest that you not do business with her, but this is america and a free country. thankyou for keeping our discussions civil. if only the people with the answers to my questions would conduct themselves like you have, this issue could have been settled long ago. have a nice evening.

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jespin
Muleshoe, US
Jan 13, 2010 6:02 pm EST

Mr. Righker, At this time I have purchased 1 female pup from Southern Sollars. She is about 18 weeks of age, hardly breeding age. we are very proud of her. We also plan on future purchases of stock from Southern. The reason is that her stock we greatly compliment my stock and vice versa.
Now Mr, Righker you chose to use my name in this debate so lets get the record straight It is not an insult to me when you quote" john got his dogs from southern". But I am my own breeder and have my own stock which I am very proud of. Any stock that i have put out are pups that I have bred at my kennel. Again my future breedings will have some of southerns stock.
Now that is the reason that I wrote the letter to Ms. Johnson of Big Bend. As I stated, I was not knocking her stock, I simply do not want to promote something that I am not familiar with.

Mr. Righker, I hope that this post has set the matter straight as far as I am concerned. There are no lies or hidden messages. I you wish to contact me in a professional manner you may do so through my email. You will find it on my web page that I believe you are familiar with.

Thank You, John Espinoza

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jonathon righker
, US
Jan 13, 2010 1:58 pm EST

john got his dogs from southern, he is hardly an impartial bystander in this debate. he does have class though, which is something you and southern lack. you are either lying, or completely ignorant (i'm leaning towards ignorant)about dna. if bulldog is an integral part of the airedale breed, then all airedales should show bulldog in them, not just one of southern's mixed breeds. if you read the mars dna test report clearly it proves my point. if you are a man, please stop obsessing over my ###. you couldnt handle it anyway, since it is obvious southern hasn't left you intact.

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Divine Justice
Mongomery, US
Jan 13, 2010 12:13 pm EST

OK - let's get this straight - once again I am not Southern and I also see that you are stealing articles, posting them and believing they are true. You are one stupid broad. Not only is your ### thick as a two ton brick, so is your head. You have both a propensity toward mental instability and an inability to comprehend right from wrong. You are one unstable crazy, mixed up ###.
Also, the IP address that these are coming from have all been traced, so no worries. If this comes down to what the truth really is, YOU are going to be held accountable. Stealing and lying are sins that will drag you toward the further depths of hell. Being stupid is just a birth defect. Count yourself lucky that Satan won't have to pound as much sand as might be possible. You are getting to the point where any type of repentance is futile.

Don't you find the following information most telling of your character...

A LETTER FROM ANOTHER BREEDER

Ms. Johnson. My name is John. I own Espinoza's Airedales. I was going through my web page this morning and I noticed that you had linked your kennel, (Big Bend) to my webpage. Ms. Johnson, I am aware that this link page is freely accessable but I am not appreciative of a competitor using my web page to try and sell dogs off of my site without being associated with me. This appears to be an underhanded manuever so I have removed your link.
First off, I work closely with Southern Roc Kennels and Tenkiller airedales. I know the great stock that these kennels have and I also have some great stock that I am very proud of.
Secondly, I have some very satisfied customers and would not want my customers mislead thinking that I am in any way linked to your kennel. As I stated, I am very proud of what I sell and I take my business seriously.
I am in no way knocking your stock, I have no idea what your stock is like, but I will not promote anything that I am not familiar with, and I ask that you refrain from using my webpage to link to your webpage.

John Espinoza

Then we have the issue of stealing the photos off of Rev. Scara's web page. The Rev. had to go in and personally remove them from your web site, being that they were posted without permission.

And, by the way the dogs in AZ belong to Ardith Elmore and Norm Nagel. They still reside in Pheonix, AZ.

Carl Egglestrom and Southern Sollar's bailed her out 2x of Maricopa Counties dog pound with her 19.

Before you throw stones you oughta know what you're talking about.

Once again the IP is coming from you.

You might be better off feeding pigeons in the park in Cat Springs than bothering legitimate breeders on the internet. The mentally ill do have issues holding jobs, obviously your mother can see that now since she got your last job.

You stomped through the Sollar's kennel like the Japanese version of Godzilla, leaving nothing but destruction in your path, now you're out here like King Kong with baring your hairy chest and roaring to the masses like you know what you're talking about. Go back to the jungle babe.

The breeders find this harassing, because you have no real information. You're a small minded wanna be with absolutely no credibility behind you. And just for your info, the Mars test was done just to prove that the Bulldog was within the breed which was introduced in 1873. No other breed should have shone as was suspected by some. The test rang true. Anybody with and sort of since could see by the DNA that these dogs are purebred.

Why don't you have you dogs tested Mrs. Johnson and see what comes up, or are you afraid of that. It is apparent now, why you have no friends and no breeder alliances. Your underhandedness of posting other peoples work on your website has been dually noted and has left a bad taste in everyone's mouth.

It seems that you have an ax to grind with Mrs. Sollars' because since your smear campaign has come along since she refuses to have anything to do with you.

In other words, get a life.

Again,

Sam Beauford

again when it comes to ### like you I just can't resist.

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jonathon righker
, US
Jan 12, 2010 2:11 pm EST

BLACK AIREDALE HISTORY(SCANDALOUS)!

THESE WORDS ARE NOT MY OWN, THIS COMES FROM A WRITER WHO WROTE THIS IN A DOG MAGAZINE. I DO NOT KNOW THE AUTHOR'S NAME(MAYBE SOMEONE COULD HELP US OUT WITH THAT) AGAIN, THESE ARE NOT MY WORDS.

Few modern dog breeds are as shrouded in mystery as is the Airedale Terrier. The veiled mystique
surrounding the foundation stock of the breed is largely undocumented and references to the
contributions made by dogs like the “Bull and Terrier” further confuses the precise origins. Collie,
Otter hound, and the old rough coated black and tan terrier are typically cited as being progenitors.
The selective breeding practices of the early breeders dictated assortative matches: dogs with known,
demonstrable abilities were bred to ### with similar abilities. Features like coat color were not
important to breeders until the advent of “dog shows” at the English Agricultural Fairs of circa 1850.
By 1900 however, the Airedale Terrier had become fixed in type, size and coat color. The standard was
set on a dog of square profile, long legged, short crouped and rough coated. The acceptable coloration
was then dictated to be black and tan or grizzle and tan.
As the breeds popularity increased, many became interested in the breed and began writing about
Airedale Terriers. All the literature, from the earliest days of the breed through today, follow a pattern.
Details of the Airedale are discussed at length, feeding, care, grooming, training and history are each
documented and described. Pedigrees are offered and different families or strains are identified. But
regardless of the writer, or their place in time, one thing none of them have ever mentioned is a solid
colored, pure bred, Airedale Terrier.
It is not surprising then that when a certain breeder began advertising for sale, pure bred, all black
Airedale Terriers that the ATCA (Airedale Terrier Club of America) took notice. The breeder was a man
named Frank Drach who had purchased an all black puppy ### while he was employed in Alaska.
Drach registered this ### with the AKC (American Kennel Club) in the early 1980's and on her
registration listed the color as Black. AKC accepted the registration paperwork and attendant fees for
“Frank's Tina Lorray”. Once back home in Phoenix, Arizona, Drach began breeding Tina Lorray to his
typical colored Airedale and registering those puppies with AKC too. Those who were, Drach listed
their color as Black and as per their norm, AKC accepted the paperwork and the attendant fees.
Suddenly, in national dog magazines, advertising called attention to the Drach-Black Airedales. And it
then became known to a highly regarded breeder/judge, Mareth Kipp, that one of her Moraine
Airedales had been bred into this Drach-Black mess and she brought it to the attention of the ATCA.
Polite inquiries of the Drachs proved unresponsive as to specifics and an investigation ensued. AKC
asked a well known and highly regarded professional handler, Clay Coady, who was located in the
southwest, to visit the Drach Kennel, investigate the veracity of the breeder's claims and observe the
anomalous “Airedales”. Coady came away unconvinced as to the purported purity of the dogs and
reported that, in his opinion, the dogs were cross bred Airedale and Labrador mixes, Labradales. Coady
also reported that the Drach operation was an unusually poor example of back yard breeding with dogs
running loose in a large yard full of junked cars and other detritus. AKC responded to the Coady report
by removing all the Drach stock back to Frank's Tina Lorray from the stud book and the registry. Frank
Drach and, his then spouse, Southern Drach, filed suit against AKC and Mr and Mrs Kipp. The Drachs
hired as counsel Steven Gladstone who had at one time sat on the Board of Directors of the AKC. The
court found against Drach and he appealed. The appeals court found against Drach as well. While the
legal issue was being settled, the mainstream media got hold of the story and one writer, Herm David,
styled a story akin to David and Goliath in which he portrayed AKC as the Goliath backing an equally
vilified cohort, the Kipps, against the downtrodden little guy, Frank Drach. Dog News published
Herm's fairytale and other magazines pursued their own slant, many finding the story to be a tale of
hucksterism and poor record keeping.
The issue should have been settled at that point. The Drachs however, realized that they were facing
significant financial loss from the AKC action against their dogs and the courts ruling for AKC and the
Kipps. Frank and Southern Drach contrived to resolve that problem. Their research disclosed a little
known, privately owned dog registry in Hattiesburg, Mississippi and it was to that organization they
applied. The States Kennel Club accepted the genealogical paperwork and the necessary fees, the
Mississippi registry accepted their dogs and issued papers to the “purebred” stock. And Abracadabra!
The breeder was back in the purebred Airedale Terrier business. It was shortly after this new registry
began including all Black Drach Airedales that the all red Airedale also emerged at, incredibly,
Southern Drach Harrison Herrera kennels.
This conundrum of all black and all red Airedale Terriers surfaces with annoying frequency on
INTERNET discussion boards and other e forums. Attempts to put this issue to rest have been met with
“I have DNA proof!” The facts are obvious though and a short review should settle the matter once and
for all.
Apparently as of this date Mr Frank Drach is no longer involved in the breeding and selling all Black-
Drach Airedales. The kennel is now known by the name of Drach's former wife, Southern, and is called
alternatively Southern and Southern/Roc Airedales. The new proprietor is, according to her website,
Southern Drach Harrison Herrera. It is here that the story gets it's scientific angle. Anytime the
question as to heritage comes up, Southern Herrera will bleat loud and plaintively, “I have DNA proof”.
The proof Herrera claims to have was supposedly collected and tested at Texas A & M University's
College of Veterinary Medicine, in the 1990s. Without a doubt, Texas A&M is a fine veterinary college.
There are several little niggling issues with Southern Herrera's DNA “proof “and the science necessary
to establish and corroborate it.
Given the situation, it must be acknowledged that mutations do occur in genetically closed
populations like dog breeds. To accept the “proof” that Southern Herrera claims one must also accept
that the Southern/Roc “Airedales” experienced not one, but two mutations: the first mutation, acquired
with Tina Lorray in Alaska, introduced solid black coat color; and the second mutation introduced solid
red coat color. The odds against such an occurrence are astronomical! But to get at the heart of the
matter a review of what is possible, and when it became so, is in order.
First, in the 1990s it was impossible for any one to discern the genetic difference between a wolf and a
Chihuahua. The technological protocols weren't available and the knowledge to perform such a
comparative analysis was largely theory. Second, it was not until July 2004 that the genome of the
domestic dog was mapped. (Genome is the total genetic material in an organism) Third, it was not until
late 2005 that the genome of the Airedale Terrier was mapped. Further, the research which produced the
domestic dog genome was done at the Broad Institute, MIT and Harvard, of Cambridge, Mass and the
breed genome research was conducted at the Hutchinson Cancer Institute of Seattle, Wash. Texas A &
M, in the 1990's, had neither the genome maps nor the technological protocols to complete an accurate
DNA profile to prove breed purity by comparing a sample to a known genome! Those facts beg the
question as to exactly what “proof” Southern Herrera refers to as being established by Texas A&M.
Today, on the INTERNET, there are five breeders who advertise for sale “Rare All Black” and
“Extremely Rare All Red Airedale Terriers”; as well as over sized Airedale Terriers: Southern/Roc
Airedales in McIntosh, New Mexico; Tenkiller Airedales, in Demming N.M.; Hi Kountry Airedales in
Wyoming; Bairedales in Idaho; and Pinnacle Farm Airedales in Kingfield, Maine. Along with coat
colors and oversized dogs, these breeders all have similar health guarantees, their dogs are registered at
the same registry in Mississippi and they all claim to have DNA proof. The breeder at Southern/Roc
Airedales is, in all probability, the source of the foundation stock for the other four breeders. In
researching this story, the writer tried unsuccessfully to get a written statement from any of these
breeders detailing the DNA “proof” that each purportedly has. None would answer any of the following
questions: When was the sample collected? Where was the sample collected? Who, exactly, performed
the analysis and evaluation to determine breed purity?
The sad thing is that these crossbred dogs are having some difficulties which are going to cause
Airedale Rescue and the ATCA continuing headache. The dogs in Arizona were undoubtedly out of
Southern/Roc kennels. Since that “establishment” had moved out of state, they could not be located by
the Maricopa County authorities to provide care for these dogs. The dog in Hawaii has been cared for
and funded by private donation. The common feature in both cases is that Airedale Rescue was
mentioned in the news in an unflattering fashion: uncaring of the plight of these dogs. The fact is that
Airedale Rescue did respond to the plight of these animals and assisted in their care but used private
donations from around the country and not Rescue funds for Airedale Terriers. Another fact which did
not makethe news stories was that very experienced Airedalers took some of the Arizona dogs into their
personal care and reported that these anomalous dogs did not act like Airedale Terriers, they exhibited
personalities very different from those of pure bred Airedales. Yet the public perception and that of
Animal Control personnel was that the dogs were Airedales and they turned to the Airedale community
for assistance when the situations arose in both Hawaii and Arizona.
The challenge now for Airedalers is to continue the effort to educate the public and law enforcement
communities that these animals are not pure bred Airedale Terriers. In 1980 there were no claims of
solid colored, pure bred Airedale Terriers. Yet in 2009, there are five different kennels that are actively
breeding Labradales and fraudulently misrepresenting them to the public as pure bred dogs!
In summary, recall that no writer, from the earliest days of the breed to the present, has ever mentioned
either an all black or all red Airedale Terrier. Clay Coady, a very well respected professional dog man
acting at the behest of the AKC, reviewed the original stock of Southern Drach Harrison Herrera and
decided that they were Labrador Retriever Airedale Terrier cross bred dogs. Two different legal
proceedings, a District Court and an Appeals Court, both determined that the Drach Black Labradales
were not pure bred dogs upholding AKC's right to remove ALL of the Drach connected dogs from both
the stud book AND the registry. Some twenty years after the Coady investigation other long time
Airedalers, some of whom are breeders, took in and cared for the 19 Drach Black Labradales and all
said the dogs did not have signature Airedale personalities. The question of DNA proof, as claimed by
Southern Drach Harrison Herrera and her apprentices, could not have been established at the point in
time that she claims; it was a scientific impossibility. These five kennels know this to be true. If they
had certain proof, or truly accepted that what they had was proof, why would they not answer
the three simple questions to support their contention?
The marketing of these Labradales is a detriment to Airedalers across the USA. It questions the breeds
integrity and it further confuses the public with an incorrect picture of what an Airedale Terrier is, what
an Airedale Terrier looks like and how an Airedale Terrier behaves. If it comes to your attention in a
publication that these dogs are being marketed in the classifieds, contact the publisher with your
legitimate concerns and convince them that by accepting this type of advertising the publisher is
enabling these hucksters in undermining our breed and scamming the public. If you are a breeder and
have a website, make it clear on your website that these Labradales are not to be confused with pure
bred Airedale Terriers. Get the word out to your local Animal Control officers that these Labradales are
not to be confused with pure bred Airedale Terriers. Challenge the contention that these Labradales are
pure bred each and every time you are confronted with it. And do not rest. In a space of 30 years we
have seen the profit motive of one greedy, unethical individual bloom into a nationwide attempt to
confuse and scam the public using the Airedale Terrier to further their illicit goals. The only way to stop
this assault on the breed purity of the Airedale Terrier is to challenge it when it appears and use the
facts to refute these spurious scam artists.

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jonathon righker
, US
Jan 12, 2010 1:42 pm EST

john or sam or southern or anyone else who posts under this moniker "divine justice",

it is your webpage, you can link to whomever you like. would you consider linking from your webpage to be "hacking?"i only have one other question, do you breed "rare" black airedales from the line that originated out of southern's kennel?

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Divine Justice
Mongomery, US
Jan 12, 2010 7:45 am EST

Ms. Johnson. My name is John. I own Espinoza's Airedales. I was going through my web page this morning and I noticed that you had linked your kennel, (Big Bend) to my webpage. Ms. Johnson, I am aware that this link page is freely accessable but I am not appreciative of a competitor using my web page to try and sell dogs off of my site without being associated with me. This appears to be an underhanded manuever so I have removed your link.
First off, I work closely with Southern Roc Kennels and Tenkiller Airedales. I know the great stock that these kennels have and I also have some great stock that I am very proud of.
Secondly, I have some very satisfied customers and would not want my customers mislead thinking that I am in any way linked to your kennel. As I stated, I am very proud of what I sell and I take my business seriously.
I am in no way knocking your stock, I have no idea what your stock is like, but I will not promote anything that I am not familiar with, and I ask that you refrain from using my webpage to link to your webpage.

John Espinoza
Jan 11, 2010

(WOW LADY - YOU'VE GOT SOME BIG BALLS)

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jonathon righker
, US
Jan 11, 2010 9:39 pm EST

divine (aka southern or her little ### sammy),

if i mistook you for southern, it is only because you came posting at her beck and call like a little ###. i am not who you think i am. i have never hacked into anything in my life and i am only advertising the truth. once again you fail to address the very real and factual points i have brung to the table.

these facts should not scare southern, but apparently they scare her to the point that she has to call in one of her little ### foot soldiers to make posts on her behalf. you are a pathetic little man. until you address the discrepancies of southern's dna test, the peculiar circumstance that both the red and black airedales emerged from her kennel and hers alone then we have nothing more to talk about. i won't be bogged down in personal attacks from small men. i have defended southern's business practices on another thread. my concern is about the breed purity of her dogs. these concerns are based on facts. until southern or one of her little ### surrogates address these concerns i am entitled to my opinion.
the fact that she sends her goons out to attack people and has people kicked off websites for posting pics of her "black airedales" next to black airedale mixes makes me think she has something to hide.

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Divine Justice
Mongomery, US
Jan 11, 2010 12:46 pm EST

OK, you whack job. I see you are grasping for straws by advertising on other peoples web sites. And, what would make you think I am Southern Sollars? That gaping whole of yours, which by the way is your mouth, not what you think it is. Don't even go there and claim yourself as a good Christain lady like your facebook bio says. Talk about misrepresentation.
I have never seen someone so desperate that they have to hack into other breeders web sites to advertise and take their pictures as without permission. This you and I know has been done more than once. It's far time to pull yourself together because I hear the sounds of the men with the little white coats and thorazine coming your way. Have fun in the cookoo's nest!

Have fun you dumb ###!

Sam Beauford

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jonathon righker
, US
Jan 10, 2010 3:00 am EST

southern aka sammy aka divine,
maybe you should look up harassment laws before you threaten to release this to the "public."

"Diane. Your low self esteem has promoted you to new levels of nothing. Just a great big echoing hole for that mouth of yours is all that you've proven to be. How many a miner have you lost in there anyways?"

are you implying that i am a depressed slut or [censored]?

i have done nothing but post facts about the origin of the black airedale and the dna results that southern had done. this is not harassment, buyers have a right to know the truth. these are facts, which is why you won't discuss them. instead you libel my character. watch yourself southern.

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Divine Justice
Mongomery, US
Jan 09, 2010 11:31 am EST

Just so you know my real name is Sam Beauford and not Southern. I resent the fact that you cannot pull the facts together and converse like a real man, which you are not, - Diane. Your low self esteem has promoted you to new levels of nothing. Just a great big echoing hole for that mouth of yours is all that you've proven to be. How many a miner have you lost in there anyways? I'm lucky enough that Mrs. Sollars donated a service pup to my wife, which we are having trained. You couldn't reach this level if you even tried, which you are incapable of doing anyway. If you continue harassing Mrs. Sollars, we will make public all this information to the authorities. and if you think I am kidding you hairy ### in heat, just try me. I owe Mrs. Sollars and will do whatever it takes.

Divine

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jonathon righker
, US
Jan 09, 2010 2:05 am EST

be quiet southern

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Divine Justice
Mongomery, US
Jan 04, 2010 5:28 pm EST

btw - I don't think Southern has the time to deal with the likes of you or your type, so quit addressing me as such.

Divine Justice

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Divine Justice
Mongomery, US
Jan 04, 2010 5:25 pm EST

Diane, you boar hair covered lump of lard,

You have most likely never been to Southern's kennel, and should have absolutely no beef with Mars, Black Airedales or any other dogs. What's your issue with the big breeders out there? You might want to look up the definition of a puppy mill before you start accusing others of practicing the pathetic art.

Divine

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jonathon righker
, US
Dec 29, 2009 1:39 am EST

divine justice...or southern herreraaka creator of the black airedale fraud...

a little history lesson for any insuspecting buyers out there.
southern herrera created the black airedale lines buy mixing solid black dogs with her airedales in the past. bouvier flanders, labradors, black bulldogs, and shnauzers are possible leading conteders for this mix.

btw, i have never bought a dog from southern, but i know people who have. i choose to use several aliases (the spelling is off on most of them but look them up and you might find it interesting. i'm sure some people have got a kick out of you attacking johnathan righker :) and ryan womak)
becasue southern will go after anyone who gets in the way of her money making enterprise. she always loses in court, the akc kicked her saggy a$$ but i don't want the hassle. ut she is vicious and slanderous of others(as noted by others who have complained of her attacks)

i first became aware of her scam awhile ago and then got a glimpse inside her operation at the "real" working airedale site. as previously stated, the site is a location where all the "rare" black airedale breeders congragate and attack the akc.

i was kicked off that sight for posting pictures of southerns dogs next to airedale bouvier flandrs mixes and drawing the comparison. the board moderator highcountry( as in highcountry "black" airedales) and other "blackdale" breeders attacked me for posing the obvious questions i did about the black airedale origins. hicntry then called me a coward and other things i won't repeat. i responded in kind and was banned from that board. it is a tiny board really. i think most people eventually figure out what is going on there and leave. the place was starting to turn my stomach once i realized what most of the members were.

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Divine Justice
Mongomery, US
Dec 28, 2009 8:30 pm EST

Looks like jonathon riker needs to take a few classes in DNA. He owns one of Southern's Airedales also, then has the nerve to go flapping his jaw; then we have Ms. Piggy, Diane Johnson, whom I believe owns 2 of Southern's Airedales. These people are a bunch of jokers to tear apart the very kennel they bought from and are now breeding out of. Good Lord almighty. What will it be next? By the way, neither of these people have any credibility as far as experience goes anyways. Shoot, they both qualify as simpleton backyard breeders, with barely a little or two under their belts. Won't it be a barrel full of laughs when then see a "rare" red or black pop out of one of their ###. lol The whining will be all over when they are running to the bank with a top dollar dog and will deny ever having used the term "Airemutt".
As far as Bull Dog goes - do your homework and take a history lesson. I think you can find reference to that on some Airedale information sites out there if you take the time to look.

Jonathan - go spend some time in the closet where you belong, since you choose not to be rational and see the light of day. Diane - just keep your head in your slit where you like it the best. MMMM -Hmmmm! Good eat'n.

By the way, the party that is writing this has gone under several different names out here in the big wide world of cyber-space. A person by the name of Ryan Womak went into the site of real working airedales as Conan and signed in as Womak with a ip address that goes back to Houston where Diane resides, now he is out here running as Jonathan Riker. That name is very close to Kurt Righter. While on Real Working Airedale Board, posting under several different names he even told the owner of the board to participate on an oral act upon himself. This guy is a real grass roots operation.

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jonathon righker
, US
Dec 28, 2009 1:33 pm EST

this was not a complaint, just some background information on the "black airedales." did i say something incorrect? i noticed that you did not try to correct anything i said.

as to the dna evidence, i believe one of your dogs did not show any bulldog in it, does that mean it is not a real airedale in your humble opinion? i may be a backyard breeder, but i do not wish to mill out puppes for a profit. i've stated the purpose of mars testing, anyone who wants can google their name and find out what i said was true. i have no information about your current breeding practices regarding the "black" and "red" airedales. i noticed that you said you havn't bred the blacks in 5yrs. is that because you started breeding the "even more rare and profitable reds" instead?

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Audrey- Southern Sollars
Mc Intosh, US
Dec 28, 2009 4:11 am EST

The problem with the above complaint is that it is posted on the wrong place. This person has posted all over the internet, with out any knowledge of first hand seeing any of my dogs. This person also is under a phony name, which stands close to another small breeder, and small breeder they will remain. The dna they slam was done by a vet, sent to Mars lab and showed 12% bull dog which goes back to almost the beginning of the breed. The mere fact I have not bred a black in almost 5 yrs is amusing.

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jonathon righker
, US
Dec 26, 2009 3:25 pm EST

in my experience southern sollars is an ardent defender of her enterprise and a creative business woman. she goes after anyone who questions her large kennel (?puppy mill?) or her breeding practices. a board called "real working airedale" is frequented by "black" airedale breeders. an important fact: both "rare" black and red airdales (the product of an extremely rare and unrelated mutation, according to supporters) emerged from southerns kennels. detractors, myself and the akc included, believe these dogs are the product of mix breeding with solid black breeds.

on this board, southern attacks anyone who posts pictures of her dogs next to airedale mixes that bear a resemblance. she also chastizes posters who post pics of her dogs. it seems she doesn't want people taking a close look at er breeding program. to settle this issue, she recently had a dna test conducted by mars laboratory. the $75.49 mars test is designed to determine which dog breeds make up a certain percentage of your mixed breed dog, not to determine breed purity.

one of the dogs that southern had tested showed that it was 12% bulldog, but as i said, the test was not designed to show breed purity. the results can be found on the 'real working airedale terrier' board.

i have never heard anyone complain about the poor condition of southern's kennels before and i would'nt judge a person for one accident. i believe she is doing what she thinks is best, she has a huge ego as a breeder and she should. she figured out a way to charge double for impure dogs(imho) the previous statement is my opinion.

if i'm lyin i'm dyin. check out the results for yourself.

my personal opinion is that buyers should stick to standard airedales.

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Southern
Mc Intosh, US
Jul 28, 2009 10:52 am EDT

It takes a really small person to print what has been printed. 1. My kennels are not filthy nor deteroiated. 2. I do not have 22 dogs and puppies. 3. If I have something to say about some one, I do not have to use anothers name. 3. These people claim my husband was drunk when he called them to demand money, they owe us nothing, nor did my husband call them drunk. He was angry that they thought we switched pups on them, due to a Diane Johnson telling them we had done so. 4. The dog Dixie was taken to a vet, we have the bills to prove so. Mrs Johnson came to my kennel and opened up pen gates after being told not to. This is a woman who bought a female from me and now a year later has bred her. Little breeders are jealous people... seems like the common demonator is Diane Johnson. These are true comments. My name is Southern Sollars and I own Southern ROC Airedales