Lacy Hog Dog Article from 1956 True West
Published in the February 1956 issue of True West Magazine, Sam Harris' article on the hog dogs of Llano County was the first magazine story written exclusively about the Lacy breed. Ed Lacy, Llano County game warden and member of the Lacy family, recounts the family story of how the Lacy brothers created their dogs.
"Frank had an English Shepherd dog he brought from Tennessee. That old dog could work sheep and cattle, but not those hogs. John had a female greyhound and George had raised a gyp wolf he kept tied to a live oak tree. Well, sir, Frank got the idea one day that a three-way cross of these breeds would make a genuine hog dog. That's the way it turned out. These three animals became the foundation stock for the most unusual breed of dogs in America."
In the story, ranchers describe the original Lacys as similar in size to a terrier, "tough as a boot, hard as nails and enduring as a pocket knife." Particular about their breeding practice, these ranchers "strive to preserve the traits that make their dogs so valuable. In a sense, they are selfish with their prized Lacys."
Even in 1956, Lacy enthusiasts emphasized keeping the breed true to its working roots. According to one old timer, "Ain't right for a Lacy to be where there ain't a hog. They need a chance to do what we've bred 'em to do. Shucks, I'd rather shoot old Rip dead than see him a town dog."
You can read the entire article below, provided in its original form by Stanley Bessent, a professional historian, genealogist and direct descendant of the Lacy brothers.
