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Rex Carr and the Escalon Shuffle?

33K views 61 replies 27 participants last post by  Mark L 
#1 ·
There's a revived thread about a book in progress re-Rex Carr and his training methods. Mentioned several times in posts were his dogs known for "the Escalon Shuffle".

Will someone explain or describe just what is meant by the term dogs known for the "Escalon Shuffle"?

Helen
 
#5 ·
Escalon is a location in the San Joaquin Valley of California, as in NFC San Joaquin Honcho
 
#9 ·
A bit north of Modesto, Escalon is the small town where Rex's home and kennel (Carr Lab Kennels) were located. The so-called "Escalon shuffle" was a nickname for the slow nervous gait a number of collar dogs from decades ago had. We didn't always have varialbe e-collars. Remember?

Evan
 
#33 ·
She's the one fluffy I really like, acts like a lab!!!!
Hey Mike!

Now, does this mean you have a golden? Or is Jump Melanie's?

........

And on the note regarding the first explanation of Escalon Shuffle...that's not the whole enchilada. It meant poor style and this could happen on a blind while a hunt on a bird might be just marvelous with no shuffle regards. And yes, that was in the days of very hot collars.
 
G
#8 ·
It's in Oakdale, about 3/4 of a mile down the road from Woodward Reservoir.

It is no longer CL-2. It's now called "Billy's Place." And boy has he earned the right to have his name on it. That story is a novel in itself.
 
#14 ·
No one said what road Billy's place is on. I haven't found it on google earth.

Watchew guys sayin'?
 
#15 ·
Anybody remember American Bandstand and watching "the Stroll"?

The term "Escalon Shuffle" brought an image to my mind of "the Stroll with a nervous head turn and backward glance. Sounds now like I had it about right.
 
#17 ·
Anybody remember American Bandstand and watching "the Stroll"?

The term "Escalon Shuffle" brought an image to my mind of "the Stroll with a nervous head turn and backward glance. Sounds now like I had it about right.

Sorry I wasn't born until 1969

/Paul
 
#19 ·
You missed American Bandstand? I lived it.

For pre-teen and teen kids on the west coast, Dick Clark and American Bandstand was a must. You rushed home from school and sat glued to the TV until it came on. You didn't miss a minute of it. It set trends across the country -- what's new in hair styles, what to wear, what the new dance craze was. How high are the hemlines? Are the buckles in the back of the oxfords buckled or unbuckled? Are white suede shoes and thin pink belts still in?

Frankie Avalon, Fabian, Paul Anka, Dion and the Belmonts, Mickey and Sylvia... what can I say... sorry you missed it.
 
#21 ·
Wow that is some body of water. You know you are way gone when you see something like that and start salivating. My husband is going to flip, I'm calling the dozer this fall and adding two more penisula's and a long skinny slice of water dug out along the edge of the wetland.
Pond lust regards.....
 
#22 ·
Melanie;

Looks like this place is your's for the taking... I looked it up on another map service. Notice that the buildings are now gone!!
For the record, this place's coordinates are: 37.872 / -120.935

Never say you guys have it rough in Norcal, I also found this water nearer Escalon, still not CL-2 (aka Billy's Place) judging from the pics I've seen before. (Coordinates are on the pic).



I went up one end of 26 Mile Road to the other. From Oakdale to E. Sonora Road and never found CL-2. Either Billy's Place is very small or they were out of water when the satellite passed over!

Mark
 
#24 ·
Melanie;

Looks like this place is your's for the taking... I looked it up on another map service. Notice that the buildings are now gone!!
For the record, this place's coordinates are: 37.872 / -120.935

Never say you guys have it rough in Norcal, I also found this water nearer Escalon, still not CL-2 (aka Billy's Place) judging from the pics I've seen before. (Coordinates are on the pic).



I went up one end of 26 Mile Road to the other. From Oakdale to E. Sonora Road and never found CL-2. Either Billy's Place is very small or they were out of water when the satellite passed over!

Mark[/QUO



It's on 28 mile Road 1/4 mile south of Dorsey Road about a mile south of Woodward Resevoir
 
#23 · (Edited)
my favorite is Gulvins. try google earth Lat 37°39'51.42"N Long 120°52'7.28"W

for a wonderful eyeful

Billy's Place Lat 37°49'37.14"N long 120°51'7.95"W
 
#30 ·
Hey I just called Billy and described where those ponds were and he said those are Tommy Williams old place. I don't know how old that photo is he said the new owner had changed some stuff and kinda wrecked it. So who knows what exists today.
 
#35 · (Edited)
Hmmm, wondering if anyone who so confidently described it was ever at CL-2. My first visit was in 1978, I only witnessed it in a couple of dogs who weren't very good.

The first variable intensity collars became available in the mid 80s, the first variable time ones in the late 80s.

I wonder how many successful field trial pros in the last 20 years were not influenced by Rex's methods even though they never spent time with him. What he did for retriever training was revolutionary, no other person has so influenced dog training.
 
#41 · (Edited)
In a conversation with Rex he explained how the first collars brought to him were made from motor cycle part and were they ever hot....The only time I heard dogs get vocal was when he would ( as Vicki put it ) dig into one....He used low level a lot ....He made it clear to me that we as trainers needed to walk in the dogs shoes....If he were alive today I believe he would be preaching a kinder gentler way when ever possible....

Ed, I ran across the name Dana in some old stuff I found ...I understand HE or She was from Texas ...Can you enlighten me on this person ...? Seem to be highly respected in the dog training world of long ago.....Thanks Steve S
 
#36 ·
And I will add that no one loved a stylish dog more than Rex.

Rex was very instrumental in the development of variable intensity to improve e-collars to improve the way they could be used for dog training. And that was happening during one of the times I was there...

There is a lot to this that folks don't stop to think about. Like, for example, clients of dogs that would come for a few days to train, and then go home with their dogs and then be very tough on their dogs with the collar...way tougher than Rex had ever been.

This was something that really bothered and concerned and haunted Rex. He always said no one could come for a few days or a week or a few weeks and learn his dog training methods. This was one of the reasons why -- people not understanding how to use the e-collar -- and he also very strongly felt that it was fundamentally impossible to see the different ways he reacted to certain problems and/or how any/each dog's training progressed and developed over a period of time based on something that might occur during a week. If he had to really dig into something on one day or a few days with a dog...that may be absolutely no reflection on what then transpired over the next several weeks or months.

Rex continued to evolve his training methods throughout his career to enhance the whole picture, constantly aware of things that needed improvement, constantly working on those things. He was never satisfied with any place and method in time...he was always striving to be better and do better in his training and in his teaching.

And with all due respect, Rex loved the dogs. And he gave his utmost to people that wanted to learn his method.
 
#37 ·
Thank you, Vickie, for that excellent post.

Evan
 
#42 ·
Thanks Melanie for taking me there. You told me the history, obviously a very special place for you. Very cool. I couldn't find it again even with a gps. Nice day, good luck with your Golden's.
 
G
#58 ·
Looky hasn't done jack since we met you there but it's time for us to start hitting it. I also have one of her pups. Lord help me. Call me when you want to get together again.

Note, I am not touching the Golden owners subject. :shock:
 
#44 ·
This is the problem I am having with my golden. First pro was good with him. Now he thinks he wants to dance around it with me. I got a Dogtra Collar for him. A warning buzz. He is a mild mannered fella. He forgives me then gives me that crooked devil smile like everything is okay ;-) Buck I believe can figure this boy out ;
 
#45 ·
This is the problem I am having with my golden. First pro was good with him. Now he thinks he wants to dance around it with me. I got a Dogtra Collar for him. A warning buzz. He is a mild mannered fella. He forgives me then gives me that crooked devil smile like everything is okay ;-) Buck I believe can figure this boy out ;
if you think you are gettin an Escalon shuffle, with a warning buzz, then I say.......
"My, your dog is training you quite nicely isnt he?"
sounds like he is doing the figgering;)
 
#46 ·
Why Ken you are so right. He is a gentle boy. I never have to say much to him. My husband talks to him all the time. He is kinda like his human father. Goes in one ear and out the other. Kinda of like the girl's cackle as one man from High Point, NC told me. Ole Kodi is from "Cotton" Blood. Does what he wants when he want too. That has been a sayin round my house for ages with all my retrievers. Bill my husband was raised with Chessies. He is from Maryland down by the bay. He is from backwoods blood like me. ::)))
 
#51 ·
Ken, here's a survival tip I learned growing up in the big city: when you see the crazy person on the corner mumbling to themselves, DO NOT engage, just cross to the other side of the street and avoid eye contact. :razz:
 
#52 ·
helen,
thanks for this thread, entertaining and interesting and i got a new term. in the past my description was, "hey, that dog runs out just like me when my wife tell me to take the trash can to the road!" i can shorten that to "escalon shuffle" in the future.
 
#53 ·
Interesting thread. Until it became mucked up with crazy talk.

I have a term for you John- ****. Has to do with a certain percentage of golden owners who give the world the impression that Golden owners are by and large--well-- fruit loops. Really drives those of us who are normal(as normal as dog crazed retriever junkies can be) CRAZY.
 
#62 ·
I won't even try to tell anyone how to get out to "Billy's Place" as Melanie calls it, but I do have a few pictures from her being NICE enough to take me out there with her. It is definitely an awesome sight to behold.:D

Mark


 
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