In the meantime, one Sheltie sow had given birth to two Coronets (she was pregnant when I got her). Both she and the sire, another Sheltie, have rudimentary crests hence this anomaly (crests are dominant, not recessive). Anyway, I kept one of the two babies (both sows) and the only Coronet boar who was the last of these longhairs. The reason is that I think the longhairs (Texels, Coronets, Shelties and Merinos – all of which I have had at some point or other now – and no doubt the other breeds as well) have some of the best personalities. They are friendly, not skittish or flighty, curious and lively.

This sow, Reguli Lady Rokujo, was then mated with a Coronet boar, Calira Ping Pong. Each litter she had included at least one Merino, suggesting that she as well as the boar had the rex gene in her background, since it is recessive. In her third litter she also had a Satin Coronet boar, so there is a Satin gene way back somewhere as well.  Perhaps she should have been called Lady Heinz Variety! I kept a Merino sow, Lady Ochiba and a Coronet sow, Ben no Naishi,  from this litter and sold the Satin Coronet. I showed Lady Ochiba for a while until her coat grew long enough to be wrapped (when it got chewed). Now she works as a patting pig at shows and displays, having inherited her father's bomb-proof nature.

In the meantime I acquired Pipsqueak Klaus, a Silver Agouti and White Texel boar to go with Calira  Boing, a Merino sow and Ping Pong's sister. They produced some nice litters and Klaus went on to father many more with other sows.

I like the Merino coat as it doesn't seem to tangle as much as the smooth coats. I run them on Breeders Choice paper-based cat litter which helps as it doesn't get caught in the coat.

MERINO BOAR

Reguli Liberté born 14 July 2009 son of Pipsqueak Klaus and Reguli Lady Ochiba

SHELTIE BOAR

CORONET SOW (CARRYING MERINO)

Reguli Lady Rokujo (born May 2005). A right little madam, this, hence her being named for that total bitch in Genji Monogatari. However, with humans she is fine. It’s just her female housemates she likes to bully, even her own daughters. She has met her match in Canberry Barbados who solved her little ways by burying her under the cage bedding until she signed a non-aggression treaty. They now get on very well.

CORONET SOW

Reguli Ben no Naishi (born 7 Jan. 2007), daughter of Ping Pong and Rokujo, litter mate to Lady Ochiba

Reguli Tachibana born 3 March 2010 daughter of the Sheltie and Reguli Ben no Naishi.

Reguli Sei Shonagon, Tachibana's daughter, born 24 Sept. 2011