"de Soum"

Two young "de Soum" dogs

Monsieur Théodore Dretzen told Mary Crane in a letter he wrote to her in 1936 that Monsieur Alexandre Cazaux-Moutou followed his breeding from 1905 to 1909 or 1910 while a student in Paris. He then returned to his home in Lourdes, Hautes-Pyrenees where he began working with local fanciers.(3) We will try to faithfully trace the steps taken by Monsieur Cazaux-Moutou from the time he began his breeding program in the religious shrine city of Lourdes, France. Monsieur Cazaux-Moutou was a long time friend and collaborator with Monsieur Sénac-Lagrange. They collaborated on the formation of breed clubs, on breeding the large mountain dog as well as the little Berger dog. The influence of this breeder, Monsieur Alexandre Cazaux-Moutou of "de Soum", is arguably, unparalleled in breed history. Today "de Soum" type dogs are seen in France, North America, Great Britain, the remainder of Europe, and anywhere else in the world where quality "les Grand Chien Montagne des Pyrénées" exist.

Monsieur Alexandre Cazaux-Moutou

Photo courtesy of Philippe Cazaux-Moutou grandson of Alexandre Cazaux-Moutou

Genevière Marsan, Conservateur du Musée Pyrénéen, writes in the Bulletin of the RACP (8) of the kennel records of Alexandre Cazaux-Moutou from 1921 to 1947. She states that the "Kennel Book" records open on April 11, 1921,with Estaubèe de Soum, a female from Sultan de Soum (Patou and Pastoure de Gazost) and Alliane de Soum (Patou and Pastoure de Soum) and closes on June 18, 1946, with Bédat de Soum, a male from Roland de Soum and Tucoye de Tyllos. Bédat de Soum, later to be known as Bédat de Monda, is one of the most important dogs in English breeding History. I believe there has been some controversy about whether Bédat was really a "de Soum" product. Unless there is some evidence that the actual dog was changed as it went from owner to owner until it finally landed in England in the very capable hands of Mrs. Joan Passini-Birkett this is a "de Soum" breeding. This should essentially put those suspicions to rest. I will reproduce his pedigree below.

Bédat de Monda originally known as Bédat de Soum

Bédat is shown with Field Marshall Viscount Alanbrooke who imported him from his birth place in the Pyrenees Mountains, Bagneres de Bigore. Bédat was a gift to Field Marshall Alanbrooke.

d'Astazon de Soum

Roland de Soum

Pastoure de Lannedare

Bédat de Monda (de Soum)

Soum de Montgaillard

Tucoye de Tyllos

Lheris de Montgaillard

The maternal great great Grandmothers both have "de Soum" in their names, but the remainder of the Maternal pedigree is unclear as how much "de Soum" breeding is there. I guess what I am saying is that at this time, from what I know, there is a possibility that much of the Dam breeding on Bédat de Monda, may not be "de Soum" blood. This might account for some peoples opinions that Bédat de Monda is not "de Soum" breeding. I think we can essentially dismiss the notion that Bédat de Monda is the result of partial Pyrenean Mastiff ancestry. He was a great Stud dog and forever changed the course of the dogs we will find in England.

From 1921 till 1946 "de Soum" produced 186 dogs that is recorded in its "Kennel Book". Of the breedings recorded, nearly one half occurred with dogs and bitches from "outside" de Soum breeding lines. "de Langladure" was the kennel with the most breedings with "de Soum". There were 10 breedings in the years 1928, 1930, 1931, 1932, and 1935. Soulabère had three breedings in 1928, 1930, and 1931. Lannedaré had three breedings in 1921, 1923, and 1944. Betpouey and Agos had 2 breedings each, in 1924 & 1927 and 1921 & 1922 respectively. Hibarrette, Barzet, Astugue, Poeymayou, Ost and Pontacq each had one breeding in the years from 1935 through 1939. Of the 186 dogs recorded in the "Kennel Book" 23 apparently lived all their lives at the kennel at the base of Pic du Jer near Lourdes. The others went all over France, and other countries. The breakdown of where the 186 dogs went are as follows:

Paris area-37
Foreign-32
Western and Central Pyrenees-31
Remained at "de Soum"-23
Other regions of France-63

Of the 32 dogs imported out of France, 9 went to Belgium, 7 went to USA, 5 went to England, 4 went to Spain, 3 went to Holland, 2 went to Morocco, and one each to Luxembourg and Germany. Genevière Marsan makes the assertion that the most significant importation's are without question to England and USA.

In 1921, 1925, and 1926, Sir Cato Worsfold acquired 2 males and 2 females for his home in London and Monsignor Bidwell, Bishop of Westminster in 1925 (I am not sure I translated the title correctly).

The first American to acquire dogs from "de Soum" was Miss Hedge of Massachusetts in 1930. The next year in 1931, Mrs. Crane of Needham, Massachusetts acquired a couple of entirely white dogs, Urdos and Anie de Soum (offspring of Toy de Soum & Lutour de Langladure and Bergons de Soum & Moutone de Bidos, respectively). Mrs. Crane acquired another pair in 1935, Azum (Patou de Poeymayou & Lutour de Langladure), and Arizes (Marboré de Soum & Pastourette d'Hibarrette). Genevière Marsan goes on to say that except for the "Great Pyrenees Book" by Mary Crane with its brief description of "de Soum" and except for the notations in Monsieur Cazaux-Moutou's "Kennel Book" that "we" know little of the devotees of "de Soum".(8)

Alexandre Cazaux-Moutou shown with his "de Soum" dogs surrounding Mary Crane at the "de Soum" Kennels at the foot of Pic du Jer, circa 1935.

The importation's of "de Soum" to the USA established "de Soum" as the template from which dogs in North America originated. One reason is that the "de Soum" gene pool is represented by more than the 7 dogs imported and referenced above. Some of the most important dogs imported from other French Kennels, namely de Langladure and Val d'Aure, were very rich in the "de Soum" gene pool. Since Mary Crane imported over  60 dogs from Europe, it is evident that the "de Soum" type was and is preferred by most breed authorities in North America. Much of this was insured as a result of the importation of Estat d'Argeles and his litter brother, Estagel d'Argeles as well as the prior importation of the inbred grandson of Estat d'Argeles, Ibos du Val d'Aure. Upon analysis, all are essentially "de Soum" bloodlines except for Estat and Estagel's Sire, Rip de la Noe who was a true "dog of the mountains". This outcross "blood" was relatively unimportant in subsequent generations of line breeding that employed "de Soum" gene pool.

Nethou II de Soum and Aste de Soum

One of the top bitches from de Soum, who is very important to North American lines as well as French lines is French Champion Ariel de Soum, who went to "de Langladure". I have been fortunate enough to have a copy of the Pedigree that was done at that time sent to me by the Grandson of Alexander Cazaux-Moutou, Philippe Cazaux-Moutou. Click on her name to the original pedigree, along with a picture and some brief information about her.