THE KENNEL

Auckland Star, Volume XXX, Issue 159, 7 July 1899, Page 3

THE KENNEL

(By Canis.)

Mr Borsdorf, the well-known Victorian collie fancier, has arrived home at Melbourne from his trip to the Old Country. Mr Borsdorf whilst in England visited a number of dog showd, and we shall probably hear through the Melbourne press what he has to say of his experiences after he has settled down. He has brought out with him another couple of high-class collies to join Palm bearer at the Bremen Kennels. Mr Eedmond's (England) celebrated fox terrier dog Dominie is dead. He was twelve years old, and was an enormous winner on the show bench. I believe he won a prize on every occasion on which he was exhibited. He was also a very successful stud dog. Besides a lot of other winners, he sired Donna Fortuna, considered by experts to be the best fox terrier even seen in the world. The "Australasian" has in its kennel notes a few words to say anent Mr Wright's judging of the two collies Shetland Wallace (a Melbourne dog) and Almsbearer (Christchuruh) at the recent. N.S.W. K.C. Show. It will be remembered that Mr Wright, after several times placing Wallace over Almsbearer, later on reversed his decision and gave the latter several first prizes, giving as his reason that Almsbearer did not show himself at first, and Wallace vice versa. The paper named points out that a reversed decision of a judge under such circumstances must not by any means be taken as an ignorance of knowledge, but, moreover, a judge who is not afraid to reverse is rather to be eulogised. I have received a private letter from Mr Andrews, the owner of Wallace, saying that his dog, after winning the first two classes in which he competed, had a fight with another dog, which was the reason of his not showing to advantage afterwards. He (Mr Andrews) is protesting against Almsbearer being awarded Mr Borsdorf's special trophy for the best collie under 12 months old. This is, I think, a fine point, as although Almsbearer was at the finish allowed to be the best puppy in the show, yet Wallace beat him in the puppy class, and it will no doubt find a subject for the committee to consider, and will, I presume, be a rather difficult matter to settle.

Judging from private letters which I have seen from Melbourne and Wellington high pedigTee collies are certainly much more valued in these cities than in Auckland, for puppies of First Shot blood (not winners) breeders in Victoria ask from 15 to 25 guineas; whilst for Hereward or Emerald strains about the same price is asked down South. Several local breeders have tha direct blood of these dogs, yet if one asks 5 guineas for a puppy he receives from the would-be purchaser a look of absolute astonishment for his presumed audacity. The reason is not far to seek. The collie has during the past two years undoubtedly become a very popular dog in Auckland and district, and in consequence a tremendous lot of rubbish has been bred to supply the demand, which is now completely overdone, and many owners (new fanciers) are under the impression that because they possess a dog with a pedigree it must be a good one. My advice, therefore, is to owners of undoubted pedigree from well-known stock —drown the majority of your puppies whilst young rather than sell them at ridiculously low prices, otherwise keep them till they are seven or eight months old and send them to Sydney, Melbourne, or Southern New Zealand. It will well repay you.

Mr M. C. Davies, the well-known Sydney breeder of deerhounds, is expecting shortly from England a pair of Russian wolf-hounds (Borzois). These dogs are very handsome, and are most popular in England. The Princess of Wales is one of the leading breeders and fanciers. Mr Sam Woodwiss offered his kennel of bulldogs for sale in London in May last. Three were sold at an average of 12 guineas, but none of the champions changed hands. Baron Sedgemere was started at 50 guineas, but was withdrawn at 200 guineas. Boaz was passed in at 150 guineas. Master John Bull, a good stamp of stud dog, was sold at 30 guineas.

At the London Bulldog Show, held at the Royal Aquarium in May, many of the best dogs of the breed were benched. The feature of the proceedings was the defeat of Rodney Stone Dy Bromley Crib in the open class for dogs under 451b. It would be difficult to find two more evenly matched dogs than these, though fanciers inclined most to the former, for whom £350 was refused at the Brighton show, and it was thought he was almost a certainty for the championship. The class which included these two was an unusually strong one. There was an interesting competition between True Type and Surrey Rose in the class for bitches under 351b weight. The latter was placed first by the jiidge, to the surprise of a good many people. True Type cost Mr Austin £150 when he bought her not long ago.