DOG EXHIBITS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 162, 11 July 1930, Page 16

DOG EXHIBITS.

JUDGES' USEFUL ADVICE. DETAILS OF DRESSING UP. HOW TO WIN.IN THE RING. There are some hundreds of clogs on show at this year's annual exhibition, being held in the Central wharf sheds, and in discussing the exhibits generally the judges gave some useful advice regarding getting show dogs ready for the judge. They said they were often surprised, at the condition in which some of the exhibitors brought their dogs into the ring. If they only realised the points they lost in this, .way and how most of the other exhibitors had worked to bring their dogs in perfect for the judge's eye, they .would do a lot of hard thinking. Even if a badly got-up dog was perfect type and had to get first his unkempt appearance would disgust the public and not do the , show any good. A few careless exhibitors learned, after being beaten once or twice" by inferior dogs; but most of them were too slow to realise that there was just as much care and knowledge needed for success as in any other competition in life, and gave the game up in disgust. And yet like_ most things that made for success it was very simple when you know how.

First Stage to Winning. The first stage to success in winning at shows was to know the proper type and have it; and the second was to have the dog in perfect show condition and trained for the ring. If unable to get the right type, the owner should either go out of the business or get someone reliable who. has the "judging eye" for type to pick one for him, as there was no sense in wasting time on a dog of the wrong type. Some exhibitors never learned this and wondered why they could not do any good. They might fluke a win under an incompetent judge for once, but in the long run they were only butting their heads against a etone wall. When a person was sure he had the right type he could go ahead and get his dog into show condition. The first thing, said the judges, was to begin at the right time. Some exhibitors were foolish enough to think that they could get a dog up in a fortnight before the show. A lot, of course, depended on the condition of the dog at the time he was taken in hand, and if in fair condition it was best to allow from a month to six weeks. This gave time to get the essential bloom on. In theory working dogs should only ,be shown in working condition; but the public, the people who make the show pay, would not have it at any price. To suit them the exhibits must be in the pink of condition.

Points' for Exhibitors^ The first tiling was to secure the clog by the end of its chain to a ring running on a wire as long as possible, fastened at each end to a post set 2ft in the ground and about 4ft out, and not close enough to the fence for the dog to jump over and hang himself as has happened to many a good one. If putting' him close to the fence were unavoidable, then the posts should be shortened so that it would be impossible for him to get up to the top of the fence even at the full stretch of his chain. By having him on the ring he could run up and down the wire /and get as much exercise when he wanted it as if he Avere loose. If possible the run should be in a Avell-grassed spot, as it was then much easier to keep him clean. The next step was to give him a thorough washing, unless he was a pup. Pups should never be washed. The reason was that a pup, till he shed his pup coat, which was made fine and open by Nature so that his mother could readily lick him clean, did not dry properly and he was likely to die of a chill. Brushing with a fine brush night and morning, and a weekly dusting of his body with a good insect powder, well rubbed in, and a little in his sleeping place also, was the best. If mosquitoes were troublesome the dog should be rubbed with a mixture of one part of kerosene to two of cocoanut oil. This beat the pest. The judges then proceeded to give instructions as to how dogs should be washed properly and treated for various doggy ailments, and in conclusion said that the day before the show the dog should be washed again and given fresh straw. Next morning he should be thoroughly brushed and rubbed up with a soft cloth till he shone again. He should be kept as clean as possible going to the show and given a drink of water on arrival, but no food, as it often made them sick in the ring. Finally the owner should rub the back of the animal with a soft cloth till it was his turn to go into the ring.