THE ALSATIAN DOG

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 92, 12 January 1929, Page 10

THE ALSATIAN DOG

“DANGEROUS AND SAVAGE ANIMAL”

SUPPORT FOR SIR THOMAS MACKENZIE The controversy which was started by Sir Thomas Mackenzie’s condemnation of the Alsatian dog was added to yesterday, when Mr. W. T. Barton, of Trentham, an experienced dog fancier, called at the “Dominion” office to give his opinion on the subject. “I have followed the controversy which has appeared in ‘The Dominion’ recently for and against Alsatian dogs,” said Mr. Barton, “and I would like to strongly support Sir Thomas Mackenzie’s warning against the danger of introducing these dogs into the Dominion. lam a great lover of dogs, and while in England recently I had plenty of evidence as to the savage nature of Alsatian dogs. The papers in England, while I was there, contained several reports of Alsatian dogs viciously 'attacking even their owners. In one instance a young lady owner was badly mauled by her Alsatian dog while she was feeding it, and in another case a child was killed. “While in England, I attended the principal dog shows, and several oi the best-known kennels, and found that the consensus of expert opinion was that the Alsatian dog was really a wolf. In fact, experiments were recently conducted in England by mating Alsatian dogs, and the third generation threw back to pure wolf. “I had intended purchasing an Alsatian dog, but after what I heard I secured a prize Dane, a dog which stands six:feet in height when on his hind legs, and an animal with such a sweet disposition that infants can ride on his back. “But regarding the Alsatian, I entirely agree with Sir Thomas Mackenzie that it is of such a savage nature that it would be very unwise to admit it into this pastoral country. The Alsatian dog was first used in Germany to protect policemen on lonely beats. The dog followed about twenty yards behind the policeman, and if anyone came between it would fly at the intruder’s throat. These dogs were really trained wolves. A case was known in England where a burglar foolishly entered a house where there was an Alsatian dog. When the police came on the scene the dog had killed the burglar. Such a savage animal would be too dangerous to control in a sheep-country like New Zealand. “I notice the Hon. G. J. Smith took Sir'Thomas Mackenzie to task for saying that the Alsatian dog was little removed from a wolf, but I can assure you that Sir Thomas is quite in the right, ana I entirely agree with him that it would be most unwise to allow unrestricted importations of Alsatians into this country.