THE DOG SHOW.

Evening Star, Issue 10391, 12 August 1897, Page 4

THE DOG SHOW.

TO THB EDITOR. Sib, —I did not intend entering into any correspondence upon the awards made by. the judge at the recent dog show, but when Mr Hides tries to vindicate himself by stating that which is not fact I think I may be excused in asking leave to reply to him. Ido not profess to be an expert in judging dogs, and would be sorry to have the presumption to pose as one capable, although I have not the slightest doubt* but that my knowledge and experience of dogs are quite as sound, if not sounder, than that of vour correspondent, Mr T. Hides. He says that " Snowdon is a big, coarse brute, with knees almost touching, and is cow-hocked." Whether he is coarse or not, I am quite content with the verdict of Mr Smythe, who is one of the best judges of dogs we have in the colonies. Mr Smythe, at last year's champion show held in Dunedin, placed Snowdon first, also awarding him a special prize, Prince Carlo being placed second. Since then I have shown him at Wellington, when Mr J. Maude, another good Australian judge, corroborated Mr Smythe's action by awarding him first prize. So much for Mr Hides's coarseness. As to Snowdon's knees almost touching, it is not a fact, as there is room for a good-sized dog to run between his fore-legs; neither is it a fact that he is cow-hocked, his hind legs being wonderfully straight; and as to his bad temper, if Mr Hides had taken temper into consideration Prince Carlo would have been at the bottom of the list instead of top. To verify my statement I will be pleased to show Snowdon to any person interested.—l am, etc., Thomas Smith. South Dunedin, August 11.