KENNEL NOTES

Evening Star, Issue 21706, 28 April 1934, Page 25

KENNEL NOTES

[By Tail-waggish.! There is a rumour among a section of the dog fanciers that there is to be, no show iu June, but they can disabuse their minds of this. Mr G. Thompson, the secretary of the Dunedin Fanciers’ Club, has everything in order, and the show, including the dog section, will go forward just as usual. Owners will be ill-advised to pay any attention to those individuals who persist in circulating the above rumour. Along with the other sections, the dogs are all arranged for. Two good men have been appointed to judge, and several cups and specials have already been donated.

In the hope that it might prove interesting and perhaps useful, the Oainaru representative has forwarded the following, taken from the 1 Field.’ It is a letter written by the Bev. T. F. Boyds, of Haughton Rectory, Stafford Some four months ago 1 saw a letter published about giving soapy water to puppies to prevent distemper. The writer got it from a New Zealand shepherd, who had never known it fail. Having four ex-gamekeepers in my parish, 1 approached them on the subject. Three of them had never heard of it, but the fourth said it was quite true; be prescribed a little soft soap iu the water. Then i tried a gathering pf eight men, and two of them—the village blacksmith and a horsey, doggy, jaek-of-no-trade—spoke up at once. The latter said he used the water he had washed his hands in. They are generally very dirty. Can it be that soap, especially if there is coal tar in it, has an antiseptic effect on a dog’s interior? My puppy, a golden cocker of seven months, likes soapy water and also tea, which many people recommend. If some courageous' M.F.H. would give half his hounds soapy water and the other half tea the results might be interesting.” While at Mrs Thompson’s I had the opportunity of becoming acquainted with the bullie bitch she has with her. This bitch is a splendid creature of a most unusual colour, being a real tiger brindle. Although failing a little in foreface, she is beautifully built and put together in respect to the rest of her. For one of her sex, her chest and “ spread ” are outstanding, and her quarters are about as nice as one could wish in any dog. Mr Bond bred her from Mrs Thompson’s late Warrawin Scout and that great Australian bitch, Gd Ch. Bradmore Lass. This bitch was one of the most famous ,of her sex ever benched in Australia, winning in the region of 200 firsts, specials, and ribbons, a phenomenal number, for one of her sex Her pedigree, however, was exceptionally sound, which fact, of course, counted in large measure for her perfection, in the third and fourth generations there appears two crosses of the “ Stone ” strain, one of the most famous in the Bulldog world, and two or three of the almost equally famous “ Peacemaker ” strain.

To Mr Bond’s great disappointment however, Lass was almost a total failure .as a matron, rearing, for him only two pujjs, one of each sex.

It is the bitch that Mrs Thompson has with her now and so far she has been little better than her dam as a brood. On account of hor great blood lines and the fact that sho is the only one of her “ clan ” now living, another attempt is to be made with her in the breding field.

Mrs B. Tremain of the V. Blasimburg alsation kennels appears to bo carrying on the good work quite successfully. All the puppies from the champion Gaspar of Braemar—Cotswold Capric litter have now been sold —the lady owner is busy with another lot. Pearl V. Blasimburg is the dam of these and there are nine of them—four dogs. Mrs Tremain reports tho sale of five of this latest litter.

During the week I called in to sec Miss K. Hart’s Labrador Rajah. This pup was born on the first of November last, aiul during the ensuing six months has grown into a very handsome youngster. Mr Gilkison, of Invercargill, is his breeder, his good bitch. Tar, being the dam and Mr C. M'Beath’s ch Pompay, the sire. Pompay, by Ccaser of Louard, imp. ex Sherbourne Lady, imp. is New Zealand’s premier Labrador and his sons and daughters appear to inherit his good qualities. Tar, Rajah’s dam is by Peter (a dog bred by Mr Dauskin, from a pair imported from the kennels of the Duke of Buccleugh) from a bitch called Annie, also imported from the same establishment. With the breeding he has behind him Rajah has every chance to become a great dog. Mrs Greig’s little cairn puppies are coming on wonderfully well, the light red bitch being the most forward of the trio so far. This one will remain in the home kennel. The other little lady goes to Mr Phillips, of Kaikoura, who intends showing and breeding with her. He is a keen fancier. Mrs Phillips has already made a start with her own particular fancy, the “ Perky Pom.” some time ago she acquired from Mrs Bain, the lovely shaded sable bitch Ra Whitinga Desert Girl. She has already been back to her old kennel on a visit to Ra Whitinga Goldie, by Ch. Little Gold Sunbright imp. Miniature Poms, are not the easiest do"s in the world to breed; one needs a lot of patience for them. Seen last Saturday, Mr M'Millan's young West Highland white bitch looked a picture. She is just the ideal size, and her coat is of good colour and texture. Her eyes, too, are nice and dark, a weak spot in many of the breed. So far her owner has not been very successful in trying to breed with her, but she is young yet, and there is plenty of time for her to redeem herself in this particular direction. Mr T. Rennet has made up his mind to launch his kennel of Airedales in no half-hearted manner, and so has sent to Australia lor another bitch. He hopes to get one old enough to carry on the breeding operations right away, but. if possible, she must be a show bench specimen as well. There are numbers of splendidly-bred Airedales across the Tasman, owing no doubt to the importation of so many good ones from Home, and Mr Bennet should have little or no trouble getting something suitable. Mr L. Burt reports the sale of his nice young dog, Polar Blizzard, to Mrs Rees, of Nelson. Mrs Rees already has one of each sex from the Polar kennels, but “ Rliz.” looked so well in tbc recent, Nelson show that she refused to allow him to return to Dunedin.