ALSATIAN DOGS.

Evening Star, Issue 21821, 10 September 1934, Page 3

ALSATIAN DOGS.

TO THE .EDITOR. Sir, —“ Fair Play,” asks why I saw fit to ignore the rest of the questions in his letter of the 28th ult. 1 was not aware I answered any. His were rhetorical questions, were they not? Mine was simply an elucidation of why fifty collies to one Alsatian were shot for sheep-worrying. “ Fair Play,” like “Treat ’Em Right,” writes from the owner’s point of view, and suffers from an illusion. Therefore he cannot see the faults that are so conspicuous to strangers.—l am, etc., R. Emem. September 7. '

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —May I suggest that we owners get together and form our own club or training society, whore members could be taught the methods of training? In England a debt of gratitude is owing to those experienced trainers who, by moans of lectures and precept, initiated the novice trainer, and a great wave of enthusiasm swept through the breed, and very soon obedience classes became a feature of most shows. These classes created an enormous amount of interest, not only among owners of Alsatians and other breeds, but also amongst the general public; and they were the means of introducing many recruits to the ranks of Alsatiandom. Lady Pat states that “ Alsatians played a great and active part in the Great War.” _ This is true, and I have before me a picture of Tilp, of the French infantry, wearing his gas mask, showing his courage and devotion to duty, and saving many lives by carrying messages through every sort of obstruction and danger, including poison gas. Coming nearer home we have heard of the Australian police Alsatian Tess, who, I believe, has saved the lives of a man and boy who were lost in the bush, and I look back to two sad cases of a similar type in Now Zealand, one at Tomahawk and the other in the Blue Mountains. If we had had a dog of Tess’s calibre there was every chance of saving one life. For the purpose of getting this chib started I shall come out from behind my nom de plume, “ Toss,” and give my name and address. An advertisement will also appear in this paper on Saturday, September B.—l am, etc., L. H. Fbew, 167 George street, Dunedin. September 7.