KENNEL NOTES

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 234, 1 September 1938, Page 7

KENNEL NOTES

HUNTING PACKS. (By -“Kuri.”) Hunting the red'deer in England must be an enjoyable sport, judging from accounts in journals of English origin. It would appear that in that country, as in our own, deer at times become so numerous in certain districts as to become a nuisance. One reads that some stagliound packs were formed to counteract the deer menace. The dogs used at first were simply packs of over-size dog foxhounds, but later the smaller foxhound was found to be just as suitable, and on at least one occasion a pack- consisting entirely of bitches was used, with entire success. When hunting a fox, hounds hunt in a bunch, all giving tongue. When on the track of deer, the dogs string out in single file mostly, and they seldom give tongue. When it is considered that these hunting hounds require to keep on the run for at least four hours at a stretch we get some idea of the high degree of stamina attained by breeders. It is interesting to note that most harriers, which are simply smaller types of foxhounds, have more flatfish feet than foxhounds in many cases, but that they stand up to work just as well; the great value placed by hunting people on the exaggerated, cat-like feet of the foxhound appears to be just a fancy. I have seen hounds of the desired type which seem to toe' inwards on their thick pads, and have always thought that such a formation would tend to handicap a dog on a long hunt. It would appear that such is not the case, but that a somewhat more common type of bigger and flatter foot, as seen frequently oil the harrier, is just as suitable. In New Zealand several harrier packs are hunted in the season, and good sport is obtained, but stag-hunt-ing on the English model doesn’t seem to have been given a start. One can readily understand that stag-hunting with a pack of hounds and mounted horsemen would prove to be a difficult pastime up in the Pohangina Ranges, or at Tiritea, but in some localities, the Wairarapa for instance, where more open country is the habitat of the deer, hunting in the English fashion may be more practicable. At Home the hunting season brings large numbers of tourists to the hunting areas, and a splendid revenue is obtained by the rural communities. I am not sure that.wo would care to see the whole style of the old-fashioned English hunt transported out here, with its disregard of farmers’ rights, and some other aspects, and all the pomp and rather ridiculous side of an Old County gathering, but a body of good healthy colonials could get splendid exercise from following a small pack of disciplined hounds over sonic of our wild country, even if the deer scented were not brought down at the end of the run. THE SEALYHAM TERRIER. Although a breed of fairly recent origin so far as the present day type is concerned, the Sealyham terrier was known as far back as 1848. An attractive low-to-ground terrier heavier than most of the other terriers, the Sealyham has become immensely popular all over the world. A fair number a.re being bred in this country, and a few are appearing in our shows, but until full classes of excellent specimens are benched the public will not have much opportunity of appreciating the variety. In appearance the Sealyham is somewhat like a Scottish terrier, but has drop ears and is mostly white in colour. They are a useful size, weighing about 201 b,, and were originally used extensively for assisting packs of otter hounds. They were expected to go down otter holes and drag the vermin out. Present-day show specimens are considered by many, of

tho old-time admirers to be too big to bo of any use for work. This may or may not be so, but there is no doubt that the modern Sealyham is a very attractive, smart and alert clog, useful for hunting vermin, and a most satisfactory type of dog for a companion or house dog. There is a kennel-of Sealvhams not far from Palmerston North, some specimens from which' are very typical, and we have seen one or two on tho streets in Palmerston North on lead- A good Sealyham must have the alert, active appearance of all terriers, and should not be a down-tailed, lifeless sort. Before me I have a picture of a very fine specimen, Champion St. Margaret Merit. The tail should be carried erect, and the dog should have a long, harsh jacket, the head should be -strong and the muzzle carries si profuse whisker although, oddly enough, my standard does not mention this. The l>ody should be of medium length, and the chest broaad and deep. Should canine popularity follow here the trend of other countries, the Sealyham will become one of our foremost breeds. COMING SHOWS. There are several shows to be held during the next few months, and fanciers will need to have their dogs in first-class condition if they hope to win trophies. There are some splendid dogs out this year, and bloom and condition do count considerably in close competition. Te Awaha, Carterton, Wellington and Palmerston North Shows are all to be staged within the next three months, a.nd a dog prepared for the first one could with a little attention l>e assured of a good chance in the others. Show condition, so far as body condition is concerned, is the good, hard state found when a properly fed and exercised dog is in perfect' health. The coats of cockers and wire fox terriers and such breeds need trimming, and novice owners of white dogs should note that the extra whiteness secured by exhibitors in spite of train journeys is obtained by the liberal use of chalk. After using the dust should all be brushed out of the clog’s c-oat. It may just happen that the judge will get covered in white dust otherwise, and if he is upset by this, an exhibitor may have less chance of a win on that account. The rules provide that no powder shall be jeft in a dog’s coat. Smooth fox terriers are usually cleaned up a little round the head and neck where the coat is longer. Constant brushing and combing will bring the coat to a good condition. If the coat is dirty, a good hath, of course, is the quickest method to cleanse it. although this makes • a coat dull and should not bo done unless you have at least a week before the dog is to be shown. Prior to going to a show, every exhibitor should make up his or her mind that, no matter whether his or her dog secures top honours or none, he or she is going to benefit from the experience by seeing some good specimens of all the popular breeds, and the pleasure of meeting and talking over common problems with other exhibitors should be more of an attraction than the one of securing the highest prizes. ' Only one specimen of each breed can be awarded a first prize for each sex, and there will always be more losers than winners, so some philosopohy is necessary beforehand to prevent that nasty feeling that something is wrong with the show if yon don’t win. Should you happen to have a hundred pounds to spare, you can always console yourself until the thought that you could most likely purchase Hie winning exhibit for that'amount anyhow, so why worry? Cocker spaniels continue to be exhibited in large numbers, but the height of their popularity must be drawing near, and some fresh breed will soon commence to edge its way into the favour of fanciers, and then into the hearts of the public. What the next breed to become universally popular is it is hard to say, several varieties seem to he equally favoured at the moment.