THE KENNEL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1212, 24 May 1895, Page 25

THE KENNEL.

Stud Visits and AVhelpings will he inserted unties cKe KKNNEii Notics in the Neio Zealand Mail iov ONE. SHILLING eaelx insertion. Kor Sale advertisements, &c., not exceeding six lines, 2s each) Insertion. The Kennel Editor will be pleased to answer, through this column, any question as to-canine diseases, or disorders, or any inquiries on matters generally dealing with dogs. Items of general interest to dog fanciers will at all times be acceptable, and our readers are invited to forward any information to the Ivennel Editor, New Zealand Mail. THE AIREDALE TERRIER. “The Kennelman" in the Australasian. The many good qualities of these useful dogs have frequently been referred to in these columns, and it must be very gratifying to admirers of the breed to see the rapid strides it has recently made in public favour. This is no doubt largely due to the fact that they have fallen into the hands of practical sportsmen, 'who knOAV what is wanted in a working terrier, and are not so particular as to show

point?, provided they get a dog to answer 1 their purpose. From a show bench point of view these dogs are also coming to the front, and I note from the published report of the Airedale Terrier Club that the progress made in England during the last few years has been astonishing. This satisfactory state of affairs is principally due to the fact that breeders and exhibitors are more unanimous than formerly as to the correct type required, and have endeavoured to breed specimens up to the standard issued by the club. As the Airedale is now generally distributed throughout Australia the following I authorised standard of the breed will no doubt be read with interest:— Head—Long, wittq flat skull, not too broad between the ears and narrowing slightly to the eyes, free from wrinkle. Stop hardly visible and cheeks free from fulness. Jaw deep and powerful, well filled up before the eyes, lips tight. Ears “ V “ shaped, with a side carriage ; small, but not out of proportion to the size of the dog. The nose black. The eyes small and dark in colour, not prominent butfull of terrier expression. The teeth strong and level. Neck should be of moderate length and thickness, gradually widening towards the shoulders, and free from throatiness. Shoulders and Chest—Shoulders long, sloping well into the back, shoulderblades flat. Chest deep but not broad. Body—Back short, strong and straight. Ribs well sprung. Hind-quarters—Strong and muscular with no droop. Hocks well let down. The tail set on high and carried gaily, but not curled over the back. Legs and^Feet —Legs perfectly straight, with plenty of bone. Feet small ana. round, with a good depth of pad. Coat—Hard and wiry, and not so long as to appear ragged. It should also lie straight and close, covering the dog well all over the body and legs. Colour —The head and ears, with the exception of dark markings on each side of the skull, should be tan, the ears being of a darker shade than the rest; the legs, up to the thighs and elbows, being also tan. The body black or dark grizzle. Size—Bogs, 401 bto 451 b weight; bitches slightly less. The latter point is one. of great importance, as, according to. the* annual report of the club, undersized specimens have been winning in the past, and in order to put a stop to the practice on the part of the judges the following has been added to the club’s standard : That, as it is the unanimous opinion of the A.T.C. that the size of the Airedale terrier as. given in the above, standard is one of,, if not

the most important characteristic of the breeds all judges who shall henceforth adjudicate on the merits of the Airedale terrier shall consider sneh specimens of the breed severely; handicapped when competing with dogs of the* standard weight. And that any of tho club’s* judges who, in the opinion of the committee 1 , shall give prizes, or; otherwise push to the front, dogs of small type shall be at once struck off from the list of specialist judges. As the latest English standards ayo, accepted by the leading elubs and societies-, here, the above description of the feaeedi may be safely referred to by those desirous, of studying any particular specimen. According to Mr Cameron, who judged Scottish terstare at Cruft’s Show, London, in February last, there are still two types shewn. Mr Cameron writes as follows Wi the Kennel Gazette : —“ Scotch ( toilers turned out a fairly good entry, an & \ were well represented by the two different; ! which now can be seen at any ofi : th§ principal shows, viz. :—The sturdycompact little dog, not too short in body ~ so as to be cloddy, nor yet too long, with short legs and plenty of bone, and not absolutely straight in fore-legs ; as it is almost impossible to- have straight forelegs on account, or the shortness of leg and depth of brisket. At the same time, by all. means let us have Scottish terriers j tight as pasterns, as I consider weak j pasterns are the effects of bad rearing. I 1 have seen one or two fairly straight in leg and yet not long,-which gives the dog a. stilty gait. Head moderately long, with* sufficient stop to give the correct expres - sion, without being dish-faced. Eyes ©f :» hazel colour, and in size proportionately small —as a Skye’s is to a Dandie’s. The* craze brought about by some reporters? crying out for ‘ straight fronts ’ has beerx the means of bringing forward the narrow - chested, long-legged, shalley-bodied specimens, with long straight faces and noterrier expression."