THE KENNEL.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1247, 23 January 1896, Page 28

THE KENNEL.

Stud Visits find Whelpings will be inserted under the Kennel Notes in the New Zealand Mail for ONE SHILLING ecteh insertion. iur Sale advertisemeets, <&e., not exceeding six lines. 2s each insertion. The Kennel Editor will be pleased to answer, through thin column, any question as to canine diseases, or disorders, or any inquiries on matters generally d aling 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 liunnel Editor, New Zealand Mail. NOTES. The Produce Stakes to be h* Id in. connection With the Wellington Kenuel Club’s show for 1893 has filled very well considering that it is a first attempt. Colkes number eight, and real good ones they are, and if their respective owners have ordinary luck in rearing the puppies, the competition will be a good one. Irish terriers and fox terriers number two each—all well-bred ones. English files convey the information that the crack fox terrier, Vice Regal, has been retired by her owner from the show bench, after having won about 200 dr.-t and special prizes. This is the fox terrier which was purchased at the record price of £470. Since Mr W. J. Smith has returned to the land of his adoption, he has taken every opportunity of betting the Australians that New Zealand is not far behind them in the doggy world, and that they may expect an invasion of their territory before long. Mr Hindmarßh, of Napier, has been well compensated for sending his fox terrier bitch Veto over to Melbourne to Eool’s Renown, the result being six promising youngsters. These are nominated for the Wellington Club’s Produce Stakeß, 1896, and should be heard of when the numbers go up. Mr A. Steevens,senr., of Napier, is making elaborate preparations for the reception of his dog to arrive from the Old Country. Mr Steevens is determined to have stuff of the right sort, and even contemplates a trip to the Old Country, with the object of purchasing something to hold his own against all comers. Dr. Lalham, of Melbourne, being about to visit England, has placed his crack fox terrier bitch Ercildoune Dophine under offer to a Wellington fancier. On dit that some Airedale terrierß well be shortly imported. These are clever dogs on land and in water, and are particularly fashionable in the Old Country. It is also rumored that a crack Irishman from Melbourne will ere long reach our shores for the Woodcote Kennel. A correspondent of the Stockkeeper ascribes the following virtues to the Great Dane. A good specimen, he says, has the power of the mastiff, combiued with nearly the speed of the greyhound, the courage of the bull terrier, with the affection of the spaniel and the nose of the hound, with the intelligence of a sheepdog. In fact, for those who are fond of a large dog, there is no other breed, in my opinion, in which all the qualities required in a canine friend are so abundantly present. The following extract from the Stockkeeper proves that all exhibitors are not experts :—“ One often _ wonders where some people tret, their iriAg of dogs. At Cam.

bridge, for instance, a couple of animals were entered in the fox terrier classes which could by no stretch of the imagination be accepted as approaching any type that has ever been recognised. They were low on the leg, a bit out at shoulder, with well sprung ribs, long backs, and, above all, were blue-and-tan in colour. Of course, they were undocked, and in fact it appeared as though their owner bad cudgelled his brains to discover the least eligible class to enter them in. The. joke of it all was, however, that when Mr Astley ventured to try and break the news of his dogs’ defeat to the countrified looking person who was attending them in the ring, the latter assured the judge that the dogs 4 were a rare old strain,’ and added solemnly, ‘ which is very hard to get hold of nowadays/ Still, it may be added that as these precious creature, though referred to as being 13 months old, are described in the catalogue as 4 breeder and pedigree unknown/ a seeker after'such canine phenomena need not despair of picking specimens up if he has the mind to. 5 ’

Of all worms in dogs the tapeworm is the most to be feared by kennel men, Mr A. J. Sewell, the R.C.V.S., writing in the English Kennel Gazette, thus describes the symptoms and proper treatment 44 The symptons vary considerably, exhibiting in some cases qnite opposite effects to those observable in others ; for instance, in one dog there may be obstinate diarrhoea, and in another the animal may suffer from constipation —in fact, sometimes complete obstruction of the bowels may result, fn some dogs, and such is generally the case, the appetite is voracious, and yet there is loss ot' condition ; while in other cases the appetite is variable and indifferent, and I have known instances where there has been a complete disinclination to take food. The general signs of these pests being present in the bowels, besides those above mentioned, are irritability, restlessness alternately with general depression, the coat rough and staring, with an unhealthy appearance, the dog often becoming thin, though this is not always the case if the appetite remain good. There are occasionally attacks of vomiting after feeding, and a disposition to drink more than usual, in fact, a dog suffering from worms may be said to appear generally out of sorts. Most obstinate attacks of eczema may be caused by worms, and ant* amount of dressing fails to effect a cure until the worms have been expelled, and this is the reason I always advise in all cases of this skin disease that the patient be dosed for worms. By so doing, when worms have been present the cutaneous affection often gets well at once. Complete paralysis of the hind legs may be the result of worms, which can be only be cured by expelling them ; and in other cases these parasites may induce epilepsy. In all obscure cases of illness it is a good plain to give a vermifuge, unless the patient is very weak, for worms are so common with dogs ; and if it is found there are none present, no harm has been done, for the medicine has only acted as an aperient, which is beneficial in most ailments. Of course, very often there are direct proofs that the dog has worms, for at certain times when the parasite is fully developed segments are passed with the motions ; such signs are sufficient to warrant the giving of a dose of some suitable medicine without further delay. ’

I am glad to notice that the Sydney Mail, one of the most ably conducted of Australian weeklies, has started a Kennel Column, which promises to be a great success.

The Sydney Mail says that Mr W. Hamilton’s fox terrier bitch Glenden Peril visited Mr H. Moses’ dog Vano on the 4th instant. The result of this union on a previous occasion was highly satisfactory in producing some of the best bitches we possess, viz., Glenden Vanity and champion Milton Madge. Both bitches have been successful on the show bench, especially Mr H. Moyes’s grand little bitch Milton Madge, so that Mr Hamilton expects good results from the present union. If blood counts, he should not be disappointed, as Vano is a very fashionably bred fox terrier, being by Venio out of Veronica. He was imported by Mr H. Moses, who purchased him from Mr Vickery, of Newton Abbot, England, the celebrated fox terrier breeder. Glenden Peril also possesses very high class breeding. She is by New Forest Danger out of Champion Richmond Vixen, both imported from England by Mr E. M. Stephen. Glenden Peril is entered for the Kennel Club of N.S.W. Produce Stakes, which are to be competed for in September next, and if Mr Hamilton succeeds in rearing a few puppies they should give a good account of themselves at that competition.

The high prices paid in England for really first-class fox terriers are not to be wandered at when we consider the large amounts paid in prize money and produce stakes at some of the principal shows. Re. f err in" to the winnings of some of the leading exhibitors of smooth fox terriers at the recent Derbv sbow, the Stockkeeper states that “ Mr Tinne comes out at the top with £129 2s fid, t h en Mr Redmond with £95, followed oy Mr Vicary with £68.” Provided the interest now taken in the various produce stakes instituted in Australia is well maintained, there is no reason why they should not some day equal in value those competed for in England.

The question of type in the show collie of dfiv is being discussed in the columns of L SL kkee «r, »„,l Mr T. 1). Swinbarno, of Darlington, writes on this point n» 10l ow» : " "■K who has luiinireii, kep , hrod, and shown collies since the days of Old Mcc, l their immediate followers, 1 conthe rage for bead and ears has resulted of many important points, such as LdTns and feet, action, and general body good Ig _ j nroduced many bad points, appearance, an P ring-tail, and loss Buch ftsprick-e k pj - aw and nktear Bbotd "e a complete bar to wmMr Swinburne’s opinion is worthy rung. , rnanpet as to our personal of the greatest respect, knovylet g< ->o years, and we rebitor p?

Lassie ” was a household name in collie circles.

The premier English specialist institution, the Fox Terrier Club, says 44 Sir Tatton,” has just held their annual show, which, according to the reports in the specialist journals just to hand, must have been a very Ngreat success. I notice Mr J. J. Pim upset a few of the Palace awards. Forinstance.Valuatorwontbe championship at the Palace after a tussle with Mr Tinne’s BrocUenhurst Agnes, a decision that was questioned by several critics at the time. The pair now had to cry go to Mr F. Redmond’s Lame Fortune, who, by the way, appears to have been kept at home for some time prior to the club’s fixture. It will be remembered that Mr F. Redmond won the Grand Challenge Cup with this young bitch last season just after his champion dog, D’Orsay, met with the accident to his leg that caused his retirement from the bench for all time. Hence the bitch was remark-

ably well named to come forward at this juncture. Dame Fortune is the first home bred smooth that Vlr Redmond ever woa the Challenge Cup with. Apropos to this, it may not be out of place to mention that Mr Redmond only bred one litter of wire hairs, and that out of a smooth bitch. In the litter was Untrimmed (whose name was so often changed), that won the wire-haired Chal lenge Cup for her breeder the first time of asking. It was a very strong point in Mr Redmond’s argument during the controversy that took place a few years ago, 44 smooth ” versus 44 wires ; ” according to Mr Redmond, who, of course, quoted from his own experience as a breeder of many years’ standing, it was much easier to breed good roughs than good smooths, and yet the supporters of the former were generally out of it in mixed competitions. No doubt Mr Redmond had a twinkle in his eye when he brought forward his trump card in the argument, and it is quite certain he must have had a flash out of both when Dame Fortune’s number was called a second time, for the great ambition of a breeder’s life is the possession of 44 The Grand Challenge Cup.”

The death is reported of the well-known black cocker spanffil dog, Champion Jack Gbo. This dog was bred by Mr James Farrow, Ipswich, England, and imported by Messrs Whittaker Bros., of Victoria, about twelve yeais ago, since which time he has been most successful at the stud.

To those who take an interest in the beautiful Gordon setter, the following description and points, as issued by the English club, devoted to the breed will be instructive : The head of the Gordon is the most important part of the dog; it is much heavier than that of the Laverack, or English setter, and the depth from the occiput to the lower angle of jaw is greater than in either of those breeds. The skull should be slightly rounded, broad at the top between the ears, and the occiput well developed and defined. The forehead above the eyes should be well developed and defined, the stop nicely chiselled, the eyes lustrous and intelligent, full, not small or pig like, giving an expression of intelligence, which is of the first importance in the Gordon. The nose should be moderately long and broad across the top, giving room for the nerves of scent, in fact the opposite to snipyness ; the nostrils, well distended, forming the widest part of the nose ; the underjaw should neither be under nor over hung. The body of the Gordon is also heavier than that of the English setter, but may be judged on the same lines ; the tail should be short and scimitar-like, the neck moderately long and strong, but not heavy, Jthe feet inclined to be large aDd strong, with arched toes, and with hair between them to protect the feet. The coat should be straight and slightly waved, not curly. The great beauty of the dog is his lovely colour, prominence should therefore be given to it in judging. Formerly, without doubt, the pievailing colours were black, white, and tan. Of late there has been little white seen at shows ; the black should be a jet, not brown or rusty ; the tan should be a rich dark mahogany% not pencilled with black ; the tan should be exhibited on the inside of the thighs, showing down front of stifle to the ground. The forelegs should be pure tan from the knees downwards. The muzzle should also be tan ; the spots over the eyes and on the points of the shoulders should be well defined and not blurred ; blurring and diffusion over the belly and other parts are objectionable. A splendid intelligence, fine scenting pow'er, and great endurance are the main characteristics of the Gordon, aud a well-formed head is of the first importance if we are to develop and maintain that intelligence which is the charm aud usefulness of the dog. The standard of points for judging is as follows : Head ... ... ... ... .33 Neck, shoulders, and chest ... 14 Loin and quarters ... ... ... 12 Feet and legs... ... .. ... 16 Colour .. ... ... .. 10 Coat, feather, and quality ... ... 10 Tail .. ... ... ... ... 5 Total 100