KENNEL NOTES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1511, 14 February 1901, Page 37

KENNEL NOTES.

BY TE KURIAROIIA

(All communications should he addressed to the Kennel Editor.)

The English Toy Bulldog Club has fixed the weight of toy bulldogs at 201bs and under; all dogs over 201 b cannot be shown as toys.

An interesting series of letters are being published in the ‘‘Stockkeeper” re the Scottish deerhound. The letters arc worth perusing.

-QUEEN VICTORIA'S DOGS

(By F. Freeman-Lloyd.)

When the cables announced that almost the last wish of that most womanly of women, Queen Victoria, was for her Pomeranian "dog, those who knew of the extreme love of dogs that her Majesty possessed were not the least surprised. There were many scores of dogs in the Royal kennels, but it was the red sable or cinnamon coloured Marco that came in for most attention in the Queen’s apartments. We read that shortly after fondling Marco, and 1 calling for one of the household attendants, the greatest Queen the world ever saw passed peacefully away.

There were several pomeranians owned by the Queen, and a sharp little lot* of dogs they were. Fluffie was another of the same colour as Marco—a rather uncommon shade, it might be written, but it is now more than likely more attention will be given to the production of Poms of the red sable colour, since such marked and peculiar attention was g;iven to an animal of this breed and kind ioy the first lady in the world. The Queen had not exhibited of late, and even a few r years ago she was very particular that the dogs should not remain at a show overnight, and for this reason, save at a few fixtures in the immediate neighbourhood of Windsor, or in London, the Royal dogs were not obtainable, notwithstanding the petitions of enterprising committees, aware of what an attraction their presence would be. On the other hand, cattle, especially bulls of great merit, were sent hundreds of miles—not for competition—for they were only on show so as to give farmers an idea of what was wanted in their districts, and this, of course, after advice had been taken on the matter from those local men calculated to know.

For Dogs the late Queen evinced the strongest affection, and her favourite while still a little girl at Kensington palace was, a very smart-looking black-and-tan terrier v.ith cropped ears and tail, j,ust the very kind one would connect with the rat-killing contests of the first quarter of the century. In one picture of a great painter there is pour- • trayed the Princess romping with the terrier, indeed, he and her dolls and sketching! materials seemed to be thy chief hobbies of the young lady who- was to become Queen of Great Britain and Empress of the most varied Empire the sun ever shone upon. Then w r e are told of innumerable other d'ogs, and when she ascended the throne she was pleased to accept many curious and foreign dogs from high potentates from afar, and probably of a breed that had not then reached England. Queen Victoria’s interest in sheep dog trials was very great, and as it can be said these competitions were inaugurated in Wales, it pleased her Majesty to

patronise those at beautiful Llangollen in 1889. One can easily imagine the enthusiasm that prevailed among the loyal Welshmen when it was announced that the Queen was desirous that she .should be able to see and appreciate the wonderful work and sagacity or the f.,urlegged helps of the shepherds of the hills of Gawlar. The trials proved great successes, and now the pastime of the autumn shows all ever the principality is sheepdog trials, and we know how the competitions have spread to Australia and New Zealand. The Pomeranian Marco has, of course, come in for great notice at the brushes of painters, and it is not unlikely that the Queen’s Pomeranians will live as much in history as the spaniels of the Stuarts and the lap dogs of the Cavaliers. The drawing by Mr W. H. Moore, which is from life, is a particularly good portrait ; indeed, all the dog world knows there is no black-and-white man more particular over a likeness than Air Moore, and certain it is no artist alive has had more experience in making sketches of the best dogs that have existed during the last two decades than the gentleman. responsibie for the drawing published in the “Sydney Mail.” Queen Victoria, spending such a lot of time at Balmoral, naturally took great pleasure in the Scottish breeds. The noble varieties of Scotia had great charm for the distinguished lady, whose habit while in the Highlands was to drive out, visit the cotter, the sick and the infirm. I have heard of a Dandie Dinmont, of the name of Nettle, which was purchased from the Royal Kennels by Air Octavius Wood, of Alelbourne, and that “the blood” is still in the possession of Mr O. S. Wood, veterinary surgeon. Dandy Dinmonts were, however, rarely represented at shews from the Windsor quarters.

At the last visit of the Queen to the Continent a pedlar, knowing the love of the little silver-haired lady, took occasion to drive his ‘‘carriage and pair” (dogs are used as beasts of burden and in vehicles on the Continent) alongside that of the Royal visitor. He was immediately stopped, and a douceur given from the ever-open purse. The dogs at Windsor were under the charge of Hugh Brown, a brother of the faithful attendant on the Queen for many years—John Brown — and there are numerous under-kennel men. While at the London shows women attendants were also sent to look after the smaller dogs—the Pomeranians. To those who knew how particular the Queen was about the personal appearance, physique and good looks of her domestics, male and female, they can well understand that not the least attraction of the show was the Royal servants, of course in mufti. Queen Victoria was a patron of all the leading kennel societies, as are the "Tvlng an*d Queen of to-day.