ALSATIAN DOGS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21987, 23 June 1933, Page 7

ALSATIAN DOGS

TO THE EDITOR.

Sir—Your correspondent “ Fancier,” after having taken us right back to the seventh century, quotes Strebel as having said that, owing to the fact that from ancient tunes a kind of odium attached to the Alsatian breed shows preferred dogs of better “reputations.” That was 300 yearg ago. What is the “ reputation ” of the Alsatian to-day? Mr J. Anderson tells us what nice, quiet dogs they are. When I wrote in my last letter that, through the past ages, dogs had made 6ome wonderful rescues, etc., I meant dogs in the broad sense. I thought the average mind would understand that. I never wrote that the Alsatian would breed a wolf. “ Fancier writes: “Heaven only knows how a shepherd dog will naturally kill sheep.” I fancy I see the smile on the faces of the sheepmen when th(?y read that. In your issue of to-day I notice the banning of the in Australia, and it will come to that in this country, as they are out-of place in the towns and a great danger Jn the country. Mr G. Collett tells us they will kill, and he should know. I am enclosing a photograph of the Alsatian dog that received the first prize at our last dog show, and if his hindquarters are not a “throw back” to the wolf, then Ido not know what a wolf is like. He stands just like a wolf at bay with his tail between his legs. „ i . Mr G. Collett accuses me of displaying a small knowledge of dog affairs, because as the Alsatian has long since been known officially as a breed, it must be a breed. As for “throw-backs,” more* or less to wolf and more or less to dog, one cannot, he says, breed a standard type from a hybrid. I beg to differ from Mr Collett. What about the Corriedale sheep? They are now a standard type, but you can still get “ throw-backs,” or, as some say, comebacks,” There is no absolute guarantee that all lambs will be true to type, and 1 reason that the Alsatian is the same. 1 may be wrong, but I am open to be put right.— l am, etc., 1 Pure Breed. June 21.