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Otago Witness, Issue 2252, 29 April 1897, Page 34

NOTES BY TERROR.

. • The retriever bitch C.B. Nell whelped a very fine litter of five pups on Friday last, three dogs and two bitches, by Rewi Lad. • . • A correnpondent who alleges that he has a complete set of the English Kennel Club stud books says that he cannot find a single mention of Mr Alexander Grant Clifford-Bramah as judge at an English show. He further states that the dogs mentioned (in the interview pub> lished in the Witness of the "Ist April) is winning at tha Edinburgh 1874 show ara reported in tha stud book xs having won at the 1675 show, and that there is no mention of Mr Carter's name amoDgst the judges on the occasion. • . • The following very interesting episode appeared in the Illustrated Sporting and Dramatio News :—": — " I siw a fierce fight between a dog and a fox. We bad been hunting some big hedgerows for red-legged partridge — which coDgregale there vr hen snow i 3 on the ground — when my Irish terrier, barely 12 months old and weighing about 201b, got wind of something, and crossed the road to some stacks in the adjoining field. From the noise that followed I made sure that the terrier was fighting another dog, but I soon found that the contest was with a fullygrown dog fox. Both animals were bleeding freely, and for some time I feared that my dog would get the worst of it. Ultimately, however, he secured a firm grip of his adversary's throat, and literally choked him to death." • . • The Sydney Telegraph thus speaks of a pair of exceedingly handsome collies owned by Mr J. Hamilton Dobbie, of Bondi, Sydney:— "Danrobin, a beautiful dark sable with white collar, is by the New Zealand dog Champion Herdwick ex Hazalmere by Champion Mac. He is a grandly - proportioned collie, possesing benutiful head of great length, has the very best of leg*, feet, and h'mdquartera, splendid length of body. His action is perfect. He is but nine months old, and wo anticipate that he will require a lot of beating. The other dog is black, white, and tan (very little tan), and is by another New Zealand sire— Honesty from Martha by Gb,am«

p:on Young England ex Ormskirk Champion Stellal, This is a beautif ully'coated dog, having the best of temper and small| well-carried ears, and had he the type of head of his kennel mate could hold his own in any compxny. Both dogs were purchased from the well-known New Zealand breeders, Mess-s Hurriion and Horrocks, and Mr Dobbie informs us that Hamlet and Dunrobin are only a first "consignment of the collies he has purchased from this far-famed kennel. Mr Dobbie is a son. of the Rev. David Dobbie (deceased), who was for years the acknowledged authority on Skye terriers, one of •which variety he presented to her Majesty the Queen, and which is at present the favourite of the Royal kennels. Mr Dobbie is importing ere long all the dogs from his deceased lather's kennels. * . * Show time coming on again, the following should prove interesting to organising committeeß, &c. : — Referring to judging rings, the Foxterrier Chronicle states that " the question of provision of space for judging rings seems to be considered a very minor matter with many show committees. There ia an idea abroad that any odd corner will do, and judges are often placed in such positions that they cannot do justice to the dogs put down before them. The rings should be of such a size that the dogs can bt clearly and separately seen, and that each may have space that there need be no fear of the animals quarreling. There should also be room to move the dogs, so that the judge may satisfy himself that the dog's action is right. There stould also be sufficient space for those interested to see the judgiDg without inconvenience to judge or exhibitors. This is an important point, for generally people are invited to pay a higher sum to enter tbe show on purpose to see the prizes awarded. Lastly, but not lensfc, the light, f houid be ss perfect as possible, so that tho whvle body of the dog from nose to tail should be> clearly visible without shadows cast across it." Tne Victorian Poultry and Kennel Club are exceptionally fortunate with regard to the space available for judging rings ; in fact, for all the purposes of a dog show the Exhibition building is eminently suitable in fcvery way. • . • Mr Robert Watson, of George street, Dunedin, is offering in Sydney, through Mr A. P. Gribber, M.X.C.V S , a brace cf very handsome black curly-coated retriever dog puppies, by the New Zealand (imp.) dog R-jwi Drako from Rewi Nell (both big pri^d- winners). A Sydney paper says they are a pair of beautifullybred youngsters, having a capital headpiece, nice Email carp, good bone, and Al cca's. They are about three months old, ' lcok the picture of health and strength, and should do much towards perfecting the breed oa this side, as a good rttriever is seldom or ever met with in New South Wales, all specimens of the past showing much of the Irish water or lield spaniel, as evidenced by their large earg. Therefore the advent of a pair of purebreds ■will be a welcome addition to the New South Wales fancy. • • "Wattle Bark" makrs the followiug amusing comment in the cour.se of a discussion on the subject of type in Irish terriers .- — " By-and-bye, when breeders have time to think and learn to consider for themselves, nonentities and hangers-on to the fancy will be placed iv their proper position. The absurdity of such men expressing in the ' I am Sir Oracle ' style their ideas of type has always appeared to me a marvel of barefaced impudence. ~ I have known such men giving minute instructions as to how to keep dogs ' free from disease, whilst at the same time \ their own dogs were in tbeir yards rotting > with mange, all for, the want of a little timely i sotp and water. To all and sundry they ■ would declaim on 'type,' while their own • animals were of all shapes, styles, and sizes. What they would not do or say, if occasion ' served, I bave not yet found cut." • ' . • On the subject of the relative merits of J show and working collies, I am glad to quote ■ " Eclipse," of the Melbourne Weekly Times. His remarks show that he'entirely endorses my ovrn expressed opinions on the subject : — " Over and ever again you hear the question ' asked, 'Is the show collie a worker ? ' You will hear some sheep-breeders say the show dog is no good for work, and they would not own j them. Other* will give you opposite vie, ts, and { repeatedly you flnd shepherds who have tried j the modern type cf collie who are loud in their i praise of the prize-taker. I bave mjseif ?een ' good and bad workers bred from th<s show collie, bub I am of opinion that our canine societies are not alive to what the people require of them, and, without doubt, some practical txsts of the working capabilities of our coliies bhould be made at our annual shows. •' Sheep d< g trials should be encouraged by j every society in the colony, and breeders of high-clacs Mud dogs ought to as>ist in promoting trials of this kind. At one time there were hopes that a system of field trials would be brought about, but the more fancy spirit came in and allowed the practical test to fizzle out. There has been some talk of field trials for sporting dogs, and I am sure the true sporting man would be delighted if our societies : would take these np in the proper season. j i' In England, we have heard of the ptizeshow ! collie winning in field trials, but oan we point to a single case ia Victoria where a show collie hai won at his work ? No. It is all very well for oar fanciers to talk of the long, lean heads, profuse coats, and typ : cal points of their show dogs. This is all very well in it* way, but where is the practical proof that our show dogs are workers ? Let ub get them at business, then we can talk of the sheep dog as a collie. Wo do not want our fanciers to send their imported crack atud doxs out to these trials, but what we want to see is their progeny at work. I bave seen man/ doing fine work, but the public have no opportunity of judging the capabilities. "What is the Royal Agricultural Show doing in this matter? Is the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria out of touch with tbe sheepbreeder ? Nature has provided " man's faithful friend" with any amount of intelligence, »nd why not let the public see what this intelligence really can achieve. The Royal Society of South Australia gave a sheep dog trial, and it awakened keen interest amongst sheepbreeders. Most of the work done was of a clever nature, some of the dogs doing their work in a wonderful manner, but as usual none of the progeny of our prize show dogs were represented. "We are living in one of the greatest woolproducing countries in the world, and no breed of dog is of more necessity than the collie. Our leading collie importers are not alive to their own interests, or eke they would themselves offer trophies for competition amongst the produce of their own stock. Sheep-farmers are only too glad to get good workers, and high prices are always available for good sheep dogs, especially if the dog is a good-looking one as well as a capable worker. " Without a doubt the typical collie of tho ■how bench should be used in crossing to improve the bone and feet of the ordinary sheep dog; and what is now required is a system of trials to bring the good qualities of the show collie into prominence, and let the public see > that he is a worker."