THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2772, 1 May 1907, Page 31

THE KENNEL.

Bl TiJRROE.

Fancier* u>4 breeders ot dog> ire cordially iariled to ceo* ribuift ltelßs to this column. " Terror" will £c<i&ivour to lu&kc tui depiitneui as liiterebtinf aud up-to-date as possible, bat t» order to de tUis be must liars tbo co-ouer»l(oa ot h(« readeis, Hence be trusts liilj ill citation will be chcerlull.) rtnyondoJ tc.

J — Were it not for a "something" in the 1 eyes of a few doggie men of, tny acquaintance — a "something" I was taught to beware of many years ago, when, as a boy, I accepted an invitation to bite the rosy side ot a large and beautiful apple, and, instead of a tasty morsel, get a knock which made me think my noee had been transplanted to my forehead ! — I would imagine that there was no such thing as a dog in Otago just now. It is the same e\ery year shortly before show time. If you ask a kennel man "How about dogs?" you get x blank look indicative of " Dogs ! . What have I to do with dogs?" You see. everyone has a "dark horse" just now — i.e., everything to come before the judge is to be a sensation ! " Experience teaches," and consequently, when i now j approach a doggie fancier with a question, ! I look at the back of his eyes, and if I see the look of the boy who sought to deceive me with the apple, I know that there is "something." I firmly believe that the present silence is ominous, and that the dog sections at the forthcoming show will prove unusually attractive.

— Some of my readers will conclude on reading the following that Father Foley was a truly "human" man, as well ae. no doubt, "worthy" priest — i.c-, a man capable of attracting his fello,\s within the radius oT his own good influence. A Home paper says: — "A dispute as to the validity of the will of the Rev. Daniel Foley, parish priest of Tarbert, Co. Kerry, was settled by the Lord Chief Justice of Ireland iii Dublin recently, when it transpired that the deceased Father, who was 84 years of age and left £6000, was a great coursing enthusiast. A Tarbert blacksmith who had been on intimate terms with Father Foley for thirty years said the deceased had the best greyhounds in the kingdom. Half an hour before he made his will, Father Foley said he had done his duty and was prepared to die. ' But,' said he, ' let us change these gloomy topics,' and he asked witnees about a greyhound puppy he had given away some time before. He wanted to know how she fared in a couraing match at Briggs. The witness informed him that eho and another dog had divided the stakes. "I am very glad to hear it', said the dying priest ; ' I reared a good many greyhounds, and I have a consolation before I die that I had some of the best in the kingdom.' " — The dog and dog-book world havo both lost one of their most notable, figures and distinguished authors in the death of our esteemed friend Count Henri de Bylandt, of The Hague, Holland, who was killed while tobogganing on the Cresta Run, at St. Moritz, on Monday, February 21. It appears that Count ByJandt, who was cousin of a former Dutch minister at Berne, wae in the habit of visiting St. Moritz for the last ten or twehe winters, and had developed into a very daring tobogganer. Although this famous ice track is said to be the most perilous in Europe, owing to its extreme length (two miles) and sharp curves, in all probability the Count would have made the run he negotiated all right had it not been for the fact that some workman had carelessly left a plank across the track, into which the Count dashed, involving instantaneous death. The deceased count, as tho author of that famous work, " Les Races dcs Chiens," printed in three languages, aide by side, and profusely illustrated by up-to-date representations of a\ery known variety of the canine species in all countries, was, of course, known the world o\er. Besides this, however, he was a well-known judge of dogs at all the Continental shows, having alao officiated on ss\eral occasions at the show of the Kennel Club, at the Crystal Palace, at Cruft's, the L.X.A., and one or two other shows in England. It has often been the privilege and pleasure of the writer of this obituary notice (Mr Marples) to be a colleague of the deceased gentleman (with whom he claimed a long friendship) in the judging ring at the Amsterdam and other showo, and he can testify to his great geniality of disposition and . gentlemanly bearing, md naturally his death came as a great shock to him, as it would to his very large circle of friends and acquaintances. The one, however, to whom the sad fatality will have come as the most terrible blow will be the pretty Countess de Bylandt and her young family, who have to mourn the loss of a distinguished and devoted husband and father, whose life has been cut off in the very prime of manhood. Home papers have expressed the deepest sympathy with the Countess in her sad bereavement.

GREAT DANES AT CRUFT'S 1907

SHOW. (By Erj«E>J Schex.ee, President of the

German Great Dane Club.)

Since time it was my personal wish — besides I regarded it a duty of every Qerman Doggen fancier wljo has the future of our national breed at heart — to become acquainted with the state of the German dogg© in England, a country in which dogbreedinpr has reached a very high standard. From notes in the- press I learn the very pleasing news that English breeders occupy themselves with the project of appointing a German judge to adjudicate upon thia thoroughly German breed, guided by the ean)e wieh as we are — i.e., to become enlightened by a native, N.o important competitions of English breeds take place in Germany without the appointment fcf ft. English flpeojelLst. And, furthermore, I hear tb.at the German doggen cjubs in England are going to ask fo£ a translation of our deecrlptioa $f points, wka £ view tA usin£ dt, perhaps,

as standard for the modification of the English '.aluaticn of pcinta. I cannot help saying that, together with an eventual adoption of our standard, the name German dogge must, take a firm hold.

As far as I know, a Great Dane is a cross between a mastiff and a German c'.ogge, while our national breed, the thoroughbred German, dogge, differs a great deal from tho c e specimens thus crossed, and it is representing that type which every where in the world is known under the name Deutsche dogge.

The seDaration of colours is of great importance, inasmuch as we ha', c thoroughbied various families of tho different varieties side by side and independent of one another. The first variety is repre srnted by the- brmdlcs -md fay. ns; th-~ second, by harlequins and blar>k= ; the third (quite an isolated variety), by the blues. These three varieties must, at any rate, bo further bred separate in order to avoid a mixing up of particular qualities of the different thoroughbred varieties. Just the same rule must be observed by doggen fanciers as setter breeders do in rheir conservative breeding of Irish, English, and Gordon setters.

The Cruft's show offered a suitable opportunity to study whether English breeders keev< in tbese traditional ways* I do nofr like to go into details of appearance of individual dogs shown at Cruft's, as I do not wish to criticise the awards made by the judge, Mr Martin, so much the les3 as it ie repi^nant to me to turn over a practically universal idea with regard to type all at onee — only a gradual development of proper judgment can meet with the desired result. I therefore shall devote myself to a description of the general impression I obtained from the general type of the exhibits at Cruft's. In the first instance, I may call attention to substance, which I found up to the required amount. This point, together with a perfect formation of foet (the muchdesired cat-paw), allows me to conclude that English fanciers observe a rational, and thu9 most commendable, method of training. Most striking I found, speaking on the average, the brilliant depth of foreface, which point seems to be well inbred. Very bad tails, sometimes hollow backs, throatiness, often too light eyes, arc such faults which, in most of the exhibits, spoil that nobleness of appearance which we in Germany can already observe in dogs of average quality. Size, while essential, must not De supported at the expense of a noble appearance, but I saw some typical specimens, proving by their coarse exterior the employment of wrong breeding principles. Presuming that the same active interest in this handsome breed will further manifest itself, I beg to sum up and to say that, first of all, such romts as colour, tail, back. neck, and eye must be further lefined before the English breeding of the German dogge can be put on a level of quality with tho Continental specimens. In conclusion, I beg to remark that, 111 mv humble opinion, the English cropping edict is indefensible in view of the fact that the docking of fox terriers and spaniels is permitted, which are equally cases of a mutilation. Every surgical interference with natural formation, in fact, is a mutilation; but while I do rot see any earthly reason for docking, except the desue t<j beautify the appearance of these races German breeders support cropping tor absolutely humane motives, as> we have found it impossible to heal a sore car, an unavoidable nuisance in such an active breed a* the German dogge, bull terriers, etc.