THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2923, 23 March 1910, Page 35

THE KENNEL.

By Tehrob.

Fanciers and breeders of dogs are cordially in- ' vited to contribute to this column. " Terror " will endeavour to make this dtpartment as interesting and up-to-date as possible, but in order to do this ' he must have the cooperation of his readers, hence he trusts this invitation will be coaeriully responded to. Mr J. W. Thomson has loaned Glendon Mist for breeding purposes from Mr E. Webster. ! The Dunedin Fanciers' Club has arranged for a class for cuu'2y-ooated retrievers. ~ ! Mr Court' Rice being unable to accept engagement by the Dunsdin Club to judge the forthcoming show, the committee is now trying to arrange with another competent man. From conversations I have had recently (says "Wattlabark," of the Australasian) with prominent office-bearers of the Vic- j torian Poultry and Kennel Club, I gather j that the financial clouds, which a few months ' ago threatened to overwhelm the institu■&SHJ have, to some extent, been clawed

away. Of course, the club is still anxious to have the financial help, as well as the sympathy, of both members and the fancy generally, but the encouragement the officers are receiving portends that the annual show will this year be held as usual. Owing to the departure of Mr J. Rsnnio, of Roslyn Kennels, from Napier, he offers for sale in this issue a trio of remarkably-bred collie puppies. They are by Rochdale Rifleman (imp.), the wellknown Crystal Palace winner, who is a grandson of ch Aueld Model, the most perfect-headed dog ever known. The dam is Roslyn Roma (imp.), a daughter of Southport Sesame, whom Mr W. E. Mason (the collie king) declares is the perfection of collie type. Roma is the dam of the sensational New South Wales dog Roslyn Napier, whom Mr J. Maude declares is absolutely the best collie ever seen south of the line. Intending purchasers should make early application: that there will be a rush for these pups goes without sayin g-—-In regard to the removal of the memorial to- "a little brown dog," mentioned in the cable messages recently, Mr W. H. Zouch, secretary of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals at Christchurch, has supplied information which shows that the memorial was' unveiled in the Latchnwre Recreation Ground, Battersea, by the Mayor of that town, in 1906.. The fountain was presented by the International Anti-Vivisection Council, and was constructed in memory of a little brown dog whose bronze model surmounts it. On one side of the fountain there is the following inscription:—"ln memory of the brown terrier dog dene to death in the laboratories of University College, in February, 1903, after having endured vivisection extending over more than two months, and having been handed over from one vivisector to another, until death came to his release." The fountain cost £l3O, which was raised by subscriptions amongst the members of the International Anti-Vivisection Council, who first of all applied to the London County Council for permission to erect the fountain in Battersea Park. Failing to get this permission, they presented the fountain to the Borough Council. An action for libel was threatened, and was at- first derided by the Battersea councillors, but finally the council put its seal to an -ment under which the International AntiVivisection Council undertook to indemnify the corporation against all risks. —Mr Weil, a detective of Coatesville, Pennsylvania (U.5.A.),. possesses a' wonderful dog which assists him in making captures. This is what Mr Weil says:—"My dog was never whipped. He was never muzzled. He was directed to do things, and when he failed was scolded. When scolded he crouches in submissive shame, like a cowed child. When the dog. obeys show him your appreciation. There is no need to beat an animal. Scold him if you must. If he is a good dog he is sufficiently sensitive to feel bad about that. There's no need to abuse him." The dog has been so trained that he will eat no food ' from strangers. This, to a degree, protects the canine detective of Coatesville from poisoning- — A valuable French bulldog,-belonging to Mr H. T. Oreighton, of New York, is to undertake a long journey in order to receive expert treatment for failing eyesight/ dog, which is a magnificent specimen, and has won many prizes, has been seen without .avail by more than one veterinary surgeon, and his owner, after communicating with an eminent Parisian oculist, has "decided to take him to the French capital for an operation. Mrs Creighton will aoompany her husband, and elaborate precautions will be taken to provide against the dog suffering by the ocean voyage. The French police have information that a iarge number of dogs have recently been trained by malefactors to fight the trained dogs of the police, and to help their masters, the Apaches, to break the laws. Although the Kennel Club's show in England has to be numbered with the past, it is interesting to read in the Kennel Gaz-.=-tte the opinion of Mr Harding Cox on the bulldocs brought before him. He is one of the oldest breeders of this popular variety, and not only may be classed amoncr the horn judqes. but also is one of Nature's gentlemen. Not having officiated for some time, he aoproached his task with an open mind, quite ignorant of recent decisions. On the whole, Mr Cox admits that he was impressed most favourably with the general type and character of the exhibits. There were very few "impossibles," and the average quality was of a high grade. There_was a° laudable absence of those abortions, exa<rgerat.pd as to soma particular point, disgraced the show bench some 10 years ago—bom cripples that were no more equipped by Nature, for the work they are intended to perform than a blind .kitten set to draw and kill a badsrer. On the contrary, exceofc for a few individual specimens suffering from accidental lameness or gouty obsession, all were active and alert, showing good symmetrical balance and sturdy characteristics. There is no doubt that recent years have witnessed an improvement, but even now many bulldogs are shown so fat that their shape is left to the imagination, and we Question whether they would come through the ordeal of a five-mile brisk walk. THE MASTIFF. In response to a request I £rive the standard of excellence of the mastiff, which reads as follows:

General Character and Symmetry.— ' Large, massive, powerful, symmetrical, and well-knit frame. A combination of grandeur and good nature, courage, and docility. General Description of Head.—ln general - outline giving a square appearance when viewed from any point. Breadth greatly to be desired, and should be in ratio to length of the whole head and face as 2 to 3General Description of Body.—Height and substance: Massive, broad, deep, long, powerfully built, on legs wide apart and squarely set. Muscles sharply _ defined. Size a great desideratum if combined with quality. Height and substance important if both points are proportionately combined. Skull. —Broad between the ears; forehead flat, but wrinkled when attention is excited. Brows (superciliary ridges) slightly raised. Muscles of the temples and. cheeks (temporal and massetcr) well developed. Arch across the skull of a rounded, flattened curve, with a depression up the centre of the forehead, from the medium line between the eyes to half way up the sagittal suture. Face or Muzzle.—Short, broad under the eyes, and keeping nearly parallel in width to the end of the nose; truncated—i.e., blunt a«d out off square, thus forming a right angle with the upper line of the face; of great depth from the point of the noseto under jaw. Under jaw "'broad to the end; canine teeth healthy, powerful, and wide apart; incisors level, or the lower projecting beyond the upper, but never sufficiently so as to become visible when the mouth is closed. Nose broad, with widelyspreading nostrils when viewed f rom the front; flnt (not pointed nor.' turned up) in profile. Lips diverging at obtuse angles with the septum, and slightly pendulous, so as to show a square profile. .Length of muzzle to whole head and face 1 to 3. Circumference of muzzle .(measured midway between eyes and nose) to- that of .the- head (measured before the oa.rs), as 3 to. 5. Ears.—Small, thin to' the touch,.; -Wide apart, set on at the highest points of the sides of the skull, so as to continue the outline across the summit, and lying flat and close to the checks when in repose. Eyes.—Small, wide apart, divided by. at ■ least the space of two eyes. The stop beI tween the eyes well marked, but not too abrupt. Coioftir hazel-brown—the darker the better, showing no haw. | Chest and Ribs—Neck slightly arched. : moderately long, very muscular, and measuring in circumference about one or two inches less than the skull before the ears. Chest wide, deep, and well let down between the fore legs. Ribs arched and well rounded. Fake ribs deep and well set back to the hips. Girth should be onethird more than the height at the shoulder. Shoulder and arm slightly sloping, heavy, and muscular. Fore Legs and Feet Legfi straight, strong, and get wide apart; bones very large, elbows square, pasterns upright, feet large and round, toes well arched up, nails black. _, , ... Back Loins, and Flanks.—Back and loins wide and muscular; flat and very wide in 1 a bitch slightly relied in a dog. Great depth of flanks. . i Hind Legs and Feet.—Hind quarters broad, wide, and muscular, with welldeveloped second thighs; hocks bent, wide apart, and quite squarely set when standin? or walking. Feet round. Tail.—Put on high up, and reaching to the hocks or a little below them; wide at its root a.nd tapering to the end; hanging straight in repose, but forming a curve with the end pointing upwards, but not over the back, when the dog is excited. Coat,—Short end close-lying, but not too fine over the ©boulders, neck, and back Colour.— Aoricot or silver fawn, or dark fawn brindle. In any case, muzzle, ears. and nose should be black, with black round the orbits and extending upwards between them. ■ Weight of a dog, from 151 bto 1751 bof a bitch, from 1401 b to 1601 b. Scale of Points.— , General character and symmetry ... 10 Bodv and height 1° Skull "■" Face or muzzle ... x ° Ears ? Eyes R Chest and ribs ° Fore legs and feet ° Hind legs and feet •"•" Back, loins, and flanks ° Tail 2 Coat and colour • Total 10 °