THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3098, 30 July 1913, Page 33

THE KENNEL.

By Tekp.oe,

Fsacicra and breeders of dogs are cordially Invited to contribute to this column. “ Terror ” will endeavour to make this department as interesting and up-to-date as possible, but in order to do this be must hare tke co-operation of his readers, hence be trusts 1 invitation wild be cheerfully responded to. There are now 43 dogs upon the Ghent (Belgium) Police Force —hardy, fierce, and literally untiring' animals, but perfectly under control by the men in whose charge they go on nightly patrol duty. The breed of dog that has been adopted is the Malines sheepdog, a tawny. Light-brown dog of much tiie same size and type as the Knglieh .smooth-haired collie. The training is simplicity itself. First and foremost, obedience. When a dog will, without hesitation, obey any order which ho can understand, he is then taught to make the most of liis natural abilities. He learns to crouch and hide, to watch and guard ; he is taught to jump and chmb ; and what a dog can do hi that way when once he has acquired confidence is surprising. Finally, the dog is taught how to attack a man, though once ho has boon taught to attack to order lie nereis little training in how to do it. So far as possible, the dogs are taught to seize their man by the hands, for a man once badly bitten on the hand is pract-cally hors de combat. The strength with which these dogs can and do bite is shown by the thickness of the padded armour -which is worn by the men whom they are set to attack in the training. This armour consists of a complete suit built up very much on the princ’plc of a cricket pad, and with heavy leather extensions on to the feet and hands. Over this is worn a coat and trousers made of a hempen material of about the thickness of roooanut matting, but much more closely woven. This outer suit has frequently to ho replaced, as it is literally b'tten into holes, and the leather extensions on the padded suit, bear deep marks of the dog’s teeth, made even through the outer suit. Though thus heavily protected, the wearer is often badly bruised by the force with which the dogs seize him. But none of this later training ; s bestowed upon a dog who has not learned- the all-important lesson, of obedience. If ho fails when the test is made the police force has no use for him, and his training goes no further. Nothing shows the obedience of the doge so well as the fact that any one of them will, at a word from the trainer, attack even the kennelman who foods them, and to whom they are obviously devoted, although 'they may have to stop l-’cki.ng his hands that they may fly at Ids throat. The police kennels are of the type in which sporting dogs arc housed in England. Each dog has a brick-built cell, opening by a door into a central corridor, and by a low door into a paved and railed yard measuring about 10ft by 6ft. Their food ; s a stew of meat and brown bread, e-’d they are fed in the morning and at midday, as it has boon found ‘that to feed them in the evening inert before they so on duty impairs their alertness. -On duty they wear a felt coat and a leather muzzle, which ca.n be readily slipped, and are led by a leather thong pass'd through the collar, but not attached to it. TTp to the present time the dogs have been bought, but puppies have now beca spec’ally bred at the kennels from trained parents, and it is expected that, they will t-dec to the work more oir’eklv than them parents. It is nl-=o hoped, hv careful SeVetion. to increase the dye -.f the dogs A itirtrn- bitch, owned bv a resident of South B'verton. gave birth to 15 pups the other day. TUP tvyTPT) The following is a description of an Irish water spaniel.—Some few years ago, when Mr W. J. Smyth was prominent with his team of Irish water spaniels at our loading shows, a few capital specimens were regularly scon on the benches. Latterly this breed has been almost forsaken by fanciers, but still a few specimens arc to be seen, chiefly at rural shows. A country reader has asked mo to describe the Irish water spaniel. The standard of excellence is as follows; — Positive Points. — Head and jaw, eyes and topknot 20 Ears 5 Neck 5 Body 10 Fore Legs 10 Hind Legs 10 Foot 5 Stern 10 (‘oat 15 General appearance 10 Total positive points 100 Negative Points. —- Feather on stern 10 White on chest 3 Total negative points 13 Head. —Skull medium length, rather broad, with very little “stop" ; muzzle long, and broad to the end. Eyes. —Dark brown, and very intelligent looking. Ears. —Long, and covered with curls. Neck.—Long, slightly arched, and muscular. Body (including size and symmetry).-Fair-sized; barrel well rounded, and well ribbed up. Nose. —Liver-coloured, large, and well developed. Shoulders and Chest. —Shoulders long and oblique; chest deep, but not very wide. Back and Loin. —Back strong and flat; loin strong, fair length, and a trifle arched. Hindquarters. —Long, hocks well let down, and the stifle straighten- than in other varieties of spaniels, neither turned inwards nor outwards. Stern. —Strong at the root, and tapering to a fine point; the hair on it must bo quite short, straight and close-lying. Feet and Legs. —Legs well boned and quite straight, somewhat long; feet rather largo. Coat. —All over little curls, hard but not woolly. The topknot- of long hair should fa!! river the eyes in a peak, and the logs should have as little feather on them as possible. Colour. —A rich, dark liver; white on toes or breast a defect, but not a disqualification. General Appearance.—That of a strong, somewhat leggy dog.