THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3100, 13 August 1913, Page 33

THE KENNEL.

Bt Tehuoh,

Fancier* and breeders of dog* are cordially In»ited U) contribute to this column. “ Terror ” will sndeaTour to make this department as interesting and up-to date at posaib’.e, but in order to do tills he m'-et bare the co-operation of hli reader*, hence he trust* tV / Inrltation will be cbecrfulir reiponded to.

A syndicate is being formed locally to import one or more bull-bitches from England for breeding purposes, so as to improve the strain of bulldogs. The basis of participating is as folio tvs (1) The bitches "ill bo bred from until each member of the syndicate has received one puppy. (2) The method of distributing puppies will bo by ballot, irrespective of the sox of the puppies. (3) When the members of the syndicate have received cine puppy each, the bitches will bo put up for sale by public auction, and the proceeds, after deducting expenses, will be divided amongst the members of the syndicate. (4) The price for one share in the syndicate is £5, payable as follows:—£l on application, and £4 at a meeting of applicants to bo called at a later date—probably about August 20. (5) Trustees are to be appointed at such meeting, who will hold themselves responsible to the members of the syndicate for the expenditure of the money subscribed. (6) Any conditions on this list to be adopted and confirmed at such meeting. The number of dogs imported will, of course, depend on the support given. Mr G. A. Hutton, 95 Stuart street, is apparently the moving spirit

vantage so long as constitution is maintained, and to ensure this for any length of time both deg and bitch must bo selected for absolute soundness of constitution and perfect health. Both dogs must also share the valued characters sought for in common, and must be free from objectionable qualiti< s and tendencies. Only when the parents arc thus chosen are their valued points intensified by consanguineous mating, and so stamped upon their offspring as to be rendered, practically speaking, permanent in the family founded by their union. There is an art in washing a dbg just as there is in most things in connection with the management of a kennel. One great point to bo remembered is to supply plenty of water, and if it is possible to provide two tubs for the ablutions it will be so much the better. The baths or tubs should bo largo, and if they are raised upon chairs or trestles over a drain it will bo easier to scrub the dog. The first water should be fairly warm, and should bo deep enough to come as far as the dog’s stomach. In the second bath there should bo a good supply of tepid water for rinsing purposes — in fact, this water may be quite cold if the weather is warm and the animal strong. A sponge or a basin of some kind —a jam pot will do —should bo provided, and also a sufficiency of clean towels for drying, and a piece of soap. Some people add soda to the water, but many object to it on the ground that it is injurious to the coat. It is better to leave face and head to the last, as then the soap which finds its way into the eyes is quickly removed in the subsequent rinsing, and the dog is kept in discomfort for a shorter period. As soon as the dog comes out of his bath the water should be pressed out of his coat by the hand, and he may be allowed to shako himself. But care must be taken to prevent his running away and rolling on a dirty bed or on the ground. When thoroughly dried, the dog should be given a clean bed.

Some of the terrier men (says a contemporary) do not believe in giving water to puppies until after throe months old. If they do supply it the water is taken away after the pup has had a drink; they don’t leave it there for the pup to lap at will. The idea is that puppies are apt to drink too much; keep on lapping to find the “ body ” in the water, in fact, and become pot-pellicd in consequence. Distension of the stomach sometimes leads to permanent slackness, which is anathema to the terrier man. Much is being done in England to impress working quality in those breeds of dogs whose avocations, under ordinary circumstances, would be the field, instead of the show-bench. Those are the retriever, setter, pointer, and spaniel trials for gun dogs, working tests for terriers or sorts, bloodhound trials, with a cold scent and clean boot for bloodhounds, besides sheep dogs’ trials Hero, except in the latter, wo have no tests ior our working breeds, and not even a rat pit. No wonder so many people look askance at the show dog. Distemper is not inevitable any more than that .all children are obliged tv contract measles, but the possibilities of contagion are many, considering the numbers of uncared-for curs that arc allowed their full liberty when manifestly sick. Therefore, if the symptoms show themselves, the first thing to do is to guard the patient against chills, to which end he should bo tri r.sferred to a warm place and coated well round the chest and as far as the loins, first with gamgee wool and then above that with flannel. His diet must be such as one would give to a human invalid —light and strengthening, although in bad oases some very finely scraped raw meat works wonders. As a febrifuge aspirin will be most helpful, in doses of from sgr to lOgr. according to the size of the dog. If the disease runs an easy course this, in coni unction with careful nursing, may be sufficient; but unhappily distembor nearlv always leads to distressing sequels, whichcal! for skilled advice. This should-be sought in good time, and not delayed until th' patient is on the point of death. The following treatment for distemper is recommended by an English authority: Give twice a dav one of the following pills: Recipe—(Sulphide of quinine. 12gr: acetate of morphia. Isrr: compound squill pile, 18gr Mix and divide into 12 pills. Whilst treating the dug keep him warm and dry and feed well. A distemper mixture recommended bv Dalziol is chlorate of potash. 2dr; Mindererns’s spirit, loz; sweet spirit of nitre. 2dr; tincture of henbane. 2dr; water, Dissolve the potash in the water, and add the other ingredients. The dose for a 20'b puppy of six months old is a tahlespoonful, and it should he given in some additional water. In eases of fits, when the head seems affected, and there is partial blindness, or twitchings

of the limbs, etc., add the following to the “ distemper mixture,” and do not alter the dose: —Tincture of aconite, 18 drops; solution, of strychnine (British Pharmacopoeia), 18 drops; and gradually increase the dcse of these two drugs in the mixture, until in a week three times the above dose is given. Good sensible management and nursing are, however, more important than medicine, Keep the dog comfortable, and let him rest on a good bed of hay, and wash all sores with warm water containing a little Condy’s or Jeycs’ fluid. The diet muse bo light and nourishing. AUSTRALIAN TEURIELS. The following is the standard for Australian terriers: — 1. General Appearance. —A rather low sot, compact, active dog, with good, straight hair of wiry texture, coat about 2in to 2iin long. Average weight, about 10!!> or lllb. Extreme weights, from 81b to 15lb. 2. Head.—The head should bo long, with a flat skull, full between the eyes, with soft hair topknot, long powerful jaw. Teeth level; noso black; eyes small, keen, and dark in colour. 3. Ears. —Kars small, set high on skull, pricked or dropped towards the front, free from long hairs. Ears not to be cut since August, 1906. 4. Neck.—Neck inclined to be long in proportion to body, with decided frill of hair.

5. Body.—Body rather long in proportion to height; well ribbed up; back straight; tail docked.

G. Legs and Feet.—Forelegs perfectly straight, well set tinder body, slight, feather to the knees, clean feet, black toe-nails. Hindlegs: Good strong thigh, hock slightly bent, feet small and well padded, with no tendenev to spread. 7. Colour.—First: Blue or grey body, tan on legs and face, miser tho better; topknot blue or silver. Second : Clear sandy or iyd.

8. Disqualifying Points. —Flesh-coloured nose, white toenails, white breasts, curly or woolly coat, all black coat (puppies excepted). Uneven mouth will not altogether disqualify, tut will be much against a dog. Points. —Skull, 5; muzzle and teeth, 10; eyes and oars, 10: neck, 5; body, 5: feet and legs, 10; coat. 10; colour. 10; general appearance, 10;—total points, 75.

GENERAL NOTES. When puppies are fed properly, and attended to properly, particularly as regards the periodical clearing out of worms, diseases will not givo any trouble. Every dog has worms,-from which they should be periodically freed —four times a year powdered arcca nut should bo given, beginning from the time they are six weeks old. At this age tho powder may be given in milk, or in a capsule. Later it may be made into pills with butter, flour, etc. The doso is a teaspoonful for a full-grown dog, and proportionately less for smaller dogs. The powder should be given on an empty stomach, and followed a couple of hours later with a doso of castor oil at the rate of a tablcspoonful to a full-grown dog and less in proportion for smaller dogs. This treatment causes -the system to he freed of worms, but they breed again,' so that regular attention becomes necessary, and four times a year is not too often.

Fleas are another pest that require regular attention. Once a fortnight, and once a week in hot weather, a good insect powder should well shaken into tho coat. The best way is to begin on the head and nock. Then turn tho dog on his back and dustf well all over the stomach, etc. Then put tho dog on his feet again, and work from the neck backwards. In this way you got all the fleas. It is a moot point whether tho powder kills the fleas outright, or only stupefies them; but they drop out anyway, and the dog is free. A regular hath is another necessity, and a good dog soar) should bo used. Longhaired dogs need careful attention as regards tho fleas, the giving of baths, and grooming. Tho bath should be given as often as may become necessary—say onco a week in the hot weather; too much water making the coat soft. Grooming is important. too. A good brushing with a hard brush is the way to start; next a rubber (wet rag) should be used all over, finishing with a soft brush.

Hand-rubbing is good with the smoothcoated varieties, particularly in the case of terriers, who require to show muscle, and this form of grooming is licet done when the dog is warm after exorcise.