THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 33

THE KENNEL.

By Terrob.

Fanciers 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 he must have the co-operation of his readers, hence he trusts this invitation will be cheerfully responded to. • Mr Court Rico has reported on the bulldogs at the Dunedin Fanciers’ Club l3how last month to the Australian Kennel Gazette as follows:—“Bulldogs were the cream of the show, and totalled 75. The Old Country was well represented, four imported specimens being on exhibition. The Auckland winner. Topside Lad, added another to ' his list of laurels by scoring in the Now' Zealand bred class with Messrs Menzies and Cutts’s Lord Stoslyn, the Auckland winning puppy, next. Mr F. Hickinbottom’s new importation, Newington Marvel, made his bow to an antipodean audience in the open class, and won. He is a whole coloured brindlo.

with exceptionally beautiful shoulder placement, and great character. A sound, good headed dog, he was not in really good form, and looked a bit long m body. Kmgsiders seemed to think that Amhurst Baron ought to, or would, win; but Marvel beats his kennel mate in bone, straightness ot forelegs, ribs, back, hindquarters, and eyes, losing to that phenomenally good-headed deg in “ napper.” Many seemed to think that the winner is pinched in face; but his magnificent cheek-bumps —a point now so seldom seen, more’s the pity' probably gave the impression named. Mr Menzie s British Beaming .(also imported) was third. He is another good one, with immense bone, a grand head and head properties, and good ribs. He fails in front, is flat in back (which seems to bo the fault m almost every one of the imported flogs that show any conspicuous merit otherwise), and is very coarse in stern —indeed, he lacks quality generally. Tyneside Lad could only get “ reserve,” and was perhaps a bit unlucky. The open bitch class was equally good. Mr F. Hickenbottom’s Newington Mary, who arrived in New Zealand with the dog, was no't good enough to beat the Sydney-bred Lodden Duchess, and, disappointed though she must have been, Mrs Whiteman, who had charge of Mr Hickenbottom’s dogs, took the reverse bke a good sportswoman, as she is. The daughter of Dalston Demon and D. Day Dram has a superb body, a good front, and a fairly good head, which, however, fails in depth of face and thickness of chop and cushion. She is most unpleasingly goggle-eyed; she, too, is a brindle. That good bitch Burbank Countess was third. Like all her strain, she is woefully plain. Had she more wrinkle and loose stuff it would take the best of them all their time to beat her. Mrs Whiteman’s Swasher Gipsy whelped on Ist July one dog pup to Amhurst Baron, and is expecting the young bitch Brighton Breezes to whelp shortly to Newington Marvel. Mrs Whiteman’s Peggie II is on stud visit to Newington Marvel.” Messrs O’Bryan and Co.’s fawn pug Gloucester Poppio has vjsitcd the same owners pug, tho well-known Gloucester Lord Bobs (imp.), and is about due to whelp. —Mr Sustemen, of Christchurch, sent Gloucester Stella, a black Pomeranian, to Messrs O’Bryan’s imported Gloucester Wolf Sable Raffles, and last week she whelped a litter of eight. iSeven of these pups are black and one is coloured. This is reckoned good work for a miniature Pom. All are doing well. Other items of news from Messrs O’Bryan’s ke.nnels are that a beautiful little daughter of Gloucester Sable Raffles, out of Gloucester Sadie, is to leave their kennels for a purchaser in Wanganui; and a tiny son of the famous Little Authority (imp.) out of Dina (imp.) has just reached there from the kennels of Mr H. Crompton, Wellington. The little fellow is said to be so small at seven weeks old that he can easily fit into a breakfast cup. He weighs only 15oz, and, with luck, ho should be heard of again. —lt seems I cannot close yet in regard to the doings at these kennels, for I now learn that they have sent to the Remueru Kennels, Wellington, a very fine sable bitch, Gloucester Fannie, sired by Glouces ter Wolf Sable Raffles (imp.) out of Gloucester Vetti (imp.). This miniature Pomeranian is purchased for brood work, and, as she is from good stock her new owners may look for satisfactory returns.

Mm J. J. Add'son, of the Ribblesdale Miniature Pomeranian Kennels, 155 Barbados* street, St. Albans, Christchurch, has just "sold a promising eigbt-month-old doar pup to a local Pom. fancier. The pup is by her challenge winner Ribblesdale Gold Spec (imp.) out of Ribblesdale Bit of Jet. an imported Little Imp bitch, and to replace th : s she has bought a black bitch puppy bv Little Authority (a son of ch. Dragon Fly and a winner of 130 prizes in England ex Remuera Dinah, a winner in Scotland. Both these dogs were imported by the well-knuown English fancier Mr H. Crompton, of the Remuera Kennels, 34 Mein street, Wellington South, where Little Authority is at stud. Mrs Addison hopes tq be able to bench several of her imported Poms, at forthcoming shows, and I hear she is thinking of adding Pekinese to her kennel.

—Mr Sam Devereaux, who is rapidly coming into prominence as an authority on bulldogs, had a very- encouraging and appreciative audience last week when he lectured on “ The Bulldog.” He explained many points insisted upon in the standard, and gave a lot of valuable advice as to feeding ai?d grooming. That the Canine Fanciers’ Association can arrange for such a lecture as this of Mr Devereaux shows that there is a field of great usefulness before it, for the advantage, as shown in this instance, of having an expert comparing a noted specimen of the bulldog breed with the Bulldog, Club’s standard cannot be gainsaid. One may know tho standard requirements of any breed off by rote as printed, and vet not ha,ve the slightest conception of its application to live specimens; hence the value of a practical exhibition and such explanations _ as Mr Devereaux is quite capable of giving.

Mr J. Hutton’s hull-bitch Dominion Hops has missed whelping to Amhurst This is a keen disappointment, as something “classy” was expected from this litter.

—Mr M‘Leod. of Milton, is the purchaser of fibs bulldog Bromley Count. H« much nl eased with the ' Count. Mr M‘Leod tolls Mr Hutton that two or threo Priz« hi tribes are duo bv him shortly. Beaming Monarch, tho young- bulldog, offered an advance on bis mirchaso money the other rk-~ but Mr Crolly refused the tempting offer.

—Mr M. P. Build, of Australia, has offered Mr J. H. Hutton a. bitch pupny by Silver Wizard (imp. bulldog) ex Hulka Pee-o-y. Tliere were five puppies (two dogs and three bitches). This is the first Iffter bv Wizard in Australia. Mr Pa.uld writes; “ Thov are real beauties, showing Wizard’*, great hone and substance already.”

—Mr P Kin report*? that a bull-hitch by Lord Roberts, by Garactucus (imp.), b-s a fine litter. They are very promising. He is to be congratulated, ns in the winter months piupnies are bard to rear.

Mr R, K. Gardham, of Princes street. Dunedin, has lust received bis imported bulldog bitch from epiarnntlne. ar>d be is immensely pleased with the condition in which it has bis bands. The bit eh in ouestion la a pled, and w’ll be known ns fbbrev Lulu. Rbe ww born December P 101 C PrrU bv Mr R. J. Logg, and purchased by Mr Ciurelbam from the well-known kennels of p. G. Rollings, of “Silvorda.le.” Bb-mineham Silver T/nlu 5a by Rtratford Monarch ex Ivory's Lulu. The sire is hv Rilver Men-, net ex Laxly Ariadne, and the dam of KII-

burn Barrister ex Jessie. The g.g parents are all celebrated dogs, and it is evidentthat Mr Gardham has a bitch which, if suitably mated, is capable of throwing the best of stock. Silver Lulu is a nice bodied bitch, being short in back and well cut up in loins, a screw tail, but a little high set. She has nice front, and bone in head shows every promise of furnishing into something good. She should prove a good brood bitch, safe to breed from, for she is proportional in build.

_ —Almost every kennel club in the Dominion of Canada holds monthly evening shows during the winter months, and it is found that these gatherings are both instructive and enjoyable, helping to stimulate and advance the cult of the dog and doggie matters.

Exercise in the open air is one of the great essentials to the health of dogs—especially if they can bo allowed to scamper about in a grass field. Dogs, curiously enough, are very fond of biting at grass, which it is supposed is a natural cure for constipation. Anyway, it may be safely regarded as such. The town street dog, who roams at will so long as his master’s name, is duly inscribed on the plate of the collar he is wearing, can usually bo regarded as a healthy type of dog, despite the fact that he is given to eating all sorts of undesirable things. Apropos of town dogs, I may perhaps be allowed to turn aside from the subject in hand to narrate the curious character of a fox terrier which belonged to a clergyman friend of mine. The cleric worked in a town parish in one of our great industrial centres, and his dog spent most of his time wandering about for mdes round. He was a terrible thief, and the pieces of meat ho used to bring homo were a source of a good deal of trouble. One day, however, ho surpassed all previous exploits by arriving homo with a workman’s dinner in a basin, tied up in a her hanokerchiof. _The poor unfortunate owner Was never discovered, and there is leason to believe that the dog committed the thett at some distance from his master’s home.

~ There is no disease more dangerous to a dog than jaundice. It is, of course, a liver disease, and may be said in a general way to bo due to one of three causes. It may bo a to indigestion (and the dog, in spite of his wonderful digestive powers, frequently suffers from that, as I shall explain later); or it may be a result of some specific disease, such as distemper, which throws the whole system out of gear; or. thirdly, it may be due to a sudden chill such as would be given to a dog plunged into ice-cold water during field work. But whatever the cause, the disease itself is a very serious one, and should be dealt with as expeditiously and carefully as possible. J. no first essentials to' its cure are that the dog be well exorcised. By “well” is meant ■with such exercise as he can endure without b?eommg unduly fatigued. Also that the diet be judicious—milk and gravy, and only such solid food and stimulants as-*common-sense dictates. There is usually a good deal of slaty coloured diarrhoea at first, followed by constipation. Opinions vary a great deal as to what medicine should be given. For my own part, I do not consider anything acts as well as a little calomel; but some veterinarians prefer saline aperients, such as Epsoin salts and sulphate of soda. When the diarrhoea is very excessive, starchy food of the arrowroot gruel type must be given f malty, lot me urge the advisability of callmg in a veterinary surgeon whenever it is a valuable animal that is attacked, for the disease is a very fatal one.

ARCTIC DOG DERBY. John Johnson became the 1914 winner when he took the lead in the All-Alaska Sweepstakes Dog Race, held on April 14 at Nome, Alaska, and drove his team of 18 Siberian wolves into Gold,rum, 24 miles from Candle, the turning point in the 412mile race, at 6.30. After resting there a few hours, he drove on to Candle, which he reached early next day. Johnson averaged nine miles an hour during the beginning of the race. This speed is considered, remarkable in view of the blizzard which was raging. Johnson arrived at Haven, 146 miles from Nome, at 2.20 p.m., and left at 2.30. Scotty Allen, who arrived there 17 minutes ahead of Johnson, rested until 4.23 p.m. Fred Ayer reached Haven at 2.30, but did not get away until 6.50. While Ayer was resting, his team of 14 foxhounds ran away, and ho lost several hours catching them. Allan and Ayer made the drive from Haven to Candle. 60 miles, without a stop. Leon Seppa withdrew. He lost the trail in the night, and in trying to find it fell over a cl>ff with h;s team, several of his dogs being injured. The other teams finished in excellent condition. The Siberian “wolves” driven by John Johnson are a cross between the Alaskan working dog and the Siberian wolf. They have the agility and endurance of the wolf and the faithful intelligence of the Alaskan dog. They are light in colour, either white or grey, with a shaggy coat. DOGS FOR POLICE WORK. The report for 1913 of the Inspectors of Constabulary of the County and Borough Police forces of England and W 7 ales was issued bv the Horne Office on Saturday as a Blue Book. Reference is made to experiments which have been recently carried out in utilising dogs for police work. The report for the Northern district, which is signed by Lieutenant-colonel J. H. Eden. Inspector of Constabulary for the North, states that the use of dogs has been attempted experimentally in the North Riding of Yorkshire bv Major Bower, the chief constable for the district. At present about 20 per cent, of the force are permitted to keep and, use their own dogs. Those animals are chiefly Airedale terriers, and are carefully trained for the work. They are useful on night patrol, both for protection and companionship, and a help to constables, especially on dark nights, in bringing to notice things that otherwise might escape them. It is added that Airedale terriers have also for some time been used by the police In the outlying part© of Liverpool, and have proved to bo of value. Mr Leonard Dunning, the Inspector of Constabulary for the Southern district, also deals with the subject of police dogs, and points out that their utility is becoming moro and more realised. The very knowledge that bloodhounds may be used to track offenders acts as a deterrent, and the expense of keeping them may thus be regard fd as justifiable. Trained bloodhounds arc kept in Wiltshire, W r est Sussex, and Breconshire, mostly at the expense of the chief constables. Mr Dunning holds that this deterrent effect can -be carried much further by the use of dogs to accompany the police on duty. They have often been used by individual policemen, and it is time that they should be officially recognised. There are no police authorities in the Southern district which directly maintain

police dogs as in the Northern, but the Standing Joint Committee of Wiltshire now defray the cost of the licenses for the dogs kept by the police which the Chief Constable recommends as suitable for duty.— The Times.