THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3315, 26 September 1917, Page 41

THE KENNEL.

BY TBBBOB.

Fanciers »nd feeders of dog 3 are cordially ia« rlted to contribute to this column. "Terror" will endeavour to make this department as interesting and up-to-date as possible, but tn order to do this he must have the co-operation of his readers, bence he trusts this invitation will be oueerfully responded to.

"Collie," who describes himself as a "novice" as regards breeding, asks whether he will be acting wisely in breeding from a bitch at her first heat. This is a matter of importance to breeders -anxious to reproduce dogs of quality; but there are a variety of opinions on the subject —indeed the authorities differ. Mr C. J. Davis, in a series of articles entitled "The Theory and Practice of Breeding to Type," says: "It must not bo thought that we are advocating a reckless breeding from immature animals. Many factors besides mere age must be taken into consideration " before mating the extremely young. ,For instance, it is an undoubted lact that wcak-loined young females sometimes become badly misshapen through carrying their young, and it would be most unwise to breed from two-year-old fillies which showed the least sign of this defect. Then, again, the general forwardness and condition of the individual have to be considered. Females which are backward are not likely to be improved by having an extra strain put upon their constitutions. In any case, a filly should not be mated in the year ehe has produced a foal; a bitch should never be bred from, more often than onco annually, and a clear year should elapse between the matings." —A. F., Mossburn. —I do not know of anyone wanting collie or kelpie pups, but have no doubt that if you advertised you could do business with pups of such a strain as you speak of. The following letter from Mr Sam Crabtree to Mr C. A. Hutton, who, as secretary of the Bulldog Club, carried on the negotiations with Mr Crabtree which finally resulted in his engagement to come to New Zealand, will interest many readers. Mr Grabtree writes: " I arrived home from New York last Friday, and your letter arrived the day following. After sending the cable, I wrote a long letter to your secretary explaining the reason I could not come. I am well aware .that it would be a great disappointment to you as well as to me, as I had made all preparations for sailing, having booked my passage, prepared all my clothing, and done everything for a long trip; and then at the last minute they wired me that the passport was cancelled owing to some new regulation of the Admiralty. I went up to London on receipt of the wire, and spent a whole day interviewing different officials at the Government offices. I also interviewed the Chief Commissioner for New Zealand; but it was no use, I could not move them. They would grant me only a pass to America on conditions I was back in England in six weeks' time. It cost me a fiver to go up to London. You will have seen in Our Dogs that there was a farewell lunch given in my honour of taking the trip. I can t assure you that I did everything I possibly could to persuade the authorities to let me come over. It's no fault of mine. I hope that when the war is over I shall be able to take the trip. I received a letter this morning from the New Zealand Bank in London asking me to forward them the £9O sent on to me. I am sending them a cheque by this post. Have nor, yet received the schedule ana paper you mention in your letter. I hope that you will make it known that it was no fault of mine not fulfilling my engagement, but entirely the Government's. "Shall be very pleased to hear from you anytime.— Yours very sincerely, (Sgd.) Sam Chabtkee. P.S.—Am to hear that the Australian clubs were taking the matter up, and I hope the dispute will be settled before long."