THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3519, 23 August 1921, Page 20

THE KENNEL.

By

TERROR.

Functors and breeders of flog? 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. "A. I*.”- —In a paragraph in tins week’s notes you uni see now your dog can ce luaue to lake rile medicine. Air J. B. Whiles Irish terrier bitch champion tied Riot is now heavy m wiieip to Mr W. Henderson ts F'arnclon Bandit. J liis luncier aiso reports receipt of an Irish ternor cleg pup from Air F. Rogen. Particulars as to pedigree not yet to nand. Rather Graham's Irish terrier puppy arrived in V\ eihngtou on Wunday last, and irom what i can hear is a very luce specimen. Air Ready, of Palmerston North, has also landed an Irish terrier from Australia, the breeding oi which I do not know us yet. Air R. \Y. Brown is importing a Kelpie from Australia, bred from first-class workers. 1 hear that it is this lancierU intention to go m for wire-haired fox terriers. | —At the Victorian Poultry and Kennel j Club’s Show Air J. id. l’eck’s bulldog Rich- | mond lAuke won in novice dogs, but had to take second place in the junior class to Aliss A. V. Inceley’s liteeplton Bombshell, who won also in limit dogs. However, champion honours in dogs tell to Aliss V. M. Burke's Australian Boomerang, who won in Australian and open classes. In bitches, A. Stanslield’s Stockhiii Beauty won champion honours, in cocker spaniels, P. Webb and F. C. Bleach scored in open and limit claims respectively. Fox terriers are described as one of the features of the show. R. C. Alorpeth scored first in novice dogs with Dusky Dazzler, who also won in puppies and the junior class. Gully and MlLeod’s Oxenmore took the championship. A high-class youngster, Meriden Mystery, won in bitch puppies, and annexed champion laurels. In Irish terriers the championships in dogs fell to R. Sloan with Ted Sloan, who won in Australian limit and open classes. The championship in bitches went to Clonnel Biddie, owned by A. A”. D. Rentoul. likeness, for the closer and longer consanguinity is practised the greater becomes the family resemblance between the individual members of the inbred family. The value of a-n inbred animal lies in its inheriting the concentrated qualities of its ancestors, and so in its greatly enhanced power of impressing these qualities or characters on ivs progeny. Unfortunately, inbreeding, while helpful in fixing the desired type, too often results in deterioration in constitution, size, bone, prolificacy, and mental vigour, for all characters, good and bad alike, are equally strengthened by this method of reproduction. Thus practically imperceptible physical failings may be intensified into deformity, and slight constitutional weaknesses to serious dangers menacing the very existence of the inbred family. The extent to which inbreeding may be' safely carried depends upon the skill and severity with which selections are made. Indiscriminate promiscuous inbreeding :s highly deleterious and even worse; it is purposeless; but if we follow Nature's system—rigidly selecting the best and absolutely rejecting every dog exhibiting tendencies to weakness of any kind—it may be followed to advantage, as it is in Nature, without loss of constitutional vigour. There is a scheme afoot in Dublin to form a Sinn Fein Kennel Club. Air George Raper, Air J. J. Holgate, Air The©. Mtuples, Mr C. Iloulker, Air Holland Buckley, and a few of their judicial confreres, past and present, are, and were (says Our Dogs), among our greatest international judges, but it has been left to another of this "Lodge’’ in Mr Suit Crabtree to eclipse all their greatest performances so far as judicial globe-trot-ting goes and who establishes a great record. There are bathing establishments in lu-ance which provide "public” baths for dogs. At Leipzig (Germany), they have recently opened "public’’ baths for dogs, and it is rumoured that Dresden will soon follow suit. | Colonel Burn, M.P., at a meeting in London, in support of a Bill for prohibition of vivisection of dogs, said that, although not an abolitionist, lie unstintingly approved of the Bill, which was supported by over 1500 British medical men and surgeons, who wished to see man’s and woman’s best friend totally exempted from vivisection. A Mr Arthur Wilmhurst, of Southwark Bark road, London, has been fined 10s anti costs (21s) for keeping a dog perpetually o:i the chain. He was charged with not loting the dog free excepting for one day for 15 years. Ilia defence was that he took it for a run every Sunday. Mr Robinson, counsel for the National Canine Defence League, said : ‘‘The object of these proceedings is mainly to let the public know that to keep a dog on a chain for an unreasonable length of time is an offence punishable by a maximum fine of ±125 or oilier penalty, and it is not tiecesarv to prove that the owner intended the cruelty.” Mr Robinson added that the continual chaining of a dog would reduce it to an imbecile. Judge VVucldy said: “1 have no doubt that it is an offence to beep a dog chained up against i's natural habits, and in a kind of canine penal servitude. Whether Air Wilnihiust intended the cruelty or not is immaterial, lie will he fined 10s, and will have to pay 21 s ('''lamenting on the case. Ottr Docs says : “The case is being looked upon as a b-.t cuse. and all real dog-lovers will applaud tbe league—first, for its cnierpri-e in having instituted ,> prosecution in such a prevalent b cud, -<■- mdly. in having secured a conviction."