THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3595, 6 February 1923, Page 42

THE KENNEL.

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TERROR.

Fanciers and breeders of dogs are oordlallr tie Sited to contribute to this column. "Terror’' wfß endeavour to make this department as interesting Bnd up-to-date as possible, but in order to do this he must hare the co-operation of his readers, hence he trusts this invitation will be cheerluily responded to. —“Novice.”—You will find the information you require re Pekingese in this week’s notes. The Christmas Supplement to Our Hogs (England). is always a marvellous production, but this year’s issue, it must be acknowledged, outdoes all previous efforts on the part of the publishers. It consists of 236 pages, all illustrated. The pictures are of dogs of every breed with which the fancy is at the present day familiar, and that the best specimens to be found in Great Britain are represented goes without question. The letterpress speaks of the dogs and their kennels, and there are many pictures of the beautiful homes of wealthy dog proprietors Page 1 is a photograph of York Cottage at Sandringham., where are the Royal Kennels of his Majesty’s Labradors, and two of the best specimens, Woffer - ton Don and Wolferton Ben, are also represented on the page. Page 2 shows Clumber, the property of her Grace the Duchess of Newcastle, a photo of dogs kept there; and so on from page to page the most renowned kennels of t'he Homeland are dealt with. I have not managed to fully digest (and never will) last year's Christmas issue of Our Dogs, and am quite confident that this year’s production is equally beyond me, or any one else who has ether things besides dogs to occupy his mind. Those interested in any particular breed could, however, learn much respecting their fancy, the types, etc., most fancied, from any Christmas issue of Our Dogs. I should mention that the supplement to Our Dogs comes accompanied by the ordinary Christmas issue (also rather bulky) to accommodate the overflow from the supplement. —■ The Alsatian sheep dogs, now so fashionable in England, are mostly derived — at least so I understand —from German breeders; but as the French breeders claim the Alsatian as a French breed, and as the German and French breeders have different ideas of perfection and the British breeders different ideas still, it is easy to understand that a good deal of confusion results. The breed, however, is apparently the chief attraction at the present day, and for that reason it is not surprising to find one enthusiast extravagantly describing it as “the most beautiful dog id* the world.” This surely is a case in which “comparisons are odious.” t - Awkward for Him !—Lady Exhibitor (at dog show) : “How do you do? Remember selling me this beautiful dog? I thought you said nis pedigree included champions of every known breed.” Judge: “Bid I?” She: “Yes, so I’m exhibiting him under you to-day in the ‘Any Variety’ class.” The appearance of little dogs as objects of luxury goes back to the most ancient times. Documents are not wanting to show that Greek and Roman women had pet dogs which they idolised. Even men, particularly among foreigners, were not ashamed to walk the streets of Rome with pet dogs under their arms. Plutarch relates that Julius Caesar, seeing one day in Rome some strangers thus loaded with their dogs, asked them ironically whether t'he women of their country dicl not bear children. Tertia, the daughter of Lucius Aurelius Paulus, was so fond of her dog that in the moment of bidding farewell txt her father, who was about to leave his country and his family to wage war against Perseus, King of Macedonia, she frankly admitted that the sadness imprinted on her face was due to the death of her pet dog Persa. Cleanliness.—lt is hardly necessary to say that too much attention cannot be given to this matter. It is one of the safest of safeguards against disease. Kennel walls require lime-whitening twice or thrice yearly, and in the winter some bole may be added to give colour to the limewas'h. In warmer weather it is healthier to allow dogs _ to lie upon bare benches. For winter bedding wheaten straw is as good as aught else. All benches should be washed down twice weekly, or weekly in summer; boiling water being used in the event of an outbreak of mange, lice, etc. Cemented runs may be swilled .out. daily. Never allow food to remain from one meal to the next. When flushing drains, it is a good plan to add some agnt of a deodorant nature, for which purpose 41b of copperas, 4oz of carbolic qpid, and two and a-half gallons of water will be found suitable. Remember that it is not the slightest use ventilating, draining, or disinfecting a place if filth is allowed to remain. Brushes, clothing, collars, hampers, or travelling boxes require an occasional cleansing, as the latter are not an unlikely medium for importing certain kinds of disease.—Our Dogs, Australia. Pekingese Standard.—The following is the standard adopted by the Pekingese Club (England) :—Head —Massive, broad skull, wide and flat between the ears (not dome shape); wide between the eyes —10 points Nose—Black, broad, very short, and flat—s points. Eyes—Large, dark, prominent, round, lustrous —5 points. Stop —Deep—s points. Ears —Heart shaped, not set too high, leather; never long enough to come below the muzzle; not carried erect, but rather drooping; long feather —5 points. Muzzle —Very short and broad, not underhung nor pointed, wrinkled —5 points. Mane—Profuse, extending beyond shoulder blades, forming ruff or frail round front of neck—s points. Shape of body Heavy in front; broad chest, falling away lighter behind, lion-like; not too long in the body—--10 points. Coat, feather, and condition — Long, with thick undercoat, straight and flat, °not curly nor wavy, rather coarse but soft; feather on thighs, legs, tail, and toes long, profuse—lo points. Colour —All colours are allowable: red, fawn ; black, black and tan, sable, brindle, white, particoloured; black marks and spectacles round eyes, with lines to ears desirable —5 points. Legs— Short; forelegs heavy, bowed out at elbows; hindlegs lighter, but firm and well shaped—--5 points. Feet —Flat, not round; should stand well upon toes, not on ankles—s points. Tail—Curled and carried well up on loins; long, profuse, straight feather—lo points. Size—Being a toy dog, the smaller tfie better, provided typo and points are not sacrificed. Anything over 181 b should

disqualify. (When divided by weight, classes should be over 101 b and under 101 b) —5 points. Action —Free, strong, and high, crossing feet or throwing them out in running should not take off marks; weakness of joints should be penalised—lo points. Total, 100 points. SHEEP DOG TRIALS. Mossburn. —March 15-16. Kyeburn District. —March 22 and 23. Mackenzie.—March 27-29.