THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3773, 6 July 1926, Page 57

THE KENNEL.

Bt Thrbor. . Fanciers and breeders of dogs are cordially Jurited 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-opcratkra of hia read ere, hence he trusts this invitation will be cheerfully responded to. SHOW DATES. SOUTH ISLAND. Heriot—July 8. Granity—July 3 and 10. Oamaru—July 9 and 10. Tapanui—July 10. South Canterbury E. and P.C.—July 16 and 17. Invercargill—July 13 and 14. Lyttelton—July 16 and 17. Temuka—July 23 and 24. Greymouth— July 28 and 24.

The plant of the old Otago Kennel Club has been sold to the Greymouth A. and P. Society for £2O, and the money has been spent in providing cups for competition in the kennel section of the Dunedin Fanciers' Club shows. The cups are to be won three times before passing out of the hands of the club. High-priced Fox Terrier. —Seemingly they have now something extra good in Australia in the fox terrier fancy. Mr E. H. Finney, Yoatha Kennels, Baulkham Hills, New South Wales, has imported from England ch. Dunsdryad at what is said to be the highest figure ever paid for a similar importation into the Commonwealth. Our Dogs, the leading English dog journal, says of Dunsdryad: “Few fox terrier bitches have had a more wonderful career than that of the truly beautiful specii en * ch. Dunsdryad. Whelped on February 24, 1925, by Llandaff Peter of Delsmere (ch. Adonis, ex Llandaff Dinah, dam of Dusky Dinah) ex Biddy of Llandaff .(Deemster, ex Betsy of Westville), a certificate winner, she was bred by Mrs Williamson. Ch. Dunsdryad is of absolutely perfect size, with the highest quality imaginable, and possessing ample substance, her head, neck, shoulders, trout, and general make-up are as near perfection as one could desire. To her purchaser we offer our heartiest congratulations on becoming the owner of such a charming specimen. Winning full championship honours before she was 12 months old, she has still a great career in front. What is England’s loss is Australia’s gain, and no one will be more sorry when ch. Dunsdrayad leaves this country than her late owner, Mr J. R. Hunt.’’ Stray Dogs.—Mr Harold A. Sharman, in an article in the Gardeners’ Chronicle of April 17, refers to a*matter of interest to dog owners. Under the heading “Stray Dogs,” and dealing with English law and conditions, he says: “Although most property owners and many occupiers

of land put up a notice board stating that 'any stray dogs found trespassing or uncontrolled on this land will be destroyed,’ a notice of this sort is of no real legal value, and a man who shoots stray dogs will probably find himself either in a criminal court or defending a civil action or perhaps both, if he continues to do so.” It is reported that the Swiss Customs are making use of the Alsatians against smugglers, with excellent results. One of the Alsatians—namely, a bitch, Hexe v. Herrenhain—has been responsible for the apprehension of about 78 persons, all of whom were proved to be smuggler*. One wonders how the Alsatians would act when meeting with the dogs used by smugglers. It would certainly be interesting to watch proceedings. We have often read of the smugglers’ dogs carrying goods on their backs over the mountains from Austria into Italy, and no doubt they “carry on” over the Swiss mountains also. Presumably it will be a question when the canine smugglers meet the police dogs as to whieh is the fleetest, or perhaps the most courageous. “Give Him a Blue Pill.—Such is the advice I once heard a chemist of the “old school” give to a man- who sought his advice about a dog that was given to vomiting—a sign (very often) of liver trouble. Now, the advice was by no means out of place, but it ought to have been followed by the further advice that the blue pill should be given at night and a dose of Epsom salts next morning. Blue pill contains mercury—a drug only to be given on rare occasions and not habitually. Nothing touches the liver of man or dog more certainly than mercury; but mercury is a remedy to be used with caution, and so it is usual to give it overnight, and then next morning giye something to clear it away. Black draught has been found very effective for the latter purpose among human beings, but it is by no means an ideal medicine for dogs on account of its nastiness, and consequently we must find a substitute for it in their case. A blue pill is quite easily given to a dog, of course. About 2gr will suffice for a 201 b dog, and more or less in proportion for larger or smaller dogs. Given at night it will excite _ the liver to a better effort, and then next morning the dog may have a dose of Epsom salts (which is easily given in the form of capsules), and as soon as the salts have been given he can be offered some warm broth, the effect of which will be to cause quick action of the salts, and as a result the animal will be well purged—an ideal thing for the health of many a pampered favourite. But, having effected the purpose, let it stop there, and do not repeat the dose at least for some weeks afterwards, and then only when a real need arises.—“Medicus,” in Our Dogs. Brushing the Coat.—Though dogs perspire at the tongue, they also perspire to a small extent through the skin, which, if entirely neglected, becomes unhealthy. Brushing the coat frequently is of far greater advantage than rubbing the muscles. By using the brushes regularly the skin is kept clean, healthy, and pliable. Dogs delight in having the coat brushed, and will shoulder each other away to be attended to, so eager are they to be dressed. Care of the Teeth.—Dogs’ teeth are liable to become broken or decayed, and are then injurious to health. Pull them out. Get the dog between your knees if you have no one to help you, and with his rump to the wall he cannot pull back. Take a good, firm grip of the tooth (it is wise to keep a proper dental puller), and pull quick and hard. No good messing about; it only causes unnecessary pain and makes the dog try to get free. A good grip and a quick tug does the trick. The first domesticated animal was the dog. He was the trusted assistant of pan m the early Stone Age. Black brother, who is in a corresponding stage of civilisation, cherishes him. The virtues of the dog are celebrated in all literatures, save that of the ancient Hebrews, whose descendants now wander, homeless, over the face of the earth, devoting themselves to art, high finance, and Bolshevism. There was Argus, the dog of Ulysses, who expired from joy on the return of that wily mariner. There was Hodain, “the mightiest and the goodliest then on earth,” the hound of Tristram. There were the ungrateful dogs of King Lear Blanche, Tray, and Sweetheart, inere was Gelert, which perished owing unfortunate misunderstanding for which his thick-headed master was solely to blame. There were the dogs of St. Bernard, that brought hope and brandy to exhausted Alpine tourists; and those of Newfoundland, whose specialty was saving the drowning. There were the Bcois shepherd dogs, which accompanied their masters to church; and there are dogs one may see at bucolic gatherings to-day with one paw tucked into their collars, for which may their masters be grievously afflicted with rheumatism, toothache, and ingrowing toenails. Toussenel says that man’s best qualities are those he shares with the dog. But the dog degenerates. He is, through long association, acquiring the nature of his master. It is not a month since a vagrant mongrel assaulted thfe terrier of the Prince of Wales, and only last week an anarchist dog bit the King of Norway. When dogs take to biting kings, Royalty had better prepare to go out of business. It is a sign of the times.—A. V. The Samoyed.—The Samoyed (pronounced Sam-oyad) is undoubtedly an interesting breed of dog, coming from the van Tundra country, which stretches along the shores of the Arctic Ocean from the White Sea to the Yenesei River. These dogs are truly domesticated in their own country, and live in the chorms (or tents) with their masters. They are principally used for driving and rounding up reindeer, in the same way as sheep dogs round up sheep, except that reindeer are much more difficult to deal with. They are also kept for guarding the chorms from bears, and are never so happy as when on the chase at a bear’s heels. They thoroughly understand what is expected of them by keeping the bear’s attention engaged until he is despatched. The Samoyeds have many advantages to recommend their popularity. Coming from a rigorous climate, they are hardy and usually live to the age of 14 to 10 years. They can live in most climates in spite of their thick coat, which appears to keep out the heat in the same way as the severe cold. Everyone who has once owned a Samoyed agrees that no dog could have a more perfect character. They are indeed “the per-

feet dog”: always gentle, even tempered, intensely fond of children, and fully intelligent, besides being excellent house dogs. They seem to have a special instinct for guarding a house from undesirable tramps. The male Samoyed should stand from 20in to 22in from top of shoulder, with an average weight of 40lb to 501 b; the female stands from 18in to 20in, with an average weight of 351 b to 401 b. The coat is either white or deep cream colour, and, although white, it is not difficult to keep clean, as the fur stands out and resists the dirt; nor do they require the combing and brushing one would expect from their perfect appearance. Since 1889, when we imported the first Samoyed, the breed has kept the same; and later, various strains we picked out from polar expeditions were all wonderfully alike. It is, therefore, up to s all breeders to make a stand against introducing a wrong type of northern dog; and if any fresh importations are brought into England a committee should meet to approve the newly-imported dog before it is registered as a Samoyed. New blood, if not from perfect specimens, can soon work havoc in this breed, which we have for 30 years so true to type. There are many types of northern dogs which a novice might confound with the Samoyed, but never by any chance should a Samoyed have a smooth coat. It is characterised by a double coat —the outer one o£ glistening hair, outstanding from the body, and a woolly undercoat. As a breed they are easy to train, but need to have their lessons when puppies, and s n learn not to run after poultry, etc. They breed easily in this country; the average litter is six puppies, and the bitch is a very devoted mother and rears her puppies without trouble. Prices of puppies run from Bgns to 20gns, according to quality; a good show or brood bitch from 30gns to 90gns, or a young show male about the same price. The Samoyed keeps his youthful appearance up to the age of 12 years, and continues to live in health and happiness up to 14 or 16 years. They are not so subject to disease as many other breeds. They require similar feeding to the Alsatian or collie.—Clara Kilburn Scott.