THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3808, 8 March 1927, Page 52

THE KENNEL.

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Terror.

ynsrfera and breeder* of doge are cordially iu-\ riled to contribute to this column. "Terror” wifi eedoavour to make this department na interesting aad up-to-date as possible, but in order to do this be must hare the co-operation of his readers, heaoe he trusts this invitation will be cheerfully • responded toA notable smooth-coated fox .terrier, ch. Selecta Ideal, put up a great performance last year at the best English shows. Out of 2 1 challenge certificates offered for competition this terrier was awarded 19. Air P. Kirk,, of Riverton, is reported .have bo ght a whippet dog pup by Prince Comedy ex Miss R.st. Mr j Fitzsimmons, of Belfast, Canterbury, is the breeder. Judging by reports emanating from Lngmnct, there is dissatisfaction there, a ? . <n ® r P here, regarding the methods ot jUGg»ng nogs at shows, particularly in >om'*c«.ion rich tl-.e time taken in doing and it ;s suggested that a system trie-e. wicceEsfa'.!./ at Southport, England, seme years ago should be now universally fc-iwp-e.L Cuder this system all dogs are judged Sr.aultaGeonsly. Every exhibit of a breed is brought before the judge at o ("’, Bsc are not mixed, in batches. It is the judge’s business so assess the relative merits of every exhibit, and after scrutiny he places the dogs in their order of merit in the ring, and numbers his a-w.-din-H- fi e . t jf .. there are 20 specimens, his slin, which contains the bench numbers of all the exhibits, will be marked from 1 to 20 in order of merit. The clean slips can then be readily marked from this record. No matter how many or how few classes a dog is entered in, he has met every*’ other dog of his biwed. Furthermore, it settles automatically all the specials, -the advantages to be gained, it is pointed .out, are, apart from the important one of saving time, enormous. Is it fair, it is asked, to expect an exhibit, as at present, perhaps being shown for the first *“ ne > to stand about and parade in' say 10 classes over a period of several hours’ and then to meet the champion in the open class? In these circumstances the youngster must of necessity be tired and fagged, whereas the champion is fresh off his bench, and shows to greater advantage. By the simultaneous method «very exhibit has equal chance, and the novice or onlooker (who, maybe, comes 1 \ a Senume desire to learn what is what) can at a glance see the result of the judge’s decisions, and more easily understand his placings. In this connection our authority asks: “Is it not just a little foolish to pretend to judge dogs over ami over again in several recurrent classes just because of, say, one new face, ■which, by the way, may not be his fortune, but for whose sake the class has again to be brought into the ring and paraded before his majesty the judge?’’

The is a list of challenges allotted by the Kennel Club, and arranged under the names of the various clubs:— Auckland—Fox terriers (wire and smooth), bulldogs, cairn terriers, Airedales, Alsatians, and Pekingese. Wellington—Cockers (black and coloured), Airedales, Great Danes, cairn terriers, Samoyedes, bull terriers, and Pekingese. Christchurch—Bulldogs, rough collies, English setters, Irish setters, whippets, and Pomeranians. Dunedin—Fox terriers (wire and smooth), Irish terriers, Gordon setters and pointers. Palmerston North— Field spaniels, clumbers, springers, Scottish terriers, rough collies, and smooth collies. Gisborne—-Retrievers (all varieties). Wairoa —Irish water spaniels. Waiuiai—Retrievers (all varieties). Wanganui—Greyhounds, beardies, and English setters. Rotorua—Australian terriers and Sydney Silkies. Hamilton —Irish terriers, pugs, Chihuahuas, and Gordon setters. Levin—lrish water spaniels, Sealyhams, pugs, and Yorkshire terriers. Masterion—Sealyhams and pointers. Ashburton- —Chihuahuas, smooth collies, and beardies. Carterton—Greyhounds and Scottish terriers. Dannevirke—lrish setters, Alsatians, Great Danes, and Pomeranians. Greymouth— Cockers (black and coloured), whippets. Reefton—Clumbers and field spaniels. . A writer in an exchange directs attention to the fact that dog breeding is “more than a hobby.” He says: “To describe breeding and exhibiting dogs as a ‘ hobby ’ does not exactly interpret the existing conditions. The ordinary dog, it is true, is kept for the pleasure of its companionship as well as for its utility as a protector of person and property and an assistant in sport; but dog keeping and breeding in the wider sense is now a commerce. Apart from the fact that the dog is not bred for the production of food, the business is economically as important as horticulture or poultry farming. One has only to think of the many trading establishments which cater ' for the material needs of the dog to realise how greatly the industry has expanded. There are firms producing biscuit foods, kennel buildings, and kennel appliances. There must be well upon half a million pounds paid annually in wages alone by these thriving firms, and if to this expenditure are added the enormous sums of money spent on the carriage of dogs and railway fares to shows, on the shows themselves, on advertising and printing, and the employment of kennelmen, handlers, and keepers, we still get but a yague idea of the vast extent of the industry and its national importance.” A Dog Village.—lt is recorded in an Indian publication that a whole village near Baroda (India) in the dominion of the Maharajah of Gaekwar was recently purchased by a Hindu millionaire named Argun Lalshet, and turned into a “city for dogs.” This man belongs to a sect of the Hindus who believe in absolute non-killing. He started the village with the idea of taking away' An msfmct of killing from the dogs. A j , le dogs are fed on rice, wheat, milk, and butter. No animal food of any' kind is given. Puppies are given semolina tried in butter and mixed with sugar. When they are three months old their diet is wheat bread, oiled and salted, bpecial care is taken through the citv to stop up all mouse holes, as it is considered they; would prove a temptation to the canines, and lead them astray trom the lives they are being trained to follow. The dogs are well looked after, and it is said thev are responding' well to the efforts made to “civilise” them.