THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 3870, 15 May 1928, Page 32

THE KENNEL.

By

Terror

Fanciers and brselers of dogs are cordially invited to contribute to thia column. "Terror” will endeavour to make th’s department as interesting and up-to-date as possible, but in order to do this he must have the coopsration of his readers, hence he trusts this invitation will be cheerfully responded to. “ Carisbrook.” —The information you require you will find in an article on “ Breeding and Mating ” in this week’s notes. The Alsatian.—Mr Horowitz, writing to Our Dogs, says that “ the ignorant people in the Antipodes, who know not that the Alsatian is ‘ primarily a sheep dog,’ needlessly 7 fear that this gentle creature might ‘ go bush,’ mate with the dingo, and kill sheep.” As an Australian kennel scribe points out, “ Mr Horowitz 3oes not add any fresh evidence to allay the misgivings of those people who havemany thousands of pounds at stake in the way of sheep. Not even the most interested person has ever tried to delude the Australian public by stating that the Alsatian has been imported here to prove its usefulness as a sheep dog. If anyone has been so foolish as to bring these German shepherd dogs here to compete against some of the cleverest sheep dogs in the world, then they’ are singularly 7 slow in starting them working.” The writer “ Omega,” in the Leader (Victoria)), adds: “The writer not six months ago saw a dingo owned by a man in South Yarra, who had it trained, and offered it for sale at £5. Others saw it, too, and all agreed that if it were entered at a show in Australia as an Alsatian no one would cavil at the entry on general appearance.” He adds: “ If an Alsatian t?ill mate with a wolf in England, and if an Alsatian will kill sheep in England, why should we in the Antipodes be accused by Mr Horowitz of ignorance of the breed when we suggest the possibility of the Alsatian mating with the dingoes or killing sheep?” New Breeds.—lt seems rather strange that there are so many breeds of dogs in Great Britain which are practically unknown in the Commonwealth (says an Australian contemporary). Among these are the Keeshound. Elkhound, Afghan hound. Saluki, goldyn retriever, Kerry Blue terrier. Shetland sheep dog. springer snaniel. Griffon Brnxeltors, Dalmatian, Chow Chows, mastiffs. French bulldog, Boston terrier, and Papillicus. It is quite probable that the qualities of several of the breeds mentioned would bring them into popularity if they were better known. But the average Australian canine fancier may be described as conservative. being quite content to stick to the breeds which have stood the test. Importations from England are generally terriers. Poms. Pokes, bulldogs, sporting dogs, and greyhounds. Although some of them do not come up to' expectations, fanciers, on the whole, are well satisfied to adhere to these breeds rather than go in for any new ones. The committee of the Taieri Collie Club met on Saturday night, Mr W. J. Reid presiding. Some routine work in connection with the forthcoming trials was transacted, and judges were nominated and canvassers appointed. The secretary’ was instructed to make the best possible arrangements for catering on the ground during the trials. A number of competitions, in which spectators may take part, were arranged. BREEDING AND NURSING. Robert Leighton in his book “Your Dog ” writes interestingly 7 on this subject. He introduces his subject with ‘Mating.” He says: “One of the pleasures of dogkeeping is in breeding a. succession of families. Young puppies are no less interesting than kittens or the offspring of any other domesticated animal. There is an endless delight in watching them at play and in seeing them grow and take notice; and the delight is increased when they are bred and born on your own premise's under your own care. If they are healthy to begin with., they 7 ought not to cause any anxiety 7 or trouble. The difficulties of rearing a litter of nunpies are usually 7 very greatly exaggerated. Care and attention are. however, at all times necessary. and if you contemplate breeding for profit there is a lot to think about and consider, even before the whelps come into the world. . “1 have already 7 stated that in founding a kennel it is wise to berin witli a young bitch. If she is a particularly 7 good pne and a typical representative of her breed, you will wish her puppies to be Sven better than herself. In order to secure this the choice of a mate is very 7 important. He must, of course, be one of her own breed and variety, but. more than this, he ought to be one of her own strain—not necessarily closely related, but having some of the same .ancestors in the pedigree, and therefore possessing the same family traits, if not the same individual characteristics. If the bitch is deficient in any particularly 7 desirable point, the mate to be chosen should not

also be deficient, but should possess the desired point markedly. In this way the merits of the one parent correct tlic faults of the other, or at least they arc likely to do so. It is advisable in this case Vo fix well in advance the dog that is most suitable and promising as a sire, and it is important that he should not only have the physical characteristics that you desire to perpetuate, but also that he should be of suitable age and in sound condition. The principles of heredity must enter largely into your calculations. “ The bitch comes into the condition for breeding for the first, time when she is about nine or ten months old, and then afterwards, with fair regularity, every six months. There is no harm in breeding from her on the first possible occasion, but it is wiser, I think, to wait for the second period, when she is more fully matured and able to undertake her maternal duties. Her owner will discover when she is approaching the breeding season, or ‘coming on heat,’ first by her general uneasiness and her greater frequency in urinating, and secondly by the fact of an increased attentiveness of the opposite sex. When strange dogs begin to follow her she should be very carefully protected from their gallantry and kept well guarded in a place where dogs cannot tret at her. If you take Imr out for a walk, you only increase the. dilHculties. for she will most certainly be tracked, and you, of course, want to reserve her for the one particular mate. “ It is customary for the bitch to be the visitor. Having made arrangements with the owner of the chosen dog, you take her or have her sent to his kennel. For the payment of the requisite stud fee, varying from a guinea to 10 or even 20 guineas, the services of the best dog of the particular breed can usually be secured. But very often an arrangement is made on breeding terms by which the choice of one or more of the puppies takes the place of a money payment. [Be careful, in making such terms, to come to an understanding as to who is tn have the produce of the mating should only one puppy result.— Terror.] When she com-s home she should take the rest cure for a day or two. After

that, for a month or six weeks, she need be treated no different from usual, having her ordinary food and exercise. But at about the fifth week she should be treated for worms, in order that these parasites may not be transmitted to her offspring. " The period of gestation is 62 days. On the sixtieth day she will begin to be uneasy and restless. A mild purgative should be given. Usually salad oil is enough, but if constipation is apparent castor oil may be necessary, and her food should be sloppy rather than dry. On the sixty-second day the whelps may be expected. In anticipation she should be provided with a comfortable bed in a quiet, retired place where she will not be disturbed, and her collar should be removed. With the toy and delicate breeds it is advisable that some person that the bitch is fond of should be in attendance in case of any accident or complication calling for help. If anything serious hapens a veterinary surgeon should be summoned. But in most cases no interference whatever is needed. Nature has provided the female dog with all that she needs on these occasions, and the wisest plan is to leave her to her own instinctive devices until the puppies are all born and she has herself attended to them. Some warmish, well-boiled arrowroot and milk or milk gruel should be offered to her, but don’t force her to take any. Let her be quiet and undisturbed. For the first few days her general diet should be light and slightly warmed, but after that she will return to her accustomed diet. “Let her be entirely at liberty to do as she wants. She will not stop long away from her family. Neither need the puppies be interfered with so long as their dam's milk comes in normal quantity. If, however, the family is too much for her, one or two should either be transferred to a foster mother or else brought up by hand with the feeding bottle, peptonised milk, and one or other of the various advertised infants’ foods or orphan puppy foods. It is necessary, by the way, to remember that, ordinary cow’s milk is not nearly strong enough for a Puppy; it ought always to be thickened. . “ The best age for weaning is at about six to seven weeks, when the mother is ceasing to nurse her family, and is with them only at night. The weaning should be gradual. Little and often is the rule. Beginning with five meals a day, the food should at first be of a milk nature, increasing in strength and quantitj 7 until at seven weeks, when the teeth are beginning to be of practical use, a very little scraped raw meat may form one meal, varied with stale breadcrumbs soaked in good gravy, milk pudding, or one of the advertised puppy foods. But when the-puppies get beyond the milk teeth age the diet need only be a little more carefully prepared and less in quantity than that given to the grown-up dog, and some sort of bone meal should be included as a precaution against rickets.” SHEEP DOC NOTES. TRIAL DATES. Tarras—May 14 and 15. Lowburn—May 17 and IS. Becks—May 17 and 18. Gore—May 29 and 30. Kyebnrn—May 21 and 22. Tuapeka—May 23 and 24. WAITAKT. The Waitaki Collie Dog Club’s trials concluded on May 4 in fine weather. A stepping competition on the second day resulted in Miss M. Kernohan, Master E. J. Russell, Messrs W. Fraser. H. Valentine, and R. B. Smyth dividing the prize. The weight of three live wethers (287 Rb was accurately guessed by Mr W. L. M'Kenzie, who took the prize. The result of the final trial was as follows:- —

Heading and bring back, about half amile. First prize £2O, second £lO, third

£4, fourth £2, fifth £l.—E. Davis’s Tara Jack, 33i points, 1; A. Aubrey’s Hein 33, 2; A. T. Miller’s Runt, 32, 3; I. Anderson’s Risp, 31L 4; I. Anderson’s Toby, 31, 5. Special prizes were awarded as follows:—

■ Mr N. Hayes’ gold medal, local competitor with most points.—A. Aubrey. Mr E. Dunstan’s prize for youngest competitor—D. Anderson.

Club’s challenge cup, most points in long pull and yard and long pull—E. Davis.

Mr M. Lawlor’s prize for returned soldier with most points—A. Aubrey. Club’s prize for maiden competitor— Not yet decided.

■-la- cs. Mr J. Malmanche’s, and Mr. W. Blarclay’s prizes, maiden competition, classes 1,2, and 3 respectively— Not yet decided. Mr W. Menzies’ prize for best pulling dog in class 3 —E. Davis. Mr D. M’Gimpsey’s prize for best team of three dogs—A. Aubrey. Mr A. M. Robertson’s prize for local dog, any breed and trained by owner— D. M'Gimpsey. Mr B. H. Wilkinson’s prize for local dog bred and trained by owner, most points in each class—lan Anderson (class 2).

Mr J. R. M'Phail’s prize for dog returning quickest in huntaway—lan Anderson, R. B. Smvth.

Mr A. A. MTlwraith’s prize for bona liue shepherd or musterer scoring most points in class 2 with dog broken in and worked by competitor—lan Anderson. Mr R. W’. Trotter’s sixth prize in each class—l. Anderson, C. A. Parker (class 1), G. P. Johnston, D. M'Gimpsey and lan Anderson.

Mr J. Conaghan’s prize for local competitor with most points—A. Aubrey.