KENNEL NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 23389, 22 December 1937, Page 12

KENNEL NOTES

SUCCESSFUL RIBBON PARADE (By RETRIEVER) The Southland Kennel Club’s final event of the year, the ribbon parade held in conjunction with the summer show on Wednesday evening, was: a great success, the parade in the show ring being a fine sight. The judge, Mr A. Begg, of Dunedm, was very pleased with the quality of the dogs shown and it is interesting to note that the popular vote placed Mrs L. M. Printz’s English Setter Carl of Tarema, at the top, the same award as he received from the judge. The full results were published on Thursday. Mr S. Davidson’s bulldog bitch Kanui Karen, has three fine white and brindle pied pups by Mr A. Weallean’s dog Sorlain O’Jourie. Unfortunately during whelping four other pups were lost. Mr T. Pasco has a fine black curlycoated retriever pup by Nigger Boy ex Waipori Molly, bred by Mr G. Hall, Bay road, and a brown curly retriever dog pup by Waipori Brownie from Gypsy Lady, bred by Mr J. Friend. There is a good working strain in each pup and in the hands of this keen trial man should develop on the right lines. Wonderful it is, how differently some people view the activities in other countries regarding; the much abused shepherd dogs, states the New Zealand Fancier. The Hon. C. J. Carrington, for instance assured Parliament that Australia is determined to get rid of the breed at the earliest opportunity. Yet the Australian papers state that at the Melbourne Royal, the hunted breed took pride of place- in the way of entries for big breeds with 74 dogs and the special Sydney Show for Mr Steadman Thomas shows a correspondingly high tally. The great American expert, when interviewed in this connection remarked that the persecution of the breed was incomprehensible and so popular is the breed becoming in America, that it is becoming recognized as the national working sheep dog of the states in many quarters. Incidentally, it could easily be demonstrated by more than one farmer in the vicinity of Wellington, how competent the Alsatian can be as a sheep dog pure and simple, though of course, there are none so blind as those who do not desire to see. Mr W. J. Polson, we understand, is to introduce the Carrington Bill in the Lower House in due course, which in view of recent happenings in that place is all to the good as far as Alsatianists are concerned.

BOARDING KENNELS Boarding kennels for both dogs and cats in Wellington, offering splendid accommodation in an establishment with one and a-half acres of ground, are being advertised by an enterprising fancier. Expert medical attention is available day or night for either accidents or sickness, and the weekly charge is a very small one, being slightly more for dogs. To train a puppy to drop to game it is advisable to manufacture a trap of some description, a box-trap with dropdown doors at both ends or a wirenetting trap shaped like a cone. The latter trap is simply placed over the bird on the ground. Either trap can be thatched to suit the surrounding country. If you can find someone near you who has a loft of pigeons and will for a small recompense bring half-a-dozen birds and put them through the trap for you, so much the better. Get your trapper to put a bird in the trap where your puppy cannot see the performance and then bring your dog up wind, keeping him on the lead. Endeavour to get the scent of the pigeon into the puppy’s nose. Encourage him but if over keen steady him and try to get him to stand to his game. If he does so put your hand on him for a few seconds and then get your trapper, who should be concealed down wind to spring the trap The pigeon flies up and the dog is dropped by command. Make a fuss of your dog if all has gone well, but this lesson may take some time to perfect. Repeat the process, moving, on to a fresh position each time until all the birds are used. They will have returned to their loft un-

harmed and may be used over and over again. When you see your dog has the right idea of what is required, use your gun, but do not kill any bird until he is rock steady to game and shot. When this time has arrived work your dog up to the trap and kill two birds, but do not let him retrieve them. Make him sit while you go out and pick them up yourself. Show them to him and give him an edible reward for work well done. Then shoot a third bird which he can be allowed to retrieve. Dropping to fur will follow on and anyone who has country where ferreting can be obtained should take the puppy and stand by while the rabbits bolt and are shot. You should instil into your dog that he is not on any account to retrieve until he is told. If you send him every time he begins to connect the shot and kill and retrieving and will soon disregard the intermediate step, i.e., your permission to go. “It takes months to make and moments to spoil.”