KENNEL NOTES

Southland Times, Issue 23767, 15 March 1939, Page 16

KENNEL NOTES

By

FANCIER

The Southland Gun-Dog Club will hold a trial next Saturday on new ground near the Myross Bush aerodrome road. The judges are Mr T. Pascoe and Mr P. Hennessey, the latter to take puppy and novice classes at his initial attempt as an adjudicator. Two fine trophies have been given for a class restricted to handlers under .16 years of age, an innovation which should be distinctly interesting. Of all canines which have found favour in the eyes of sportsmen the world over, no breed has attained the popularity of the Labrador. In New Zealand today, as in other countries, the Labrador stands supreme as the dog most suitable as the companion and assistant of the shooting enthusiast. No doubt the devotees of the spaniels, setters, pointers and the other retrievers consider their own breeds superior to the Labrador but the fact remains that the latter has achieved his position as the leading gun-dog today on the sheer merit of his general working ability. The early history of the breed in England is uncertain but the most widely accepted theory is that the ancestors of the Labrador were brought over about the year 1800 in ships which carried salted cod from Newfoundland to Poole Harbour. For many years Labradors had to take second place to their first cousins, the flat-coats, then very popular as gun-dogs in England, and it was not until comparatively recently that the breed was granted separate registration by the English Kennel Club. To one person, more than any other, the Labrador owes its remarkable march of progress and popularity. This reference is to the great benefit which the breed has received since about 1914 from the influence o fthe Banchory Kennel whose owner, Countess Howe, has spared no effort to get the breed recognized as the supreme type of gun-dog, and virtually carried it forward to the prominence which it now enjoys. Her Banchory dogs have won every possible honour, both at field trials and in the show ring, demonstrating their dual qualities, and encouraging sportsmen to breed the very best stock. Lady Howe must have had an initial love for the breed, but it was one individual dog, more than any other which was beloved by its owner and honoured by everybody. Dual champion Banchory 8010 was nursed back to life and health by its mistress before it ever achieved fame, and it is probable that in other hands the dog would not have had the will to' recover, or the incentive to spur it on to its later victories. For a period it seemed almost invincible and then reigned with unquestionable authority over such an array of champions as had never previously been gathered and containing the name of almost every star which had arisen since the happy day when Lady Howe adopted the Labrador.

To those who are not well acquainted with the breed it comes as a surprise to learn that it is possible to breed blacks from yellow parents and vice versa; in fact the two colours sometimes occur in the same litter. The standard laid down by the Labrador Club has always aimed to retain the best qualities of the original type and to produce a sensible dog adapted for hard work in the field.

The general appearance should be strong and active with good chest and ribs; the head fairly wide, with cleancut cheeks, ears neat and closely set, eyes medium size and colour hazelbrown. Good sloping shoulders . are most important; also strong hindquarters, hocks well let down. The tail should be very thick towards the.base, gradually tapering towards the tip, of medium length, and should be practically free from feathering, but should be clothed thickly all round with the Labrador’s short, thick, dense coat, thus giving that peculiar rounded appearance which has been described as the “otter tail.” The coat is very distinctive; it should be short, very dense and without wave and should have a fairly hard feel to the hand. If a Labrador has the correct coat the rain will run off it without wetting the skin. It used to be said that the ideal height was 21 inches at the top of the shoulder but most of the prominent winners since 1924 have exceeded that by an inch or two. Labradors, as a breed are extremely late in development and often do not reach maturity until they are two years or more of age. On the other hand, they retain their capabilities to a ripe old age and have been known to win challenge certificates when 10 years old. The puppies are strong, sturdy and easy to rear, not requiring to be docked or trimmed in any way. With the possible exception of the bulldog there can be scarcely any other breed on the whole of the Kennel Club list which should be shown more completely in its natural state. The advantage to a novice exhibitor should be self-evident, since no amount of trimming will ever make a bad specimen into a good one, and so all have an equal chance. It has been suggested that the name is derived from a Spanish word meaning a workman; than which there can be few more suitable titles for an honest gun-dog. Labradors are exceptionally well represented in Southland and the following dogs have all competed successfully at field trials or in the show ring, in many cases with dual success. The breeding of these locally-owned dogs also makes interesting reading. S. Lindsay’s Lock (Bill-Pam). W. Pay’s Lady Betty (Heathcote Wrack-Cockersdale Lady). J. R. O’Brien’s Black Caesar of Ivanhoe (Ch. Don Caesar of Ivanhoe-Ch. Binkie). , , D. O. Wale’s Beecham (GladstoneTeazle of Glenrossie). G. W. Dennis’s Bruce . (Ch. Don Caesar of Ivanhoe-Teazle of Glenlossie). , , W. E. Hazlett’s King (GladstoneTeazle of Glenlossie). H. Halligan’s Cassius of Clifden (Deck, imp.-Steathmore Topsy). F. Morrison’s (Golden Labrador) Goldie (Bill-Pam). W. Cavanagh’s Gyp (Dante-Lock). A. Kidd’s Roma of Ivanhoe (Ch. Don Caesar of Ivanhoe-Ch. Binkie).