THE KENNEL.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16514, 26 August 1921, Page 3

THE KENNEL.

AMONGST THE CANINES. (By “ GREYHOUND.”) Air Jesse Smith, of Leeston, bas a first-class litter of fox terriers by G. and F. E. Biltcliff’s dog, Ch. Glenmore Bristler. Messrs- Alorten and Dawson had the misfortune to lose a. good Irish setter bitch, Stonyeroft Sheila, recently, as the result of complications following distemper. There is a scheme afoot in Dublin to form a Sinn Fein Kennel Club. Air J. S. Durie, of Woolston, of fox terrier fame, has mated a good little bitch, Jervois Jaunty, to Woolston Sandbank, a young dog of bis own breeding, by Anna—Argus, cx Jervois Jewel. The secretary of the Canterbury Kennel Club has the schedule in preparation, and wishes to have it printed as soon ns possible, so that friends of the club can send donations for special prizes. A meeting of tbe Canterbury Kennel Club will be held on AA r ednesday evening next, to make arrangements for the November show. Air Alorten, president of the Canterbury Kennel Club, lias been confined to his borne for some time, through a slight ailment. He has now improved, and expects to be about in a day or two. Air F. Robertson, of Clinton, has sent bis Cocker spaniel bitch. Sylvan Spangle, ou a. visit to the Christchurch dog, Melrose Bruce. Owing to ill-health. Air S. C. Crisp, the well-known breeder of Cocker spaniels, has had to resign from the committee of the Canterbury Kennel Club. Air S. C. Crisp, of Sumner, has bought a pleasing roan Cooker bitch puppy, by Melrose Bruce ex ATelrose Jenny, from Air C. Brice, of St Albans.

In view of tlie doubts, frequently expressed by shooting men, regarding the working capabilities of the modern show dog, the following account of a recent performance by a. well-known bench winner, will prove of interest. At the Christchurch Gun Chib’s Grand National pigeon shoot, a first-class show specimen gave an exhibition of fast, clean retrieving. The dog in question. Alessi % s Alorten and Dawson's Ch. Ahuriri Rhu, is a nine-year-old Irish setter, that lias been a big winner in tbo show ring, and lias also sired a number of winners. Fn the concluding event, a first-m«ss-out sweep. Ch. Ahuriri Rhu. worked by Air A. Dawson, retrieved 110 birds in forty-five minutes. This is certainly a remarkable performance, for it works out at less than twenty-five seconds per bird, and it is estimated that the dog travelled between three mties and a half and four miles in completing his taskThese figures are authentic, having been supplied by Mr E. Shand, the referee and handicapper to the Christchurch Gun Club. There are bathing establishments in France which provide k ‘ public ” baths for dogs. At Leipzig (Germany), they bare recently opened “public*’ baths for dogs, and it is rumoured that Dresden will soon follow suit. In-breeding is the short cut to family likeness, for the closer and longer consanguinity is practised the greater becomes tbe family resemblance between the individual members of the inbred family. The value of an inbred animal lies in its inheriting the concerntrated qualities of its ancestors, and so in its greatly enhanced power of impressing those qualities or characters on its progeny. Unfortunately, inbreeding, while helpful in fixing the desired type, too often results in deterioration in constitution, size, boneprolificacy, arid -mental vigour, for all characters, good and bad alike. are equally strengthened by this method of K Production. Thus practically im-

perceptible physical failings may be intensified into deformity, and plight constitutional weaknesses to serion* dangers menacing the very existence of the inbred family. The extent to which inbreeding may be safely carried depends upon tbe skill and severity with which selections are made. In discriminate promiscuous inbreeding is highly deleterious and even worseT it fs purposeless; but if we follow Nature’s system—rigidly selecting the best and absolutely rejecting every dog exhibiting tendencies to weakness of any kind—-it may be followed to advantage, as it is in Nature, without loss of constitutional vigour.