THE KENNEL

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17217, 7 December 1923, Page 4

THE KENNEL

BY

“GREYHOUND.”

Following complications after whelping, Messrs G. and F. E. Biltcliff, of tho Wairiki Kennels, Christchurch, had tho misfortune to lose a much valued wire bitch, Dusky Pearl, and also her litter of four puppies Both on the West Coast and in Cantetbury much interest is being shown by fanciers in the proposed dog show t<> be held at Hokitika during the exhibition. *#* Messrs Shand and Dawson, of tho* Canterbury Kennels, Christchurch, are sending a trio of Smooth Fox Terriers to compete at the Auckland Kennel Club show. Mr H. S. 8. Kyle, of Riccarton, has sold a Whippet puppy to Mr G. Ingram, of Auckland. Another one is going to Mr F. S. Maloney, of Wellington. The Airedale bitch, Lady of Bradford, owned by Mr C. Shaw, of Richmond, is rearing a fine litter of six by Mr D. M’Kensie’s Peterborough. The Airedale dog puppy, Sherbourne, owned by Mr 3>. M’Kenzie, a winner at the Canterbury Kennel Club’s show, is offered for e&lo. One of tho secrets of success in the breeding of dogs is to make sure of the foundation cf tho ke.nnel. Blue blood in brood bitches is of much more, importance for the stud than good looks or exhibition merit. Some of the best specimens on tlio show bench, of several breeds, were bred from the most indifferent-looking bitches, which would not be worth it “ highly commendeo in ordinary competition.

Ashmont in “ Kennel Secrets,” in reference to tho giving of drugs to dogs, deals with arsenic as follows : *• Arsenic, the most popular agent for this purpose, is both a tonic and a deadly poison, and while in nicely adjusted doses and in selected subject* that absolutely require such a tonic, and whose peculiarities of organism are perfectly understood, it might do no harm and might possibly do good, still it is singularly prone in every instance to impair the vitality. But only men who are skilled in the use of drugs and have an intimate knowledge of anatomy and physiology can locate the danger line, and even they' must sometimes pass over it because of failure to recognise idiosyncrasies. And if such men are liable to fail, surely the average layman is not at all likely to succeed. But even when administered understamTlngly it is fai from being suitable for conditioning dogs, for although they seem to fatten lifter taking it for several weeks, the rounding out is not occasioned by a healthy deposit of fat, but is largely due to puffiness of certain tissues, or what is commonly called bloating. This seeming improvement can be kept up for a Tong time if the doses of the

poison are steadily increased, provided always the dog is much at rest. But submit him to a railway iourney, and the disturbing influence of a show, and he will shrink rapidly from the first cuy—his spurious fat melting, as :fc were—and ere he is home again he will not be back to his old form, but thinner than when the use of the drug was commenced.”

Cockers.—-According to “Our Dogs,” the tide of Cocker fashion seems to bo setting in strongly towards reds. There is a big demand for this colour, and good specimens are not plentiful. A gun cog roan of long experience—so it is .< ported—claims that he has never handled a poor worker. They are certainly attractive in appearance.

Tho judging of the dog show at the Toronto Exhibition was no small undertaking, and much interest was taken in its dogs by the 1.480,000 who visited ch© exhibition. Some 300,000 came from the United States. The large entry can be imagined when some 679 were prize-winners, it being the record show of Canada in the exhibition’s history. Boston Terrier entries numbered over 90, the next largest being the English Bulldogs with more than 50 good specimens. B. M. Armstrong showed a Labrador Retriever which was reared in the kennels of his Majesty King George, in England. Russian Wolfhounds, Irish Terriers, Beagles, Pekingese, and Airedales all had exceptionally large classes. The entries ranged from the tiniest of Pomeranians and French Poodles up to the huge Mastiff.

There is more honour and credit to tho man who breeds winners than to the man who buys them.

Even when mature, all toy varieties should be fed several times a day. One© in an hour and a half is about right for About a month after weaning. Then a- trifle longer intervals will bo allowable, but they must be very slowly and gradually lengthened for, as already mentioned, even when mature, toys should have food several times in the day. Little and often should be the rule. In feeding toys and other varieties which it is desirable to keep down in weight, breeders must have before them tho fact that the animal foods, milk and meat, alone and uncombined with other substance-s, tend to produce firmness of flash with an absence of superfluous fat ; while on the other hand, vegetable foods, and particularly the starches, favour the laying on of fat. They must also bear in mind that animal foods abound in th© materials for bone and muscle binding; and while in moderate quantities they do but little more than meet the wear and tear of th© body anft keep th© muscles firm and complete, if they aro given in excess they tend decidedly to increase the size of tho bony structure and amount of muscle or flesh.—Ashment.