THE KENNEL.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume VIII, Issue 395, 17 February 1898, Page 16

THE KENNEL.

It is very likely that the Gainsboro’ Kennel of Cocker Spaniels will be broken up, as Mr Warriner, the Melbourne fancier, is seriously considering' an offer to buy the whole lot he has received from a N.Z. Cocker admirer. If the dogs do come over here their advent will give the breed a lift that it stands sadly in need of.

Mr W. Beilby’s book, ‘ ‘ The Dog’ in Australia, ’’ has been very favourably reviewed in the Fox tersier Chronicle by the Rev. C. F. Fisher. As a fox-terrier man the rev. gentleman thinks Mr Beilby might have brought his own terriers into more prominence in the book, for, as he says, Mr Beilby avoided two great faults when importing’ fox-terriers —coarseness and want of character.

“ Don Fortuno” has paid a visit to the Harewood Fox-terrier Kennels, and tells all about the inmates in the Canterbury Times. He greatly praises Mr Triggs’ dogs all round. I cull the following- from his account Last, bnt not least, in the senior division is Darkie - Dominie (imported), a real muttum in parvo. He is by the most popular of sires. in the Old Country, namely, Champion Dominie, who is sire of the invincible Donna Fortuna, and a host of winners. Darkie Don.inie also possesses strong lines of Champion D’Orsay and Despoiler, so that his breeding cannot be denied. He is a good little dog, compact and strong, with abundance of bone, and from the start|he has inadein the union with Diversion it is likely that he will do well at the stud, for which he was specially imported. We next reviewed the youngsters at Johnsonville, and here I had the pleasure to look over three of the most promising puppies, probably, seen at one time together in the colonies. They aro all dogs, one being by Neidpath Danger, from Regalia, and the other two being by Darkie Dominie from Diversion. They are six months old, and it would be difficult to say at the present time moment which will be the best. All have good long heads, with plenty of biting power, and in other respects possess those points which one likes to see in a dog at their age. They are full of substance and quality; in fact the two Diversion puppies almost appear overburdened -with bone, but yet stand as straight as possible and show no muscle on the shoulders. There is little doubt, if they grow on as they are going, they must take a very high place at the forthcoming shows. In addition to these were a number of youngsters of various ages, all looking well and pointing to the conclusion that Mr Triggs, in obtaining Mrs Slack’s services to care for his puppies, has put the right lady in the right place. In taking a general retrospect of the whole of the terriers which came under my notice, several features stood pre-eminent, particularly of which might be mentioned—excellence of type, uniformity of size, and the specially good heads, ears, and eyes and magnificent legs and feet which they all possessed —and it is evident that Mr Triggs has in his mind's eye what the ideal terrier should be, even if it is never his luck to breed one; but

when, it is remembered that in Great Britain rarely more than one ‘ flyer ’ comes out in one year/with all the breeding that is carried on, how mnch more then in a small community, such as New Zealand, with a limited number of breeders, do the efforts become intensified. However, in the present day, New Zealand and Australia are measuring conclusions in the matter of horses, why should not we then also in the matter of terriers, or any other breed of dog, do likewise ? The blood is in the land ; it only requires intelligence and perseverance to bring such a contingency about.” D.H.