LONDON DOG SHOW.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 19156, 12 November 1927, Page 22

LONDON DOG SHOW.

COCKER SPANIELS THE FAVOURITES. (JBOV OUR, OWH OORRSSrOHDMT.) LONDON, October *. Every conceivable kind of dog was represented at the annual Kennel Club show at' the Crystal Palaco last week.- There were 2394 dogs competing. There were great St. Bernards, with the accumulated wisdom of centuries in their eyes, gentle aa they, are massive; Samoyeds with silken coats of amazing whiteness, Setters of golden brown, Spaniels of jet black without a fleck of colour, Terriers ever alert for rati, biscuits, a pat on the head or a kind work, down to Yorkshire Terriers peering on tho world a pat on the head or a kind word, shown toimitate the sniff of the bulldog, and "Poms" with bright eyes which miss nothing. Dogs have their ups and downs in the mattei of popularity, and a study of registrations and show cataloging for the past few years is rather like a study of the varying fortunes of stocks and shares. A few years ago nothing could touch the Fox Terrier and the Pom. Then the Alsatian swept the 'field; now the Cocker Spaniel is easily first; the Alsatian dropped from 541 at last year's show to -28 i this year, while the Fox. Terrier dropped from 203 to 70. I'oma, on the other hand, went, up from GO to 119, while Pekingese dropped from 332 to 205. All classes of field dogs were well represented, particularly tho ever-popular Cocker, which has come into its own again and easily headed the list of entries with 494. Irish Setters, amongst the handsomest of dogs, were Vstter represented than usual. They have been seen about London, usually in pairs, more during- the last year than evar before. They look like making a hid for general popularity. Tho popularity of greyhound racing had the effect of reducing the number of entries for this dog, breeders apparently being too busy finding dogs for the track- to spare the time for the prize ring. Greyhound puppies, which a year ago sold for five guineas, now fetch from fifteen to twenty pnrineas, and dogs have shown a similar increase in value. Curiosities from Abyssinia. There ,is always some special feature or novelty at the Kennel Club show. Tin's year it was provided by Messrs "Nemo" and "Turo,'' two Abyssinian Sand Terriers, amazing little creatures with no hair, the skin of young porkers, and the general appearance of large and intelligent rata. They were not too pleasant to look at, and few of the hundreds who visited thorn had a good word for them. They are evidently animals with an adventurous turn of mind, -for they . arrived in England from their native country packed in a crate of pythons addressed to a London reptile importer. They seemed little the worse for the journey, a-u'd had evidently kept on good terras with their strange bed-fellows.