BEAUTIES AT THE SHOW

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 597, 27 August 1909, Page 3

BEAUTIES AT THE SHOW

1 LADIES' DOGS.

■ For thoso .who can stand a continual clamour of shriek, 1 and growl, and -yapping, an hour-or so : spent: at' the-.-dog..show .may be very . delightful, but it is .necessary to be proparod for an awful .and .unoeasing diri, ' and ?peirh'aps' that is why not) liiauy v. omen seem to be attracted by tho charms of the beautiful pets on exhibition. . . s '.;Wellington ; . is .not' a .happy place for. the' dog lover,, for most people have so - little ground that it is impossible'to keep.any:thing, larger ' or .more . interesting . than a-,"pug,"-and then it must spend lialf its time' indoors which: is-, not desirable. For, indoor companionship one wants; a. cat, but. for, out-of-aooi's there', is .none:'more. delightful; than a dog.- arid'a-'yisjt toa dog : show, sets .one- considering just,- ivh.a.t sort, would: •bo most desirable.. :' ' ~ :'. . Two ladies who were; thftre on'Wedhesday; .were.'in 'possession ■of '.prize animals,' -.ench. beautiful in its wuy. One 'was a-huge' St.. Bernard, which sat in its'- - small allotted space looking very dignified and jußt a little hurt in its'-filings at ; being, fixed among such-a'noisy and heterogeneous set ; of com-.' panions.. . Ihe 'other: was. a .tiny black Italian greyhound, 'with great lustrous ;eyes, ten • times ( as- big as its, tiny feet,> and; shrewd, beautiful, ears.:,' This .last .W3s. sort' of 'pet' one could keep'even .in a jwardinghouse, but. the, St> ..Bprnard; though so ;.ihconveniently. large,- was by far the more' desirable com-, papion. ■:. there'.were- the the; i ljiost picturesque, of; dogs.'.' Long- limbed;; I-with long ■ slender, bodies, ■ and. very ;' long' I pointed heads/ they-are, almost like'ghosts;or; oreatures,'.ana-.it, would.'. ; really make, one diudder to paiss.a.grey-haired,''Borzoi passing along a lone ;road .in the. grey twilight.' . Its •ftfit'' ! iVQuld iii'ake; no soiiiid, its would keep steadily; fixW before it, and-it: would lope - past almost':, like; a . .thought.' .. But 'it ' woiileT be a beautiful ;. thought,' and if - one had a large gardon with lawns, . and' trees, and glowing noweirs,. a . pure , white Borzoi would be as . decorative 'as a peacock. The; Borzoi- is ■so • new; and. - still'; so 4 ucoommon, because he is very, expensive and ( delicate that one": does «not know .' what i his;' nature : j s,; Ho is fascinating,and adorable.'':'.Oiie would. • like to have, a; Borzoi, .but not. in. a Wellington home. Tlie shrewd little' Dandie Dinmonts, vw;ith ; their: wise/.eye's and; unexpected, friendliness',; '. are' attractive,' and' so - are', -tho ' ugly, ; but' good-lramoured; little- Gamins,'', the ' wiVehaired :; terriers.' The .- grotesquely-headed Airedales, with-pointed, ears; that aive' them. an impish look, aro. iho- sort, of ,aogs. one doesn't mind' one's 1 friends ...haying, ' biit would not like as an ornament' to one's own doorstep. ; 'V. - . . Collies make ideal; friends,; though, they are apt. to bb- .just a littlo conceited, and .nothing 'can : b'e. more,;hadrtempere{l-I. than-a cross .coilie. ' The 'true collie:;is ..shrewd 'aild kindly, .intfclligent,' ! sprhpathetic. He' is the. finest ;of.-' friends,., but tho better .his '.intelligence, • the • more, one .-.feels;. that, he should'-be; living his natural life and ing in*ihe-fields,-rather than; loafing- about'.a house, and if- he is not a. working collie, but. one of the fancy kinds, it is a little hard to respect.him*.thoroughly,..^ ;Atthe shownearly all .the..collies)look vain, but then, one, cannot really judge of them at a show,' for there no dog looks its best, or, for. the'tnalWr of^tttatj• it«''-wot?fc; -.Th.ey are all' inclined to .be,.a'littlei' mo ; re eagerly friendly than at other times. The. noises ezoito< them, and they' wild furious, noises i toVeicite 'all/.thqjr. companions, and. then-the'y:'become'"rattled,use ja good old-'GeorgiVn; word,; and' the cross . ones ate perhaps,,not: quite so cross as usual;-and the /dignified'..ones /lose'- their..dignity, : : ;and only the very- shy,; melancholy- dogs remain tru'e'.-.tpl.thfeir ; ;'every-diy-;c.hii:actbr.- For them a ",show\:mudti be}'a: greatvordeal. . Hero, and tliere as'.', far back - as 'nartow;/limit; will; permit;'- their eye^.'filled ;ivith'> miserably s'Mred,;'look, ;piti-. ful ; Victims to the modern,; spirit' of; competiiioh.' V'-; '.

• The little .toy dogs .do .not, come ;in' this class. They .are-.enjoying themselves all- the. time—especially the pugs) .but;,piigs . are riot to be admired, 'for,-'Vok'hg. like:-little .bulldogs,. they are t\mid, ;-yain .creatures,;'with httlo hearts. There were some" 'charming Pomeraiiia"ns,lwnich' are. lar'geV : t-oy dogsj and .the'.most.'fascinating of. ; these', most -beautifuli-thing iS' tho show, a;'brbwn-haired Pomeranian' .piippy/. iust the colour' of a "Teddy" bear. : • JKor <a' ; Wellington." pet,;-,choose 'a . bull-dog '-rM; : ; 'ugly ;steal , •so faithful that it would not 1 be 'stolen, with bloodshot/.eye.; that dooks.: murder,' and a hideous-.- wrinkled mouth' that - would- love to be :kissed' by ; a f child. ; It. was quite a true story that was told: of a bull-dog which belonged to : a :. family ...where , a wicked little .boy - lived. .One. mo'rhihg., at'. breakfa'st' .th'e. family heard va. :yap:of- pain, arid, "looking under, the 'table, "they . found- the child .trying to shorten- the already'short tail with a pair of blunt scissors, the bulklog only. as a 'last ■ resource..-.ventured'to:'.protest nuldly..; family :■ rescued '.the child,!and .tried to, punish"him as lie'deserved) .but had to giveway,. 'because.! the '. bull-dog ''so furionsly ;r§seiited;' ; ariy' 'attempt" to "interfere with--.Kiy.'torin 1 is , the.-sort' of 'dog a , bull-dog i ia, and' if: anyone knor.'s : how to . treat him properly,- and cares, mo£e .for'simple faith ; and- "kind ..heart' than 'for'' beauty.', of facial''••eSpr^si6in,v'then' '.he- Should .buy ia bull-dog.'-..•' : i." .'"X... ..'. - .