THE KENNEL. BY TERROR.

Otago Witness, Issue 2892, 18 August 1909, Page 35

THE KENNEL. BY TERROR .

Fancier and breeders «f dogs are cordially invited to contribute to this column. " Terror " -will endeavour to make this department as interesting sad up-to-date as possible, but in ord«r to do thij he must hare the co-operation ci his readers, hence he trusts this invitation -will be chjerfully responded to.

— The kennel should be lime-washed occasionally; once in threa months would not be too often. It should not be tenanted, however, until perfectly dry.

— A correspondent inquiring about tapeworms in dogs. I have to explain: tapeworms or toenia are in flattish sections, easily separated, of varying length and breadth. They reproduce themselves by segmentation, but unless the head, whioh is fixed to the intestines, be got away, will continue to increase and multiply. Some of them are yards in length. To get rid of tapewarms, give a capsule of male fern, oil, from five to 20 drops (according to age or bleed) — fasting,— in the morning-, and repeat in a week.

— Mr Philip Turner wrote the following interesting letter to Our Dogs in June last relative to the colour of bulldogs:

Sir, — In your issue cf last week there appeared a letter on this subject signed "M. Heineman." Curiously enough, in the Exchange and Mart of March 27 was published the following note over a norn da plume of mine: —

— Black-and-tan Bulldogs. —

The origin of the blaok-and-tan puppy -which now and then turns up in a litter of bulldogs of apparently blameless pedigree • seems to puzzle many excellent people. I have always accounted for it as follows : — At a period when dog-fight-ing was a common practice, terriers were continually crossed with the bulldog for this purpose, the first cross being termed a bull and terrier. Black-and-tan terriers, among others, were used, and not so very long ago plenty of good-looking black-and-tan bull terriers were about, much more typical than the white ones of today. The first cross crossed with bull again •would produce an animal showing hardly any terrier at all, and one can well imagine the owner of a bitch of this description putting her to a bulldog sire of the day in the hope of breeding a winner — which h,e very likely did, for the animal would be eeven-eighths bull. From this point, of course, all trace of tihe terrier oeases, except the colour, which, being a very ancient one, throws back from tims to time.^ That the above actually occurred, and that quite often, there is not a shadow of

a doubt -in my mind

Remember, we are

dealing with a time -when dog shows were • in their infancy, and pedigrees but Too&sly kept. I have never before seen this theory in oold print, but it seems to me so simple and so probable that I shall continue to accept it until something more feasible is advanced, which so far has not been done.

Peter Reitjbn.

So far as I am concerned, there is nothing to add fo the view thus expressed. But Mr Heinaroan mentions an expert — in fact, the most expert breeder of to-day, who scouts the idea of a terrier cross, and says the colour arises purely from inbreeding. Heaven knows that nowadays we are inundated with "experts." I have hopes of becoming one myself in about 10 years; but for once, will this particular expert ■come into the open, and over hie own signature tell us on what grounds (1) he scouta the idea of a terrier cross, and (2) how he proposes to inbreed any positive property without first introducing it into the strain? The only one I know of is degeneracy. . I am quite awake to the fact that in breeding certain stock, by combining certain colours, an entirely different one can be produced ; but this is well-chosen amalgamation, not inbreeding, for first it must be produced to be inbred. As to Mr Heineman'e personal experience, there is only to say that if you inbreed a strain, knowingly or not, possessing certain marked characteristics, they are bound to recur frequently, good or bad.

— Mre Harry Lauder has had an. unpleasant adventure with a bulldog, which her husband had just - purchased. The comedian bought the dog' in Blackburn and consigned it to Euston. It. became savage op the journey, and a telephone message was sent to Mrs Lauder at her residence at Tooting. Mrs Lauder went to Willesden in a motor brougham driven by iher brother. Mr Harry Vellanoe, and took charge of the animal. On the way back to Tooting the bulldog savagely attacked Mre Lauder, fastening its teeth in her leg ard tearing open the limb. Mr Vallamce went to tho assistance of the lady, when the animal turned on him, jumping at his throat viciously. Mrs Lauder fell in a faint at the bottom of the car, and dog and man rolled over in the street, Mr Vallancs struggling to keep the brute's teeth from his neck. After a desperate fight the dog was killed by three policemen. Mrs Lauder and Mr Vallance were -taken, to St. Thomas's Hospital, where their wounds were dressed.

— '"Tell me, lieutenant," 6aid the inquisiti\e lady to the'Aretic hero, "what did you do when all your dogs died?" "Then, dear lady," replied the intrepid explorer, with a reminiscent gleam in his clear blue eyes, '"then we had to use the ice-pack."

— The story of the Irish terrier that of its own accord visited Oroydon Hospital as an out-patient, recalls the fact that in the boardroom of King's College Hospital, London, there is a picture representing two fox terriers bringing their wounded companion, a collie, there for treatment. The incident occurred in 1887, and is -well authenticated The owner of the two dogs was a Mr Hutt, a well-known booksaller In the neighbourhood. His explanation of the dogs' sagacity was that as they lived go near th© hospital they must have often seen people who had met accidents taken thither, and thay used their knowledge for the benefit of their friend the collie, which belonged to a drover who frequently passed the shop.

—An extraordinary instance of what might not inappropriately be termed rescuing life from the dead happened recently in

Birmingham. Mr Bagnall, a butcher, and a regular exhibitor of Dachshunds and Italian greyhounds, had the misfortune to have his winning bitch, Lady Ninna, of the latter bread, and who happened to be dv? to whelp, run over by a motor car and killed on the s>pot. She was immediately cut open, and two puppies were successfully taken from her and fostered by a cat. One only survived a few days, but the other puppy grew and thrived wonderfully, and is alive and doing really ■well, and gives every promise of being reared to maturity.

RETRIEVERS AND HOW TO BREAK

THEM.

The education of a retriever may be said to consist of only two kssons. Not much, one may say; true, but he must he kept at both until he has thoroughly .mastered them. These tessons may be subdivided under two heads — steadiness and retrieving before being taken out shooting, and steadiness and retrieving when in the field — and remember that on the thoroughness with which lesson No. 1 is taught depends the clog's whole future career.

The first thing to do to make a retriever reliable and steady is to teach him hie proper • place, and that, whether on the Queen's highway or on the moor, is at his master's heels, and this position he should never leave without- permission. This at once does away with the idea that a dog may accompany his master for exercise. For that purpose he should have a right to ecampor about to his heart's content in a grass field or court for at least half au 'hour or an 'hour every day, but as soon as he is oalled to h««l h« slw>vii<l , learn that his time for play has come to an end and that for work begun. The pup should at first be kept always on a cord, but on no account should he be allowed to i»uil at it. If he lags behind or ijfete in front, give him a reminder by jerking the cord, instant\y easing your hand again and accompanying the action by the words "Come' back." Have the whip ready to show him you aro in earnest, but of course, you must use it only with the greatest discretion. Whe>n he. understands this on a cord, keeps his place, and does not pull at it, free him and try him without it ; but on no account let- him. leave your heel immediately you do so. Keep on cautioning him by word or deed, put him on the cord again, occasionally freeing him, and he will soon learn tihat you mean him to remain by you under either condition.

Having learned his proper place, how is the puppy to be taught to retrieved By pursuing the same tactics: beginning ham on a. cord, freeing him afterwards, and not by throwing something foi him to fetch. By adopting the following metihod you will soon get him to take an interest in his work, and. fre will learn nothing he has to unlearn. Put the pupil on the coad, and the object you decide xm using in his mouth. This"' should" be soft, lOin or 12in long, and" covered witih. cloth or leather. In a short time take it from him and give it bVm Iback' ajgain. [ TBe_ ' careful to keep him^in his ajjace, exactly' as you have been in ; fche- .Tiabit .of doing before you asked him . to. carry »ny tilling. Should he drop it, replace •it in his mouth, always putting your-- hand under the jaw, and keeping it- there,"telling- him to "hold it." Make him wheel . and turn with you ,as bsfore, your great aim being to see that he carries tba thing properly, oomee right up when told to "come on with it" or ''fetch it," and holds it till bcM to "give it up." The lesson s/hould on no account be . prolonged beyond a few minutes, and ithe puppy should not bo rewarded till he carries the object back to the house in order to teach him that what he returns is of value and is never thrown away. The lesson may be varied later on by throwing the object into thick grass or any sort of cover or over a fence, etc. This part of the puppy's edrucatior may !be finished by making him, retrieve a rabbit or' two. It enlarges his ideas, and gives him a forecast of what is to come. Accustom him to carry it first, and then drag it across a field for a considerable distance, and let him find it by means of his nose. As soon as h© gets to where the rabbit is, whistle to him to make him bring it to you at once. Nevea- allow him to maul it about or play with it.

Let u-3 suppose our pupil is now perfect as far as his preliminary education goes. He stays at heel without a slip, retrie<vee without a and dees not feanr the gun. The time has arrived when he may begin work in earnest. A careless or over-con-fident man has an excellent opportunity of undoing in one short hour the work of many weeks. The dog up to date may be nearly perfect, but he has never had the temptation he will be exposed -to today. He has never seen a coY«y of grouse got up at his feet or a hare bound off in front of him. Still, under a competent man he ought to do well the first day. Remember, the use of a retriever, roughly speakin.?, is to find birds you cannot find yourself, and not to pick up those tliat fall within a few yards of your feet, and an intelligent do? will soon understand this. If you find you have made a mistake in marking a bird's fall or if the bird has run, sond the dog to find it, but never allow him to leave his place until (permission is given. Steadiness is of more importance to begin with than retrieving. The writer has at the present time in hu possession a young bitch that is a perfect model for steadiness. When a bird falls she it. so far from running -n that she turns around at once amd stands looking up w her roaster's face asking for permission to co In that position she will remem as long as he likes until she gets the word, then reversing 'hereeK on her own axia, she is off like the wind. Of course, you must put your pupil on a cord for tine first few lessons. Whenalbird falls walk him up to it, cautianin'g him the whole way, wick it up yourself and gut it in his mouth, and xnako nim follow you with it, keeping him in his place as of old, and givmg him srreat praise when he does well. How soon you miv dispense wirth. the cord of course depends" entirely on his disposition; but depend on it, you can never be too careful with a young one. You must also remember that many dogs get keener as they get older, and that even in their second Reason they must be carefu-Uy wa tctoj. Remember also that every hunt should have a definite determination. If the dog finds the bird, ccc that he comes to you with it instantly, take it from him, and caress him for having done well. But many c hunt may be unsuccessful, and yet the dog may have worked honestly and well. In that case, do not leave him to lax behind. When he has' done his

best whistle him up. caress him, and teft him tile bird has "gone away." He will very scon understand, accept what you say, and fall contentedly into his place again. The- latter part of iJie article deals with breaking a dog- of bad habits, of course an infinitely more difficult task than teaching them in rhe first instance. The treatment prescribed for hard-mouthed dogs is to present them to a friend. It is almost impossible- to effect a cure. But does hard-mouthed with ground game only som-etima improve as they grow older. A gun-shy dog is almost, a hopeless case, but much can sometimes be done with tact and patience. The worst fault perhaps that a retriever can commit is to '"run in." The animal puts up birds, demoralises otfhor dogs, and fcsn<? to bad language. The owner is voted c pvCbMc nuisance ; and when everyone is ou of temper he cart only, like 'Wellington at Waterloo, "pray, for* the darkness." A dog that has run "in persistently, and has readied a certain age, is virtually '"past praying for," and should oe always on a dip. The writer concludes by saying that anyone who sends a valuable retriever "onl trial" to .people he knows nothing about may as well tie the proverbial * millstone about tfhe animal's neck and cast him ' l into the sea. He asserts most emphatically that he who spareth the red lovefch the dog, and that if he can bring the British sporteroan to this way of thinking he wi!7 not have written in vain.