The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1884-07-05 00:00:00

THE DOG SHOW AT THE CRYSTAL
PALACE,

The 23rd exhibition of sporting and other dogs,
under the management of the Kennel Club, began on
Tuesday at the Crystal Palace, at Sydenham, con-
tinuing until Friday evening. The number of dogs
entered in the catalogue was nearly 1300, but as many
of these were absent: the entries were not so great
1
1 as they appear. There were no fewer than seven
1 rings and 19 judges, who commenced their labours
early in the, morning, but they did not terminate their
awards until a late hour, and a very large proportion
of the prize-winners had not the labels attached to
them before sii. o'clock. The different classes were
tolerably well supported, but there was a falling-off
in some in point of number
_. and merit, while
others, such as the Great Dane, or boar-hounds,
fox . terriers, dachshounds Sk'ves, and Scotch
terriers have improved. "Theblo6dhounds were poor,
' Biethi mastiffs were good, and the same may be said
of itii‘St:Ternarcls, which comprised some of the best
knowia dogs on the bench, the puppies being unusually
promising. The Nevvfoundlands were good, but the
Great Danes or boarhounds presented an extraordi-
nary variety of colour, as there were white, black-and-
white, brindled, dun, slate-coloured, blue, and spotted
specimens of the breed,und as they still seem to grow
in favour no doubt other colours may be exhibited in
the future. Deerhounds and greyhounds were a
moderate lot, but there were some curious foreign
animals in one of the extra classes. The
pointers were a fair class, but oddly there was
only one lemon-and-white dog among them,
as . the rest, with - the exception of three
black ones, were liver-and-white. There were a few
' good animals among the English setters, but the class
aga whole Was indifferent, though mote than half the
'animals exhibited came -from one strain of blood.
The black and tans were a heavy, lumbering lot of
slogs, 'rind hh.rdly any of them looked as if they could
work well in the field, but the Irish setters, though
few in -number, comprised some good specimens of
the breed. The retrievers were not up to the usual
standard, and the curly-coated were of equal merit
with the wavy-coated. Collies were hardly up to the
average, but though there were some very nice
tortoiseshell and black 'dogs exhibited there were very
few black and tans. which seerii, for a time at least,
to have gone out of fashion as far its exhibition pur-
poses go, though there are many excellent ones to be
seen iri the streets. The Bassethound class contained
'one or two excellent dogs, and there' were some good
bulldogs and bull terriers on the benches. Spaniels
were not numerous, and hardly up to the average in
quality, though here and there nice specimens of the
• various classes were seen. Daelashounds, Bedlingtons,
pandie Dinmonts, and Skyes were exhibited in large
numbers, while several of the new classes of terriers
Which have been.instituted during the last few years
are increasing in size. The toy classes were fair, and
there were a few good pugs among a large entry, while
. the fancy classes were of the usual merit. New classes
for Chinese Chow Chow and Japanese dogs were in-
stituted, and made a fair show.

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