The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1876-10-11
THE CENTENNIAL DOG SHOW.
Its Extont and Y yariety-.-Value of Some An
mails Present.-.C Curiosities to be Seen.

| Its Extont and Variety---Valuo Of Some Ami.
mals sPresent---Curiosities to be Seen.
OF all the international gatherings,
conventions and congresses, special ex'
hibitions and side shows of this centen'
nial year, the most curious is the dog
show open at the live stock exhibition
grounds at the Centennial, on Belmont
avenue. For the accommodation of the
canine wonders nine long sheds with
double rows OF stalls are provided.
These stalls differ only from those ordi.
narily used for the exhibition OF cattle
at State or county fairs, in having their
floors placed two or three feet above the
ground. The dogs, singly, in pairs OF
families, are chained or tied in thei,
places, and supplied with straw beds
and plenty of biscuit and water. There
are about six hundred of them here, Of
all kinds, from the rough bulldog and
the common rat terrier to the thorough
bred English or Irish setter, and the
slight and graceful italian greyhound;
and of all sizes, from the diminutive
toy black-and-tan terrier to the massive
Siberian bulldog and the mild eyed
Newfoundlander.
Long before the visitor reaches the
show he is greeted with such medley
of dog voices as he has assuredly never
heard before. From the deep bay of
the fox hound to the sharp yelp of the
terrier, from the full tone of the English
mastiff to the uncertain squeak of the
poodle, there are numerous gradations,
with variations for each mood of the dog
mind. The whining of some of the
petted lap dogs exposed to the cool
wind, as well as homesick, and perhaps
hungering for the dainty food to which
their fair owners have accustomed them,
is really pitiful.
Settlers are more largely represented
than any other variety of the dog race,
and there are many fine, highly bred
animals. There are some excellent red
Irish settlers, including few that are
valued at 200 guineas apiece, and some
black-and-tan Gordon settlers 80 finely
marked that they would form fine sub
jects for the animal painter. Many
English settlers are exhibited, and some
of them not only showthe points of good
dogs, but have pedigrees of remarkable
extent. Most noticeable among the
latter are two dogs recently imported
from England, late the property of Ed
ward Laverack, of Shropshire. They
are descended from stock which MIR.
Laverack obtained in 1925, and which it
was supposed had been pure for thirty
five years. He has kept continuous
strain of pure blood since that time. The
pedigree of the dogs for nine genera
tions is shown, and the number Of
names in it is adapted to give person
an enlarged idea of the dimensions Of
the graveyard which might contain the
bones of his ancestors. Some wag has
burlesqued the pedigree mongers by
issuing the prospectus OF the full pedi-
gree of dog, giving its descent from
one of the Biblical dogs that licked
Lazarus sores. There are comparative
ly few pointers, but some are good ami
mails. Some Irish terriers are shown Of
a very high strain of blood, as may be-
judged from the price, 200 guineas in
gold, asked for one or two OF the best.
Very curious in appearance are the Irish
water spaniels, with long curly topknots
and shaggy ears. There are quite q
number OF dachshunds, a medium sized
dog with singular crooked forelegs.
Among the other CANNES are English fox
terriers, used to unearth the fox when
the hounds have run him into his bur-
row; many Skye terriers, Scotch terriers,
black and.tar terriers, poodles and lap
dogs, Spitz dogs, Siberian bloodhounds,
a fine English mastiff, English and
Italian greyhounds, Chesapeake bay
duck dogs, vicious looking bull terriers,
English pug dogs, sheep dogs, and two
queer hairless Mexican hounds.
This is the first extensive dog show
ever held in this country. Such shows
have, however, been of pretty regular
ANIMAL occurrence in England and
France for some time past.