Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1892-09-19
SHORT LIFE or VALUABLE DOGS.
Poisonous stimuiants Are Given to Pro-
tect Them Against the Climate.

Poisonous Stimulants Are Given to Pro-
tect Them Against the Climate.
Another good st. Bernard dog has Joined
the great majority. Colonel r. p. H
Durkee's lannon's dog Burns is dead hav-
ing barely completed his sixth year, when
he should have been good for six more
years at least. His poor condition since he
came here and his death now Is further
evidence of the unnatural life that famous
dogs lead in England. since the advent o:
dog shows. In order that their dogs may
be able to stand the strain Of England's al
most daily dog shows, the professional
fanciers and breeders In that country give
them arsenic and other poisons as tonics
and keep them up for certain time on
such treatment
The dogs win numerous prizes and are
duly praised in sporting papers, when
after they have attained certain celeb
rity, they are coveted by our American
fanciers, and big offers by mail and cable
are made for them, one of which offers Is
accepted when the dog begins to show
signs Of weakening or when a better dog
comes out. The dog is shipped to America
with great flourish of trumpets, gener-
ally about in time for the big dog shows Of
Chicago and New York, where, being a
new conner. he generally wins few prizes
and the next we hear of him he is sick, and
later on perhaps In few months dead
and inferred With him are some thousands
of good American dollars, the reason being
that the artificial life the dog has led the
change Of climate, and above all the miss
ing Of his accustomed tonic or "bolster,'
has had it's effect in complete breakdown
of his system.
This has been the case with st. .Bernsfu
dogs principally, their close inbreeding
helping largely to undermine their consti
buttons or at least deprive them OF the
stamina necessary to resist even slight
attacks of Illness Within the last seven
or eight years dog shows have so increased
In number and good dogs have so increased
In value that men have adopted dog
breeding as a business, and profitable
one at that, and In spite of the efforts OF
the kennel clubs INSCRIPTIONS men have
gone into and are in the business. The
famous dogs that have gone under in
America from lack of the accustomed
dopes are first, the st. Bernard Merchant
Prince, owned by Mr.. e. H. Moore, of Mel
rose. Mass, and purchased by him for
about "a, 900 After making the round Of
dog shows and doing some breeding, he
suddenly succumbed. The same fate hap
pened to the grand dog Ben Lomond, 81, 900
who beat Burns here and In New York
Then followed that equally grand dog AL
ton. $4,000, all belonging to Mr.. Moore
Mr. Il. b. Sears noble Hesper, 5000, bur
led; then last year Scotland Prince and
Prince Regent, each worth about $1,000.
This year Lord Butte, imported by the
Mention kennels, of Phmnixyille, Pa, at
a cost of $1,000. He lived only eight
months after being imported, although
under years of age. In the west here
Mr. Poag's famous smooth coated Watch
lasted about a year and half; another
$1,000 buried. The mastiffs Ilford, eau
ton and Champion Minting are further
examples, all dying when they should
have been In their prime With these and
similar examples before them American
breeders are having their eyes opened, and
so far this year very few--in fact hardly
any-famous dogs have been imported, al
though several crack kennels in England
have been advertised for sale, notably that
of Mr.. A. II. Gosling's famous St. Bernard
kennel, not one dog from which has been
purchased to come to America. And now
the noted kennel of Mr.. Thomas Shillcook,
of Birmingham, is on the market, com
prising such noted dogs as Sir Hereward,
winner of numerous prizes; Donnybrook
Fair, Marvel, Lord Leigh, Lord Rosebery,
Duke Of Armadale and numerous others.
This kennel has been advertised in the
American sporting papers, but no offer
having been made Mr.. Shillcock Is going
out of the business.
1t was the high prices paid by Ameri
cans that first doomed the English dog
market, and If they cease to buy the bot
tom will fall out of the business in Eng
land. Americans now prefer TO patronize
the home bred stock, which is the equal Of
any foreign bred, and further, Is acclima-
tized and not bolstered.-Chicago Inter
Ocean.