Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1897-11-04
DOG TRAINING IN MISSISSIPPI.
Where Dogs valued at So, 900 and $lo,-
600 are SchoOIed for Hunting.

'The Del Monte kennel in Wayerly,
Miss" said Mr.. Waddell, SIS the most
extensive in the world. The reason for
it is that Mississippi is the natural
training center of the world. There
are more quail to be found in the marsh
lands of Mississippi than in any other
section, and as game is necessary to
dog training, that fact fixes it in this
state. The kennel is owned by Mr..
George Croker, the celebrated multi
millionaire of California, who takes
great interest in dogs. The man who
is not rich cannot afford to keep up
such q business, but as Croker has the
money to burn, he can keep the enter
prise up in great shape. | am his agent
for its management, a place | would
not hold if it was not kept up in great
style. We have control Of over 1000
acres Of marsh lands, fairly filled with
quail. From this you can see why dogs
bred there can be trained to such per-
lection.
Dogs have now standard value, az
well fixed as that placed upon horses or
cattle. In Del Monte kennel we have
some of the finest dogs in the world.
For Minnie l., an English setter, we
paid $3.50, and 81 900 each for he Bet
tie i. and the Sam I. For Dick Bay,
pointer, we paid 81 900, and $4,000 for
Dicks Kid. The Kid is now even more
valuable dog than his sire, as we have
won many prizes at the field trials with
him. We have in our kennel to-day $10,-
900 worth of dogs-that is, they will
bring that much money in the worst
kind of market. 1T costs S. 900 a year
to run the kennel, which explains why
it is that only rich men can afford such
u luxury"
From this disquisition on the dog Mr..
Waddell turned to the feature of field
trials.
They are got up" said he, ION the
same idea as horse-racing circuits. The
purpose is to prove the superiority of
the field dog. While there are strict
printed rules by which decisions are to
be made, not much is left to the discre-
ton of the judges, since dogs develop
unexpected points, which bring them
upon their game, and which have to be
taken into consideration. From a
study of prescribed rules we have to
take into account the action of the dog
see two horses exactly alike, for in
stance, one of which / pick out as the
better. Why? | cannot tell you fur
Their than that there is something in
his action which denotes quality, and
quality is what tells. 1t is the same
with dogs-some of which pursue beat
en- paths in flushing game, while some
are so specially gifted that they go to
it without circumlocution. Why, we
cannot tell, but we must take note of
the fact. There is in existence the Ma
tional Field Trial Club of America, which
is recognized as authority. Then there
are local and state clubs, composed of
the sportsmen of a certain area, who
get together under certain prescribed
rules, each independently, but keeping
III touch with each other by meeting
and communication. Under their pat
ronage field trials have been organized.
and the points therein ascertained are
accepted as correct. These field trials
have purses for derbies, or dogs under
two years of age, and for all ages. En-
tries must be made six months preced-
ing the trial, with details, as [ have
said before, similar to those which
govern horse races.
"These field trials begin in Manitoba,
where prairie chickens are the game,
and where | start off my pups for what
you might call a three months school
ing, which gives them that much advan-
tage over those which have been kept
at home. A second field trial comes off
somewhere in Minnesota in adjacent
territory, at the close of which, the
weather getting cooler, the trial of
Newton, n. C., begins when the location
is shifted first to New Albany, Miss,
and then to Tupelo, the same state.
though the last one was held near West
Point. This winds up the circuit. and
the judges are ready to make up the
reports of the competing dogs. In en-
tering upon the circuit there stands
possible winning TO one dog of $4,000
in prizes but this is never realized. If
q dog should win a majority of the
prizes, however he stands worth S.
COO"
From dogs worth $4,000 and $1,000
there are thousands that are worth any
where from $3.50 to $500 apiece. In fact,
the trainers fee is 500, so any trained
dog has to be started off in advance of
that figure. The hunter would hardly
be satisfied with one which had not
won the value of $3.50. There are mil
lions of dollars invested in this kind of
property throughout the United States
now, all as result of that single dog
kennel of 1S74-Mobile Register.