Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-09
CHANGES IN THE
RULES OF DOG SHOWS
Discussing the Alterations Pro-
posed by the American
Kennel Club.
By James Watson.

1t is intended by the American Kennel
Club to make some changes in the dog show
rules and what is purposed to be done
should be more widely known than is the
case when notice Of the proposed changes
is confined to the exceedingly limited num-
Der of readers of the official document.
Those most interested in these changes are
the exhibitors and they are the ones who
know least about what is intended to be
done. The persons who vote for these
rules are not all exhibitors and of the COM
mittee which has drafted them there Is but
one known as an exhibitor and that to a
limited extent. A knowledge Of grammati-
cal English is not any more essential In
drafting rules than practical experience In
how present rules work and what the eff
feet of changes may be. The proposed
changes, while not many, are radical In
one or two cases. and exhibitors. and club
members should see that their views are
conveyed to the delegate which repre-
sents them and not permit his individual
opinion to be his only guide. correct as that
may be.
Benefit to Western Exhibitors.
The first change of Importance is the in
GLIDING of all the west beyond the eastern
boundary of Montana. Wyoming. Colorado
and New Mexico In the territory to be gov
erned by the Pacific advisory board. The
real benefit to exhibitors in this enlarged
division is that they will not suffer by the
smallness Of their shows in computing for
champion honors on the basis applied to the
larger shows of the east
The first change which applies to all
shows is with regard to errors IN entering
dogs at shows. The rules provide that
certain things obligatory, and then there
is rule which says that If they are
broken, when fraud is not attempted, the
Disqualified ton shall not apply, but fines
take its place, but at the same time GER
of ahSOlutaly
obligatory and the rule is extremely vague
as to what should be done. If there is fraud
then that can be attacked by the rules and
provisions governing misconduct and should
be left out in this connection and in place
of the very vague regulation as to what Is
or is not essential apply the English rule
that clerical errors are not to call for dis
qualification. Such things as the correct
sire and dam aud any change of name are
absolute essentials, but slip as to the reg
| istration number. mixed date OF birth, or
| an improperly spelled breeders name are
| not at all essentials in the sense that the
| other particulars are. This distinction Is
clearly and fully covered by the words
clerical error" and these alone should
call for the minor penalty OF disquaIhca-
| ton. The committee has continued the rule
that a dog purchased by an American citi-
zen abroad and subsequently bred there
will give to any puppies Wheiped In the
United States the right to be called Ameri-
can bred. A year ago and for all time be-
| fore that Canada was part Of America for
breeding purposes, and the feeling on the
| subject Is seen in nearly every show since
| the adoption of the anomaly giving re-
| stricted classes, stating that Canada is In
| cluded with the United States when 1t Is
meant to give a. class for American-bred
! dogs The committee further on states that
| an exhibitor Of dog in the novice class
| has to state on the entry blank that 1t was
BRED In the United States" Why not In
| America" IL 1t Is to be the only dog to
be styled American bred?
The alterations which merit the most at
tention come in the rules governing the con-
ditions Of the classes named by the A. K.
c. The rules now permit OF classes being
given with any conditions the show givers
think at, provided they do not conflict with
, the conditions Of the classes named by the