The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-07-19
.BLENHEIA DOGS
HAVE LONG LINEAGE
Bred Two Hundred Years
Ago by Great Duke of
Marlborough.

TAO hundred years 80 ,srz first Duke
OF Marlborough won some great battles
and founded a care Of aristocratic dogs
called the Blenheim spaniel. The IA
nous soldier is a handful Of dust and
the memory Of mis- battles IS tucked
away between the leaves OF standard
histories Of England But the Blenhein
spaniel survives. and his noble line OF
descent through two centuries has been
kept and guarded as carefully as that
OF the house OF Marlborough in the
ducal successful And only at the fam
lily seat. Blenhein. can you find the
pure strain Of spaniel whose character
isttcs have been largely preserved
lhrough many generations His name
sake OF the fancy kennel ana the dog
SHOW las wandered wide from the orig
/ nal type and the comparison IS 20 the
advantage OF the ancient stock 4 CO..
| respondent who recently visited Blea-
I helm, writes
With due respect Tor the fair ladies'
I who keep these charming pets. the older
! style OF Blenheim IS Just as handsome,
more companionable, sturdier, and less
liable 10 those faillngs which make old
I age a nuisance. than is the popular type
I OF this breed"
Original Strains.
Blood viii tell. then. and the original
Blenheim strain has beel kept at Blen-
helm Castle only by means OF q Gu
] rlously Interesting tradition. The Duke
/ OF Marlborough, he who married Mss
! COnsueio Vanderbilt. takes pride in mis-
/ traditional care Of the spaniel OF his
1 great ancestor. and the Auericaa-born
! duchess made IL one - her hobbies.
! It is q custom Of great antiquity that
I The dogs should be placed with the ten
{ ants Of the estates. q spaniel family
10 each household II is one OF the
/ conditions OF the lease. II4v z-s~aiejs
( go with the house, in other words The
I tenants are held responsible FOR giving
/ Ine-F pets the best Of care. and they
I are expected 20 show a keen interest
/ IN seeing 20 u that the dogs live Up 10
I their Lofty name and lineage
I C-lce e year q grand review or span
] lei reception IS held on the castle
I grounds The tenant farmers are sum
( mCned by messenger and relephone from
/ far and near Their women and chill
/ Crel dress III" in their hest bib and
/ tucker. and assemble with a Noisy,
Irantic convention OF sraniels BY dozens
Pnzes for Dogs.
Prizes are awarded for the Blenheims
/ which conform closely 70 the original
type. and there IS feasting and merry
making on the lawn. all IN an immense
4 y English. and even feudaI. style
You may ask how the noble judges
/ are 20 know whether the type thas var
led or not. and what standards are 10
guide their opinion after two centuries
/ OF breeding IL this way Here comes
IN the value Of having @ portrait gal
/ lery II your ancestral halls In the
castle hangs a portrait OF the
I third Duke Of MARLBOROUGH, paint
/ ed by Sir Joshua Reynolds. in
I which two BIenheim spauieIs and an
/ Italian greyhound are posed beside their
master There Is additional evidence
IN the painting CT a Ble1hein BIZ Sar-
l UOrius IN -Sl2
These types OF q century and more
ago agree in their chief characteristics
/ with the dog bred on The estate today