The Washington herald., 1914-03-15
AP OGOYOR,
NZ1JH EyIZl3H kuX ZEppNp
RULE IA OBNOXIOUS
TO MANY EXHIBITORS
American Kennel Clubs Regulation
for Dog Shows Needs Over
hauling, Saws Critic.

That the American exhibitor Is COM
mercing to realize the injustice of GER
tain rulings of the American Kennel Club
is evidenced by the following story which
appeared in a recent issue of the New
York Herald. which thoroughly. concise
ly and accurately states the facts:
One lives and learns. and it was not
until the recent New York show one be-
came convinced that the AmA<ican Ken.
mel Club rule No. II. gOvefning dog
shows. needed oyerhaulinG. The rule
with its various sections relates to the
different phases under which a dog can
or cannot compete according to the
disposition of tn owne-. Everything is
apparently justly covered provided the
owner lives up to the spirit which
prompted the framing Of the rule in its
sections. Professionalism and its result
ant jockeying, and other little trickeries.
however, have no qualms when Il comes
tn the question of winning so long as
the letter Of the law is not infrlnged.
For the last yer or SO owners OF
cracks representing a popular breed, the
best specimens of which are In this
country, have fiagrantly lodged the issue
as far as competition in the regular
classes has been concerned. but under
cover of enter for specials only have
bobbed up when the smoke OF real COM
petition has cleared away or remained in
their crates. according to the way the
wind was blowing.
This entered for specials only" covers
multitude of little trickeries which
tho American Kennel Club did not fore
see.
An Unfair Advantage.
The unfair advantage to which this en-
tered for specials only has extended
he ta1 h1- he lat inn
at New York of a string of dogs Of one
breed in the ownership of one kennel
Two dogs were entered in the limit class,
two other inmates of the kennel were
entered in the open class, two other in
mates not competing in any regular class
competed in the brace class-a breach of
tn, rule. because this was not a special
but a regular competition. One OF the
dogs competing in the brace class COM
peted for a cup for the best of his
breed. while his kennel mate who COM
peted with him in the brace class was
pulled out on the third day to compete
for the cup given for the best in the
show. BY all this ringing of the changes
apart from the confusing effect II might
have had on a weak judge the kennel
referred to was not only getting two
bites at one cherry but several bites at
several cherries.
Still another phase of this abuse of
the rule is the fact that a dog which
has successfully faced the music in may
he three or sour of the regular classes
has had the edge taken on him and is
asked to meet rival keen. alert and
thoroughly on edge because he has not
been subjected to a similar strain. All
of which bears in its unfairness the old
method which governed the lawn tennis
when the holder was asked
only to meet the winner Of the elimina-
tion rounds
Rule Seems Unfair.
II is evident that the present rule has
become the instrument of practices which
if not palpabIy unfair certainly border
very close to il. For this reason surely
the time has come when the English Ken
mel Club rule which insists that all dogs
competing for specials must have COM
De ted previously in one OF more OF the
breed classes is adopted Should the
rules committee of the American Ken
mel Club consider the time has come
for such a change then rule NO. ii
would have to be amended to read:
Dogs may be entered for exhibition.
mr. team competitions only. No dogs
however shall compete for special,
teams excepted, unless 1t has competed
in one or more of the classes porvided for
the breed" Abuse of the present rule Is
oEerated in another direction. This re-
ates to the padding of the actual number
Of dogs benched at shows which are on
the ragged edge of obtaining two or three
points At these shows dogs can be en-
tered for specials only without the
slightest intention of their being present
They are not marked absent in the
Judges book and consequently are reck-
Dned as among the actual dogs present.
The suggested change in the rule would
,lso have its effect on this practice"