New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-12-27
Sweetsir of Dyker Hon
ored by the Toy
Spaniel Club.
MALTESE TERRIER HAS
WON MANY LAURELS
Mrs. Rossman Bought Youngest
Champion of the Benches
Through The Tribune.

We have all seen the portraits of
famous men adjoining the covers OF
magazines. of pulchritudinous actresses
identifying the outside Of theatrical
programmes, but who has ever seen
the portrait of dog thus used?
Those who attend the twelfth an
nual show of the Toy Spaniel Club of
America. at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel
tomorrow and Tuesday, will be greeted
by the classic features of Champion
Sweetsir OF Dyker, snow-white Nal
tese terrier. whose portrait will adorn
the official catalogue Of the show
The .utlines OF Sweetsir's body will
be strikingly sncwS against back
ground Of blue IN a circle, the whole
adjoining the official facsimile OF the
Toy Spaniel Clubs prize cup.
Mrs. James Gardner Rossman, OF
Rrooklvn. the owner of Champion
Sweetsir of Dyker, designed the cover
of the catalogue, and she feels that her
net is only getting his due by being
the first dog in all the history OF dog
dom to gain such an honor.
This Maltese terrier OF hlgh degree
has made a notable record IN ms snort
but illustrious existence. Perhaps ms
greatest claim TO fame lies IN the TACT
that he was the youngest dog ever TO
gain the right to prefix the ttle'
cbemnion. 20 his name. Sweetsir was
only thirteen months and three days
old when he gained that honor.
Although small in size Che tips the
scales al only four pounds and frac-
tion) Mrs. Rossman's little champion
has a long record of blue ribbon win
nings. Some of the most prominent
Judges of England and America, includ-
ING W. W. Reeves. Mrs. Madge Thorpe,
Mrs. W. W. Hadley, Miss Mary Hender-
son and Edward b. Ford, have given
Champion Sweetsir the seal of their
official approval.
II was on May "a. 1918, tl.st Sweetsir
of Dyker first hoped into the show
ring. when he was nine months old.
He won his first blue ribbon there from
William Blackburn, the judge, and the
idea so appealed to i'm that the tiny
Maltese kept right on alklng of with
the blue. until, four months later. ne
gained the title of champion. Since
then his record has been one series of
victories, and at the last show of the
Fort Orange Kennel and Pet Stock
Association. in Albany, Sweetsir was
adjudged the best in the show.
When Mrs Rossman was seen recent
ly at her home in st. Johns Place,
Brooklyn, she readily consented 10 tell
the main facts in Oh. Sweetsir of Dyk-
er's life, and of how she became his
owner.
Il wanted TO buy a Maltese puppy"
said Mrs Rossman. land looked through
the Kennel Directory of The Tribune
and found what ] wanted in the Dyker
Kennels ! had just about decided to
buy q cute little puppy when beautl-
fully marked Maltese scampered into
the room and wagged his snowy tail.
at was Sweetsir, and told Mrs Carl
Baumann. his breeder, that | simply
must have him for my own. Mrs Bau-
mann did not want TO separate him
from Dyker Molly III, his mother, and
break the most famous brace OF NAL
tese terriers in America.
"Mrs. Baumann demurred, and finally
she set a price that she though
wouldn't want 10 pay, but did, and
now ] would not part from Sweetsir
for twice that sum-"
Mrs. Rossman stroked the dog mites
beautiful coat of hair as she recited
his long string Of victories, and then
she showed some Of the trophies won
by her champion Maltese.
Champion Sweetsir's owner is an au-
thority on "toy dogs" having made a
thorough study Of the breed and their
history. Mrs. Rossman, although she
finds that domestic duties, club life
and charities take up great deal OF
her time, still manages TO devote the
necessary attention to the breeding Of
fine dogs and horses.
Before her marriage she was well
known on the stage as a dramatic star
and leading woman. but gave up her
career for private life. She is an en-
thusiastic worker for the interests of
the dog. and is a member Of the Dog
Lovers Protective Association, the Toy
Spaniel Club and the Long Island Ken
mel Club.
Oh. Sweetsir Of Dyker will be con-
tender at the show tomorrow, and,
with his portrait adjoining the official
catalogue, is certain to be the "ob-
served of all observers" According to
the tale Of a Little Dog" accompany
ing Sweetsir's portrait, his measure
ments correspond exactly with the ia
nous Champion Hugh, of England, bred
By Lady Clifford in 1875, and he can
boast Of sixteen known champions in
both England and America among his
ancestors.