The New York herald., 1921-03-06
DOG OF THE WAR
LAYS FOUNDATION
FOR KENNELHERE
Is Shepherd Pet Which
Lieut.. P. A. b. Widener
Captured in France.
SHOW POPULARITY HURT
Little to Tempt Breeders and
Exhibitors to Mississippi
Valley Exhibition.
SHOW POPULARITY HURT
BY FRANK n. DOLE.

A French philosopher and close
that the rGison d'etre of the various
breeds of dogs and their spontaneous
groups of fanciers supplies the material
Tor the most inexhaustive and fantastic
study of the animal From time inn
memorial men and women have been
found to fancy and devote their lives
to the development OF some one par
ticular variety, and in innumerable
cases it has been found that they have
been attracted to their particular favor
ties through some incident, sometimes
OF great Importance. and at others Of
very simple nature.
The history of dog shows fairly bris-
ties with incidents showing how some
breed or another will attract a man
even though he cared little about dogs.
Not long ago q wealthy man on the
outskirts OF New York spent thousands
OF dollars on one particular type of ter
rier because his favorite daughter fam
eied 1t. The brothers Majors Edwards.
Anglish enthusiasts, spent their lives in
the development of the Sealyham ter
rler and In his latter years the late King
Edward VII. loved the fox terrier be-
cause one day he saw one OF the little
dogs chase a weasel and kill 1t, and he
thought the performance was one of the
cleverest things he ever saw on the part
CT dog. Up to the day of his death
the King always was accompanied by
his favorite fox terrier in his rambles
around Windsor Castle or wherever he
happened to take stroll afoot.
One of the latest yarns as to how
breed attracted the sympathies of an en-
thusiast Is connected with Lieut.. p. A. B.
Widener Of Philadelphia. owner of the
Joselle Kennels. Ills interest in a shcp-
herd dog is responsible for the patron
nge and support the breed is being given
by the Widener family at the present
time. One day during the late war
Lieut. Widener, who then was serving
the United States at the front, was
diminishing around close to the firing
line when he ambushed German off,
Ger and took him prisoner. The Ger
man had shepherd dog with him and
the first thing Lieut.. Widener did was
to take possession of the dog after he
turned over the prisoner to the outpost.
Dog and Man Part Company.
To all appearances the dog had not
dfned that morning. and when offered
food he gulped II down like q starving
coyote Then and there Lieut. Widener
and the dog became fast friends and the
gray coated canine was the closest and
until peace was declared and Lieut.
Widener came back to America. He
could not bring the dog with him on the
transport and left II with an old Alsatian
woman with strict injunctions that she
take good care Of It. which instructions
che must have carried out to the letter.
as subsequent Developments illustrate.
On HIS return to America Lieut. Wide |
ner took steps 70 bring back the dog and
was aided by Tom Welsh, trainer OF his |
fathers stable OF racers. Tom has a
relative named Jerry living In France
and engaged in caring for the Widener |
plant there. Tom sent Jerry in quest |
OF the little old woman in Alsace. He !
found the dog hale and hearty and after |
bringing 1t to England had IL shipped to |
the Widener home In Philadelphia The |
dog was minus q pedigree. but neverthe- |
less II laid the foundation OF the Joselle |
Kennels of shepherd dogs by string Nip |
of Joselle and other good ones. Joselle's |
Dolf Won Dusternbrook, winner OF the |
prize for the best of the breed at the |
recent Westminster Kennel Club Show |
at Madison Square Garden, is no relative ,
OF tho unknown dog. but IL the pedigree |
of the unknown dog could be unearthed |
II might be found to be as impressive as |
that Of the imported champion.
one OF the gets OF the unknown dog |
is now owned By Tom Welsh and may
be seen daily around the Belmont Park |
track, where no is known to the stable |
boys and trainers as Two Bits" He |
knows every stable lad and habitue of
the track by name and from dawn to |
dark nothing passes him unnoticed.
glaring instance of how unwise |
management can mar the popularity OF
prominent dog show is contained in |
the premium list to hand OF the Mis- |
sissippi Valley Kennel Club annual show, !
which win be held at st. Louis the last |
week of this month. The exhibit Is to |
be nothing more than a blue ribbon |
show" and there will be little to tempt |
the general run Of breeders and exhib- |
itors TO patronize the fixture. The cash |
prizes have been arranged on the per-
centage basis, that Is, if the entry In |
KENNELS.