The New York herald., 1922-01-29
DOG IMPORTATIONS
AN AID TO SPORT
Objection Raised in Defense of
American Amateur Breeder
Is Refuted.
ny FRANK r. DOLE.

ny FRANK #. DOLE.
have received the following interest.
ing letter from Daniel. Locke of Rah.
way. n. j.. which brings up SO man,
interesting points that I am going tc
print 1t in full =.
II just saw I'm THE SUNDAY HERALr
the story about collie coming over from
the other side for the, big Westminster
Show. ! really think there is no sports.
manship In owning a dog In this way
What about the rancier who labors from
year to year for the interest OF the dog
only to f1nd that when he has brought
his work near TO perfection some sport
comes along with a dog ready made and
perhaps just for" the express purpose OF
winning this coveted prize.
Il think there ought to be a time limit
fixed to prevent participation in, shows
Of dogs too recently imported. This is
my own idea. Then there Is the novice
don't believe he gets the consideration
he deserves. In this country we have
the bluest OF blood. Why don't the pro-
fessionais encourage the amateur as In
all other sports?
Take, for instance, England or Scot
land The big majority of kennels has
half the bitches out on breeding terms
which l think is a splendid idea. II
encourages the novice to attend shows
II makes him take pride in the special
dog he is breeding, and by attending the
shows he gets his trade by degrees.
ut was my fortune to breed for one
OF the oldest bulldog breeders in Scot
land, G. K. G. Law. He had Champion
Mahomet in his kennel and well re-
member at seven months old how plain
faced he was, but how when he was a
year and a half old I could tell his
future. There was nothing gave me
greater pleasure than 10 see our old
friend George Raper in uniform. 1t does
a novice good TO watch such expert
Judges. would like to see condition
where no American would need to 20 to
England or Scotland for dogs. but would
encourage the novice at home here.''
The More the Better.
Mr.. locke has said some very inter-
esting things and ono can agree with
many of them. ! do not think. however,
1t Is poor sport to import a wonderful
dog of any breed. The more good ones
there are the better 1t is for all. The
dog he refers to Is Laund Logic. Not
only'has he been big winner, bu. what
is more important from the standpoint
OF the good of the game, he has sired
prominent winners.
1t takes a pretty game person to put
up several thousand dollars and take
the chance of any misllap to the dog
from the time he leaves England. II it
were not for this sort the dog game
would never have reached the height IL
has and we would still have lot of
nondescript animals. 1t takes even
more nerve just before big show when
any one of number of complications
might prevent the dog from arriving in
time. II he does arrive THE New YORK
HERALD will let its readers know because
1t is one of the best importations of the
year and one with big breeding in
terest.
1t is true that the novice here does
not have the chance he does in England.
The time Is coming, however, when the
big kennels VIII keep only few brood
matrons and the majority will be out on
walks as in England. The big trouble
here is to find the proper walks. It
seems that the only thing the person
who wants to take brood matrons thinks
about is how much he can get out OF
keeping them and gives no thought to
the matron or her youngsters.
August Belmont. formerly president
OF the Kennel Club. and one OF the
greatest friends the dog game ever had,
WELL lie described 1t to me at the
Saratoga Fox Terrier show in 1888 at
the time WREN he had tho strongest
kennel OF fox terriers in the country.
He had his dogs walked on his estates
lie took what he considered his best
pups and put two on each walk with
the Farmers and other workers on HIS
estates with the agreement that the
dogs he brought before him every two
months.
Just before the entries closed for the
big show, ho would have a puppy
match. The pups were shown by the
man who reared them and there were. a
number of prizes to be won in addition
to special boarding fee he paid. There
were prizes for pups with the best legs,
the best feet, the best ring manners and
tho best. all around specimens Thus it
was that he kept his kennels in front
and united the workers on his estate
In the welfare OF the kennels. What a
loss II was 20 the dog game when he
stepped down.
Hard to Get Suitable walks. =.
But. as I have said, It is hard to get
suitable walks. There Is little doubt the
dogs breed better outside kennels than
in. but Il is difficult to find a place
nncit blty are sure OF exercise.
friendship and food. Beware OF the
place where the man thinks the dogs eat
too much or are too expensive or that he
is not making enough out OF keeping
them. Brood matrons need plenty of
good food.
was interested in what Mr.. Locke
said of George Raper. ] wonder what
Raper would think OF the dilly- -daIlying
Of many OF the modern judges who
take hours to dispose of one class.
have seen Raper in England and Amer
lea take large class of dogs in the
ring. AS they entered he would motion
them to one side or the other, depending
on their merit. Then he would 60 over
the best lot. If some didn't come up to
scratch he would shift them to the other
side of the ring. Then he would go
there. II some OF the poorer lot seemed
worth more consideration. he would
move them 10 the more favored side.
Then he would take his book from his
pocket, put the dogs through their
PAGES, award the prizes and get. them
out of the ring.
To have such an eye for dogs as
paner had n mn vy,ftaf 1,oyo boc,, :. ..>