Year: 1876

A sc.ne Mt Alexandra Park.-.The Sa&acity
of Sheep Dogs---An Exhibition OF "eisn
CANNES.


The London Standard has the follow
ing : It has occurred to the Kennel club,
BODY of gentlemen who are interested
in the Improvement of dogsof all breeds,
that the collie trials which had proved
80 successful in Wales might be carried
on a little nearer the metropolis. and
thew therefore organized meeting In
the Alexandra park. The mode IN
which the trials are conducted Is as 1ol-
lows A flock of Welsh wethers, one
hundred in number, have been brought
up to the park, and were penned near
the grand stand on the racecourse.
From this flock three animals were taken
at hazard, and conveyed to the side OF
the hill on which the palace stands and
set at liberty. On the circular cricket
ground. some half mile to the west, a
triangular pen of hurdles, with an open
ing in the base, formed sort OF station,
about which are grouped the Judges and
officials of the show, and from which the
shepherd with the dog that was about to
be tested took his departure. The man
and dog walked together along the race
course until the sheep were sighted,
when he gave sign or q word to ms
four footed companion, and the mtelll-
gent brute at once started off at gallop
and sought fr>t to drive the sheep down
the hill toward his master. When he
had succeeded in doing this, the man
walked toward the pen, and the dog
drove the sheep after him until they
we're near enough to operate IN getting
the sheep inside. Twenty minutes was
the maximum time allowed, the prizes
being won by those who succeeded IN
penning their sheep in the shortest time,
while those who failed to pen within the
allotted time were disqualified. 1t was
not difficult TO discover that dogs and
sheep we're working under great disad-
vantages, and animals which have no
doult we'll deserved reputation on
their own hills failed to distinguish
themselves under totally novel condi-
Ions, though enough was demonstrated
to make it apparent that these collie
.rials are likely to become very inter
esting annual performance. Though a
space of ground was marked off by ropes
and stakes, which were respected by the
spectators, the sheep felt under no restric-
tions, and the poor collie, therefore, that
had been used to the clear view OF
Welsh hillside, with no human being
but his master within miles of him, had
to dodge his charges among visitors and
round plantations, which frequently hid
them altogether. The sheep were many
of them very wild and ran Like deer,
their disinclination to proceed In the di-
rection of the pen being increased from
the main flock being in full view, and
thus stimulating the natural ovine ten
dency to reioin companions. In several
cases, on the dog nearing the three
sheep, the nimble and independent
wethers scattered and galloped in differ
ent directions out of sight, when the
collie, after an honest attempt to bring
them together, seemed to conclude that
it was hopeless to complete the task in
twenty minutes, so he philosophically
dropped it altogether and trotted back
to his master. Some of the triads OF
wethers behaved in manner more in
accordance with the gregarious traditions
of their race, and when, in addition to
hanging together, they happened to
start in the right direction down bill,
the first portion of the dogs work was
easily and speedily done. The marvel
ous sagacity of this breed was seen when
the sheep were near the pen and the dog
had to overcome their natural disincli-
nation to enter. Not only did the ami
NAL in this position obey every sign and
word of his master, but he would exer-
else what might almost be called his
own reason and discretion in the mode
of carrying out his masters wishes In a
fashion that was astonishing. Success,
however, depended altogether on the be-
havior of the three particular sheep.
One famous dog named Handy, which
won the champion prizes two years run
ming in Wales, was very unfortunate in
this respect. He succeeded in getting
them to tho pen in splendid style, but
nothing could induce the brutes to en-
ter. They broke away score OF times,
and, after display of ability worthy OF
his high reputation, poor Handy failed
to accomplish the task within the twenty
minutes. The most successful per
iformance was that by slut named Mad
die, belonging to Mr.. John Thomas, OF
Bala. Favored by tractable wethers,
she succeeded in a little over four min
utes. A famous dog named Boy did the
work in seven and half minutes. An
other called Laddie took nine minutes,
and two others, Pentre and Tweed,
twelve minutes each. There were nine.
teen entries for the all-aged stakes, and
these were tested. Mr.. Lownds' Lad


die perhaps showed the highest training,
by the way in which he followed every
motion of his shepherds hand; now
circling round, now creeping nearer to
the flock, and then sitting on hls
launches until the signal to move again
was given. The man who worked the
dog had not seen him for twelve months
But the triumph in point of quickness
was reserved for Mr.. Jones young dog,
Boy, who brought his charge to theil
pen in seven minutes and hall. Mr..
Thomas Maddie also penned his sheer


very we'll. It is curious that all these
were Welsh dogs belonging to Welsh
prazsrs, but then the great home o.
collies- -Scotland-was not represented
The English dogs nearly all managed te
let their sheep wander in freedom "ovel
the hills and far away" but Mr.. j


Glendinny's Tool got his lot togethel


very well, and penned them cleverly.