CHAPTER III. 



THE BOSTON AS A SHOW DOG. 



The Unique Position of the Breed as a Show Dog The Neces- 

 sity of Breeding in This Variety A Small Kennel's 

 Breed The Importance of Good Judges The Qualifi- 

 cations for Judging The Spirit of the True Fancier. 



AS A show dog the Boston Terrier holds a 

 position in doggy America that is particu- 

 larly unique. It is a breed, the only bre'ed, 

 I that is distinctively American and conse- 

 ' quently there is no importing from England. 

 This fact has done much to keep this breed 

 from falling into the hands of the English 

 professional handlers, who, with one excep- 

 tion, pay no attention to the variety. As it has been impossible 

 to import winners, it has been necessary for someone to breed 

 them and .while there are some who still follow the buying 

 game so popular in other breeds, the vast majority of the Bos- 

 ton, fancy are breeding their show stock. The success that has 

 attended the efforts of the Boston Terrier men and women 

 along these lines shows very plainly that it is possible to breed 

 good dogs in America and the fanciers devoted to other varieties 

 will do well to take the hint. 



Another peculiar thing about the Boston as a show dog is 

 that although there are many big and very successful kennels 

 continually showing fine strings of dogs, still the small breeders 

 are also very active exhibitors. In most cases, when half a 

 dozen big kennels enter a breed they temporarily hurt it, for 

 small owners find that it is hopeless for them to show against 

 such competition and becoming discouraged drop out. This 

 lasts till the big kennel owners either discover that they have 

 themselves killed the goose that was laying their golden egg or 

 else break up their kennels. Then the small men re-enter the 

 fancy only to be forced out in a few years by a new lot of "big 

 'uns," and so it goes on in an endless chain. With the Boston 

 Terrier, however, this is all different for, although there are 



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