CONCEENING DOG SHOWS 51 



you happen to be the lucky possessor of two or three 

 good dogs, you may get a satisfactory balance on 

 the right side. But, although it sounds a contradic- 

 tion in terms, the better your dog the fewer prizes 

 he will win. The explanation of this apparent 

 incongruity is that the usual classification begins with 

 a novice class, for which any animal is eligible who 

 has not won a first prize. The next is a limit class, 

 confined to those who have not won more than six 

 first prizes, and the principal one is the open class, 

 for which any may be entered. Sometimes in 

 addition to this we have a puppy class, classes for 

 braces and teams, and so on. Supposing you happen 

 to have a good young dog who may be entered in 

 each one, you may possibly have the pleasure of 

 winning four or five first prizes ; but when he is 

 no longer eligible for the limit there is only the 

 open class in which you can put him. 



You must be careful to fill up the entry forms 

 correctly, otherwise you may be in the unpleasant 

 position of having the fruits of victory snatched away 

 from you by disqualification. On the whole, one 

 may fairly say that the novice will find it much 

 pleasanter to go in for some variety that does not 

 call for excessive preparation. Getting some dogs 

 ready for show is almost an art, in which the 

 amateur is undoubtedly at a great disadvantage-; 

 others need but a little intelligent treatment. To 

 look their best, they must be put down in hard 

 condition, which can only be attained by constant 

 exercise'; they must be well groomed, and they 

 should be healthy, with skins free from any eczema 

 or kindred complaint. A show dog does not require 

 to be quite as fine drawn as one that works in the 



