252 The Dog Book 



where he won first. At Lowell, in December, he won the championship and 

 the special for best cocker in the show. At New York the championship 

 fell to his share, and the special for the best cocker owned by a spaniel 

 club member. He is sire of the winning puppy at Lowell, also of the first 

 three puppies at New Haven, of three prize winners at Toronto and of first 

 and second at New York. Obo II. is a nice, compactly built little fellow. 

 His head is a little strong, but it is nicely carried; his coat is dense and flat r 

 and his legs and feet first class. He is a long way in front of any of his 

 sex seen in this country so far, either as a show dog or sire." 



Mr. George W. Leavitt, of Boston, who afterward became so prominent 

 with trotting horses, next imported Obo, Jr., from Mr. Farrow's kennels; 

 he being out of Nellie, one of the best bitches in the Ipswich establishment 

 and dam of many good ones. Mr. Willey, however, wanted another dog 

 and bought Obo, Jr., in order to supplement the work of Obo II.; but he 

 was not the success that the old dog had been, though a very useful dog. 

 Mr. Leavitt also imported that beautiful bitch Miss Obo II., who was 

 out of Farrow's Fern, and she by the very long and heavy Beverlac. Com- 

 pared with Obo II., Miss Obo was quite lengthy, and at that time the 

 effort to get the spaniels low on the leg was being accompanied by more 

 length than was altogether correct. Miss Obo II. was sent up to Boston 

 specially on the occasion of our visiting that city soon after her arrival, and 

 we then wrote that she was without exception the best spaniel yet seen 

 here. She had just been bred to Obo II., and Mr. Leavitt had refused 

 Mr. Willey's offer of $275 for a half interest in her. Soon afterward he 

 bought her outright and she had a great career on the bench. To show 

 somewhat the type of Miss Obo II. we give an illustration of Paro, the only 

 dog Mr. Willey now owns. Of course he is not nearly so good as Miss 

 Obo was, but that was about what she looked like in conformation, as we 

 remember her. As Obo II. and Miss Obo II. were so representative of 

 the best cocker type of that period, we support what description we have 

 given of them with the more elaborate criticism made by Mr. Mason in 

 his valuable contribution to American kennel literature, "Our Prize Dogs" 

 "Obo II. Criticism. Skull showing slight coarseness. Muzzle should 

 be deeper, with a cleaner-cut appearance in every direction; it is wider 

 than we like and the lower incisors project slightly. Ears correct in size, 

 shape, position, quality and carriage. Eyes good in colour, size and ex- 

 pression. Neck somewhat too heavy. Chest deep, with ribs beautifully 



