132 The Dog Book 



to speak of, the same amount of work in breeding to notable performers, a 

 similar number of their progeny to select the young entry from and the same 

 amount of labour expended in their training would have made just as high 

 a grade as we have now. If it was all in the blood, in this particular Dan- 

 Laverack cross, why was it that Mr. Llewellyn had to go outside for new 

 blood, and then drop down to the bottom again with his field trials entries. 



It was little wonder that with bad dogs put in front breeders were 

 all at sea in knowing what to breed to for type. Dogs went up and down in 

 the prize lists — H. C. at some second-class show and second at New York, 

 then back again to a commendation. The result was that every breeder 

 could find warrant in breeding to almost any kind of a built dog, and most 

 of them bred to dogs that had won in the field, no matter what they looked 

 like. The natural result followed of worse mixed classes than we had 

 had at any time since the introduction of the Laveracks and the separation 

 of imported dogs from natives, a distinction that had long been done away 

 with. 



It was not until about 1892 that we began to see daylight again, and 

 although Albert's Ranger, imported at that time, was lacking in some 

 of the essentials we deem necessary in a field dog, he was yet a dog of 

 exceptional quality, and in some respects of type also. Almost at the 

 same time Cincinnatus Pride appeared, a dog lacking in quality compared 

 with those of the best type, but still of good parts and symmetry. For 

 several years these two held sway in the show ring till Sheldon came out. 

 This was a remarkably good son of Rockingham, and it was undoubtedly a 

 most unfortunate thing that hardly had this grand dog been discovered 

 than he was lost to breeders. Coming out at New York in 1896, he defeated 

 both the dogs just named, and although the decision was much discussed, it 

 was upheld at the four succeeding shows under different judges, one being 

 a very severe critic of the first award. For seven shows he kept up his 

 winning gait and then fell sick and died. He was a dog of grand formation 

 and all a setter, while he was of great quality. Those opposed to his 

 successes kept calling him a Laverack, possibly under the impression that 

 that was a term of reproach, forgetting that his dam was by Belton, a Duke- 

 Rhcebe-Laverack bred one, and eligible to the inner circles of exclusiveness; 

 although, lamentably for the sake of the name Llewellyn, Mr. Statter bred 

 Belton before Mr. Llewellyn ever owned Dan, with which he is claimed to 

 have started the line of dogs given his name as originator. Sheldon's 



