BUYING AND SELLING DOGS. 35 



unfairly, which half-and-half precautions most certainly imply. Nothing can be more suggestive 

 of collusion between judges and exhibitors than the exclusion of the Press from shows where 

 the judging is held in private. Almost unbounded confidence is placed in judges by exhibitors, 

 but when the latter are absent they cannot help wishing to know how things go on ; and there 

 is always something repugnant to Englishmen when things are done in a corner. 



BUYING AND SELLING. 



There are few breeders who do not at one time or another desire to dispose of some of their 

 surplus stock, and these very often object to offer their property openly for sale, as they object to 

 be included in the category of dog dealers, as they term it. This is hardly a fair view of the case 

 (though a sapient Bow Street magistrate, in his wisdom, has laid it down that any one selling a dog or 

 owning a stud dog is a dealer in point of law), for a man may dispose of a great many puppies or 

 full-grown dogs before he can come into competition with professional dealers. An advertisement 

 in the sporting journals which refers to any breed of dogs of a known strain will always receive 

 replies, and if the price asked is not too high business can generally be done. Naturally, with 

 unknown persons there is more difficulty in effecting a sale, but there is always a market for good 

 animals. It is undesirable to keep puppies too long if profit is to be considered. Not only does 

 their care involve considerable time and expense after they are first weaned, but they look better 

 then than they do subsequently, and so frequently command a relatively better price. At about 

 seven months old most young dogs are very ugly, and are almost unsaleable : they have all the 

 gawkiness of hobble-de-hoy-hood, and certainly are uninteresting. Many breeders, therefore, have 

 two weedings out in their kennels : one when the puppies are first weaned, and the second after 

 they have begun to " make up," as it is termed ; this takes place when the dogs are about a year 

 old. At the latter age it is generally pretty easy to tell what a dog is going to turn out, so 

 intending purchasers can judge better than they are able to do earlier in the puppies' career. 



In advertising a dog for sale it is best to give notice that he can be seen by appointment, or 

 will be sent on approval at buyer's risk and cost, on the purchase money being deposited in the 

 hands of some respectable third party. A sight of the dog is desired by many purchasers, and 

 obviates the risk of future disagreements relative to the animal's merits. A limited time should be 

 named for the dog to be returned, as many quarrels have been the result of one sent on approval 

 being kept a long time. Cases have been known where a stud dog has been sent on approval and 

 subsequently returned as unsatisfactory, after having been surreptitiously used for breeding 

 purposes by the pretended purchaser. It therefore behoves sellers to be on their guard, and 

 no valuable dogs should be sent alone to unknown or unreliable people. In all cases it is desirable 

 for advertisers to be as concise in their remarks on the dog's merits as possible. Little good can 

 come from flattering allusions to a dog's value from the man who wants to dispose of him ; and 

 persons have been known to exaggerate a dog's good qualities to such an extent that subse- 

 quent disagreements have arisen between the purchaser and seller. 



Buyers should on all occasions endeavour to learn something about the person from whom 

 they purchase their dogs, for. it is the height of rashness to accept the assurances of every one who 

 has a dog to dispose of. The worse a dog is the more he is cracked up to unknowing purchasers 

 by certain dealers. A guarantee from a breeder whose name stands high, on the other hand, is 

 always valuable, for it is not probable that he would mar his good name for the sake of gaining a few 

 pounds. Dogs can often be bought for very low prices at shows, and a person who contemplates 

 an investment in dog-flesh can do worse than claim a dog off the bench. Misrepresentation 



