146 KENNEL SECRETS. 



examined by a duly qualified veterinary before he is 

 benched. And when this is strictly complied with a 

 dog suffering from distemper is not at all likely to gain 

 admission, whereas once dogs in its early stages were 

 frequent sights at these exhibitions. 



Another important action of this club is, that no puppy 

 under six months of age can be accepted for compe- 

 tition. The highly salutary provision is also made by 

 nearly all managements that older puppies may be 

 removed from shows at the expiration of the second 

 day, or the day they are judged. Again, reputable 

 breeders, alive to the dangers of distemper infection, have 

 quarters for the sick, in which they at once place and 

 isolate all victims of distemper, and in this way preclude 

 the possibility of their show dogs being carriers of con- 

 tagion. More than this, there are now generally em- 

 ployed in shows methods that are to a considerable 

 degree obstructive to infection ; and these appear in 

 the painstaking efforts to maintain cleanliness and in the 

 lavish use of chemicals. 



All these precautions have greatly lessened the danger 

 of distemper infection at shows ; and their influence 

 must be wide-spread, for beyond the dogs that congregate 

 at these places the rate of mortality from this disease 

 plainly appears to be falling every year. 



As for sareoptic mange, the other disease which dogs 

 are liable to contract at shows, the danger from it is now 

 very slight since every dog must be carefully examined 

 on entrance ; and what remains can be wholly obviated 

 by the caretakers. But were it to escape detection and 

 a dog afflicted with it to be admitted, even then the dan- 

 ger to others would not exist provided they were not 

 allowed to come in actual contact or enter his stall, and 

 the rules to be given later on for the benefit of exhibitors 

 were carefully observed. 



