314 ALL ABOUT DOGS 



took first prize yesterday in the same company under 

 Mr. Mellor, who is reckoned one of our leading Dandie 

 judges, and I am going to show her under him to- 

 morrow at Henley (I think it was) where I have every 

 hope she will do the same, so that I should not like her 

 to take ' V. H. C.' for the first time in her life in be- 

 tween." So the bitch was passed over and duly won 

 another first prize the next day. 



The first time I had the honor of judging any dogs 

 belonging to members of the Royal Family was many 

 years since at Warwick, where, I believe, H. R. H. the 

 Prince of Wales exhibited, for the first time, Skyes, 

 and foreign dogs. He may have shown others, also, but 

 those were the classes with which I was concerned. I 

 remember the Committee and Chairman of the show 

 were, quite properly, much impressed with the honour 

 of the Royal patronage to their show at that time, 

 nearly or quite the best held out of London and admir- 

 ably managed by a well organised and most capable and 

 courteous committee of " real workers," whom it was 

 always a pleasure to meet. As I judged, or showed, at 

 all their shows, I can speak from experience ; and I may 

 further say that I consider it a positive calamity for the 

 kennel world when these shows came to an end. For, 

 riot only were they most delightful gatherings, of the 

 " Flower of the Fancy," both dogs, and people, but, 

 held in well adapted buildings and premises, near the 

 quaint old Midland Town, almost under the shadow 

 of the historic castle and under the active patronage 

 of the late Earl of Warwick, and the present Earl, 

 then Lord Brooke (both able and devoted " Dog 



