Dog Shows and Doggy People 



Introduction 



WHEN writing or speaking on congenial subjects, I suppose most 

 of us, constantly find that our ideas flow much faster than either 

 our pens will transmit them to paper, or our words give them utter- 

 ance ; and on such occasions, for my part, I try to bear in mind 

 the appeal of Old Scrooge in the " Christmas Carol," when he 

 was favoured with a nocturnal visit from his deceased partner 

 Marley, in his capacity of a "ghostly and spiritual adviser," who 

 said, when the latter seemed too much inclined to sermonise, " Now, 

 don't be flowery, Jacob, pray ! " 



People who do not move in the " Doggy World," or have no intimate 

 friends who do, have not the least notion of what a large and important 

 world it is, and although it is my firm conviction, after a lengthened 

 and practical experience of all things doggy, that there are not now 

 even so many "genuine fanciers" as when I first became connected 

 with them, there are thousands more who are interested in dogs, and 

 the values of good specimens have gone up, literally, " by leaps and 

 bounds " ; but it must also be borne in mind that the quality has in- 

 creased enormously, and, in some varieties I could mention, specimens 

 which were able to obtain championships, and often to win prizes 

 for " best in sporting, or non-sporting, classes " would have a hard 

 struggle in these days to get " into the money " at all ! In one way 

 this has affected breeders, as it is undoubtedly becoming more and 

 more difficult to dispose of second- and third-rate dogs, and actually 

 bad specimens can hardly be given away. 



I know, in my judging experiences (and I think, particularly 

 amongst the non-sporting division, I have probably been called upon 

 to make as many awards as any one, amongst the non -professional 

 judges, during the last twenty years and upwards), every year I find 

 the classes harder to " sort," particularly in some breeds, and more 



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