Advice to a Beginner 217 



heavy coat, heavy and often crooked legs, that are 

 winning on the bench, are superior in any way to 

 the foxhound type of beagle? If so, I cannot see it. 

 Of what advantage is an extremely heavy coat? To 

 keep out the weather, I am told. But does it do it? 

 It may take a little longer to wet through than does 

 a shorter coat, but when it does get wet it is, to my 

 mind, just so much more sogginess to lug around, 

 and the heavy bone! Where is the advantage in it? 

 Has the dog possessing it more endurance than the 

 dog with what would appear to be about enough? 

 I don't believe he has. On the contrary, I believe 

 he is carrying just so much useless material. 



"Now, as to the change in the type of beagle that 

 is winning on the bench. As near as I can make 

 out it is simply a case of appointing judges who 

 favor that type. A large proportion of the earlier 

 importations, I understand, were drafts from 

 English packs, and were purchased at one pound 

 sterling per couple. Doubtless this accounts for so 

 much 'breeding unknown' for it is quite reasonable 

 to suppose that no very extensive pedigree would 

 be thrown in with a two dollar and a half dog. It 

 naturally seems odd to the 'beginner' that dogs dis- 

 carded by our English cousins, dumped for a song 

 are good enough to win over here. I may be mis- 

 informed on this point but doubt very much if I 



