A BIRMINGHAM DOG SHOW 259 



generally manage to spot the right animals. Tt 

 does not follow that sporting clogs who gain a prize 

 at a show are any good for the field. Many first- 

 prize dogs are utterly useless for it, never having 

 been broken : and, if they had, might perhaps have 

 turned out worthless. Dogs of the first breed are 

 often gun-shy, want nose, face, method of range, 

 will not back or stand, and are otherwise utterly 

 unmanageable. It is not every dog that breaks 

 well ; not one in ten makes what is called a first- 

 class animal. All judges can do, when the dogs are 

 led from their benches, is to give prizes to those 

 who come up to the standard in head, shape, 

 strength, colour, and general goodness of formation. 



At some show^s judging in public is the fashion ; 

 but this is a very great mistake, and has been 

 proved to be so time after time. Judges should be 

 quite to themselves when they are giving their 

 awards ; and not have a crowd around them making 

 their remarks, which are sometimes anything but 

 flattering. A dog, to win at such a show as 

 Birmingham, must not only be handsome, but he 

 must go up in good coat and in the pink of 

 condition. 



Having now given a general outline of the 

 Birmingham Dog Show from its commencement, I 

 will turn to the show itself for this year. Take it 



