CHAPTER IV. 



Xamixu Dogs. — Short names the best; compound names a 

 nuisance ; originality desirable. 



THE practice of incumbering a setter or pointer 

 with a name that is a combination of the 

 names of all the great dogs in his pedigree 

 cannot be too strongly condemned. There is 

 nothing to be said in favor of such a practice that 

 is not heavily overbalanced by objections. It 

 adds nothing to the value of the animal, does 

 not increase his attractiveness, and if perchance 

 the puppy turns out a winner, it would be far 

 better for him to have a short, concise name 

 that would individualize him, rather than put 

 him in the general family array with dozens of 

 other dogs of mediocre or no ability whose 

 names are all so much alike that they are gen- 

 erally confounded and confused. A dog can 

 be a very good dog, a really high-class dog, 

 one which will go down into history as such, 

 and still have a very plain name that is not 

 borrowed from his ancestors with the erro- 

 neous idea of securing some of their luster. In 

 fact, some, if not most, of the names desired 



