628 The Dog Book 



dogs. That is to say the average of performers show that, for individuals 

 naturally differ. With nothing known as to ability shown by previous wins 

 a 15-pound dog is asked to give 3 yards start to one of 14 pounds and 

 will get 3 yards start, from one of 16 pounds. Then the allowance to 

 smaller dogs increases, while that from larger dogs decreases on the pound 

 basis. For instance a 13-pound dog will get 7 yards from one of 15 pounds 

 and the latter will get less than 6 yards from one of 17 pounds. Then 

 there is a sex allowance of 3 pounds and penalties for wins, with allowances 

 for novices and beaten dogs, all tending to make it very muddled to the out- 

 sider, while the "Lancashire lad" or " Yorjcshire tyke" can reel it off a good 

 deal easier than his multiplication table. 



Efforts have been made by well-meaning people to popularise whippet 

 racing here and bring it to the attention of the general public, but it is a sport 

 which had better be left alone. The dogs are all right, but it seems abso- 

 lutely essential to have a class of persons connected with them and the sport 

 which will always be an insurmountable drawback to whippet racing. The 

 dogs have to be trained and this is done by men walking the dogs along 

 country roads. No American will do this sort of thing, so recourse must be 

 had to those who have done it in England and such men as we have here who 

 will do this are drawn from the class who are failures at legitimate occupa- 

 tions. 



An attempt was made to elevate whippet racing in England and it was 

 introduced at the Ranelagh club, but they could not stand the surroundings 

 and neither can we here. It will have a lingering existence in localities 

 where imported mill hands are found, such as at Fall River. At one time 

 Philadelphia was'an important centre, but high license and the suppression 

 of sporting resorts killed Pastime Park games and now there are only a few 

 places in the East where it is seen, with the exceptions of occasional exhibi- 

 tions at fair grounds. 



The dogs are judged entirely on the lines of the greyhound, but it is 

 usual to have more or less feathering on the tails. Too much evidence of a 

 cross with the Italian greyhound is very objectionable, for there is nothing 

 toyish about the whippet, except his size, and he should be a clean-cut little 

 fellow. 



