FUKJfi oT AJN D STREAM, 
5S6 
IP? grntul 
How Much May a Doo be Worth?— We often hear 
of fabulous prices asked for dogs, though few persons, we 
■venture to say, stop to consider what may he the basis of 
their -valuation. Of course a dog, horse or cow, is worth 
what it will earn; and when we hear of a horsebeing actual¬ 
ly sold for $30,000, we immediately go hack to his record, 
and discover him to be a prize winner at the course. His 
earnings are a basis for his commercial value. A cow 
may be estimated by her capacity of giving milk, as well 
as by her breeding capacity ; so that if we propose to buy 
we naturally enter into some calculation as to the 
number of quarts of milk and pounds of butter she will 
afford per annum; and we also ascertain the average 
duration of the natural life of the horse or cow so pur¬ 
chased ; and we take into account the risks to which they 
are exposed. In other words, if we invest large capital, 
we look for fair interest on our money. We do not pro¬ 
pose to furnish well-known statistics here to illustrate our 
position and statement; they can be had by any one who 
wishes to buy a cow or a horse. 
Now, as to dogs, we are not aware that any such statis¬ 
tics are available; indeed, the capacity of a dog to earn 
the price paid for him, is comparatively limited. He does 
not produce food like the cow, yet he enables his master to 
obtain marketable food by finding it for him and often 
retrieving or catching it for him ; neither does he, like 
the draught horse, carry burdens, draw vehicles or turn 
machinery, except to a very limited extent; nor does he 
afford much material for high wagers, as his Competitive 
merits are tested only in the pit by patrons of a low order. 
Essentially the dog is more of a luxury than the other 
domestic animals , because his producing capacities are 
less. His average age is less than the horse or cow, and 
his vital risks greater. He is more exposed to accidents, 
and more liable to be shot or clubbed, because he is less 
protected by law. 
We read of such figures as $50,000 being placed upon 
pet dogs when exhibited at shows, and $5,000 is no un¬ 
common price. Of course it is understood that these 
prices are merely prohibitory and signify that the dog is 
not for sale ; yet if the owners of these dogs were inter¬ 
viewed we would probably find that the actual selling 
figures for their pets would be very high ; so high in 
fact as to be utterly inordinate and unreasonable, as can 
be shown by what the dog is likely to produce or realize. 
As an adjunct in shooting, the value of a dog, allowing 
him to be an excellent field performer, depends very much 
more on the length of his owner's purse than on his own 
intrinsic meritB, as he might be worth a thousand dollars 
to a man who could afford to gratify his whims and have 
the best, while another could not afford to own him at 
$250. If the killing of game were made a matter of 
business and the dog were credited with his share, say 
one-half of the pounds of the birds killed, we would here 
have an actual value proportionate to the sum realized. 
Say that a man killed game to the value of $500 in a sea¬ 
son, and the dog was credited with one-half of it, or 
$250, we would have interest on a capital of a little over 
$3,500, which might be said to represent the value of the 
dog, were it not that the duration of his life is extremely 
limited and he is also liable to all sorts of accidents and 
contingencies which would render his value nil. Consid¬ 
ering his use for field purposes alone, therefore, we must 
conclude that a dog’s value is just what he will bring in 
the market, be it more or less, as depends upon the pur¬ 
chaser and his desire to possess him. 
Looked upon from another point of view, that of breed¬ 
ing, the dog has a distinct value, which is in proportion 
to the success of his or her progeny, and as he or she 
ranks as a celebrity. If a female, the price for which her 
puppies can be sold regulates, in a measure, ber value 
vVe have no doubt that there are bitches in this country 
whose owners realize quite a handsome little income from 
the sale of puppies. We will say that they have two lit¬ 
ters a year, and that of each litter five puppies are saved 
and sold at $35 each. This would bring in $250. And yet 
such is the uncertainty of breeding that very probably 
but few of these bitches would fetch that sum if offered 
for sale. Celebrated stud dogs have brought the largest 
prices, and produce the largest incomes. For instance, 
the highest stud fee paid in this country is $75 to the im¬ 
ported pointer Faust, owned by the St. Louis Kennel 
Club. Faust, it is said, cost in England $1,250. Mr. Lle- 
wellin paid Mr. Brewis $2,500 for the Better Dash II. It 
is probable that in both of these instances the invest¬ 
ments were good ones. Yet how many people would 
scout the idea of paying such prices. 
We have been considering more particularly dogs used 
for field sports, excluding hounds of various breeds. Im¬ 
mense sums have been paid in England for celebrated 
grayhounds, but here the purchasers expected to recom¬ 
pense themselves either by stud fees or by winning some 
of the many rich stakes run for at the numerous coursing 
meetings in Great Britain. Fox-hounds have also brought 
very large prices, the value in these cases being repre¬ 
sented by the blood of some strain celebrated for speed 
and stoutness. Probably the nearest approach to a “mar¬ 
ket value ” is that obtained for small pet dogs, such as 
pugs and black and tan terriers. These being in the 
hands usually of dealers, have prices affixed to them 
which also vary with particular specimens, according as 
they fall short of or approach the standard of perfection. 
On the whole, a dog’s selling value may be said to be 
what some one will pay for him, and, owing to the un¬ 
certainties of canine life, it is difficult to estimate accu¬ 
rately his intrinsic worth. 
We have said. Now will any reader answer our ques¬ 
tion, categorically, as first put ? 
A Dog Worth Having. —This is the kind of pointer 
we can recommend to such of our readers as propose to 
emigrate to India or other countries where reptilian mon¬ 
sters are popularly supposed to abound. The Leaven¬ 
worth (Kansas) Times of Aug. 9 says :— 
When Mr. W. T. Lockwood, a young man who lives in 
that part of the suburbs of the city known as Maple 
Grove went to bed night before last, he as usual left 
everything open and slept soundly until mo rni ng. As 
is the usual custom, the family sent his favorite dog, 
Flora, a fine pointer, to the room to wake him. . It seems 
that when she got into the room she found that her mas¬ 
ter had a bedfellow, and she, after groping around among 
the bed-clothes, found something she considered game. 
She, by rubbing her nose over the speaker's face, caused 
him to awake, and, as soon as she could attract his atten¬ 
tion, “pointed” to another part of the bed. Mr. Lock- 
wood hew something was wrong, and immediately 
sprang out and began to look through the bed. He did 
not proceed far until he found a young rattlesnake about a 
year old cosily coiled under the cover. The dog stood watch 
while the intruder was captured, after which she showed 
by every means possible that she was glad, and her mas¬ 
ter fully appreciates that she has just as much sense as 
anybody. 
“The Setter "—Hudson, N. Y., Aug. 16.— In Forest 
and Stream I observe advertisement to the effect that a 
setter by Laverack could be purchased at your office for 
$3. If the dog is still for sale and is all right and sound 
please inform me. Please give his age. G. H. O’N. 
We would inform our correspondent that “The Setter" 
is all right and can still be had for the low price of $3. 
He is well bound and of the right type, is excellent on a 
“ stand ” (book) and covers the ground perfectly. He 
“points” (a moral in dog-breeding) and “retrieves” 
(errors). In other words, “ The Setter ” we have for sale 
is Mr. Laverack’s book on the subject — a fact which we 
supposed any schoolboy would be aware of on reading the 
advertisement. 
Prizes at Dog Shows. — In a recent issue of the Fan¬ 
cier's Gazette we find the following, apropos of certain 
awards at dog shows. Some of our own judges and com¬ 
mittees may find it interesting : — 
Some time ago attention was drawn to the undesirabili¬ 
ty of awarding commendations in champion classes. It 
was then fairly argued that any dog that had qualified 
for a champion class was, prima facie, a good one, and 
needed no commendation. Now another startling«prac- 
tiee has arisen, namely, awarding equal firsts in the same 
class. We can understand this being done when two 
judges officiate and differ, or a variety class has to be 
judged. But it seems incredible that a pair of dogs can 
be so nearly equal in merit that a single, judge cannot 
separate them; and an equal first reads very like a vacil¬ 
lating judge in many instances. 
In the same journal we find the following sensible re¬ 
marks :— 
Now that the show season is in full swing, scarcely 
a week passes but we read of disappointed and con¬ 
sequently angry exhibitors refusing a second prize or 
highly commended card. There is something very ludi¬ 
crous in the figure a man cuts when he is tearing down 
the obnoxious honor which is thrust upon his dog, and if 
the delinquents were only to see themselves as others see 
them, this absurd practice of “ punishing judges " in so 
childish a manner would disappear. Exhibitors have 
only themselves to blame if they show under incompe¬ 
tent judges, and if they get tempted into doing so, they 
had much better refrain from adding to this indiscretion 
by making themselves the laughing-stock of the show. 
LONDON (ONT.) DOG SHOW. 
London, Ont., Aug., 1879. 
Editor Forest and Stream :— 
By mail I send you prize list of the seoond Interna¬ 
tional Bench Snow of Dogs, to beheld in London during 
the Western Fair. 
The committee offer much more liberal prizes than at 
the last show, and have also increased the number of 
classes, so that now nearly all breeds of dogs will be 
represented. 
The show promises to be a great success, as many of the 
most noted dogs from the United States will be exhibited. 
Entries close 15tli September. C-HAS. Lincoln, Supt. 
Name Claimed. — Mr. H. R. Bradstreet, of Boston, 
claims the name of John for his lemon and white Laver¬ 
ack setter dog puppy, whelped October 7th, 1878, out of 
Felt’s imported Daisy, by Waters’ Dash, both of Salem—a 
very promising puppy. If John is already claimed make 
it John n. The dog is now in training by Col. W. F. 
Davis, at Kittrell’s, North Carolina. 
—Dr. H. B. Wygant, of Peekskill, N. Y., claims the 
name Music for his liver and white ticked cocker spaniel 
doo- pup, purchased from Mr. J. B. Harrington, of 
Buffalo, N. Y. Bred by Mr. J. H. Whitman, Chicago, 
HI. Whelped July 1st, 1879. 
—Dr. William Jarvis and Mr. Benjamin F. Clark claim 
the ranw of Meg for red Irish bitch whelped April 20th, 
1879, by champion Elcho, out of Rose. 
NATIONAL AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB. 
field trial rules—for aged pointers and setters. 
Rule 1. Managers of field trials must advertise the timei! 
and place where the meeting will be held, the date of 
closing entries, the scale of points and the names of 
judges, at least thirty days before the trialB take place. In 
the event of any judge or judges failing to act, the com¬ 
petitors shall fill all vacancies, each competitor being en¬ 
titled to one vote. 
Rule 2. Dogs shall he drawn by lot and run in heats, 
the beaten dogs to he retired (except as hereinafter pro¬ 
vided), and the winner to be drawn and run again. The 
dog winning the final heat in the first series of heats shall 
be declared the winner of first prize. Then the judges 
shall select from among the dogs which have been beaten 
only by the winner of first prize such dogs as they think 
possess sufficient merit to entitle them to a chance of 
winning Becond or third prize, and run them against 
each other. The winner among these shall then com¬ 
pete with the dog that ran the final heat with the winner 
of first prize. The winner of this last heat shall be declared 
the winner of second prize, and his last competitor shall 
be declared the winner of second prize. The fourth dog 
in order of merit to be declared by the judges without 
further running. 
Rule 3. When two dogs owned or trained by the same 
person shall be drawn together, one shall he run only, 
and he with another dog, which shall be immediately 
drawn, and the dog left over shall be drawn again. If at 
the latter end of a trial it be found impossible to avoid 
running two such dogs together, it may be permitted. 
Rule 4. The judges shall order up the dogs as soon as 
they have determined which is the best, according to the 
scale of points in Rule 5. The privilege is granted the 
judges of ordering up any dog or brace of dogs that have 
not sufficient merit, in their opinion, to get placed, but 
these may be put down again if there is a possible chance 
for them to win. 
Rule 5. Positive points for' merit:—Pointing, 30; pace, 
20; backing, 10; style,7; staunchness, 8; ranging, 5; quarter¬ 
ing. 5 ; obedience and disposition, 10 ; retrieving, 5 ; total, 
100. Negative points for demerit:—False pointing, 1 to 7 ; 
breaking in (each offence), 3 ; breaking shot (each offence), 
5; chasing, or breaking shot and chasing (each offence), 10. 
Rule 6. No person except the judges, attendants and 
reporters will be permitted to accompany the handlers of 
dogs. Two persons will not be permitted to work one 
dog or a brace of dogs. If from any cause the handler of 
a dog or brace of dogs is disabled to such an extent that 
he cannot shoot, the judges shall appoint a person to 
shoot for him. The handlers of the two dogs shall go 
together as if it were a brace of dogs, so that the dogs shall 
be upon an equality as to ground, opportunities for point¬ 
ing, &c. No spectators shall be allowed nearer the 
handlers of dogs than seventy-five yards to the rear. No 
person shall make any remarks about the judges or dogs 
in hearing of the judges. Such persons so offen d in g shall 
be expelled from the ground. Should any handler of 
dogs annoy the judges after having been ordered to de¬ 
sist, the judges shall order such dogs as he is handling up 
and out of the race. The privilege is granted the handlers 
of asking for information or explanation that has a direct 
bearing upon any point at issue. Pending such question 
the dogs shall not be under judgment. Dogs afflicted 
with any contagious disease or bitches in season will not 
be permitted on the grounds. 
Rule 7. Pointing hares, turtles, larks, “stink-birds " or 
bitterns, or any bird generally considered game, shall not 
be deemed a false point. A dog making a false point and 
discovering it to be such without encouragement from 
his handler shall not be penalized. 
INSTRUCTIONS TO JUDGES. 
Pointing. —The judges will allow only those dogs the 
maximum that point all the birds possible for them to 
point under existing circumstances. A dog to earn the 
maximum number of points under this head must display 
a first-class nose and exhibit great judgment in fin d in g 
and pointing his birds, and make no flushes that a dog 
with the above qualities would avoid in ordinary hunt¬ 
ing. The dogs are to be hunted in all respects as in an 
ordinary day’s shooting. Inexcusable or wilful flushes 
will detract from a dog’s score under this head, but the 
character of the flush must always be taken into account 
in estimating the penalty, if any. The judges must not 
ask the handlers if their dogs are pointing, but must de¬ 
cide for themselves. They shall always consider the 
nature of the ground, the wind and the birds, and shall 
not penalize a dog for flushing a bird it would be impos¬ 
sible to point; the penalty for flushes to he graded by the 
character of the offense. The judges shall not require the 
handlers to hunt their dogs down wind. 
Pace. — The dog that maintains thefastestjgait through¬ 
out the trial, except when in cover or on game, to receive 
the full number of points; all others to be graded by 
him. 
Backing. —The maximum only allowed such dogs as 
stand or drop instantly at sight of another dog on a point, 
but no dog shall be expected to back unless the dog point¬ 
ing stands and is motionless. A dog shall not be said to 
refuse to back unless he sees the dog pointing. To get 
credit for a back the dog must stop at least ten yards 
(when practicable) in front of the handler. 
Style. —The judges shall consider the dog’s grace in 
ranging and drawing and attitudes in pointing and 
backing. 
Staunchness.— The maximum allowed such dogs as do 
not advance from their point when on game until ordered 
on. 
Ranging. — The maximum only allowed the dogs that 
maintain the most killing-range throughout, viz., wide or 
close as the necessity of the case may require. 
Quartering.—The maximum only allowed such dogs 
as work at right angles with the handler, unless the na¬ 
ture of the ground renders suoh work impracticable. 
Obedience and Disposition. —The maximum only al¬ 
lowed to a dog that works promptly to the gun without 
noise or severity, and is prompt, cheerful and easily 
handled. 
Retrieving.— To receive thefull numberof joints under 
this head a dog must go promptly and cheerfully for the 
bird and deliver it to the handler without mouthing Dr 
mutilation. - 
False Pointing.— The judges shall give; at-dog ample 
opportunity to discover whether or not be is on a true 
