Apml 37, 1898.J 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



869 



Will Let Some Other Man Try. 



Editor Forest and SP)-eam,: 



While indulging in a little spell of retrospection this eve- 

 ning, I am forced to conclude that I am a "Jonah" regard- 

 ing pri2;e winners at bench shows, and cannot understand 

 why my luck has never changed. I go back over the list of 



Eointers that I have owned since the days of Phil (that I 

 ought from my old friend "Andy" Waddell), and notice 

 that while they were my property tney were, as a rule, badly 

 left, but when I disposed of them they seemed to go right up 

 ruto the champion class, and win everywhere with uevei'- 

 f ailing regularity. Among them I remember Donald II., 

 Rosa. Queen Bow, White Rose, Pommery Sec, Lady Graphic, 

 Pontiac and Revelation (Dame Bang lias been raore fortu- 

 nate, sweet little dog that she is), several champions of 

 record, since I sold them. They certainly did not change 

 either type or form after they left my hands, still they would 

 win. I have therefore summed it up and decided to retire 

 from the bench show ring, as regards pointers, and see if I 

 can produce a winning setter by way of a change, and have 

 therefore tendered my resignation to the Pointer Glub, sold 

 my alleged bench show pointers, and wish every pointer good 

 luck. Those that I own hereafter will be strictly field dogs, 

 and never be disgraced by being subjected to defeat on tlie 

 bench by duffers that don't know a game bird from a door 

 mat. And I must say, the more I read "Stonehenge" the 

 more I incline to the* belief that type, correct or incorrect, 

 has but little weight in the distribution of awards by the 

 judges of to-day, exceptions always granted. I do not mean 

 to criticise another man's judgment because it does not 

 agree with mine, but for the life of me I cannot figure out 

 wnat type to show to get a blue xibbon. I carefully examine 

 a dog that is winning, get close measurements, and am for- 

 tunate enough to get one almost precisely the same, some- 

 times better in some respects, and enter the ring to be judged 

 by the same gentleman who was so highly pleased with tlie 

 other dog. He merely glances at my "sure thing," and hands 

 all the ribbons to dogs of entirely different type, and I am 

 once more in the dark as to why, etc. 



I have sold champion Revelation to Mr. Wm. Howkins, 

 Monterey, Mass., and Dame Bang to Mr. W. W. Peabodyi 

 Jr., Cincinnati, O., and have no doubt that both dogs will be 

 heard from in the near future. These sales were also sug- 

 gested by the peculiar actions of the gentlemen managing 

 the World's Fair dog show. I would not enter a dog under 

 such "mystifying" rules, nor to be judged by any one unless 

 properly selected by popular vote of the owners and handlers 

 of this country. I claim that this show is, or was intended 

 to be, a national affair, and it is simply ridiculous that one 

 man, Mr. Buchanan, should assume the responsibility of ap- 

 pointing superintendent and judges without consulting in- 

 tending exhibitors and getting a published expres.sion. My^ 

 information and belief is that his slate was made up while 

 being entertained at the late New York show, and his ap- 

 pointments, if as published in another journal are correct, it 

 rs not difficult for us to imagine where he was "at home." 



There is a remedy left for owners. "One may lead a horse 

 to water but one cannot make him drink." A kennel ex- 

 hibit may be given in Chicago in June next, but without en- 

 tries it won't be a "howling" success. 



Two things are necessary to insure enough entries to make 

 it a go, nardely, the selection of judges by a vote of bona ftde 

 owners and the abolishment of the fifty cent compulsory cer- 

 tificate rule. I cannot imagine why" the A. K. C. should 

 chai-ge fifty cents for information which has already been 

 paid for and published, and don't believe the owners will 

 stand imposition even to the extent of fiftj; cents. The A. 

 K. C. as I understand do not need funds, having a handsome 

 cash surplus. As to the selection of judges, let names be 

 submitted and published by the different spoi't.smen's jour- 

 nals, then votes sent in and the men receiving the high- 

 est number be officially appointed. I will wager that such a 

 course will be eminently satisfactory and that when the 

 "round up" is taken the names of John Davidson and Hon. 

 John S. Wise will appear more frequently than some others. 



I don't want to be personal or waste time in making the 

 wishes and demands of dog owners understood, and trust 

 that this hint may be productive of immediate good. If not, 

 I sha.ll try another tack, for I do not want the public swin- 

 dled by an alleged dog show when it is easier to give a genu- 

 ine good one. Geo. W. La Rue. 



Chicago, 111., April 10. 



Where Is the Cocker as a Working Dog? 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I quite agree with what "Cocker" says in your issue of 

 March 23 as to the desire to breed the cocker spaniel by 

 bench show exhibitors so small and fine that he is perfectly 

 worthless for the field and only fit for a lap dog. I cannot, 

 however, agree with him that breeding the cocker black has 

 anything to do with unfitting him for the field, and can 

 assure him that there are lots of good field cocker spaniels 

 left vet, and black ones, too. Granted that a liver and white 

 or black and white dog can be seen in the covert later in the 

 evening than his solid-colored brother, but that is neither 

 here nor there, as the majority of woodcock shooters wiU, I 

 am quite sure, agree with me that the black cocker can be 

 seen long after the hunter is able to see to shoot the birds. 

 In my opinion the black cocker and black field spaniel have 

 no equal for woodcock and partridge (ruffed grouse). I 

 would say to any person wishing to own a good cocker 

 spaniel, and the same time to have him a fLrst-class field 

 dog, to make choice of a puppy from imos. to 6mos, of age, 

 let him be black in color, of hunting parents if possible, 

 cobby and of rather heavy build, straight in the legs and 

 well in proportion all through, neither with a lai-ge head 

 and small body or small head and big body, although of the 

 two evils the latter is the least. Make choice of the merry, 

 playful little fellow, the pup that will come up to you and 

 not turn and run for his life if you make a motion or speak 

 to him. Neither the puppy that appears very timid and 

 nervous. As for weight take one that when matured 

 vnll weigh from 34 to 261bs. Having made your choice, 

 take your puppy home, do nothing but feed and make fi'ieuds 

 ^vith him for two weeks. We will now suppose the puppy 

 is five or six months of age. Take him out for his first les- 

 son on to a nice green lawn, when the grass is cut short, if 

 you have such a lawn; if not, take him into your yard or 

 garden, but be sure to be alone, allow no other dogs to be 

 present, nor children. Now, procure a small ball made of soft 

 rags, show the ball to the puppy, put it into his mouth and 

 hold it there a minute or so at a time; after having done so 

 several times, attract his attention to the ball and then 

 thi'ow it from you a few j;ards, tell the puppy to find. He 

 will take no notice; most likely he will try to commence a 

 romp with you. Take him gently by the neck and drag him 

 to where the ball is, pick it up and draw his attention to it, 



Elace it in his mouth saying "good dog, fetchi" and dra^ 

 im to the place you threw the ball from. Repeat this 

 several times at each lesson, but do not keep him at it too 

 long, for if you do he will become tired and sulk. Give two 

 lessons per day, and probably in a week's time he will have 

 learned nis lesson perfectly and will fetch and carry the ball 

 like an old dog. Now change the ball for a small stick 6iu. 

 in length and proceed as with the ball. Keep him at this 

 for several days, and when you have him proficient at this 

 work, procure a woodcock or snipe (Wilson's); a partridge 

 will not do, it is too large, and the puppy instead of fetching 

 it, will start immediately to tear and mouth the bird. 



Having got your woodcock or snipe, take the puppy out as 

 before, snow Him the bird, keeping your hand well over it; 

 if you do not the chances are that with one snap (which he 

 is almost sui-e to make) he will take half the skin and 



feathers off the bird, and likely carry the head vnth this 

 mouthful. When the puppy has done smelling and trying 

 to bite the game, place it in his mouth with one of your fin- 

 gers (do not be afraid, he will not bite you), and with the 

 other hand, holding him by his neck, lead him up and down 

 the lawn half a dozen times, still holding the bird, with your 

 finger in his mouth; having your finger in the dog's mouth 

 will prevent any attempt "on his part to bite or chew the 

 bird. In a week or so you will find that the puppy will 

 fetch and carry the bird just as well as he will the ball or 

 stick. Having brought the little fellow so far, and made 

 him efficient in the above, chain him some place where he 

 cannot see you, then trail the bird along the lawn and leave 

 it there. Having done so let the puppy loose, and tell him 

 to seek and find, when you will be astonished, as well as 

 pleased, to find how quickly the little fellow will take up 

 the scent, get the bird and bring it to you. You will want 

 your spaniel not only to retrieve fi-om land but from water 

 as well. Take him to any creek, lake or pond that you 

 have in your neighborhood, and if you have or can get a dog 

 that takes the water, bring him alon^, as your puppy will 

 learn to retrieve from the water in half the time, for his 

 company. On your first trial at the water with your puppy 

 he will most likely content himself with rumiing up and 

 dowTi the bank or shore barking at the other dog. All 

 right, do not on any account push or shove him. in; throw 

 a stick two or three times into the water, telling him to 

 fetch it. The next day when you bring him to the water he 

 will do a little better, and condescend to wet his feet and 

 legs; in another day or so he will make the grand plunge 

 and thoroughly baptize himself, after which you will have 

 no more trouble with him, as far as the water is concerned. 

 Always, when you throw a stick or anything into the water 

 for him to retrieve, stand a few yards kway from the shore, 

 so as to teach him to bring wbate^^er it is to you and not 

 leave it on the first land he comes to, as so many half-broken 

 retrievers do, which act is most vexatious when the land 

 happens to be a small island. 



Having got your puppy to retrieve nicely from the water, 

 take him to where the water is only 10 or 20ft. to the oppo- 

 ite shore. First throw a stick across on to the land opposite 

 and get him to retrieve it from there, of course swimming 

 each way. Do not allow him to run around, which he will 

 probably try to do, if it is possible. When you have got him 

 to retrieve the stick (which he will do in a lesson or two) use 

 the woodcock or snipe in the same way. You will find your 

 puppy will retrieve the bird just as readily as he did the 

 stick. Your spaniel will be now about eight months old, and 

 you will of course have got the puppy at such a time that it 

 mil be now September. Take him to the coverts without 

 loss of time, in the company of an old, broken dog, if you 

 can; if not, take him by himself. He will potter around at 

 fir,st, and stand and look much surprised on flushing his first 

 bird, and will be a little timid for a short time at the report 

 of the gun. Never mind, fire away; he will soon get over 

 that, and will improve every daj' right along; so that by the 

 close of the follo^ving season, if you live in a good locality 

 for woodcock and partridge, you will own a black working 

 cocker that money will not buy from you. 



I saw champion MissObo II,, at the Toronto dog show, 1891, 

 for the fir.st time. She was nota bit like the cocker I expected 

 to see, nor did I consider her like any of the cockers in the 

 show. At the same time she is my beau ideal of what a 

 working cocker ought to be; built in perfect proportion in 

 every respect. I measured her three times, as the first and 

 second measurement I thought must be incorrect. I made 

 her each timel4iu. high, she also appeared to me to be well 

 up to the limit of 2Slbs. She is not as heavy in bone as some 

 cockers, but her legs are quite heavy enough for a working 

 cocker; cockers to sit upon a bench may require bone, and 

 legs as heavy as a small Newfoundland dog, but I know for 

 a fact that working cockers do not. Strange as it may ap- 

 pear, Miss Obo II. has been, I believe, pronounced by judges 

 the best cocker spaniel that ever came to America. 



To-ho and charge, I never teach a cocker, as it is not neces- 

 sary. I might here add that if your spaniel is very hard in 

 the mouth, and persistently insists on biting the birds, stick 

 a ball of rags full of pins, with the points outward, and in- 

 close the ball in the skin of a woodcock mth the feathers on, 

 and let him retrieve this a few times. Spaniel. 



CooKSTow, CaH; 



Handsome is as Handsome Does. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



For sixteen years I have been either directly or through the 

 local newsdealer a subscriber and earnest reader of your 

 paper, but never during that time have I seen anything that 

 so called for the just censure of every lover of clean sport 

 throughout the land as the cuts on pag'e 191, present volume. 

 If I was a sporting man I mi,ght derive some pleasure from 

 the pictures there presented, but being a sportsman I can but 

 condemn the base use to which your journal has been sub- 

 jected. Surely a paper can haveno regard for theardent and 

 true sportsman which seeks the patronage of the sporting 

 man, the bruiser and the corner tough. 



Publishing, as "exceptionally meritorious" in a dog show, 

 a class of brutes the pictures of which not only show the ex- 

 treme depths to which the animal kingdom can descend, but 

 reminds one of the ancient heathen gods whose very repul- 

 siveness caused the uncivilized sporting man to fall prostrate 

 at their feet and blindly worship them. Can there beany- 

 thing found in the "prize beauties" pictured on this page but 

 what is sickening to any man who has not lost the last par- 

 ticle of manhood with which nature has endowed him ? 



How much more revolting this becomes to the clean sports- 

 man when he compares the pictures on 191 with those on 

 page 190, and feels the insult in seeing the lowest type of 

 brutality found among animals placed on an equal footing 

 with the .sportsman's best friend, his dog, and this, too, in a 

 sportsman's paper. 



Is the end yet or will we see in future numbers pages de- 

 voted to the "ring" and "pit." For myself I can say that I 

 shall never patiently submit to such degradation; better a 

 thousand times to cut loose from all that suggests it than be 

 dragged with it to the depths to which it must inevitably de- 

 scend. What have my brother sportsmen to say? 



S. R. TISDEL. 



Ithaca, N, Y,, March SI. 



The Homing Instinct in Dogs. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



A case which illustrates to some extent, at least, the 

 "homing" instinct of the pointer came recently to my notice. 

 A gentleman of this city, finding himseli cramped for room, 

 presented his pointer dog to a party residing some 16 miles 

 north of here, the dog going to his new home about a year 

 ago. Last week he appeared at the door of his former mas- 

 ter's residence, seemingly overjoyed to get back. He re- 

 mained until -3 P. M. the following day. when a member of 

 the family saw the sturdy fellow start ofl; up the street at a 

 telling pace. An hour and a half thereafter, according to a 

 letter just received, the dog reached his Lansing home. 

 Prior to this round trip venture the pointer had been over 

 the road only when conveyed in a closed vehicle to his present 

 owner twelve months ago. M. C. H. 



Ithaca, N. Y., Dec, 23, 1893. 



[The above letter has been overlooked. It is worthy of at- 

 tention, and we think that the publication of other in.stances 

 of a similar nature would prove interesting to our readers.] 



tural exhibition, wi-ote as follows to the Secretary: '^Enter 

 me for a jackass."— T^d-Bits. 



Our Bulldog Pictures. 



We scarcely know whether to treat Mr. Tisdel's letter, in. 

 another column, seriously or not. At first we supposed he 

 intended to be humorously sarcastic, but finally we wei-e 

 forced to conclude that he formed one of that large portion 

 of deluded mortals who simply judge by appearances and 

 do not take the trouble to see any further than their noses. 

 That he should have been a reader of Foeest and Stkeam 

 for so many years rather aggravates than mitigates his 

 breach of good taste. That he has not scanned the pages of 

 the kenneldepartment is also deplorable, else would he have 

 learned that of all the harmless, well-intentioned and good- 

 natured beasts which are classified as dogs in the animal 

 world the bulldog stands as near the head of the class as 

 any one could desire. The simple fact that his profile does 

 not partake of the "Grecian," as exemplified in a pointer or 

 setter, may be a misfortune, for which he is in novnse re- 

 sponsible, the use to which he was put in a long-past bar- 

 barous age demanding such formation. If Mr. Tisdel will 

 look around among the many acquaintances and friends 

 such a man of keen discernment must have, he will find that 

 good looks do not always conceal a kind heart or a high 

 grade of intelligence. "There are many men, ourselves in- 

 cluded, whose style of physiognomy would scarcely entitle 

 them to a place in a beauty show, still by nature they may 

 be trusted to shine in that high moral atmosphere with 

 which our correspondent evidently surrounds himself. 



Mr. Tisdel associates the bulldog with the "bruiser" and the 

 "corner tough." Why should he? Has he ever .seen a dog 

 like one of the dogs so admirably portrayed in our issue of 

 March 2 in the company of one of these gentry? We opine 

 not. The very formation of the animal's muzzle would lead 

 men who indulge in dog fights to discard it at once. Besides, 

 the bulldog's very tenacity of grip and cumbersome body 

 would be fatal to its chances in a fight with any ordinary 

 "business" dog. The bulldog's face is his misfortune, but 

 there is no dog along the whole gamut of dogdomwith 

 whom we would rather trust a child than a thoroughbred 

 bulldog. Let the child pull him and tease him as much 

 as it will, the bulldog, oblivious to pain and in its habitual 

 good nature, will never retaliate. 



A Mr, WUton J. Rix, in the English Illustrated Monthly 

 for March, has an article in which he controverts the popular 

 fancy that the bulldog is a vicious and undesirable member 

 of the ca.nine family. In the course of his interesting article 

 he truthfully demonstrates the bulldog to be the reverse and 

 concludes with "The unprejudiced inquirer cannot fail to dis- 

 cover that as a true and faithful companion, a quiet, well-con- 

 ducted and withal reliable guardian, few dogs can be found 

 to equal a good, thoroughbred bulldog," and such are those, 

 the pictures of which Mr. Tisdel complains of. So far from 

 the bulldogs being the companions and fancy of men of 

 degraded instincts, we will enlighten our correspondent as to 

 the names of a few of the gentlemen who are not ashamed, 

 but proud to own such animals and who know their worth. 

 Knowing these men as we do, we can readily understand the 

 feelings with which they will read Mr. Tisdel's letter. Col. 

 John E. Thayer, of Boston and Lancaster, Mass., has always 

 been an admirer of the breed, and this gentleman is too well 

 known to need any defense of character or standing, and so is 

 Mr. John Mathews, of New York, whose recently erected 

 mansion on the banks of the Hudson, as an instance, pro- 

 claims his refinement and good taste in every particular. 

 Mr. Woodward, of Chicago, the owner of the dogs in question, 

 is also a business man of good standing and a man of refined 

 bearing. Then what about Messrs. Cole, Cugle, Kendall, 

 Capt. John Phelps, son of Minister Phelps; the late Mr. Rus- 

 sell, and Ed Porter, gentlemen in the right sense both. Then 

 in England the Woodiwiss famUy, Cyril Jackson, F. 

 Crowther, etc., all gentlemen of standing in their communi- 

 ties. Is it necessary to go further in this direction? We have 

 said enough to show that our correspondent must look 

 deeper than he has done and remember that as with men so 

 with dogs, it is not "all gold that glitters." A doggerel, in 

 a late issue of British Fancier, a verse of which we quote, 

 forms a fitting close to this protest: 



"As in the man, so with the dog of the real old British type, 

 So long connected wrongly with the public house and pipe; 

 The British bulldog now reclaimed by those who love to see 

 Ttieir friend, the dog, approaching to what every man should be." 



Beagle Type. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I wish to say a few words to the beagle men through the 

 good old Forest and Streaji. I arrived home from the 

 Boston dog show with little Spots safe and sound. To say I 

 enjoyed myself only tells one-half, for I met many that I was 

 acquainted with before, and had the pleasure of becoming 

 acquainted with many others that are interested In our 

 merry little hound. Then again to look over the beagles to 

 see their faults, as I saw them, and to hear the opimons of 

 better judges than I am, was a good lesson. 



I wish I might say something to the beagle men about 

 breeding, if I do not tread on tender toes. While I have bred 

 my share of the best ones, I do not claim to know it all, but 

 will say to those intending to breed their bitches this year — 

 don't breed to the first dog you come across just because he 

 is called a beagle, and then expect to raise prize winners, 

 when there are such dogs as Fitz H. Lee ancf Frank Forest 

 in the stud, and you can see what their get are and what 

 they are themselves. I do not say there are not other good 

 ones, but use the very best to be had from stock that are in 

 it both in the field and on the bench, and then you will be 

 ne rer getting such dogs as Lonely, Emeline, Topsy S. and 

 others of that stamp. Don't breed to the long-backed, long- 

 faced, long-legged or the little weedy kind, for they are no 

 good and are sure to hurt the coming beagle more than you 

 can realize at the present day. In the breeding of Lonely to 

 Frank Forest I shall look for grand results. Let us have, 

 two years from now, such a lot of beagles that "Honest" 

 John Davidson will have to look for the poor ones with his 

 glasses on. George F. Reed. 



Babton, Vt., AprU 17. 



Death of Lady Alice. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



It is not my desire to burden the public with all the good- 

 ness embodied in my lovely St. Bernard Lady Alice, but 

 simply to inform you that she was instantly killed on the 

 19th inst. by an electric car in this city. I cannot and never 

 shall fully realize that she has left me forever; having 

 brought her over with me seven years ago from England, 

 and we have never been a day separated, it is easy for those 

 who have owned and loved a do» to imagine my feeling at 



E resent. All I can say is, may God never afflict any one who 

 as a real appreciation for tne dumb brute as has been my 

 lot. HARRIETTE MACKi3!JZIE HUGHES. 



E0CHK.5TEK, N. Y., April 21. 



Who Owns This Greyhound? 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I want to find the owner of a grevhound which has 

 stranded on my shore. It was struck by a locomotive last 

 Tuesday, but is not, I think, permanently injured, as no 

 bones are broken. It is a fine dog, and evidently was lost or 

 had been stolen, and I think the owner would be glad to 

 find it. 



I don't know how to find him, unless he is, like myself a 

 constant reader of Forest and Stream. B. A. Vail. 

 Rahway, N. J., April 24. 



