Poodles In Particular - History, Care And Management Of The Standard, Miniature And Toy Varieties For Home And Show Ring 5c6rm

Poodles in Particular

HISTORY, CARE AND MANAGEMENT OF THE STANDARD, MINIATURE AND TOY VARIETIES FOR HOME AND SHOW RING

BY

Alice Lang Rogers

1951

CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

PRELUDE

1. THE STORY OF ANITA

2. POODLE CHARACTER AND TEMPERAMENT

3. ORIGIN OF THE THREE VARIETIES

4. POODLES IN AMERICA

5. CHOOSING YOUR FIRST PUPPY

6. THE YOUNG DOG IN THE HOME

7. BASIC TRAINING FOR EVERY DAY

8. HOW AND WHAT TO FEED

9. THE ART OF BREEDING

10. WHELPING AND RAISING THE PUPPIES

11. GROOMING FOR HOME AND SHOW ROOM

12. CLIPPING STYLES AND PATTERNS

13. THE COLOR PROBLEM

14. OPERATING A KENNEL

15. SHOWS AND SHOWING

16. POODLE CLUBS HERE AND ABROAD

17. THE STANDARD AND ITS DEMANDS

18. CHAMPIONS AND OBEDIENCE WINNERS

INDEX

ILLUSTRATIONS

Anita von Lutterspring

Standard, Miniature and Toy

Carillon Corbeau

Alms Giving—Doré Painting 1869

Qui Sait of Misty Isles

Dog Show at Bloomingdale’s

Nunsoe Duc and Blakeen Roulette of Misty Isles

Two Standards—Characteristic Expression

Cartlane Ravissante

Ajax and Punch—Curly-coat and Corded

Le Grand Barbet—Seventeenth Century

Vladimir, Corded Poodle of 1885

Antoine of Misty Isles

Puttencove Blaise

Nunsoe Due de la Terrace of Blakeen

Gadabout of Misty Isles

Kaffir of Piperscroft

Mrs. Whitehouse Walker with Nymphae Jason and Carillon Joyeux

Carillon Joyeux

Whippendell Poli of Carillon

La Festive Champetre—Frans Hals

Puttencove Filigree

Standard Poodle Litter

An Appealing Trio at Eleven Weeks

Miss Gladys Swarthout with Lucius and Robert

Christcrest Invincible and Christcrest Sassbox

Qui Vive of King’s Point

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Barlow with Skipper and Jolly

Dancing Dog, by Jan Steen

Le Chien de L’Aveugle

Pillicoc Reverie

Carillon Epreuve with Blanche Saunders

Misty Isles Algie of Piperscroft

Ensarr Navy

Sirod Absolue

Sylph of Raybrook

The Visitation, by Albrecht Durer

Puttencove Pilgrim 11

Diablotin Danseuse

Mrs. Milton Erlanger

Carillon Colin of Puttencove

Skipper and Jolly Roger of Misty Isles

Pillicoc Jadis and Litter

Mrs. W. French Githens with Standard Puppies

Pillicoc Prunella

Debutante of Misty Isles

Dog Exchange in Paris, by Marlet

Robin Goodfellow

Sparklet of Mannerhead

Pillicoc Peter Piper

Cartlane Once

Lion Dog—from an old print

Lowmount Madame d’Aiguillon

Dutch clip

Ensarr the Raven

Ensarr Glace

Nicole, Miss Poedie and Pert of Touchstone

Blakeen Eldorado

Cartlane Petite Platina

Hillandale C’Est Bon

Waltzing Mathilda

Pillicoc Rumpelstilskin

Diablotin Onyx

Alderbrook Huzzar

Hillandale Punch

Orla von Sadowa of Salmagundi

Pillicoc Houdini

White Cockade of Salmagundi

Rumpelstilskin and Cheri of Misty Isles

Fiddown Florida

Carillon Caccia, as a puppy

Examination in the Ring

Familiar Show Room Scene

Puttencove Impetuous

Carillon Jester

Gregoire of Misty Isles

Prinz von der Dreboldsburg

Poodle Chart

Pillicoc Polaris

Puttencove Tiralira

Tango of Piperscroft

Hollycourt Petit Pierre

Hollycourt Anne de Joyeuse

INTRODUCTION

For many years the Poodle fancy has been clamoring for an authoritative book on the breed. Here we have just such a book written by one who is directly responsible for the revival of the Poodle and who has established most of our great strains today. The combination of Mrs. Rogers’ experience as a practical breeder, and as a writer as well, equips her to fill the need as it could be filled by no one else.

The book will be avidly devoured by all literature-starved Poodle lovers here and abroad, for in truth the author is everywhere recognized as an authority whose peregrinations in search of knowledge have extended not alone across America but throughout much of the dog loving world.

The content of the volume I shall let speak for itself, while I shall introduce the author so that all may know what manner of woman this is, who has made Poodle history. And the story I tell may well serve as a blueprint for courage, integrity, selfless devotion to an ideal, and good hard work.

Alice Rogers is the daughter of the late Sir Hamilton Lang, well known financial expert in Britain. Sir Hamilton held at various times important posts for his government in Cyprus, Rumania, Egypt, and Turkey. Alice, his second daughter, lived the gay life of a British girl abroad. Her early years were spent in Turkey and Egypt. She went back to England to finish her schooling, then back to Turkey to re her family.

It was there, in Constantinople, that she met a handsome young American Naval Officer who was stationed on the U. S. S. Scorpion. His name was Byron D. Rogers. They were married in New York after a whirlwind courtship. That was in

1911, and in 1915, four years later, he died in Haiti, leaving a bewildered young wife with her two infant sons.

Alice Rogers was a fine sportswoman in those days. She played a good game of tennis; she swam, she rode, she adored dancing, and she had never had to earn a penny in her life. Untrained, with her sons to raise and educate, she sought desperately for some means of livelihood. Like most Englishwomen, she had an inborn love of dogs, and like most of the English, she brought a dog with her when she returned from England just before her husband died. It was a Sealyham matron which, bred to one of Mrs. Payne Whitney’s dogs, produced a litter of which Mrs. Rogers kept one female.

That was the start. Under the kennel name of Llandoyley, Mrs. Rogers imported Cairn Terriers and Sealyhams. In 1917, she began her show career by exhibiting at Mineola and at Westminster in 1918. In 1922 she wrote her first book, “Cairn and Sealyham Terriers.”

Now she had hit her stride. She found that she could earn enough to raise her sons and keep herself by turning a fascinating hobby into a profitable business. But what work it was; what heartbreak. Most of you who read this have raised puppies for pleasure or profit so you know what it must have meant to a dog lover to have to sell the best. She moved her kennel to Bedford in 1926 and changed its name to the now-famous one: Misty Isles. Misty Isles as a kennel prefix on a Poodle pedigree is a mark like Sterling on silver, but it originated for the Cairns, since the Cairn Terrier hails from the Misty Isles of the Hebrides.

The year 1929 marked the Poodle revival in this country, for at that time Mrs. Rogers bought Anita von Lutterspring, to whose memory this book is dedicated. The first chapter tells how, when and where she bought her. Anita died in 1938 and all of us who were privileged to know her, or fortunate enough to have one of her progeny, will want to add a word or two of tribute to her. Of all her irers, however, I am now the one in a position to do it. Anita was gay,

resourceful, beautiful, intelligent and useful. I , during the years when she lived in Bedford with Alice how she pulled her by the skirt to answer the telephone or the door bell, when Alice’s hearing was not acute enough to hear the bell.

Anita was bred to Nymphae Pice, imported from England in 1930, and produced in the first litter Paul and Roulette of the Misty Isles, which were sold to Mrs. Sherman R. Hoyt and shown by her to their championships. I know that Hayes Hoyt will agree with me when I say that they were the beginning of her interest in Poodles and the start of the Blakeen Kennels.

Eric Labory, imported by Mrs. Rogers two years after Pice, was certainly the foundation of my own kennel of Poodles. He was the sire of Ch. Giroflee of Misty Isles, bought by Thomas Frelinghuysen from the Misty Isles Kennels, and she was the mother of Ch. Pillicoc Rumpelstilskin, C.D. the mainspring of my strain. Pillicoc Aplomb, which had a fine record of wins for my kennel and for his subsequent owner, Colonel E. F. Ferguson of California, was the son of Ch. Ambroisine of Misty Isles, a daughter of Anita’s by Eric.

In 1931, Mrs. Whitehouse Walker bought Whippendall Poli and Nymphae Jason, which Mrs. Rogers had seen and ired in England. Hamilton Rogers, the eldest son, was sent over to England to bring back these Poodles for Mrs. Walker. The contributions of Jason and Poli to our present-day pedigrees are too widely recognized to need mention here.

Having firmly established the Standard Poodle in America, Alice Rogers turned to England for new ventures. She imported in 1933 Algie of Piperscroft, Sparkling Jet, Venda’s Arrow of Silver, Blue Jewel and Venda’s Silver Sylph as a foundation of her Miniature strain. The Misty Isles strain Miniature Poodles has produced so many champions that we cannot enumerate them here.

When Anita died, Mrs. Rogers decided to go back to England. I had no Miniatures at the time and I was privileged to buy Ch. Soupcon, Bibelot, Bibelot Cadet, Ch. Qui Vive and Qui Sait. The war prevented the completion of her plan to go abroad so all the Minnies went back to her except Alma (Qui Vive). But as this isn’t my story but hers, I won’t say anything more about Alma.

Now comes the end of my story and it is a beautiful ending to the story of the life of one of the most wonderful women I have ever known. The Rogers boys— Byron Hamilton and Peter—had been raised and educated by the dogs from babyhood. They served with distinction in the Army and in the Navy, respectively. After the war, they made successful careers in fields far removed from dog breeding.

But Alice Rogers isn’t breeding dogs, selling them, cleaning kennels, nursing puppies, and struggling with housework, either. Peter, the unmarried son, has taken a delightful apartment (or should I say flat in deference to the British connotation?) for her right in New York. And there she is with a Miniature Poodle for a pet; there she is brewing the best cup of tea—the pot warmed ahead, the water boiled, the cosy in place—just as she did for me on those cold winter days in Bedford when I sat at her feet and learned about Poodles from her.

—Alene Erlanger

PRELUDE

IN THE distance of the past I see a little child looking from her nursery window onto a roughly cobbled street where dozens of dogs lie around homeless. Dogs half starved and sick, dogs with horrible sores, dogs maimed and dying. How they fight among themselves. How piteously they cry when someone kicks them. What agonizing death is theirs when some horse-drawn carriage runs them down. This, many years ago, was Constantinople and its scavenging street dogs.

Again I see this child, grown older now, and walking along the streets with her governess followed by an armed bodyguard, as she feeds out of her basket hordes of miserable curs. I see her placing boxes on the pavement outside her home to shelter puppies newly born in the dead of winter.

I was that child. I knew nothing in those days of man’s brutality to the beasts. I knew only that I too must cry when they cried, that I must feed them because they were hungry and warm them somehow when they were cold.

The years went by, and memories that seared the heart of the child gradually stored themselves away, I knew not where. But they were the seed that grew into an abiding love for dogs, and an understanding of them which mutual suffering alone can give. And when at long last adversity struck, they repaid me a thousand fold. They enabled me to earn a living for my family and myself. In comion I have found reward enough.

POODLES IN PARTICULAR

Chapter 1

THE STORY OF ANITA

“IS IT NOT rather unethical for a breeder to start a strain of dogs with an ineligible matron?” This question has often been asked me and I have always replied in the affirmative. It also is unbusiness-like.

Anita, my first Poodle did not have a complete pedigree when I bought her and I knew it. I cannot claim any credit for the fact that she turned out to be a successful brood matron. I merely “fell in love” with her at first sight and had sufficient knowledge of dogs to know that she was the perfect picture of a thoroughbred.

She was small for a Standard Poodle, as Americans know them, measuring but nineteen inches at the shoulder, but I have always preferred the Caniche size. Her jet black coat was naturally curly, lying close to her body in silky ringlets. It did not stand out in the wiry profusion we are most familiar with today but in my opinion it was just so much more typical of her breed on this . As a dog, she was sound fore and aft and, if you look at the head study which is the frontispiece of this book, you will see that her Poodle expression was perfect.

At the Westminster Kennel Club show in 1928 I first saw her. She was sitting quietly on her bench surrounded by noisy fellow-canines but making no sound herself. She looked somewhat bewildered but she was dignified and resigned. Her dark eyes met mine as I ed before her bench, catalogue in hand, and she lifted one dainty paw, and placed it in my outstretched hand.

STANDARD, MINIATURE AND TOY. Although differing in size, the three varieties are much the same in type. As befitting his more impressive stature, the Standard here has the more serious expression. Owned by Surrey Kennels.

That is all there was to our encounter; no gushing, no exuberant welcome, just her paw in my hand and our eyes meeting.

Before I had time to look her up in the catalogue, I heard a familiar voice say: “Isn’t she lovely! I have just bought her.” Mrs. DeLancey Jay was beside me and together we read what the catalogue said about Anita:

“Anita von Lutterspring, listed.

For Sale, $200.”

I had not known she was for sale when I first saw her, but now the fact that she had been available, and was no longer, gave me the keenest sense of disappointment.

Something had happened between us which dog-lovers will understand but others may scoff at, and I tried to persuade Mrs. Jay to turn the sale over to me. She refused. It is strange how persistent some ideas can be and my determination to own Anita never wavered through four months. Then I visited Mrs. Jay on Long Island and once more tried my powers of persuasion.

“She has not a complete pedigree,” I was told. “It would be very foolish of you to buy her as a foundation for your Poodle kennel.”

That was true. I had been raising dogs for many years and in both my previous breeds, the Sealyhams and Cairn Terriers, I had always made sure of the eligibility to registration in the Stud Book of all the dogs I had bought. Yet I purchased Anita von Lutterspring, sire’s pedigree unknown, and never regretted it.

Sometime later, when I was in with the German Kennel Club, it was discovered that this sire, by name Putschee, had been owned by a German soldier. He was killed during the first World War and all his belongings disappeared. Among these was Putschee’s pedigree. Apparently the dog had not been ed in the Stud Book, so it was impossible to trace his ancestry.

According to American Kennel Club rules, an uned dog could be shown a certain number of times if “listed,” so I showed Anita occasionally but she never did more than win her classes. She was far too small in stature to compete successfully against the much larger Standards which were considered correct in size.

However, the Standard of Points did not make her size a disqualification since the height requirement was merely “over fifteen inches.” It was just that judges preferred the Poodle to be larger than the Caniche size favored in .

When I had owned Anita for some months, I went to England to look over the Poodles in that country and to learn all I could from the breeders. But, privately, I wanted to bring back a mate for my cherished companion. By that time she had indeed become my companion; going everywhere with me, sleeping in my room, and making herself my “ears.”

I was becoming deaf at this time and often did not hear the telephone bell. Anita, always beside me, would pull at my skirt and run towards the telephone whenever the bell rang, which saved me losing many an important message. When she died I was obliged to buy a hearing aid.

CH. CARILLON CORBEAU, a Standard combining the best blood lines of English and Swiss Poodles, was acquired by Mrs. W. French Githens from Mrs. Walker as foundation for the Ensarr Kennels. A winner of non-sporting groups, he has sired four generations of champions.

In England I saw many beautiful Poodles but I felt guilty towards my family over my acquisition of ineligible Anita and did not dare pay a big price for her mate.

FREEMAN LLOYD COLLECTION

ALMS GIVING. Reproduction of a painting by G. Doré of in 1869. Mendicants, accompanied by their Poodle, gather around a rich man’s door while the lady of the mansion puts her alms into the child’s basket. This time the Poodle’s bowl is ignored but he patiently waits his turn. Note that the dog’s muzzle and feet are clipped as is done today.

Finally at the Nymphae Kennel of Mrs. Hutchinson, I found a young black male whose personality was attractive and whose pedigree was eminently desirable. His only blemish was a small white streak on his chest and his name was Nymphae Pice.

I bought him for four pounds and I felt sure my family could not blame me for spending such a small sum to prove my faith in Anita’s possibilities as a producer of good Poodles. I could always sell him should my hopes fail to materialize.

The mating on which so much hinged took place and three puppies were born. In my eyes they were of course perfect because they were Anita’s offspring and my first Poodle puppies.

But I was not alone in my iration. Mrs. Sherman Hoyt who saw them when they were eight weeks old bought a male and a female. They were destined to become the famous Champions, Paul and Roulette of Misty Isles.

Mrs. Hoyt showed Roulette first, in 1932, and she had an instant success. Paul came out next and also made his championship in short order. This brace founded the now famous Blakeen Kennel, while More of Misty Isles, a dog out of Anita’s second litter by Pice, also became a champion under Blakeen colors.

There is a ruling in the American Kennel Club which permits an American-bred dog, after he has won a championship title, to be ed in the Stud Book. Paul and Roulette qualified for this on their own merits but their little mother still remained on the black list.

Mrs. Hoyt and I approached the Kennel Club on her behalf. We wrote to , received from that Club the diploma which proved that Anita had been awarded a Sehr Gut at her one and only show in her native land, also a certificate of registration in the German Club. Our Kennel Club took these things under consideration as well as her record of being the dam of three champions in two litters, hence in 1936 the slur of ineligibility was removed. She was itted into the exclusive Stud Book and a registration number was assigned her.

What a day of rejoicing this was at the Misty Isles! I was congratulated on all sides but all the merit was Anita’s. For my part I had merely fallen in love with a little lonely Poodle sitting on a show bench but she had enriched the Standard Poodle family for all time.

The breed had by this time come into the limelight of publicity. Many beautiful specimens were being exhibited, some of them those I had earmarked for export while I was in England buying Pice, and many American-breds were following in the footsteps of Paul and Roulette.

I now felt justified in importing the best sire I could find for Anita’s future families. I visited the Kennel of Madame Reichenbach, in Switzerland, and bought Eric Labory, a fine upstanding black dog without a blemish. He and Anita gave me more good puppies, among them the three champions Ambroisine, Ambroise and Amour. Anita’s producing record stands at seven champion children and many champion grand and great grandchildren.

In 1939 Anita died very suddenly. My grief at losing her is as real today as it was then, and no dog will ever replace her in my affections.

CH. QUI SAIT OF MISTY ISLES, Miniature, bred and owned by the author. Her sire is Bibelot of Misty Isles, a son of Algie; her dam, Ch. Qui Vive of Misty Isles, is a sister, earlier litter, of the well known winner, Ch. Pillicoc Houdini.

I continued to breed Standards only a very short while after her ing. My interest in them had waned and, with Pice sold and Eric dead in 1939, I concentrated my attention on the Miniature variety exclusively.

This little story of Anita is primarily one of deep devotion between a dog and a human being. But, it is also one of success; the personal success she brought to me and the great contribution she made to her breed in its early renaissance days in America.

She will never be forgotten by me or by the countless number of people who own Standard Poodles in whose pedigree her name appears.

Chapter 2

POODLE CHARACTER AND TEMPERAMENT

TO A TRUE dog-lover any dog is lovable, be he mutt or pure-bred, but there must be some reason why those who have ever owned a Poodle are rarely satisfied with a dog of another breed. Possibly the reason lies with human nature itself. Invariably we love most those who need us most, and a Poodle really needs his master or mistress, and their affection and approval.

First and foremost I think among Poodle traits is his intense desire to be the dog you want him to be; because of this he should never be chastised. Punishment at first hurts his feelings and this later may show up as resentment expressed by stubborness and confusion. A change in the tone of voice is sufficient to indicate to him that he has displeased you for, even as a young puppy, his ears are attuned to different inflections, and in them he seeks reassurance and approval.

A Poodle was once brought to me by his owner who complained that he was unruly and disobedient. Could I, she asked, do anything to help her? I took the dog into my kennel. At first he was difficult to manage—morose, unresponsive and stubborn—but I soon discovered that he was in a highly nervous state underneath all the bravado. So I set about to win his confidence. I never punished him, but when he failed to obey me I ignored him and made a great point of praising and petting all my other dogs when they did as they were told.

DOG SHOW AT BLOOMINGDALE’S. Ch. Carillon Courage, C.D., C.D.X. and Tango of Piperscroft, C.D., C.D.X., in clowning mood. Courage jumps into the washing machine while Tango, as befits the older clown, holds the hose in his mouth ready to give his comrade a sousing. Poodles are among the photographer’s most cooperative subjects.

At the start he was completely indifferent to my cold shoulder. However, as he became attached to me, I could see him watching me with the other dogs; and one day after a particularly flagrant act of disobedience, he came to me of his own accord as if in apparent apology. Of course I made a great fuss over him upon which he strutted a bit with pleasure. This was my first sign of progress but it was still a long time before he obeyed me instantly and acted as a completely normal, happy dog should. He became as amenable as any of my own dogs. Lest he should forget her, his owner had visited him frequently and he seemed to include us both in his affections.

I was interested in finding out what could have caused this dog to lose temporarily his breed’s inherent character. I found he had been raised in a large kennel, one of dozens of puppies; that he had been looked after by helpers who had more dogs under their care than they could handle properly. In his new home his owner’s gentleness was overshadowed by the behavior of a worker on the place who impatiently shouted orders at him. That dog finally grew into a devoted companion which followed his mistress wherever she went without even the restraint of a lead.

INT. CH. NUNSOE DUC DE LA TERRACE of Blakeen (right), and Ch. Blakeen Roulette of Misty Isles (left), Standards owned by Mrs. Sherman R. Hoyt.

The Poodle is always at his best with those who understand him. Such understanding of course is innate in people endowed with the true “doggy sense.” Because not all have been given this sense, I think that the Poodle is not everybody’s dog!

If you want a dog which you can regard as a piece of furniture or as a mere addition to your possessions, do not buy a Poodle. If you are looking for a companion that will share your daily life, respond instantly to your moods be they gay or sad, that will adjust himself to your kind of life as long as you are with him, then a Poodle is your dog. He is very demanding of his owner, but only for intangible things, such as love, approval and understanding; these he must have if he is to develop to full emotional stature.

A contented, well balanced person will have a calm, self-possessed Poodle because the surrounding atmosphere promotes contentment and banishes nervous tension. That is how sensitive he is, how completely your own character reacts on his. Perhaps you may feel that he asks too much, but if you can give him even half of what he wants, you will never lack companionship and you will never feel lonely.

Another breed characteristic is versatility. The Poodle adapts himself to all kinds of situations, he fits himself into every sort of life. He is a perfect dog for the country. He revels in long walks, in using his keen nose to follow trails, and as he lifts his head to sniff at the air, you will realize how much he enjoys the smell of the great outdoors. When he accompanies you on long walks, he will never wander too far. He will bound ahead of you, following enticing scents, but your

presence is always in the background of his mind.

I have taken as many as seventeen Poodles for long rambles in the woods behind my kennel, all of them free from restraint; and while I counted noses from time to time to reassure myself, I never had one of them go astray. Occasionally a particularly keen hunter would be so entranced in a rabbit warren that I had to hold up the whole gang until we got her attention. I have often deliberately left an old kennel inmate to follow at her leisure, and she never failed to come home, full of tail-wagging apologies and rather guilty looks.

The Poodle is also an ideal town dweller. Owing to their smaller size, the Miniature and Toy in particular, are satisfactory apartment dwellers. You can see them any day strutting along the city streets, self-possessed and happy. The owner or someone in whom they have confidence is on the other end of the lead, so they feel secure. How strange that a dog which so enjoys his freedom can be equally content in a city with all its restrictions, but I think this is just because love of being with the family is so deep-rooted that he can adapt himself to any kind of existence. Many of my Poodles are city dwellers, and they are every bit as healthy and happy as those living in the country. Some are fortunate in having their own backyard or terrace while others must take their exercise in streets and parks. They do not appear to be in the least disgruntled! They have very wise and understanding owners and this is what counts.

As a child’s pet, the Poodle has no peer but I do recommend that he be acquired as young as possible for this purpose. Children are not characteristically easy on dogs, chiefly I think because the modern child is often an undisciplined little person not taught by his elders how a dog should be handled. In selling a Poodle for a child’s pet, I always like to meet the child first and form my own opinion of how he or she will treat the dog. A boy’s dog should be younger than a girl’s,— girls are usually gentler and quieter. But the young puppy will accustom himself to a boy’s aggressive and boisterous ways and thoroughly enjoy them. No boy, however energetic, can tire out a Poodle in games or on hikes.

TWO STANDARDS which show by their expression the characteristically happy disposition and great intelligence of the Poodle.

The Poodle is gentle and good natured, but he can be aggressive when occasion demands, therefore he is a good watchdog.

One summer evening several years ago, I was alone in the house, sitting in my living room. Being deaf, I did not hear the front screen door open but I suddenly saw Eric Labory and Anita like two black flashes down the hall. When I reached the front door I saw a man frantically trying to get out of the gate leading to the road, with Eric hanging on to his coat-tails and Anita standing guard on the porch steps. I was saved from what might have been a disagreeable encounter, or worse.

Two of my miniatures, Bibelot Cadet and his daughter Thumbs Up, will not allow any stranger to enter the kennel yard until I come forward to greet him. Consequently when I had to go shopping, rather than return all the puppies to the kennel for such a little while, I would leave Caddie and Thumbie loose in the yard through which anyone had to to reach the building. I had seen these two dogs in action when a stranger approached, and I knew it would be a brave person who would risk their combined attack. If I was on hand to receive visitors, the dogs’ welcome was cordial; when they were on guard duty their resentment was as definite.

Lack of aggressiveness in a Poodle, except on specific occasions, shows itself in his attitude toward other dogs. He has no inclination to pick a fight with his own kind; he prefers to live peaceably with them. When I also bred Cairn Terriers, I often watched with amusement the provocative approach of a Cairn to a Poodle, as he seemed to hurl insults at him, or perhaps twitted him on his dandified appearance. The Poodle showed surprise at such rudeness but apparently he did

not return it in kind. He turned away in a dignified, superior manner. In the aggressor evidently longing for a scrap, belligerency gave place to puzzlement, sheepishness, and the episode ended in a stalemate.

CH. CARTLANE RAVISSANTE, Standard bred and owned by Miriam Hall Silvernail, as she looked following her non-sporting group win at Chester Valley in 1948. The alertness and intelligence of this female are quite evident.

But the Poodle will not swallow a serious insult. He can fight if he has to and the fight will be as determined as that of any other dog. When in full coat he is well protected from his opponent’s teeth except on his shaven face which is very vulnerable. Usually teeth wounds occur around his eyes and on his cheeks. If he gets involved in a scrap with a dog of another breed, he will give up at his owner’s insistent command far more quickly than, for instance, a terrier. This obedience leaves him at a disadvantage but makes separation of the fighters easier than it would be in the case of two embattled terriers.

In the home the Poodle is a very restful dog able to sense your immediate requirements, and he conforms. Should you wish to sit quietly reading, for instance, he will lie beside you peacefully, but you have only to ask, “Want to go out,” and he is on his feet, ready to go!

He is a conceited fellow, loving to show off and be ired. These traits, coupled with an unusual capacity for learning tricks, since his earliest days have made him the ideal performing dog. Even a five-months-old puppy can learn to go through an entire repertoire of simple tricks, obviously enjoying each one. He does not object to being laughed at, in fact he seems to gain greater satisfaction when people applaud his clowning. To him this denotes the approval of his loved ones; it gives him the center of the stage which evidently he believes to be his rightful place.

Throughout the years he has been known as the circus dog par excellence. The feat of two Poodles which in England years ago became expert card players is often recounted, while Queen Anne used to be highly entertained by a group of

Poodles which had learned to pantomime an entire dinner party that ended in a dance.

All these inherent qualities of character and temperament so intrigued me that they prompted me to study the breed from ancient times. The result of this study and research I will give my readers in the following chapter.

Chapter 3

ORIGIN OF THE THREE VARIETIES

THE POODLE, with his graceful bearing and frivolous coiffure, is obviously a dog of distinction in anybody’s social . While the ancestors of many prominent families were still living in caves and conversing in savage grunts, the Poodle’s ancestors were already welcome visitors at the imperial courts of Europe.

Jars, dishes and bas-reliefs, dating from the reign of the Roman Emperor Augustus in the first century before Christ, are decorated with carefully etched portraits of dogs with woolly heads and shoulders and slim, shaved hindquarters.

Great controversy has raged over the actual origins of the Poodle family. The seven cities of ancient Greece all claimed the poet Homer as theirs. But the argument over Homer has been tame compared with that over the Poodle; almost every country on the Continent of Europe claims to be his native land.

The Germans, who can point with pride to the many Poodles which appear in the drawings and paintings of Albrecht Durer, argue that the Poodle is a German. Herr R. von Schmiedeberg wrote in 1881 that the first record the Germans have of the Pudel breed was written in 1555 by Conrad Gessner.

But Dr. Fitzinger, in his book entitled Der Hund und Seine Racen would have us believe that he is a native of North Africa. Selincourt, in his Parfait Chasseur insists that he is a Piedmontese, while other writers make him stem from

Denmark, Portugal and Russia. With all this conflicting testimony before us, how is it possible to be categorical on his origin? It seems to me that “you pays your money and you takes your choice.”

The dog is undoubtedly a Cosmopolitan, for he was a resident in many lands. Not for him the narrow confines of one country, or one nationality but the whole wide world of Europe! To trace in any detail the doings of the far flung descendants of such a dog is difficult, but somewhere along the way he must have been set apart as a definite race of dog. It is to his credit that this so evidently occurred, not in one but in several of his adopted countries.

And so I “pays my money” and my choice is that since most of the oldest portraits of dogs resembling the Poodle came from the shores of the Mediterranean, it is reasonable to assume that the family started in that region. I do not find it difficult to believe that from there he could have been carried to foreign ports in Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Holland, , , Africa and England. He may also have been taken overland to Austria, Switzerland, Hungary and Rumania, even as far across the Carpathian mountains as Poland and Russia.

FREEMAN LLOYD COLLECTION

AJAX AND PUNCH. Ajax, a Curly-coated Poodle, clipped in what we now call the Continental style, was owned by the Count de Bylandt whose comprehensive book on all dog breeds is still widely read. Punch, a Corded Poodle, was owned by Monsieur W. Picard, also of Brussels about the same period in the history of the breed. Reproduced from Le Chenil.

Everything about the Poodle’s personality is in accordance with the theory that the Mediterranean was his starting point. Like all Latins, he is gay, lively and mischievous, though he falls occasionally into a pensive state of mind. This is not to say that the Poodle is a moody dog. On the contrary, he has a reputation for humor and good sense. The Poodle, said the historian T. Heath Jones, was at first “held in contempt in England as a trick dog, but soon his natural intelligence and quickness in learning won due appreciation.” Mr. Jones’ opinion has been verified by scientists who have found that the Poodle’s cerebral cavity is exceptionally large, and his frontal sinuses are more fully developed than those of dogs with low I.Qs.

He has none of the spoiled manners of the petted “trick dog”; he has, as Stonehenge remarked, “a sedate appearance, until roused by any prospect of fun.”

Widely recognized as an excellent companion and an attractive pet, the Poodle is not generally considered as a useful dog. From the looks of him, he has never raised a paw to do anything; even the American and British Kennel Clubs call him a non-sporting dog. Who would believe that the first Poodles lived an outdoor life and earned their keep as hunters!

THE BARBET

Several centuries ago the French used to hunt a tropical duck which had a beardlike growth of bristles on its bill. From barbe, the French word for beard, the duck was called a “barbet,” and with typical French logic the hunters named the dog with which they hunted the duck after its prey.

The Barbet dog, a medium sized, curly coated animal, was used in marshes and ponds to chase the nestling ducks that tried to escape by diving under water or hiding among the reeds. This dog was small enough to dodge quickly in and out among the reeds, and his powerful legs were good for swimming. When he emerged from the water with his quarry, his thick, curly hair served to keep him warm.

The distinctive “lion” clipping, merely a decoration for the modern Poodle, was originally used on the Barbet for a very practical purpose. With his hindquarters shaved smooth, the Barbet was a better swimmer. The considerate Frenchman allowed the dog to keep his warm coat over his heart, lungs and head. Perhaps they were inspired to this means of aiding their hunting dog by the portraits of those very early dogs which resemble the Poodle; the “lion dog.” They also tied bright ribbons to his head and tail, not for ornament, but so that they could follow him as he dashed through the swamps.

From the Barbet, the French developed a second duck-hunting dog, the Caniche (from the word canard or cane, which means duck) and it is by this name that the Poodle is known in today.

FREEMAN LLOYD COLLECTION

LE GRAND BARBET. An engraving by Gilbert de Seve (1615-1698). The original called “French Water Spaniel, 17th century” adds “a likeness to the large, round-headed Poodles is noticeable.” This substantiates the belief that the Water Spaniel was used by the French in crossing their Barbet to produce the duck hunting dog, the Caniche.

THE CANICHE

The Caniche was produced by crossing the Barbet with another breed, probably spaniel; the present-day Poodle and the Irish Water Spaniel look very much alike, and it may be that the Irish dog is the missing ancestor. He was especially used for duck-hunting in the French departments of the Pas de Calais, Nord and Somme and in Belgium, Holland and Denmark. Northern and Russia, where night decoying of ducks to a hut was extensively practiced, found him invaluable.

In 1872 Monsieur Révoil wrote an article entitled “Duck decoying in Abbeville Marshes.” He describes the performance of a celebrated Poodle which “accompanied myself and a French huttier in our expeditions. Without him half of our birds would have been lost and this will become apparent when I state that at least half of the birds fired at are only winged or disabled and thus without a dog gifted by sense, nose and pluck, it would be perfectly impossible for the shooters, in the dead of night, to collect their game. This the Poodle does, with a rapidity and intelligence which are simply unsurable.”

All of the Poodle’s ancestors were good swimmers. Even his name shows that he was a water dog. The Romans called him aquaticus seninquistor; in Spain he is perro de aqua, to the Italians he is known as barbonne, (from the French barbet, no doubt) and for a while he went under the general name of water dogge in England. His name in German, Pudel, is derived from the verb pudelin: to splash

in water. On the Continent the term “poodle” was applied to several breeds. For instance, there were Poodle-Pointers, Poodle-Griffons, Poodle-Pomeranians, and so on.

One branch of the family, however, never went near the water. The truffle dog, bred chiefly in England, Spain and , went into agriculture and spent his time in the fields, smelling out truffles, a variety of underground vegetable. We are indebted to the historian Stonehenge for a description of the truffle dog written in 1867: “nearly pure Poodles.” They were bred solely for their “scenting abilities, with no thought of type or color.” Some of the truffle dogs were quite large, too large, in fact, to dig up the truffles without damaging them. One tall truffle-seeker went on his rounds with a Dachshund as his assistant to dig up the truffles once he had spotted them. If we are to believe history, however, the original truffle dogs were neither Poodles nor Poodle crosses but came from Spain more than three centuries ago, and some were Spaniel in type. The Germans later brought in and cultivated the Poodle cross.

The Poodle no longer hunts or farms for a living. The hunting of bearded ducks has died out, and the truffle Poodle has been extinct since World War I. The Poodle of our day is a dog of leisure, but in his haircut, and in many other features, he still resembles the working dogs that were his ancestors.

THE FRENCH POODLE

With so many nations contending for the honor of being known as the Poodle’s homeland, one claim, that of , seems to be the most valid. Apparently it is no accident that we usually call the Poodle the French Poodle. Not only was his ancestor, the Barbet, raised in , but all through French history, the Poodle has occupied such an honorable position in French life—on the field of battle, in the home and in court circles—that he has been recognized as the French national dog.

CH. VLADIMIR, a brown Corded Poodle of about 1885. Judging by his name, this might well be one of the Cordeds which history says often haled from Russia. Reproduced from the English Stock-keeper.

His military exploits in the Napoleonic wars are part of the finest traditions of the French army. The heroic Moustache, a native of Normandy, fought valiantly with a regiment of Grenadiers and at Austerlitz rescued the fallen Regimental colors and carried them, with a badly wounded paw, to his Colonel. He was wounded several times in combat and finally laid down his life in the Peninsular Campaign, a seasoned veteran of twelve years.

There was also Moffino which marched on Moscow. Separated from his master, a Milanese corporal in Prince Eugene’s army, at the crossing of the Berezina, Moffino traveled hundreds of miles to find his master on the streets of Paris after the campaign. Magrita, a humanitarian dog that served with Zouaves of the Guard, carried in a sack hung around his neck bandages which he offered as first aid to the wounded. But the bravest of all was an unnamed canine soldier that fought off enemy looters who were trying to steal the Cross of the Legion of Honor from his dead master’s tunic; he fought until he himself was wounded and fell dead, valiantly covering the shiny medal with his corpse.

The Poodle was a faithful friend in civilian life also. About a hundred years ago in Paris, a blind man used to sit every day on the Pont des Arts, holding out a wooden bowl for alms. With him every day was his Caniche. One day the dog appeared alone on the Pont des Arts and took up his position where the blind man had sat, holding the same wooden bowl in his mouth for alms. The old man had died, but for years his assistant carried on the work, until one day he, too, failed to appear on the bridge. The dog was found at last, lying dead on a straw pallet among thousands of franc notes.

Some Poodles served their masters with humor as well as loyalty. The pet of a poor bootblack, seeing that business was slow for his master, set about dirtying the shoes of those who ed by, in order to drum up some trade.

Outlaws, footpads, and even smugglers have been known in the French branch of the Poodle family. One gang of smuggling Poodles permitted themselves to be shaved all over and fitted with false coats under which they were able to carry expensive French lace over the border into Belgium. Like all criminals, these dogs were trained scrupulously to avoid anyone wearing a uniform.

There have also been actors and entertainers in the family. Combining a natural sense of the comic with the Poodle’s traditional gracefulness, the troop of performers that traveled under the management of a Monsieur Corvi delighted the theatrical audiences of in the 1860’s. The four dogs of Monsieur Clemens Belling were also outstanding artists.

It was inevitable that a dog which demonstrated such qualities of intelligence, courage and loyalty—as soldiers, mendicants, desperados, and actors—should be taken up by French high society and made into a fad. Under Louis XVI the art of clipping Poodles was completely divorced from the practical necessities of duck hunting, and the unfortunate dogs found themselves decorated with lover’s knots, coats of arms, and grotesque pompadours like those worn by their mistresses at court. Many dogs were made to grow large collars which resembled a clown’s ruff, and German Poodle fanciers had taken to cropping the dog’s ears.

CH. ANTOINE OF MISTY ISLES, bred by the author, is out of the second litter whelped to Nymphae Pice out of Anita von Lutterspring. Pice, the first male to be owned by Misty Isles, was imported from Mrs. Hutchinson of England, while Anita was the founder of the Misty Isles Standard Poodle line. Antoine, or Tony as he is known at home was whelped in 1933, and in 1950 is still hale and hearty.

Fantasy and artificiality were sought after in all things. At this same time the gardeners of both and England were trimming their trees and bushes into weird geometric shapes. It was the style to make nature look unnatural; and for a tree to look like a tree, or for a dog to look like a dog was unthinkable.

Whether the chief of the French state was a Bourbon King, a Bonaparte Emperor, or a Republican President, the Caniche was a court favorite during all the political tumult of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Although there is no evidence of a Poodle having gone to the guillotine, many of the dogs suffered as much for political convictions as did other of the court circles. There is an excellent Daumier print showing Louis Phillippe and his frightened queen fleeing through the snow from the republican revolutionaries of 1848, followed faithfully by a tiny Caniche whose aristocratic life had obviously left him unprepared for hardships which would have seemed like nothing to his working ancestors.

EARLY TOY POODLES

These very tiny Poodles were all the rage during the Second Empire in the 50’s and 60’s of the last century. The experts are not sure just how breeders managed to produce the diminutive pet which is seen in pictures of the time, sitting luxuriously on the laps of great ladies, perfumed, elegantly trimmed, and thoroughly useless. It was probably done by crossing small Poodles with a very

tiny white Cuban dog that was imported to for the purpose. Possibly the Maltese Terrier or a small breed of spaniel also went into the recipe.

The tiny Poodles of the Second Empire were almost certainly the ancestors of what we call the Toy Poodles, now recognized as a separate class of Poodle by the American Kennel Club.

Although the British have never tried to compete with the French, the Germans, the Portuguese, and all the others who claim to have originated the Poodle strain, they have, nevertheless, a very legitimate claim to recognition for the important part they have played in developing the breed as we know it today. No one can say with certainty when the first Poodles landed in Britain but they probably did not arrive in large numbers until the Continental Wars at the beginning of the nineteenth century.

As early as 1621, however, a book entitled The Arte of Fowling was published in London with a chapter devoted to a water dogge that bore a marked resemblance to the Barbet and the Caniche. In the eighteenth century we find Poodles in the drawings of Hogarth—grotesquely clipped and shaved like their unfortunate French contemporaries. Early in the nineteenth century the British poet Tom Hood described a Poodle friend of his in this way:

CH. PUTTENCOVE BLAISE, brown Standard owned by Mrs. George Putnam, is a grand-daughter of Ch. Carillon Jason, one of the first Poodles owned by Mrs. Whitehouse Walker. Blaise closely resembles her famous grandsire.

To keep his curls smart

And shave his hind part,

He constantly called on the barber.

COLOR SUPERSTITIONS

The British took a lively and rather superstitious interest in the colors of their dogs. In 1803 a man named Taplin summed up current attitudes toward color when he wrote “The black colored dog . . . is the best and hardiest, and thus less susceptible to fatigue, hunger and danger; the spotted or pied, the best on scent and for intelligence; and the liver colored, the most alert and the best swimmer. . . . The jet black dog with white feet stands high in estimation.” But after the black and the white Poodles had been established in Britain, fanciers began to import dogs in other colors from —blues, silvers, café-au-laits, and chestnuts. They were as tolerant about color as they were about size.

It is difficult to understand why the French, who once found these beautifully colored dogs so attractive, refuse now to place a dog that is not black, white or chestnut any higher than a condescending “good” in the show ring. This same sort of color prejudice is shared by the Germans, who argue that the lesser

pigmentation in a gray or silver coat indicates diminished stamina. Americans and British are more democratic about the whole matter and sensibly recognize “any solid or even color.”

At any rate, the British deserve much credit for the wide assortment of colors the Poodle comes in today. British breeders are also largely responsible for the sturdy coats which our present day Poodles wear. For it was in England that the Corded Poodles were bred into the Poodle strain which has come down to us in America.

THE CORDED POODLE

Developed in and Russia, the Corded dog was distinguished from the Curly Poodle by his peculiar coat, which fell in long, rather coarse ringlets. This heavy growth fell from the body, the ears, and the tail. The cords, which were often more than a foot and a half in length, concealed the front legs like a fringed skirt when allowed to hang naturally down to the ground. To keep the long cords from mopping up dirt as they dragged along the ground, they were often held up with straps of leather or with ribbons.

Corded Poodles received, indeed, so much valet service and special grooming that it was not easy to recognize the dog underneath. One historian reports that they were sometimes even kept in “special boxes having iron rods so that any moisture or other mess might drop through the bars and save the cords from being clogged up.”

After their debut as show dogs in 1876, the Corded Poodles dominated the British show ring until finally, in 1898, breeders of Curly Poodles asked to have their dogs given the protection of a special classification in the stud book. In an important decision, the Kennel Club denied the petition and declared that the

Curly and Corded Poodles were one and the same dog. Except for the superficial difference in coat, they argued, the dogs had the same basic bone structure and conformation and the same ancestry.

The Corded Poodle, with his elaborate and absurd coiffure, has gone the way of the truffle dog into extinction. But he has left a great inheritance. The pedigrees of some of our best American Poodles go back to the great British corded strains —Orchard, Pré-Fleurie, Monte Christo and Vagabond—and they owe their rich, heavy coats to their corded ancestors.

Chapter 4

POODLES IN AMERICA

THE POODLE, like many of the other popular dog breeds, is a comparative newcomer to the United States. Except for an occasional pet brought back by travelers, there were very few of this ancient European family in the new world until the turn of the century.

The first Poodle was ed in the American Kennel Club Stud Book in 1887. After the newly formed Poodle Club drew up a Standard of Points in 1889 registrations increased and many breeders became enthusiasts. Among those whose untiring efforts put the Poodle “on the map” and kept him there should be mentioned H. C. Trevor, who was the Delegate of the Club of the American Kennel Club; also Hollis H. Hunnewell, Mrs. J. B. Moulton and the Misses Alger.

There were many others who owned and exhibited excellent Poodles in those early days, but for some reason fanciers relaxed their efforts after 1920, and the breed faded from popularity until 1930.

In that year, new irers got together and determined to stage a renaissance. Their interest was for the Anglo-French type of dog which had been eclipsed by the heavier German type.

THE POODLE REVIVAL

The first step taken was the arrival from England of the brown Standard, Nymphae Jason at the Carillon Kennels of Mrs. Whitehouse Walker. He was followed by Whippendell Poli in 1931, and to this dog fell the honor in 1933 of being the first Poodle to win the non-sporting group at a Westminster show.

The black bitch, Anita von Lutterspring, which had come over from , as previously noted became the property of the Misty Isles Kennels. Although of German ancestry, Anita was of true Caniche size and type. These three and a few others already in America, formed the nucleus of the great revival.

After the Poodle Club of America which sponsored the Anglo-French type was formed in 1931, registration figures in the Stud Book jumped from 45 dogs in 1932 to 105 in 1933. Progress continued, and in 1944, the total became 411; in 1946, 1186; and in 1948, 1644. The following year, 1949, the grand total was 2165, and the breed was rated in eighteenth place among all the breeds in America.

One great dog that did much to make the general public Poodle-minded in those first years of the breed’s revival was International Champion Nunsoe Duc de la Terrace of Blakeen, a handsome white dog. Of German ancestry, he was bred in Switzerland and brought to America by Mrs. Sherman Hoyt. He was the first Poodle ever to win best in show at Westminster and his career was marked by one spectacular success after another.

INT. CH. NUNSOE DUC DE LA TERRACE of Blakeen, the Standard that did so much by his spectacular winning to popularize his breed in the eyes of the general public. Imported from England by Mrs. Sherman R. Hoyt in 1934 after he had won his championship in that country and in his native Switzerland, he was the first Poodle to win best in show at Westminster which honor he achieved in 1936. He is famous also as the sire of excellent stock, among which may be mentioned especially Ch. Jungfrau of Blakeen.

CH. GADABOUT OF MISTY ISLES, owned by Mrs. Catherine E. Maynard, has won seven groups and two best in shows. She combines style with soundness and good proportion while her head leaves nothing to be desired. By Eric Labory ex Gamine du Ronde Point of Misty Isles, she is sister to Ch. Giroflee of Misty Isles, dam of Ch. Pillicoc Rumpelstilskin.

In Miniatures, Mrs. Brady of Baltimore, who had imported her first of this variety from England in 1922, and Mr. Charles Price of Boston, whose kennel, Marcourt, had been established a few years later, ed with other enthusiasts in urging reforms for their favorites. The Poodle Club helped them wholeheartedly, and they finally secured a separate classification in the show ring.

CH. KAFFIR OF PIPERSCROFT, C.D., whelped in 1935, came from Mrs. G. E. L. Boyd’s kennels in England. Widely used at stud, he has left his mark on the quality of American Standards.

Mr. Price’s English Champion Chieveley Chopstick became the first Miniature to win an American championship, while Champion Misty Isles Algie of Piperscroft, imported from England in 1933, was the first of his variety to win a best in show award. Champion Sparkling Jet of Misty Isles and several bitches from the kennel of Mrs. Jack Taylor, also arrived on these shores in 1933, and the revival now included both varieties.

It remained to be seen whether breeders could hold their own in the Americanbred field.

STANDARD POODLES IN AMERICA

In the Standard variety, the answer came swiftly with the sensational Misty Isles brace, Roulette and Paul. These Poodles were sister and brother, out of the first litter sired by the imported Nymphae Pice, out of Anita von Lutterspring. They were purchased by Mrs. Sherman Hoyt, who showed them first in the summer of 1932 and used them to found her now famous kennel of Blakeen. Anita’s illustrious career as a producer has been detailed in a previous chapter where I explained how she justified her somewhat protracted entrance into the Stud Book, in 1933, by becoming the dam of seven champions and the grand-dam and great grand-dam of innumerable other well known title holders.

Eric Labory, which helped produce this distinguished line was himself the sire of eleven champions, among them the bitch Champion Giroflee of Misty Isles

which, bred to Champion Cadeau de Noel C.D.X., produced that most famous of all Standard American-bred champions, Pillicoc Rumpelstilskin C.D.X.

This great Poodle, owned and shown by Mrs. Milton Erlanger, won the American Kennel Club award for the American dog or bitch winning the most group classes during the year 1937. His record of twenty-nine times best in group during the year was better than that of any other of the 100,000 dogs shown in America, whether born in the U. S. A. or in a foreign land.

MRS. WHITEHOUSE WALKER with two brown Standards, Ch. Nymphae Jason and his son, Ch. Carillon Joyeux. The imported Jason was one of Mrs. Walker’s first Poodles. Joyeux’s dam was Carillon Pivonne.

Among the great American-breds sired by those two first importations, the Champions Nymphae Jason and Whippendell Poli, must be mentioned Champion Carillon Joyeux, Champion Carillon Celeste and Champion Carillon Corbeau. The latter dog founded the successful Ensaar Kennel of Mrs. Githins.

In the Miniature variety the highlight in American breeding of those earlier years came when Champion Pillicoc Houdini, a son of Champion Sparkling Jet of Misty Isles out of a bitch by Champion Misty Isles Algie of Piperscroft, won his title in 1939. His record states that he headed his group six times and was best of his breed nine times.

It is manifestly impossible in one small book to mention all of our really great Poodles; impossible likewise to picture them all. However, the many illustrations here reproduced will serve as evidence enough of the astuteness of those breeders who have played their parts in the development of the breed down through the years. From these small beginnings of the renaissance period in the East, the modern American Poodle started and has gradually spread out over the entire country.

AMERICAN EXPORTS

But there are two other milestones along the way which should be mentioned. One is the exportation to in 1936 of three American-bred Poodles. They went across the ocean to Mrs. Grafton Minot.

CH. CARILLON JOYEUX, bred by Carillon Kennels, was one of the Poodles which created such interest when taken to California in a trailer by Mrs. Walker and Miss Blanche Saunders. Joyeux has sired many winners.

The first to sail was Gregoire of Misty Isles, a son of Eric Labory. Gregoire became a champion of , , Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg; was judged International Champion and world’s champion of Paris in 1937. Pillicoc-Friandise and Blakeen Agnes ed him in , the former also becoming an International Champion. Her litter of puppies, sired by Gregoire were, as far as is known, the first Caniches born in of American-bred parents.

The second milestone to be noted is the great success of Poodles in obedience tests which were inaugurated by Mrs. Whitehouse Walker of Bedford Hills, New York in 1934, after she had spent some months in England studying this phase of training. The imported Champion Tango of Piperscroft was Mrs. Walker’s first obedience winner, while Champion Carillon Epreuve and Champion Carillon the Jester were among other famous American Poodles to win highest honors. In 1937 Epreuve, daughter of Eric Labory, was the first Poodle to win all three obedience titles—C.D., C.D.X. and U.D. Throughout her career she was trained and handled by Miss Blanche Saunders, nationally known obedience expert.

CH. WHIPPENDELL POLI OF CARILLON, Standard, the first Poodle to win the group at Westminster, was instrumental in furthering the interests of the breed in the early days of its renaissance. His champion progeny are altogether too numerous to mention.

With the experience of over 2000 years of friendship with man behind him, the Poodle now holds a firm place in American hearts and among American blue blooded canines. He has met all qualifications for citizenship and with his good looks, his intelligence and his humor, his popularity promises to continue to spread over the country in ever widening circles.

Chapter 5

CHOOSING YOUR FIRST PUPPY

I AM GOING to write this chapter in the first person because in it I shall be giving my own personal opinions and experiences which quite possibly may not be those of other Poodle connoisseurs. We all learn by trial and error and the help and advice I will now give is the fruit of thirty-five years spent studying and loving dogs, the last twenty-one of those years having been devoted exclusively to the Poodle breed.

And so, you’re going to buy a Poodle! Of course you want a healthy puppy with a nice disposition, so I advise you to look well before you leap.

Investigate as many kennels of the breed as you can, and look over the dogs carefully for evidence of cleanliness and proper management. A good kennel to buy from need not be an elaborate one, but it should impress you favorably as should the people who operate it.

You have every right to be allowed to see everything in it, for it is most important to a prospective buyer to know under what conditions the puppies have been reared.

FREEMAN LLOYD COLLECTION

LA FESTIVE CHAMPETRE. Reproduced from a painting by Frans Hals (15841666). The Toy Poodle attending this garden party is clipped in true “lion” style. Note his interest in the cloth which is falling off the table and which doubtless belongs to one of the ladies.

Healthy puppies should be active and full of play so a wise kennel owner will let you see them first in a group and free from restraint. Watch them as they run around, and when you have found one whose personality appeals to you, ask that he be placed on a table in order that you may examine him carefully.

If you are looking for a puppy which might later develop into a show specimen, then of course you will have studied the Poodle Standard and know what points to look for. But if you want only a pet you can be proud to own, after evidences of good health you should pay attention to a few of the outstanding attributes of the breed—long ears, dark, almond shaped eyes, and a body which is squarely built and feels solid under your hands.

The feet should be small and tight with well arched toes, the forelegs straight and strong. The teeth should meet evenly in the jaw, being neither over- nor undershot and the coat should be profuse and shining. Part the hair and look at the skin carefully to make sure it shows no sign of eczema or lice.

It is always advisable to ask when the puppy was last wormed and when last inoculated against distemper. A puppy which has worms will usually have a distended stomach or be very thin. Round worms are not serious, but hook, tape and whip worms will cause endless trouble. If you feel any doubt on this score, you might ask the kennel owner to procure for you a certificate from a reputable veterinarian stating that the puppy is free from these three last-named pests.

PUTTENCOVE FILIGREE, silver Miniature, owned by Mrs. C. G. Wakefield, is the dam of the silver puppies, Chriscrest Invincible Miss and Sassbox. Filigree’s sire and dam go back to the Misty Isles strain.

Never buy a puppy whose eyes look dull and lifeless, nor one whose nose is not cool, moist and entirely free from mucous discharge.

While the puppy is standing on the table, your hands gently down his fore and hind legs. The bone should be smooth without lumpiness which might denote incipient rickets.

If the puppy has been frequently and carefully handled from birth, he will show it in the way he behaves while on the table during your examination. He might reasonably be a little nervous at a stranger’s touch, but he should show perfect confidence and give eager response to his owner. Even as young as three months, a properly raised puppy will show signs of steadiness and familiarity under examination on a table, for this should already have been a part of his daily routine under a careful and loving kennel owner.

STANDARD POODLE LITTER. These four youngsters, photographed at four months of age, are owned by Pillicoc’s Mrs. Milton Erlanger.

Having gone over him thoroughly, put him down and watch his reactions. At three months he is already beginning to distinguish between known and strange voices, so he may not feel ready to go to you immediately, but he should show pleasure in answering the call of his owner and be playful and active, with tail up and eyes sparkling.

Ask to see his parents if they are available and look carefully around you for any sign of sickness among the grown dogs and the other puppies.

AN APPEALING TRIO of 11-weeks old Standards in their first Puppy Clip. They are bred and owned by Cartlane Kennels.

No well run kennel should give evidence of disagreeable odor. Over-crowding, slip-shod methods of cleaning, or unhealthy, improperly fed dogs cause odor which should be taken as a sign of mismanagement or worse. No matter how humble the kennel, there is no excuse for it being “smelly” and every inmate should look well groomed and well cared for.

The best age to buy a Poodle is between three and four months. At this age you can make him into the dog you want for he is as malleable as clay. If he has been well raised, he will be no greater risk, as far as his health is concerned, than an older dog.

Occasionally in a litter of puppies there is one whose teeth are over- or undershot and though not a perfect specimen, such a puppy will make just as satisfactory a pet as the one without blemish. You need have no qualms about buying him, and an honest kennel owner will always point out such a defect and price the puppy accordingly.

It costs quite a lot of money to raise a healthy puppy— this when you go to choose a puppy. It would help everyone concerned if prospective buyers would find out before visiting a kennel how prices are going in the breed they want.

Breeders do not like to be approached in a bargaining spirit and few deserve such an approach. Sometimes a fancy price may be put upon one particular puppy. This is justified if the dog is valuable to his breeder, either for carrying on

a definite line or for future show purposes. However, such pricing should be explained frankly by the kennel owner who values his, or her, reputation, for no one wants to be known as a breeder who does not know how to evaluate his stock fairly.

Chapter 6

THE YOUNG DOG IN THE HOME

NOW THAT the puppy is in your home his first handling is vital to his physical and emotional development. I trust that you have been given by his breeder a complete and detailed diet sheet, and that you will follow it in every particular, only changing it to your own methods gradually and after your puppy has become acclimated to his new condition in life. But more on the subject of feeding later.

I would like to explain why I always advise people to buy a Poodle as young as possible.

The breed has a very sensitive nature and when a puppy is only two or three months old his affections are not yet deeply involved; his versatility is just dawning, ready to be developed by the person who wins his love. Occasionally it is possible to find a ready-made grown dog available for sale, but you will be faced with the double task of getting him used to your way of life and of weaning his affection from his previous owner to you. The same condition exists if you buy a six- or seven-month-old puppy. If he has been reared in a kennel where he has received a great deal of love and understanding, it will require a lot of “doggy sense” and patience to overcome the apprehension caused by removal from his first home. You must also compensate him for the loss of the person to whom he has already become attached. This requires time and patience.

A young puppy’s reaction to change is quite different, for he is full of curiosity and his affections are entirely ready and waiting to be centered on one family or

one human being. It should be ed that he has to work out his problems of adjustment through the use of his own good sense and intelligence, and he needs human cooperation and understanding.

But he should be introduced to his new home gently, therefore I strongly advise against bringing him in during a period of confusion in the family life, such as a holiday. At Christmas time, when so many puppies go to new homes, it is wise to wait until all the holiday excitement is over, (especially if there are children in the family) before installing him.

In any case, give him his own little place in the home and allow him quietly to absorb the new life facing him. If you do not, nervous tension may cause him to misbehave on precious rugs, thereby greatly adding to the difficulty of housetraining him.

Always prepare for his arrival in advance by deciding on a particular place in the house which will be his own. Surround the space with a light wire barrier (extension window screens are adequate for a Miniature or Toy puppy), and within it place his sleeping box or basket, his rug and his toys. Have his box or basket raised slightly off the floor, or nail a low board across the front of the box in order to keep the floor draughts from him; and at night, if the room is apt to become cold, fasten a blanket over half of the bed’s open front.

ALFREDO VALENTE

MISS GLADYS SWARTHOUT, well known mezzo soprano, with her two Standard Poodle puppies, Lucius and Robert. Lucius was named for Lucius Beebe because he was “so eminently stylish” while Robert was named for Robert O’Donnell of Texas who gave the puppies to Miss Swarthout.

Put thick layers of newspapers on the floor, and you will have created for him a little home within a home. He will appreciate it, though as he becomes acclimatized he may choose a different spot than the one you selected for him.

A Poodle need not be coddled for he is not a delicate dog, but drafts are as bad for him as they are for any animal or human being.

TRAINING FOR CLEANLINESS

In the house training, make this little corner of his the focal point. At first, if he is a very young puppy, you must allow him to make use of his newspapers without scolding, always putting him on them at regular intervals, and especially after every meal. Let him romp about the house, but try to put him on his papers before he needs to relieve himself. When he has done so, pat him to show your approval and let him loose in the house at once.

Careful paper breaking has become standard practise among breeders everywhere. It is a great convenience especially to the city dweller who perforce maintains his dog throughout his lifetime in an apartment. Indeed, it is no small chore to traverse a long hall, go down in an elevator, out to the street and back again several times each day as is obligatory when the dog is house trained only. Definitely, training to newspapers is a worthwhile shortcut, inculcating in the puppy mind the habit of cleanliness no less than out-of-door training.

PUPPIES AT SIX MONTHS. Chriscrest Invincible and Chriscrest Sassbox, lovely colored greys bred by Mrs. C. Wakefield. Sassbox is owned by Mrs. G. Hunter.

The average dog has a good memory. If newspaper training is thorough, he will it in many cases long after it is discarded in favor of house training. Without number are the dogs which have been known to use both types of training simultaneously. They are paper broken as puppies, house trained as older dogs. Then, when the owner is at home, free to provide such out-of-door service as is required, he takes the dog outside at the proper intervals; but at such times when he may have to be away from home for perhaps a half-day or an entire day, he leaves newspapers on the floor in an accustomed spot, whereupon the dog re what the papers are for and utilizes them as needed.

The age at which a dog can be promoted from newspapers to regular outdoor housebreaking differs with individuals, the exact time at which to begin the more serious lessons in cleanliness being a matter for the observant owner to decide. The main rule is not to expect too much too young; over-early training has been known to confuse a pupil seriously, whereas in housebreaking as in practically all else a dog is seldom too old to learn unless irregularity and persistent soiling have become fixed habits. One of the most surprising phases of house training is the willingness and ability of the dog to adapt himself to his owner’s routine.

Probably five months is the age when the quickest and surest results may be obtained in making the dog absolutely houseclean. Establish first in your mind the routine that is to be followed and then provide for it in such a manner that nothing whatsoever interferes. By this I mean that the dog should be taken outdoors for relief at certain times each day and every day, for the purpose of inculcating habits which will last the dog all his life. In other words, he will soon learn what he is being taken out for.

The first thing in the morning, immediately the dog awakes, take him out; when he has relieved himself, pet him, praise him, to show your pleasure in his obedience. Bring him in, shut him in his cage or otherwise confine him until time for his initial morning feed. The moment he has had his breakfast, take him out again, wait until he has sat down and then return him to the house with a definite to-do of approbation.

Follow this routine every time the dog is fed; likewise take him out between feedings at two or three-hour intervals, and of course the last thing at night before putting him to bed.

During the earlier stages of housebreaking, there will be occasions when relief is required at times other than that anticipated by the owner, the dog usually showing his need by quick trotting round and round. Get him out immediately, and should a mistake occur, act out your disappointment in his behavior by frequent recourse to expressions such as naughty dog, bad dog or shame.

CH. QUI VIVE OF KING’S POINT, Miniature, bred by King’s Point Kennels, owned by Christcrest Kennels, has done notable winning on the Pacific Coast. The unusual length of her topknot enhances the length of her fine muzzle.

In substance, this is all that is required to instil habits of house cleanliness in the average dog. The only difficult part about such training is the fact that the routine must be kept up without a slip day after day until the dog gets the idea, which he will in a comparatively short time because it is his nature to be clean if only he is permitted to be so.

In training the older dog, the idea is the same as for the puppy except that a rope substitutes for the baby pen. When you bring the dog in from the yard, attach to his neck a leash or a fairly long rope and keep him on it. When you sit down in a room slip the noosed end of the rope beneath the leg of a heavy armchair or sofa. This teaches the pupil to lie quietly beside you which in itself is valuable because it is when roaming the house unsupervised that the older dog misbehaves. And when you go into another room or move about the house for any reason, take the dog along, still fast to the rope.

After a reasonable interval, put him again outside, slipping the leash; when he has relieved himself, bring him back in, attach the rope once more. Keep this up for about one week, then allow him his freedom inside the house, though still under your eye, for short intervals, gradually lengthening the interval of freedom when you find he can be trusted. The chief point in this type of housebreaking routine is to be right on the spot in case misdemeanors occur, ready to note the laxity and to your disapproval. Perhaps it need not be added that all soiled spots should be meticulously washed and disinfected, else the dog may seek these out as tempting to misbehavior.

Whenever possible, always put the dog out by way of the same door so that he

will learn to associate this door especially with its primary purpose; and before long, he will stand there when he wants to be let out.

This simple procedure I have followed with every older dog brought into my home from the kennel and it has never failed. Please never to rub the dog’s nose in his filth; it accomplishes no purpose. In the event of a mistake— and there will be occasional mistakes—merely speak to him reprovingly but quietly, attach the rope again and start over.

A puppy will develop better, both physically and mentally, if he is given a rest period after eating. He relaxes during such a quiet interlude, and his digestion is considerably aided. As a matter of fact, even full-grown dogs greatly benefit by a short rest after meals, and I have found, in my kennel, that this procedure is highly effective in keeping the dogs healthy and tranquil.

MINIATURES IN THE HOME. Poodles become such devoted companions that they just about talk. Here are Skippy and Jolly, both of Misty Isles, with their owners, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Barlow.

From the earliest days of his arrival in your home, let him become accustomed to being left alone occasionally. He may complain at first, but if you harden your heart and control your nerves, he will get over that stage very quickly. A dog that can never be left alone without fussing, ends up by becoming a nuisance and often quite a problem; if he is trained during puppyhood to stay alone without complaining, you will get much more pleasure out of his companionship.

A spoiled dog is really unforgivable because it gives him a black mark among friends and neighbors and, in reality, only his owner should be blamed. You have in your power to make your pet almost any kind of dog you desire, and if you plan his early life with you intelligently, you will be more than compensated later on.

To be able to leave your Poodle on a chair or rug, in strange surroundings, to tell him to stay there until you return, and to know that he will; to be able to take him into a restaurant and tell him to lie quietly under the table and know that he will; such small accomplishments add to your pleasure and pride in ownership, besides making full use of his innate capacity to learn.

Chapter 7

BASIC TRAINING FOR EVERY DAY

OBEDIENCE TRAINING has taken a tremendous hold on the public interest and at all such exhibitions spectators line the large ring three or four rows deep. All dogs compete for diplomas which give them the right to various letters after their names. The first is C.D., which represents the award Companion Dog and is the easiest to acquire. The next, C.D.X., represents Companion Dog Excellent, while U.D., which stands for Utility Dog is considerably more difficult hence a more coveted honor.

With their great intelligence and aptitude for learning, Poodles have always been very efficient in the obedience training field. Inasmuch as several authoritative books have been written on the subject, I will confine myself to a few suggestions offered to Poodle owners who might be interested in testing their ability as teachers and their pets as pupils.

THE BASIS OF TRAINING

The basic principle of all training is to develop a dog’s natural ability and to increase his usefulness. If he is well trained, even in the most rudimentary manner, he makes a more enjoyable companion, easier to handle in varied situations. For instance, if your Poodle is trained to sit beside you when you stop before crossing a congested thoroughfare, you are relieved of anxiety on his behalf. If he has been taught to answer your call immediately you may often be saved time, and if he has been taught to fetch you specific articles you may be spared many unnecessary steps.

THE BETTMAN ARCHIVE

THE DANCING DOG, by the Dutch artist, Jan Steen, 1880. All eyes are on the Poodle while he dances to the tune played by a young lad.

City dwellers like to take their pets into restaurants with them when it is essential that the dogs lie quietly under the table. The maitre d’hotel of a famous New York restaurant was once asked by a patron who contemplated buying a dog if her pet would be permitted in the restaurant. His reply was, “if the dog is a Poodle, Madam, he will be most welcome.”

A lady who owns one of my Miniature bitches takes her everywhere with her: to Europe when she flies over on a visit, to Florida, to Mexico—everywhere—and when she goes out calling on her friends, Dotty is left on a chair in the hall and remains there until her mistress returns. In this particular case, the Poodle has had no particular training. Her perfect manners and obedience are the natural result of her love for her mistress and her innate desire to please her.

Complete trust and affection between teacher and dog are essential if results are to be obtained in the training field. Even in the most elementary lessons a teacher must never lose his temper nor punish his pupil unless he is quite sure that the disobedience was deliberate. A frightened dog will never learn a lesson successfully—he will only become confused and stupid. Fear beclouds his brain and makes him stubborn and rebellious. In fact, in the last analysis, to learn a dog must love his teacher.

THE VALUE OF TRICKS

Some people scorn the idea of teaching a dog tricks, but this is regrettable for most dogs derive great pleasure from performing. Poodles are showmen par

excellence! I know Poodles that have been taught to “say their prayers,” “die for their King (or President)” “sit up and beg,” jump through the arms, “roll over” and “back away,” as well as find and bring matches and cigarettes to their owners.

Two families of friends of mine each own two of my Miniatures. When the attention of their owners is diverted from them for too long, the dogs pick up their toys and parade up and down the room, one after the other, with obvious grins on their faces, and “talking” in low tones. This performance is entirely spontaneous in all four Poodles. Many of my own dogs also put on this act when occasion warrants, which indicates to me what a fertile field for trick-teaching exists in the breed. It seems a pity to miss such a source of fun and amusement to the family of a Poodle owner.

Another example of spontaneous “thinking” was brought to my attention recently, when a lady who owns two of my dogs bred them and had a litter of puppies. The sire and dam evidently grew tired of so much attention being given to the puppies and perhaps envious of the iration and amusement in people’s voices when the youngsters jump around and play. Suddenly, they decided it was time to do something about it so they reverted to their own puppy habits, playing with toys and with each other and putting on a complete pantomime act for the benefit of their owner.

But to go back to the teaching of your dog!

COMMANDS AND GESTURES

Never be in a hurry; always move quietly, deliberately. If you can create an atmosphere of calm assurance your dog will react by being relaxed and confident. He will then give you his full attention. Always issue your commands

in the same tone of voice and always use the same words. If you say fetch at one lesson, do not say fetch it at the next; if you say sit at one session, do not say sit down at the next. It is confusing to the dog.

Gestures too, are important and must represent the orders given. For instance, when you say down meaning that you wish your dog to lie down, raise your arm with the palm of your hand facing downwards. When you give the command fetch, outstretch your arm and point towards the thrown object you wish brought to you. Slap your knee when you say come and wave your arm outwards when you say go meaning that you wish the dog to move away from you. When you are walking and want the dog to sit beside you at a certain moment, put him on a lead, stop walking abruptly as you give the command sit. At first you must press down on his haunches, at the same time pulling on the lead, when you tell him to sit, but with a little patience and perseverance he will soon get the idea.

FREEMAN LLOYD COLLECTION

LE CHIEN DE L’AVEUGLE ou Le Cassier Fidele. (The blind man’s dog or the faithful cashier.) In , these dogs frequently assisted street musicians, bootblacks and blind men.

Never teach more than one thing at a time and no lesson should last longer than an hour, with short rest periods every fifteen minutes. It is essential that the pupil should not become bored. Be lavish with your praise and sparing in your punishment: a change in the tone of your voice is sufficient reprimand for an error in the first and second instances, and when he makes a mistake take him right back to the beginning of the lesson.

A light tap may be required as an accompaniment to the voice change should a mistake occur after the dog has already shown that he has understood the lesson. This is the question to ask yourself before you punish; “am I quite sure that he understands what I want him to do?” If he does not, punishment would be useless. Give him a rest, play with him and then begin all over again, quietly and deliberately, trying just a little harder to explain the lesson clearly by words and gestures. One should be frank to it that frequently the stupidity may lie in the teacher, not the dog.

Try to visualize your dog’s re-actions to any command you may give and do not expect miracles. When your patience is becoming exhausted that is just the time to persevere because the lesson may be almost learned. The more you teach a dog, the more quickly he learns, for you are sharpening his intellect and developing his capacity to translate instruction into acts.

A simple illustration of faulty method may be seen when some people try to teach a young puppy to go on a lead. They drag the little fellow along the ground even though he is obviously terrified and confused over the whole performance. True, most puppies have short memories and are generous in forgiving human

beings, so they may forget their first terror of a lead. But why subject them to such fear? It is so unnecessary!

CH. PILLICOC REVERIE, Standard, bred and owned by Mrs. Milton Erlanger, is sired by Pillicoc Rigolo out of Dream of Piperscroft of Pillicoc. Reverie is the winner of high honors.

Instead, get the puppy off by himself in a quiet place, slip a lead over his head and play with him, the lead completely loose. While he gambols about, draw the lead taut and do not object if he plays with it. Shortly he will realize that this terrible thing around his neck is nothing to fear and then you may take a few steps, encouraging him to go with you. Inevitably he will balk against the cord at some time; if so, do not pull him towards you, go to him, shortening the lead as you go. Pat him, praise him and, stooping down, walk with him slowly, your hand at his nose. That is sufficient for one lesson.

CH. CARILLON EPREUVE, C.D., C.D.X., U.D., soars over the 6-foot long jump ably handled by Miss Blanche Saunders. This famous Standard was the first dog in America to win all three obedience titles. She is sired by Eric Labory of Misty Isles out of Carillon Colette.

Come back to it after a short rest and soon you will have him trotting beside you, the lesson learned without fear or misgiving. This is of course a very elementary example of teaching, but I think it represents all the basic requirements for more advanced training. On your part, patience and understanding; on his, confidence in your relaxation.

COMING WHEN CALLED

Usually the second elementary lesson is teaching the puppy to come when called by name. Often he will run in the opposite direction, perhaps hoping this may be the opening of a new game. Do not chase after him; sit down quietly and keep on calling his name. You may hold out a tidbit to attract his attention at the first few lessons. Professional trainers do not, I believe, approve of obedience training, per se, for any dog under a year old, but the teaching of tricks and simple performances may well be undertaken in the home at an earlier age.

I know one Poodle which, at only five months, can go through a whole repertoire of simple tricks with intense enjoyment both to herself and her proud owners. No dog is exactly like another in character or disposition. You will meet Poodles which are far more stubborn than others, or more reluctant than others to accept serious instruction.

Pets which are undisciplined spoiled darlings are the most difficult pupils, for

first of all you have to counteract previous bad habits such as disobedience or wilfulness. A teacher of children is often up against the same problems with her human pupils for, when all is said and done, a young dog is not so very different from a young child. He requires the same amount of patient understanding and his capacity to absorb love is as unlimited as that of the human youngster. So try your hand at teaching your pet. You will feel immensely proud when he has learned his first lesson, and you will create a great fund of amusement for your family.

Chapter 8

HOW AND WHAT TO FEED

THE DOG is a carnivorous animal whose organs are created to fit his needs. He has a very small stomach for his size because, being carnivorous, his natural food is meat. In his wild state the only vegetable matter he eats is grass and that merely as a means of keeping himself in good health. You must have seen your dog eat grass and noticed that he vomits almost immediately afterwards. He is instinctively cleansing his internal apparatus and getting rid of mucous accumulations.

His digestive process takes place in the small intestines rather than in the stomach, the food he consumes remaining in this organ no longer than an hour. It es into the intestines where the process of digestion begins and requires about fifteen hours to complete.

Since we have “civilized” the dog, over the years we have accustomed his digestion to deal with starches and vegetables. But you will notice that raw beef is usually recommended for the sick dog, if he is allowed solids, and beef broth rather than milk, if he is on liquids. Thus we wisely relieve his system of the unnatural effort required to digest carbohydrates, and also stimulate the hydrochloric acid which he possesses in greater quantity in his gastric juices than ruminants or human beings. Eggs, cheese and fish are good substitutes for meat because they too come under the heading of proteins.

In a kennel of many dogs it is economically necessary to mix what is called a “filler” with the meat and there are on the market many good brands of

commercial meal and kibble as well as shredded wheat and other dry cereals as packaged for human consumption. The best of the so-called fillers as prepared for dogs contain meat fibre, cereals, cod liver oil, charcoal, alfalfa and salts. The usual proportion of meat and filler recommended is two of the latter to one of the former but when feeding breeding bitches and stud dogs I prefer to increase the proportion of meat.

IMPORTANCE OF MEAT

It is poor economy in a breeding kennel to cut down on meat bills. A dog in his wild state hunts and kills to satisfy his hunger and he eats not only the flesh of his prey but also the internal organs. In them he gets the vitamins he requires for good health. Our domesticated dog thoroughly enjoys liver, hearts and lungs but they must be cooked, for they may easily become contaminated before they reach the larder.

CH. MISTY ISLES ALGIE OF PIPERSCROFT, imported from the English breeder, Mrs. G. E. L. Boyd, was brought to America in 1933 where he founded the male line of the Miniature strain evolved by Mrs. Byron Rogers. The first of his variety to win a best in show award, he is the sire, grandsire and great grandsire of innumerable winners. Note the smart barret which keeps his long hair out of his eyes.

The “old wives tale” that meat makes a dog fierce, that it makes him smell or causes his blood to over-heat is still occasionally heard, but it is a figment of the imagination or possibly ignorance with no relation to fact. Another of these tales is that milk causes worms. The only shred of truth in this statement is that if a particular dog cannot tolerate milk, his digestion becomes impaired and worms always thrive in such a case. However, while milk is a natural food for all young creatures, human and animal, it is not altogether necessary for the adult dog. Pregnant and nursing bitches are the exception, because of the high content of calcium in milk.

A puppy’s first solid food should always be raw meat and we are going back to nature in this statement. When she feels that weaning time is due, a nursing mother will regurgitate her food to her whelps, and in the wild state such food would be incompletely digested meat. According to modern thought this is a filthy habit in a bitch but, as a matter of fact, it is nature’s best food for all very young animals and birds.

DIET AT EIGHT WEEKS

Having now noted the underlying principles which should guide an owner in feeding his dog, let us start with the puppy which, at eight weeks, is ready to go to a new home. What should his diet be?

The principle ingredients should of course be milk and meat. In our breed, the Poodle, there are three varieties, none of them being of the same size even within its own variety, so it is difficult to lay down any hard and fast rules as regards the quantities of food required for each. Roughly speaking, a Miniature needs half the amount a Standard does and a Toy half of that, but an owner should study his particular dog’s capacities, as he should his food preferences, and measure his ration accordingly.

Watch his bowel movements for they are a sure indication of his health. They should be formed but not dry or crumbly. Another reassuring sign is a steady increase in the weight of a puppy so put him on the scales once a month. Weight depends on more than size, so it is impractical to give any table of weights, but if a puppy gains from month to month until he reaches maturity, his owner can rest assured that the feeding schedule is correct.

A puppy should at all times be well fleshed and loose-skinned. He should never look scrawny; his frame should be covered with a comfortable layer of fat. A puppy so conditioned will have a far better chance to survive should sickness come to him.

Another test of the amount of food required by an individual puppy is to see that his stomach does not become over-distended after a meal, also he should never leave his dish completely satisfied. It is better to feed too little at a time than too much.

And now to return to the puppy’s daily schedule!

For breakfast he should have a milk formula prepared by mixing unsweetened

evaporated milk with warm water in the proportion of half and half. Add a teaspoonful of blue label Karo syrup, a half teaspoonful of calcium gluconate powder and Pablum. Allow the mixture to soak for a few minutes before feeding. Its consistency should depend on the puppy’s individual preference. Some like it best when it must be lapped, while others prefer it thick. If the Pablum you have added to the milk makes it too thick, remove some and add more milk. A Standard puppy of average size will eat a full cup of this breakfast, while a Miniature requires only half a cup, and a Toy a quarter of a cup. The quantities of syrup and calcium should be added in proportion to the dog’s size —more for a Standard, less for a Miniature and Toy.

One thing more while on the subject of breakfast. Egg constitutes a valuable, even much needed, addition to the puppy’s diet and can be served with the Pablum and milk if desired. Coddle the egg as for a baby, that is, drop it into boiling water and let stand until the water cools, then combine with the milk. Standard Poodles may have one egg each, three times weekly, with proportionately less for the smaller varieties.

If you have given your puppy his breakfast at eight o’clock, the dinner bell should ring around noon and this meal should consist of raw beef put through the mincer or cut up very finely. Salt it slightly and moisten with warm water to a consistency which would make gulping it down free from the danger of choking. All healthy puppies gobble their food and in the case of meat, if it is served in a solid mass or cut in too large pieces, it may stick in the throat and cause suffocation.

CH. ENSARR NAVY, a young Standard that has already won two best in shows and has proven himself a sire of champions. Bred and owned by Ensarr Kennels, he is b7 Ch. Ensarr Astre out of Ch. Black Rose of Ensarr.

A Standard Poodle should be satisfied with a scant half-pound of meat and a teaspoonful of cod liver oil or vitamin preparation mixed into it. A Miniature may receive four tablespoonfuls of meat with half a teaspoonful of vitamins, and a Toy two tablespoonfuls of meat and a quarter of a teaspoonful of vitamins.

Four o’clock is tea time in Britain, but in puppy-dom it should mean a repetition of the breakfast meal, omitting the egg. The last meal of the day which should be at eight o’clock should consist of raw beef as for dinner, omitting the vitamin preparation or cod liver oil. Some puppies assimilate these tonics less well than others, so if your puppy’s bowels are too loose, reduce the amount of tonic and see if there is any improvement.

FEEDING AT FOUR MONTHS

When a puppy is four months old, it is time to re-arrange his feeding schedule. Breakfast should remain on the list of course, but the quantity of the food given should be slightly increased. Move his dinner hour to two o’clock, and add about an ounce and a half to two ounces to his meat ration. Test him on the advisability of increasing his vitamins. Feed his third meal around six or seven o’clock and let it consist of either milk or meat, depending on his preference.

Some puppies, especially pets, by this age may have developed a distaste for milk and may refuse to take it. Should this happen to your puppy, do not worry about it but increase the calcium powder you add to his food, now mixing it in

his meat. Also, you may make several experiments. Change the kind of cereal you have been giving and if he still refuses, offer him a piece of dry toast or a cracker, crumbled up in a well beaten portion of egg. (A whole egg is not too much for a Standard Poodle.) As a rule, this is a popular dish with which to start the day. If you own a Standard puppy you may not encounter a refusal of milk at any time for large dogs are usually far less particular over their menus. Their chief concern is to get enough of almost anything.

At four or five months, give a puppy lightly broiled beef liver, fish or cooked meat as a change from the raw meat, and you also may add to the meat any reliable brand of dog-meal or a shredded wheat biscuit. This is especially recommended for a Standard whose capacity for food is so much greater than the smaller varieties. Soak the meal in warm water for at least half an hour before feeding to permit it to swell outside rather than inside the puppy.

When you first use a filler or introduce any change of food do so very gradually. Sudden changes in diet are apt to upset the digestion temporarily and may cause either loose bowels or constipation. If you add a filler to the puppy’s meat, you may need to reduce the amount of the latter and it is for this reason that it is not desirable to add much meal to the meat of the smaller sized Poodles.

CH. SIROD ABSOLUE, owned by Mrs. Richard D. Brixey, has been a consistent winner as well as the dam of many good Miniatures, among them the successful sire, Sirod Frere Jacques. “Lulu” possesses the gay disposition and unquenchable spirit characteristic of the breed.

ing what we have learned of a dog’s digestive process, preference should be continually given to proteins over carbohydrates especially where the amount of food consumed at one time is not great. For instance, half a shredded wheat biscuit is ample filler to add to half a pound of meat for a smallish dog.

TEETHING TIME

At four months a puppy’s second teeth are coming through, so he will probably appreciate a hard puppy biscuit when he goes to bed as a tidbit. Be careful however to see that he learns to chew it for he might swallow too large a piece which could lodge in his throat. Instead of a regular dog biscuit, a small Poodle will enjoy a graham cracker or a couple of malted milk tablets, but a Standard might scorn such light fare.

It is advisable to watch the teething process in a puppy very carefully. If the first “fangs” do not fall out as the second teeth come down, they should be extracted, otherwise they will force the newcomers out of line and the mouth will be spoiled. In a correct mouth, the teeth should meet evenly in front and the alignment must be exact all the way round.

At this teething time, let the puppy have a hard object to chew on. Imitation bones are good or you might select a large beef bone which will not splinter. Never allow him to have lamb or chicken bones, nor any kind of toy made of

rubber. “Teething troubles” is an expression you often hear but usually they do not exist in a puppy which has been given sufficient calcium from his early conception; through his mother in pre and post natal days and in his own food when weaned.

Until a puppy is a year old, three meals a day should be the rule.

From eight months to twelve, his solid meal should weigh about three-quarters of a pound for a Standard; half a pound for a Miniature if he is well up to the size limit, and a quarter of a pound for a Toy which is not of a very small size.

The addition of fat to a dog’s ration should be mentioned, for so many people think that fat is bad for a dog. On the contrary, he requires a reasonable amount; if he is fed on very lean meat, shredded suet should be added. A Standard could take about a tablespoonful after he is six months old; the Miniature, a teaspoonful and the Toy a little less. A lack of sufficient fat in any Poodle’s diet makes the coat dull looking and scanty, his skin scaly and itchy. Very often a dog which scratches incessantly for no apparent reason will be completely cured by the simple addition of fat to his diet.

THE GROWN DOG’S DIET

A puppy may be considered full grown when he is a year old hence on this basis the following suggestions regarding his feeding are offered.

A large sized Standard Poodle should eat at least a pound and a half of solid food —meat, fat (suet) and filler—each day. A Miniature weighing around fifteen pounds requires half a pound, and a Toy a quarter. This forms the main meal and

is fed preferably during the late afternoon or early evening. Breakfast may consist of a cereal with milk If a dog of the smaller variety should dislike milk, then it might be advisable to divide the meat allowance, feeding it plain for breakfast and with filler added later in the day. “Little and often” still remains the wisest principle in feeding dogs of any size.

Dogs get as tired of a monotonous diet as do humans, so try to vary it by using beef liver, fish, and cooked meat. Do not over-cook the meat; do not cook it too rapidly. Use the gravy to pour over the filler instead of plain water. An onion cooked with it adds to the flavor. Beef hearts and lungs cooked in a stew with liver are very appetizing and again the filler may be soaked in the gravy.

Such a stew would not be practical for a single pet but it is very economical in kennel feeding. Pet dogs may have portions of a lamb or beef stew as prepared for the family, provided the mixture is not highly seasoned. For the small dog, the ends of a lamb chop cut up and mixed with a small portion of shredded wheat biscuit is a great treat. Never omit the salt when feeding any kind of meat and be more liberal with it during hot weather.

The grown dog requires vitamins just as much as do puppies, but he can get more of them through his varied diet than can a young puppy under four months of age. However, for a city dog especially, during the winter months, cod liver oil or a vitamin tonic is most beneficial.

In planning the meal-time hours that a dog always needs to relieve himself soon after eating, therefore his meals should coincide with his hours of exercise, especially in the case of an apartment dweller. If he is taken out to do his duty in the early morning, do not give him his breakfast until around eleven o’clock which probably would be the time for his second period of exercise. If his third outing is to be around five o’clock, feed him his main meal then. Or you might well reverse the actual meals, feeding heavily in the morning and lightly in the late afternoon. You can judge which is the best procedure by studying your

dog’s reaction.

CH. SYLPH OF RAYBROOK, bred by the author and owned by Sirod Kennels, is by Ch. Soupcon of Misty Isles out of Venda’s the Silver Sylph. This handsome dark grey Miniature is the dam of Ch. Sirod Absolue.

The city dog should always be taken out for his last run as late at night as possible and, for his first run of the day, as soon as the household begins to stir. It is wonderful how regular a dog’s natural functions can become with a definite routine and a little intelligent understanding from his owner.

In conclusion, let me give a list of a few important “don’ts” about feeding:

1. Do not feed sweet puddings, pastry, candy or fresh breads.

2. Do not allow any small bones such as chicken, fish or lamb chop.

3. Do not give highly seasoned foods, fried foods or potatoes.

If the simple feeding suggestions in this chapter are followed, your Poodle should remain in good condition. But don’t spoil him by substituting tasty tidbits for his regular menu, if he should happen to refuse his food. Give him ample time to consume it and if he still shows an unwillingness to eat it or to finish his allowance, remove the dish and give him nothing, until the next meal time comes around. His appetite is a gauge of how he feels; sometimes he may feel less hungry than at other times.

Lack of sufficient exercise may cause a dog to be picky about his food, or he may have a temporary digestive upset. In such cases, starvation, even for twentyfour hours, is the best cure. The complete rest given his digestion is often beneficial. However, I do not believe that a perfectly healthy dog is what we call a “poor doer”—he should normally be keen on his food.

I have often heard it said that the Miniature is not a good eater, but I dispute this. Perhaps he is offered too much at one time; he may be getting too much of the carbohydrates, or he may be kept too confined. Or, and this is important, he realizes that tasty morsels will come his way from a tender hearted and misguided owner if he refuses his regular dinner.

Your dog is intelligent and can put two and two together very easily! Don’t let him fool you!

Chapter 9

THE ART OF BREEDING

AS COMPARED with the breeding of the Miniature and Toy Poodle, the production of the Standard is straightforward because the latter variety was evolved from mating together dogs whose size was approximately the same.

Not so with the Miniature! His breeding poses many problems and pitfalls, and so will the Toy variety now that it is permissible to inter-breed the two.

While it is true that many Miniatures were imported into Britain from and elsewhere in the years gone by, many British strains were evolved through breeding together undersized specimens of the large Poodle.

The smallest resultant dogs were then selected to mate with others of equal diminutiveness and eventually this small size became so well established that, as in the case of Shetland ponies, it was enabled to reproduce itself in fixed size generation after generation.

Unevenness in Miniature litters is a sign of retrogression which should be overcome through more careful study of breeding operations. Any dog which has been evolved from larger stock necessarily harbors a latent tendency to largeness as well as to smallness; and the larger the dog is individually, the greater the likelihood that, uncontrolled, he may prove to be a detrimental influence to his scientifically produced small variety. Undoubtedly there is today a marked tendency toward too great size in the Miniature and unfortunately

many breeders are looking to the Toy variety to correct this.

But the history of the Miniatures shows clearly that there should be no necessity for such interbreeding in order to produce a really diminutive Poodle. In the years before the first World War in Britain, there were many winning Miniatures which measured nine and ten inches, and they were produced without any cross or inter-breeding with other varieties.

Alas, for some reason, both here and in Britain real diminutiveness is becoming rare, and a distinct challenge is offered to breeders to re-learn the secret of producing really small dogs while yet keeping them of pure ancestry and perfect type.

MINIATURE BREEDING

Let us go back to Miniature beginnings and find out how Mrs. Jack Taylor, whose English strain is famous for its prepotency, evolved her Poodles.

She bred her first Miniature in 1904, the dam being a bitch called Wisteria, the dwarf in a litter sired by the Cordeds, Rio Grande and Dolly Varden. Wisteria then produced a female named Star Spangle which, bred to Moufflon Bleu, produced Joan of Arc. Joan was then mated to Mickey Free, whose sire was a Corded called Puck of Pré-fleurie but whose dam was the small bitch Star Spangle. They produced the first champion of the line, Arc Angel, which, bred to Chic of Watercroft, (himself a grandson, tail line of Moufflon Bleu) produced the famous champion bitch Angel of Mine.

NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY PRINT ROOM

THE VISITATION, by Albrecht Durer (1471-1528). Accompanied by a retinue of attendants, a woman of high estate visits a protege. She takes along her Poodle which is attired in the traditional “lion” clip.

And still the careful line breeding continued with Angel of Mine bred to The Diplomat, a grandson on the distaff side of Moufflon Bleu. This mating produced the very famous champion, The Monarch, which won his title in 1928 and is in the pedigrees of countless winning Miniatures of today. There were many other dogs and bitches from this line which made history for the breed but, for our purpose, we have followed just one direct line.

An important point to be noted by those interested in breeding is that Mrs. Taylor established her strain by concentrating her attention particularly on her distaff line. She believed that if you want to establish a sound, prepotent strain, you must breed from good bitches, and it is thanks to this belief and to her scientific knowledge of line breeding, that we are indebted to her, 45 years later, for so many of our best Miniatures.

This question of line and inbreeding is perhaps the most controversial subject among breeders, and far too many throw up their hands in horror at the mere mention of the subject.

Here are a few facts to ponder: The germ cells of every individual contain innumerable unit characters inherited from ancestors, so inbreeding gives partial similarity in the germ cell units because the ancestor inheritance is partially similar; i.e., it is consistently about the same in the ancestry of both parents.

And so it is in the units of the germ cells that inbreeding has its controlling

influence. You can establish good points only by concentrating on them thereby getting a similarity of merit or a comparative absence of varying merit in the units of the germ cell.

WHEN LIKE PRODUCES LIKE

This is the correct way to produce good dogs, as opposed to any attempt to counteract the faults of one parent with the virtues of the other.

How often we hear it said that a bitch weak in a certain point should be bred to a dog strong in that point, regardless of the inheritance behind either—! This argument is predicated on the theory that like produces like, but the fact is that it does so only when there is proper and established control over the individuals comprising the breeding stock.

If, for instance, two really high class animals from different families are paired, the chances are against like producing like; but with two similar individuals from the same family, there is great probability of like producing like.

Breeding winners is a matter of selection, but it should be a selection of individuals in a family whose inheritance does not contain influences of an antagonistic tendency. It is well to that blood (so called) is nothing in itself.

PUTTENCOVE PILGRIM II, a silver Miniature puppy which should bring great credit on her breeders, Mr. and Mrs. George Putnam. She is sired by Ch. Little Ben of Puttencove.

The mere process of introducing a change of blood does not necessarily rejuvenate a strain. That it often does so is due to the fact that the newly introduced strain does not suffer from the same weaknesses as does one’s own strain, but, if one happens to introduce a strain incorporating the same weaknesses as one’s own, then change of blood would be futile and even deleterious.

LINE AND INBREEDING

To learn the difference between line and inbreeding, let us turn to the U. S. Department of Agriculture which gives it clearly:

“Line breeding is accomplished by breeding a sire to his daughters, to his granddaughters and to their daughters, and so on as long as the sire remains in service.

CH. DIABLOTIN DANSEUSE, Miniature, bred and owned by Mrs. I. Stowell Morse, won at important eastern fixtures in 1947. She whelped four champions in two litters and now has five champion grand-children.

“When the sire is no longer available, we breed his sons to the female of the same family. Or, we breed a female to her son and to her grandson, and so on.

“Inbreeding is the indiscriminate inter-breeding of relatives without consideration of definite blood lines from certain beginnings. By breeding brother and sister together, we practice inbreeding within its precise meaning as no change in either line of descent, as commonly understood, occurs.

“Line breeding is a definite means of intensifying the blood of a certain ancestor in each succeeding generation. Therefore, if we have a dog of great perfection in vigor, build, color and other desirable qualities, we breed him as outlined above.”

As may readily be understood after pondering this quotation, it is important to know your dogs and to be sure of their background before you begin to practice line breeding.

WHAT IS A STRAIN

Once you are convinced that you have the right material to work with, it is perfectly possible to begin a strain of your own with as few as six or seven dogs.

Correctly handled, they can establish a line which will breed true to the type you are aiming for and also reproduce that type through generations.

In the last analysis, that is what a strain is. It is not merely a lot of dogs under one kennel prefix which have produced some winners. It is a line which has been produced with forethought, and a glance at the pedigree of any dog in a strain should tell its evolution.

MRS. MILTON ERLANGER, owner of the famous Pillicoc Kennels, with four of her home-bred white Poodles.

Mr. Laverack, well known originator of the old Laverack strain of Setters, writes that he has tried “crossing, or setting my blood loose ten or a dozen times, but the results have always been unsatisfactory. Therefore, I stick to the interbreeding with my own strain as I have ever found it the best.” He goes on to say that he believes in the advisability of “keeping the family blood wrapped together, all the crossing being done in the family and not from an outside source.”

HOW TO OUTCROSS

There might, however, come a time when an outcross becomes necessary to a strain. It is then advisable to bring the new blood in through the distaff line and try to obtain a bitch going back to another bitch that has your own blood in her veins. Even so, you may find some characteristics you have succeeded in establishing detrimentally affected in the first and possibly the second generation, but with careful planning, you can succeed in reestablishing your goal.

To those who maintain that line breeding produces nervous, weak dogs with high strung temperament, it may be pointed out that it is just as possible to inbreed faults, bad health and other detrimental points as it is to inbreed the desirable qualities of courage and sound health. So you must know the history behind each of your dogs and you must watch each step you take with the greatest care. Never breed a bitch just for the sake of breeding a litter, but always with a definite purpose.

Presuming that a breeder has started out with perfectly healthy dogs, it goes without saying that this good health must be maintained. The surest way to maintain health and vigor through the generations is by means of correct prenatal and postnatal care of all stock.

It is impossible to produce strong puppies from a bitch whose diet, both before and after mating, is deficient in essential health-producing nutrients. These consist among other things of a sufficiency of protein and minerals. Litters whelped by bitches deprived of meat as their staple diet before and after pregnancy will in all probability lack vigor and stamina; so much so, in many cases, that the puppies may even lack the strength to nurse adequately.

A bitch quickly loses interest in feeble puppies; pushes them to one side or otherwise neglects them. Such weak puppies may be helped by being held to the breast at regular intervals throughout the day and night during their first days of life, but there is the ever-present danger of their normal development being arrested or their future well being irrevocably impaired.

IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH

Malnutrition of the foetus through the mother can well result in delicate puppies even if they happen to survive the first crucial weeks of life. Puppies whelped by a female which has been deprived of sufficient calcium during pregnancy may be prone to rickets as evinced by soft bone, or they may have bad teeth. Moreover the mother herself may not have enough calcium in her blood to supply her own needs as well as the heavy demands of the puppies she is carrying. Her milk may be poisonous to her family or she may suffer from the dread eclampsia.

CH. CARILLON COLIN OF PUTTENCOVE, Standard black winner and sire of many good dogs. By Ch. Puttencove Impetuous ex Ch. Carillon Colline, he was bred by Mrs. Whitehouse Walker and is owned by Mr. and Mrs. George Putnam.

From a practical viewpoint, puppies born feeble or lacking in stamina at birth are better off dead. Even should they survive, they may develop into dogs susceptible to fits, to weak digestions and various other ills, that plague the puppy of subnormal vigor.

The diet of the stud dog should also be carefully considered, with meat the principal ingredient. In fact, no amount of scientific breeding knowledge can produce desired results unless it is harnessed to correct feeding, sufficient exercise and proper management.

A dog is not just a machine which will produce healthy puppies merely because it has been bred. On the contrary, it is an intricate organism which must be tended intelligently and without ceasing.

Chapter 10

WHELPING AND RAISING THE PUPPIES

FOR ME the chief fascination of kennel work lies in the breeding and raising of puppies. I have never been particularly interested in showing dogs and, while I enjoy the care of any dog, the baby puppies take precedence over all else.

To breed healthy puppies you must take very good care of the grown dogs, for much of your success as a breeder depends on pre-natal care. The prospective mothers of your litters must have particular attention, and your stud dogs correct feeding and plenty of exercise.

The period of gestation of a litter is calculated as sixty-three days, not counting the day of mating. However, it is possible and not unusual for a healthy litter to arrive two days earlier or two days later than this. A Standard Poodle may have as many as eleven puppies in a litter but the Miniature and the Toy, far fewer, usually three or four. Some Miniature matrons whelp six puppies but as a rule they are longer bodied bitches than is approved of in the show ring.

“HOW ABOUT THIS!” these young brothers seem to be asking as they pose willingly. The interested, inquiring expression is quite typical of the Poodle. Skipper of Misty Isles and Jolly Roger of Misty Isles, bred by the author, belong to Mr. and Mrs. Howard Barlow. Mr. Barlow is the well known conductor of the Firestone orchestra on N B C.

A brood bitch should always be of first rate quality but do not breed an ultra short-backed bitch unless you are prepared for trouble. Also, mate your bitches before they are three years old.

Miniatures usually come into heat, or season, rather later in life than other breeds, so if a bitch becomes ready to mate for the first time when she is eighteen months old, the usual rule of “missing” the first season can be ignored. She has attained her full growth by this time so mating will not prove detrimental. A bitch comes in season twice a year, each period lasting approximately three weeks. She will become more playful and coquettish as the time draws near and you will notice a swelling of the vulva and a bloody discharge. In some Miniatures the discharge is hardly noticeable for they keep themselves very clean, but in the larger variety it is usually quite profuse.

As a rule a bitch will not stand to be mated until the sixth day, but this is not infallible and with pets often leads to mesalliances. In the case of pets it is advisable to send them to a reliable boarding kennel as soon as the swelling of the parts is noticed, for a bitch becomes very crafty at this time, and wandering males very persistent. How much better to pay even twenty-five dollars for a three-weeks’ stay at a boarding establishment, than to incur the expense and trouble of whelping a mongrel litter—not to mention the necessity of disposing of the puppies. However, it is not true that a mesalliance will in any way affect future litters, should you wish to breed later to a thoroughbred dog.

Usually a bitch is taken to the stud dog to be bred and it is important to select him well ahead of time. Study the full pedigrees of desirable dogs, compare them with that of your bitch and do not choose a dog just because he may be a champion or because he happens to live near you. If the bitch is to be sent away for the mating, let her go in plenty of time in order that she may recover from the nervous excitement of new surroundings and strange people, before being bred.

Most stud dog owners give two services of their dog to a bitch, twenty-four hours apart, but this is not essential. One service is enough provided it has been a good one. A free return service is also usually offered if the bitch does not whelp a litter. This is a courtesy most stud dog owners grant because it is to their interest that their dogs sire puppies, but it is a courtesy and should be accepted as such. A stud fee, strictly speaking, is paid for the actual service of the dog, not for the litter which may result. If the dog chosen is a proven sire, failure to whelp to him can usually be blamed on the infertility of the bitch or mating too early or too late in the period. People who breed dogs are like gamblers—they accept the risk of failure, and this should be more generally understood. They must be willing to take the good as well as the bad and be good sports.

CARE OF THE BRED BITCH

The bitch will not show any sign of being in whelp until about four weeks after service. At that time, if she is stood up on her back legs, her abdomen will have assumed a decided outcurve. When confident that your bitch is in whelp, increase her meat allowance, and if she will take milk give her a little more than she has been getting. If she objects to milk, give her three or four malted milk tablets each day or try her with powdered malted milk, mixed with hot water according to directions on the bottle. Be very sure that she gets calcium in some form every day.

CH. PILLICOC JADIS and her litter of four 6-weeks-old puppies. Note the hind-leg strength of the puppy on the far right. Jadis’ sire is Ch. Griesley Labory of Piperscroft; her dam, Ch. Ambroisine of Misty Isles. She was bred by Pillicoc Kennels.

Apart from this slightly increased diet, the normal life of a pregnant bitch should continue, but as she gets heavier do not allow her to go up or down steep stairs, to jump on or off high places or play roughly with other dogs. A week before the litter is due, prepare a bed for her in a quiet place and accustom her to sleeping in it.

In my kennel it is considered a great treat by all my dogs to be allowed in the house. So I have always whelped my bitches in a room set apart for them.

If your female is a house pet, then keep her bed in its accustomed place, provided it is in a quiet room. A box with a hinged lid makes a good bed, its size depending on the size of the bitch. Nail a narrow rim around the inside of the box, three or four inches up from the bottom in order to prevent a puppy being squashed in a corner by its mother when she changes her position. This is especially important with a Standard Poodle. Have a low board nailed across the front of the box to keep off floor drafts, and to prevent the puppies from tumbling out.

I do not advocate bedding of any type of material after a bitch starts to whelp. A thick layer of newspapers on the floor of the box is adequate and narrow strips of torn paper scattered in the box makes the cosiest and safest nest for the newly born puppies.

There are several articles which you should have at hand when the time comes: plenty of newspapers on the floor around the box and ready for any purpose, soft cloths or cheese cloth, sterile scissors, vaseline, a waste basket, a hot water bottle or heating pad, and a cake of disinfectant soap with which to wash your hands constantly during the whelping process. I like the liquid green soap the best. Be sure that the bitch’s breasts and her rear-end are scrupulously clean but do not use any disinfectant in the water.

THE WHELPING

The first indication that the litter is about to arrive is when the bitch becomes restless and starts making a nest of her papers. Then you will notice a slight discharge from and a swelling of the vulva. The labor pains will commence.

If all is going well the first puppy may appear within the hour. First litters, however, are apt to take longer than subsequent ones. In a correct presentation the puppy descends from the womb head first, enclosed in a membranous sac which is attached to the placenta or afterbirth. It is the natural procedure for the mother to release the puppy from this sac, eat the entire membrane and afterbirth, and with her teeth sever the cord attached to the puppy’s navel.

And here we come to the reason why it is always advisable for someone the bitch knows to be in attendance. A young bitch may well be distraught with the pain she has suffered; she may leave her puppy so long in its sac that it suffocates, or she may cut the cord so inexpertly that she bites the puppy itself when it may bleed to death. If you are with her you can take the puppy in your hands and slit open the sac.

STANDARD POODLE PUPPIES, two months old, owned by Mrs. W. French Githens. The one on the far right is Ch. Black Rose of Ensarr which became the dam of Ch. Ensarr Navy and the grand-dam of Ch. Black Lily of Ensarr.

Roll the puppy out of the membrane and cut the cord about one inch from the navel. Now take a soft cloth and wipe the puppy, paying particular attention to cleaning the nose and mouth. If it is a healthy little fellow it will begin to gasp for breath immediately and even squirm in your hands. Present it now to its waiting mother; if she is experienced she will lick it all over thereby increasing its circulation and at the same time cleaning it.

During a first whelping, however, the matron may require some encouragement —this is especially the case with some pets for their maternal instinct is slower to develop. But as the puppies grow more insistent in their demand for nourishment, and as your gentle but firm insistence that the mother do her duty is understood, she will soon be all you could desire. When the mother is very intent on licking a new arrival she may pull too hard on the small length of cord on the puppy’s navel thus causing an umbilical hernia. This is not a serious matter really, for it is only skin deep, so to speak; but the “button” which remains on the puppy, indicating the hernia, is unsightly and buyers often consider it a blemish. Many dogs and bitches have gone through life satisfactorily and have functioned perfectly even with quite large umbilical hernias, but a breeder, quite naturally, would prefer that they should not exist.

To return to the question of the afterbirth. Make sure each one has been expelled. Especially in the case of what might be called a “dry” birth, when the puppy is born out of its sac, or when the feet rather than the head appear first, the afterbirth may remain behind. The mother frequently gets it out herself or it comes away when the next labor pains start, but the attendant should check up on this point with each birth.

In the case of a difficult birth, when labor-pains are insufficiently strong or there is a wrong presentation, the attendant can help by taking hold of whatever part of the puppy he can see, with a piece of soft cloth. Pull on it gently but firmly at each pain. However in the case of a feet-first presentation, be sure not to pull on only one leg. The amateur should have a veterinarian in attendance for this kind of presentation.

In a normal whelping all the puppies will be delivered one after the other at intervals ranging from a half to one hour. Should the bitch’s labor be unduly prolonged, with strong pains and no result to show for them, call a veterinarian. The puppy may be dead or too large to through the pelvis and a Caesarian operation may be necessary. No bitch should be permitted to labor unsuccessfully for more than an hour without obtaining qualified assistance.

After the second puppy is born it is my custom to offer the mother a little warm milk or broth. Sometimes it is accepted, sometimes refused until all the litter is born, but, in the case of a Standard whelping a large litter such nourishment is all to the good. As a rule a healthy puppy will nurse almost immediately it is given to its mother, while others require a little assistance in finding the nipple for the first time.

Some owners keep each puppy as it is born on a heating pad or hot water bottle, wrapped in a blanket, giving them all to their mother when her labor is finished. However, I always let the dam have each whelp as soon as I have assured myself that it is alright, removing it on to a heating pad only when the labor pains are resumed. A bitch very soon learns the routine her attendant follows and it is delightful to see her pleasure as she receives her puppies back, augmented one by one as they are born.

CH. PILLICOC PRUNELLA, Standard, belonging to Mrs. Milton Erlanger.

Should an apparently healthy puppy refuse to nurse or seem unable to grip the nipple, examine its mouth. A cleft palate may be responsible in which case the little one should be put to sleep. He will never survive for long and will cause his mother anxiety. The bitch usually knows when a puppy has something wrong with it even if her attendant does not, hence you may find certain whelps pushed to one side. Instinct is at work in such a happening and while you might well try to hand-feed the puppy, you will find that it will not live. As a matter of fact, it is far better that such puppies do not survive, for they may have internal troubles or weaknesses not apparent at this early age.

ORPHAN PUPPIES

Should the mother die or for any reason be unable to nurse the puppies, it is possible to raise them by hand, though it is a tedious business. Procure an eyedropper and make up a milk formula consisting of equal amounts of. evaporated milk and boiled water. Add a few drops of blue label Karo syrup and lime water, in the proportion of half the amount of boiled water with which you have diluted the evaporated milk.

Feed each puppy not more than a teaspoonful of this mixture by eye-dropper every two hours day and night for the first week of its life. You may prepare enough of the formula at one time to last for twenty-four hours, keeping it in the refrigerator between feedings and reheating the amount required by pouring it into a small bottle and placing this in hot water over the range burner until it is lukewarm. When a week has ed and the puppies appear to be thriving, reduce the feedings to every three hours, night and day.

A cardboard carton, plenty of warm bedding and a hot water bottle, kept constantly hot, makes an adequate bed for new-born puppies. Keep a light blanket over half of the top of the carton to retain the heat.

If you are stranded with a motherless litter, you face yet another problem. Normally, a bitch cleans her puppies by licking them, the friction of her tongue causing bladder and bowels to function. It is essential that this friction be furnished by the foster mother—you—so take a wad of absorbent cotton, moisten it slightly with warm water and very gently but persistently stroke the hind parts after each feeding until the desired results are obtained. You will find that the puppies very soon wait for this attention and seldom soil their bedding.

It is quite a job to raise a litter by hand especially as regular night feedings are essential until the puppies of their own accord sleep quietly through until morning, but it is most satisfying to watch them develop under your exclusive care. Just as long as they sleep practically all the time and do not cry or whimper during the first two weeks, you may rest assured they are doing alright. As they progress, they will indicate clearly when they are hungry, but never be tempted to give them too much food at one time. “Little and often” is a good rule to follow even though it makes more work for you. As the litter grows the strength of the formula should be increased, and the number of feedings gradually reduced.

At eight weeks the puppies should be eating four meals a day and this may be kept up until they are three months old. Then cut down to three feedings per day until at six months they may go on to two meals with a puppy biscuit as an extra in the middle of the afternoon.

Puppies’ tails must be docked, or cut, while they are still in the nest. I perform this operation when they are ten days old but I realize that very few people will approve of this late date. Most breeders cut the tails and remove the dewclaws when the puppies are but a few days old. It is advisable for owners of pets to call

upon a veterinarian to perform these two operations.

NURSING PUPPIES

We must now return to the mother and her care. If the matron was wormed before whelping, as she should have been, and if she has been properly fed, she should be in good condition and able to provide her litter with a good supply of milk.

The first milk to come into the breasts after whelping, called colostrum, is different from the milk which comes later. As a rule the colostrum changes to true milk within two days, when it becomes important to give the breasts some attention. Many a mother has such a large supply that where the litter is small, the puppies cannot milk her out sufficiently hence the breasts become overdistended. Should this happen, squeeze out some milk very gently with your fingers and then hold the strongest puppies to the breast and manipulate the nipples into their mouths. They will be quick to catch on!

From time to time examine the breasts and with blunt scissors cut away any hair which may be caked around them. Some people advise feeding a bitch with meat immediately after whelping, but I make a practice of keeping her on liquids for the first twenty-four hours, feeding her a little at a time every four or five hours.

It is desirable to take her temperature with a rectal thermometer the day after whelping and every morning for the first few days. Should she show any temperature, call in a veterinarian at once. The normal rectal temperature of an adult dog varies from 101° to 102°. It would be sensible to have taken your female’s temperature when she was in normal health, so that you know the figure she shows when perfectly well.

A substantial diet should be fed to a nursing mother with plenty of raw meat, milk and eggs and of course a proper supply of calcium. Continue whatever vitamins she has been getting before whelping.

There is always a certain discharge from the vulva after whelping but should it last too long, be too profuse or emit an offensive odor, consult a veterinarian.

CH. DEBUTANTE OF MISTY ISLES, C.D., Miniature, with her young puppy. Debutante was the first Poodle owned by Cartlane Kennels, being purchased in 1936 from her breeder, Mrs. Byron Rogers.

One last word of advice: do not allow strangers to see your puppies until they are about three weeks old and even then do not permit them to be handled. A bitch might well resent the smell of a stranger’s hands on her offspring while they are still in the nest. that she has a right to quiet and privacy until, of her own accord, she resumes her normal place in the life around her.

She should be exercised in moderation but it is cruel to keep her away from her little family for too long if she shows you that she desires to be with them. Allow her to use her own judgment about the duration of her absence from them.

WEANING

Puppies open their eyes when they are ten or twelve days old and shortly afterward begin to move around and try to get up on their feet. Now is the time to handle them and accustom them to the sound of your voice. At four weeks when the teeth begin to come through the babies are ready to eat a small amount of raw meat proffered on your well-washed finger. You will be surprised how eagerly they eat it!

The weaning process should be leisurely. Since the puppies are still getting sufficient breast milk, a little meat twice a day is indicated in preference to other milk, but as the mother remains away from them for longer and longer periods, the milk formula (to which is added just a little Pablum) may be offered them in a saucer.

You may notice that the dam tries to get in with her puppies soon after she herself is fed and that she frequently regurgitates her meal as soon as the puppies start to nurse. This is a natural instinct when her milk is drying up, but it is annoying to her owner. The food vomitted is not bad for the puppies, of course, but from the owner’s viewpoint it is annoying because the unexpected meal upsets the day’s schedule of hand feedings.

Since the bitch should now be on a reduced diet with far less milk, you might well alter her mealtime, feeding her around three o’clock for the last time but still letting her remain with the puppies at night if she seems anxious to do so. Arrange her sleeping quarters so that she can get out of their reach if she wishes to. When completely weaned a puppy should be eating about a tablespoonful of raw meat three times a day, while the milk formula should be strengthened considerably and augmented with Pablum or some such baby’s cereal, fed twice daily in small amounts. The quantities of course vary with the variety.

HANDLING FROM SIX WEEKS ON

At six weeks the litter may be fed from one or two bowls, depending on the number of puppies, but it is wise to teach them to eat out of their own dishes as soon as possible. You can then know exactly how much food each one consumes.

A puppy should be ready for sale at eight weeks; at which age he should have been wormed twice, and inoculated against distemper at least once. I begin to brush and comb my puppies as soon as they can walk around, and I teach them to pose on a table as early as eight weeks. I also clip their feet at this age. They become so accustomed to the noise of the electric clippers that they are never frightened of the operation. I like to cut little pompons on their tails as young as four weeks. It makes them look so cute; it appears to shorten the length of the

back and helps to keep the rear-end clean. These little details all contribute towards making sales for a kennel owner besides adding to one’s own fun.

Play a great deal with your puppies. I never consider this a waste of time but rather a necessity in a breeder’s kennel. It pays tremendous dividends in added sales if your puppies are accustomed to being handled. Also, if you are constantly with your young stock you can detect any deviation from perfect health before any damage is done. Plenty of sunshine and plenty of play are essential for even quite young puppies, but never let them remain long on damp cement or directly on the ground. A reasonable amount of cold can be endured but dampness is dangerous.

Winter puppies are seldom very satisfactory and mean a lot of extra work in a kennel. If you breed your bitches only once a year—as you should—arrange their matings so that the litters will be born no earlier than February and no later than September. This makes the summer season an endless pleasure to any one who, like myself, really enjoys the breeding part of the dog game.

Chapter 11

GROOMING FOR HOME AND SHOW ROOM

LIKE EVERY other dog, the Poodle should receive regular grooming. Most dogs thoroughly enjoy this attention, shaking themselves afterwards and cavorting around to express their sense of well-being. A well trained puppy will have been taught since his earliest months to stand and lie quietly on a firm table whose surface is not slippery, so it is a good idea to keep up this good habit.

A fairly stiff brush with long bristles which can penetrate a heavy coat to the skin, and a metal comb with teeth rounded at the ends and set fairly far apart are the only tools required. Keep both scrupulously clean.

There are two types of grooming; one for the show ring, one for the home. The former is a long and strenuous process involving constant watchfulness of coat, skin and general health. In fact the dog set apart as a show specimen requires the most particular daily care over a period of months. While an occasional mat, or isolated tangle of hair, may not be serious in a pet, it is detrimental in a show dog, for mats are taboo in that sphere. Unfortunately these mats have a horrid way of appearing almost overnight. As a rule they result from scratching, and the reason for the irritation of the skin should be sought immediately. Should a mat form, it must be pulled apart by the fingers and the hair brushed out. Valuable undercoat, which gives the coat its “body,” may be lost if the quicker method of using a comb is resorted to.

Fortunately, the Poodle ordinarily is not prone to eczema though worms can cause intolerable skin irritation, and the owner is indeed in trouble if his dog

begins to scratch.

WORMING

It might seem that keeping a dog free from worms has little connection with grooming but it has, for the simple reason that no worm-infected dog will have a healthy skin and a profuse, lustrous coat. It is easy, therefore, to understand that when one prepares a dog for the show ring, there are many other facets to consider than just the manual labor of brushing.

A periodic examination of the dog’s stool by a veterinarian is routine in a well run kennel and should also be followed by pet owners. Dogs may pick up the eggs of round, hook and whipworms from a ground which has been run over by infected dogs; and the flea is the host of the tapeworm.

THE BETTMAN ARCHIVE

A DOG EXCHANGE IN PARIS, 1811. By Marlet. The Grand (large) Caniche is shown here awaiting a new owner. Note the “lion” clip.

A country dog may be treated for worms at home but it is advisable to send the city dog away for the treatment. This consists of eighteen hours of starvation before the worm pill is given. Thus, you may feed your dog at noon one day, give him no food—not even tidbits—until the following morning and then dose him. Do not allow him any water for at least two hours before you plan to give him the pill.

Stand the patient in front of you, or between your knees with head facing outwards, open his mouth and place the pill on the back of his tongue. Push it down his throat with your finger and hold his mouth closed for a few minutes while gently stroking his throat. It helps a great deal to accustom your dog to bread pills istered in this way while he is in good health, also to spoonfuls of milk or water when he is well. Never be tempted to give a worm pill wrapped in any tasty morsel, for complete starvation is essential.

In an hour, give milk of magnesia, a full tablespoonful for a Miniature Poodle. Double the dose for a Standard and reduce it for a Toy. Some worm capsules may be followed in the hour with magnesia or castor oil, but be very sure to ask your veterinarian, or carefully read instructions given with the pill before substituting castor oil for magnesia. Oils are very dangerous to give with certain types of drugs.

Two hours after the laxative has been given, feed the dog a small amount of warm beef broth from which all fat has been removed, or a small amount of completely lean raw meat. Allow no water for at least three hours after giving the pill. In the evening feed the dog another small dish of lean raw meat, and if his bowels have moved freely by the following morning he may go back to his

normal diet.

And now to return to the actual grooming.

The house pet of course requires the same health of skin and body as the show dog but his actual process of grooming is easily accomplished. Half an hour will suffice to groom a Miniature Poodle but of course a Standard, in full coat, requires more time. Grooming every other day is usually enough for a house dog, though it is advisable to comb out the bracelets of a country dog every day. This hair mats up very quickly if dirt, grass or burrs are allowed to remain in it. The same warning may be given in regard to the chaps and tros of the Royal Dutch clip.

HOW TO BRUSH AND COMB

The pet Poodle, like the show dog, should be groomed on a firm table and the manner of grooming is the same. The most efficient way to brush a full-coated Poodle is to start by making him lie on his side.. When in this position it is a simple matter to brush the hair on chest and sides. To wield the brush correctly, hold a small section of the hair down lightly with your left hand and, with the brush in your right hand, work the hair out from under your left hand, a little at a time. Brush first against the natural growth of the hair and, if the coat is still dusty, repeat the performance with the lie of the hair.

CH. ROBIN GOODFELLOW, formerly owned by Miss Louise Lang, now owned by Mr. and Mrs. R. S. Emerson. Piloted by Tom Gately, Robin made a splendid winning record. Among his more notable progeny are Ch. Amusette, and Star Tavern Straw Hat owned by Mrs. Joseph Sailer.

A comb should be used very sparingly on the mane because it is apt to take out too much long hair and undercoat. The dog should either stand up or lie on his stomach when brushing the hair on his head and back. If he is clipped with a saddle do not comb the tight curls out too often and, when you do, pat them back into place again with a dampened towel.

The long ears of a Poodle should be well brushed both outside and inside the flap, the topknot on his head should be combed out and re-tied over his eyes with a ribbon, barret or rubber band, while the pompon on his tail should be combed out. Bracelets and the longer hair left between the bands on his hind legs should also be combed and in the Dutch Clip, the chaps and tros must be well brushed and the hair fluffed out with the comb.

EARS, TEETH AND NAILS

And here is a word of advice on the subject of a Poodle’s ears. If you wish to simplify your grooming and preserve in all its glory the long hair on the ears, let his food dish be so shaped that the ears will fall over the sides of the bowl when he eats. Many Poodle owners tie the dog’s ears together over the top of his head; others bind them together with a rubber band. The famous Champion Pillicoc Rumpelstilskin always wore a black silk feeding cap over his head at meal-time. It is quite amusing to see several Poodles lined up before their bowls, waiting for their owner to protect the beauty of their ears according to his particular method.

And now we come to the once-a-week items on the grooming schedule which should be performed for every dog—these take care of eyes, ears, teeth and nails. Have beside you a handful of absorbent cotton, a mild solution of boric acid water, a soft towel and a strong, flexible nail file.

Dampen a wad of cotton in the boric solution and wipe the eyes gently. Then dry them. Do not make the wad really wet. Do the same to the inside of the ears as far into the canal as you can reach easily, and wipe the inside skin of the flap. Dry thoroughly. Should any odor be detected from the ears, shake a little dry boric powder into the canal. A canker may be developing, so watch for this and call in your veterinarian if you see any waxy discharge or if the odor persists.

Canker comes from various causes, such as water left in the ear age, insect bites and over-heated blood. Once it takes a firm hold the cure is often long and bothersome. It will cause extreme irritation and pain to the animal, so stop it in the earliest stage. Keep the entrance of the ear free from a thick growth of hair by occasionally pulling out such hair with your fingers.

Poodles with very long, wide ears, heavily covered with hair are more susceptible to ear trouble than others. If your dog goes swimming in the summer be sure to dry his ears when he comes out of the water. And never allow him to ride in a car with his head out of the window. This is a sure route to both eye and ear troubles.

SPARKLET OF MANNERHEAD, C.D., imported from the English breeder, Mrs. A. C. Tyndall by Cartlane Kennels, in 1938 became the first Miniature Poodle in the United States to win the obedience title, C.D. This unusual photograph brings out the texture of the coat—note also the magnificent ears, and the workmanlike Retriever Clip.

The teeth and gums should be cleaned vigorously with the boric solution. Should tartar form where the tooth enters the gum, or if discoloration is noted on the teeth, consult the veterinarian. Have the tartar removed immediately and seek out the cause for discoloration. A large, unbroken dog biscuit, given once a day helps towards clean teeth and healthy gums.

Inspection of toenails is the last weekly attention due your dog. Keep the nails short by filing them regularly thus avoiding the use of nail clippers which most dogs dislike intensely. It is so easy to cut the “quick” which is difficult to see on black nails. However, it is essential to keep the nails as short as possible, for nothing can spoil a good foot or a good gait so quickly as nails allowed to grow too long.

The aforementioned grooming practices may seem complicated and lengthy, but the pet owner will soon accustom himself and his dog to the routine.

EXTERNAL PARASITES

Lice, ticks and fleas harass the dog especially during the summer months. All are liable to appear on even the most well-cared-for pet and are not necessarily the result of dirty kenneling. They can be picked up from infected soil, grass or bushes and they are ed from one dog to another. On the market are several

good dusting powders which kill fleas and lice, but ticks may have to be removed by hand as you find them. To apply the dusting powder stand the dog on newspapers and, beginning with his head and neck, fill his coat full of powder, rubbing it well into the skin. When the fleas have dropped on to the paper wrap them up and burn them. Renew the paper and brush the coat well. Any powder remaining in the hair will keep the vermin off for a day or so.

Lice are harder to get rid of than fleas—they adhere to the skin while sucking the blood. A dip made with Hilo, diluted with warm water, is indicated in the presence of a heavy infestation of lice. Submerge the dog in the dip being careful to keep his eyes out of it and then rub him dry.

BATHING

A good bath should be given after several powder dustings. Stand the dog in a bath or large receptacle and wet him all over by means of a strong spray attached to the faucet. Protect the eyes from soap by dropping mineral oil in them or by daubing vaseline across the eyeball. Pour a mild-soap shampoo all over the animal and work up a profuse lather with your hands, rubbing it through the hair and down to the skin. Rinse with clear water and repeat the shampoo. It is important that no soap remain in the coat.

When the dog is clean put him on a table and rub him off with towels. An electric dryer is essential for a heavily coated Poodle. While under the dryer lift the hair from the body with a brush in order that the skin may dry quickly. In hot weather sunshine may be allowed to complete the drying as you brush the coat out. But never expose a brown Poodle to the direct rays of the sun. His color will quickly fade.

CH. PILLICOC PETER PIPER, Standard.

Bathing a large Poodle with a heavy coat is quite an undertaking and it is not surprising that many private owners send their pets to beauty parlors for the operation. However, it is not necessary to bathe a dog more often than once every three months provided he is thoroughly groomed at least every other day. Poodles do not have a “doggy smell” and, being long-legged animals, do not pick up much outside dirt even in bad weather. If they come in wet and their chest hair and bracelets are well brushed after the hair is dry, they do not require frequent bathing.

In closing this chapter on grooming, let me remind my readers of the old adage; “a stitch in time, saves nine.” It is very appropriate.

Chapter 12

CLIPPING STYLES AND PATTERNS

THE POODLE is the only dog whose coat is fashioned into a definite pattern. As we have seen, this practice is not just a fashionable whim; it can be traced back for centuries and is almost as old as the dog himself.

In order to perform the beautifying operation you must have the proper tools. First of all, a very steady table, about thirty inches high and large enough to hold comfortably your largest variety, the Standard. To provide sure footing the surface should be preferably of corrugated rubber.

An electric clipper is of course the prime requisite. There are several reliable ones on the market. It is best to have two removable “heads” in case one becomes too hot to work with. Attached by a screw to the head is a blade, which is manufactured in various sizes. Number 15 blade is the best all around size for it does not clip too close. Number 30 is ordinarily used when preparing a Poodle for the show ring, but unless expertly handled it can cause severe irritation of the skin, especially on the face and tail because it cuts very closely. Whichever blade is used, not to press it down too hard on the skin, and clip in a fluid movement without stretching or pulling the skin. The number 7 and number 9 blades are used for clipping down the coat all over, as is the practice in the Retriever cut and partially in the Dutch. It leaves on the body about an inch of hair which curls up tightly a short while after clipping. Be sure to keep your clippers and blades well oiled, and never clip with a blunted blade. Return it to the makers for sharpening.

CH. CARTLANE ONCE, the most spectacular winning Toy Poodle in the U.S.A., and the first of her variety to win best at all-breed shows. Already, at three years of age she has won many group firsts as well as three best in shows at important all-breed fixtures. Although but 8 5/6 inches in height she has the courage and spirit characteristic of the breed. By Ch. Leicester’s Bon Bon ex Cartlane Odette and bred by Cartlane Kennels, she is owned by Mrs. Charles R. Fleishman, for whom Mrs. Ed Sayres piloted her to victory.

In addition to the clippers you must have a moderately wide-toothed steel comb whose teeth are rounded, and a stiff, long bristled brush. Also a pair of very sharp scissors.

Only three forms of clipping are permitted in the show ring according to American Kennel Club and Poodle Club rules: The English Saddle cut which originated in Britain; the Continental which, as its name implies, is the one favored in Europe; and the Puppy clip, permissible to all Poodles eligible for puppy classes and therefore under one year of age.

THE SADDLE CLIP

The Poodle should sit upon the table facing the operator. If he is accustomed to the treatment, begin on his face, otherwise start on his hind feet in order to get him used to the noise and permit him to understand that there is no need for fear. Let us suppose he is perfectly at ease.

Hold his muzzle firmly with the left hand and begin clipping about four inches below his jaw up to the end of his muzzle. Hold his ears back and clip from the opening of the ear in a straight line to the outer corner of his eye, then over his

cheeks to your starting point on his throat. Remove all the hair on both sides of his face being careful not to press too hard on the clippers nor stretch the skin unduly. If you do either of these things, you may cause great irritation to the skin. Always clip in a fluid movement and hold the clippers lightly, keeping the blade level.

THE BETTMAN ARCHIVE

LION DOG. An old print depicting the first “lion” clipping in which the body is shaved close and the head and forelegs are left shaggy. The tail is shaved at the base.

When each side of the head is finished, start at the inner side of the eye and make an inverted “V” between the eyes. Then clip down to the nose. If the Poodle has a short head, carry the “V” higher up on the forehead. Be sure, when clipping around the lips, to hold the mouth shut or the tongue, protruding, might be cut. Also clip very lightly over the lip edges where the skin is loose and very tender.

With the head finished, the feet may be attended to. Hold the paw up and clip up to and just over the dewclaw, (or the mark left by the removal of the claw), being particular to remove the hair between each toe and each pad, under the foot. This is a ticklish job both for the dog and the operator and should be done gently. You can separate the toes and push the skin up between them with your finger but do not be hurried—work carefully, for the skin may be tender around the base of each nail.

About an inch of pastern should be left showing, and then you leave the long hair intact all around the leg for a width of between two and a half to three inches, depending on the size of the Poodle and his length of leg. Later, this hair which is left is combed out and scissored into a nice shape. It is called a “bracelet.”

Continue the clipping operation from the bracelet up towards the elbow t. It will be found that on the back side of the forelegs the hair grows in the opposite direction, so in order to make a clean shave the clippers must be turned and must cut, in this particular area, toward the paw.

The hind feet are clipped in the same manner as the forefeet. The easiest position for Poodle and operator both is still sitting. Draw the dog’s feet towards you, letting them hang over the table’s edge. You should clip up the pastern as before, shaving about an inch and leaving a bracelet. But now you clip a “band,” starting at the hock t. This strip of shaven skin should measure three quarters to one and a quarter inches in width and must be made on the inside as well as on the outside of the leg. Two bands must be made, the second one on the stifle t or about an inch below the crotch.

When scissoring, the hair between the bands should be combed out and shaped neatly, to match the “pack” of the saddle. Now the hindquarters should be scissored down all over to make the planning of the Saddle easier.

The “mane,” or full coat is left intact usually down to the last rib but this depends a great deal on the size of the Poodle and the length of his back. If he is long-backed, allow the full coat to start nearer his tail than if he is short-backed. Clip a strip of skin about an inch wide around the entire body, then, ing the shape of a saddle, clip backwards towards the rump and in a curve over the loin, ending in a point about an inch from the full coat. The line of the curve should not be taken too far back—not more than about seven inches from the base of the tail. The Poodle’s stomach is clipped up to the full coat.

CH. LOWMONT MADAME D’AIGUILLON, by Ch. Puttencove Vim, C.D., C.D.X., U.D., out of Ch. Sunstorm Harvester, was best of winners at the 1950 Poodle Club specialty show. The fourth champion in the litter, she is bred and owned by Miss Mary McCreery. A good example of the regulation or Saddle Clip. Note the profuse mane and topknot; bracelets, saddle and tail pompon.

The tail might well be clipped before the saddle is patterned for this helps the eye. Some tails are docked shorter than others, but usually about three inches of skin is shaved and a smart pompon of hair, nicely shaped with scissors, is left on the end. Should the tail be fairly short, it is best to let the pompon start nearer the tip, and the reverse for a longer appendage. that the underside of the tail is very sensitive so clip with the hair in this area, instead of against it.

DUTCH CLIP. A Standard Poodle plays tug o’war with his owner and enjoys it immensely. Courtesy of Surrey Kennels.

Now that the pattern has been placed upon the Poodle, the scissoring should be undertaken. The “pack” of the saddle is combed out, cut down evenly all over and the edges along the lines of clipping neatly scissored. If the Poodle is a Standard, his size permits him to carry a heavier growth of hair on the saddle than is feasible with the smaller varieties. The thing to keep in mind is the allover picture you are making; the appearance must be symmetrical and balanced.

To obtain the attractive “astrakan fur” effect on the Saddle, wet the hair thoroughly and pin a heavy towel tightly over the hindquarters. When the hair is dry, the pack will consist of a mass of small, tight curls which is very effective in contrast to the “lion mane.”

CONTINENTAL CLIP

This style is made in the same way as the Saddle clip insofar as the muzzle, forelegs and tail are concerned, but the hair is completely shaved off the hindquarters, down to the lower bracelet. Usually, a pompon is left on each hip bone but this decoration is optional. In , a mustache, consisting of a few wisps of hair, is left on the upper lip. America has not followed this practice for we love the long, clean line of muzzle. Most Continental countries favor this style of clipping, claiming that the shaven hindquarters add grace to the Poodle and display to advantage the strength of his quarters.

PUPPY CLIP

The third clip permitted is the Puppy clip and in it the entire coat is scissored into uniform length and only the muzzle, feet and tail are clipped. Begin clipping the hind feet first when the dog is a youngster; the hind feet are never as sensitive as the forefeet and the noise of the clipper is not as distinctly heard. A wad of absorbent cotton placed in each ear helps considerably to lessen the noise.

Always rub into each shaven part, any soothing lotion or oil, especially on cheeks and tail, for clipping is apt to irritate a sensitive skin. The reason why this puppy clip is permitted in the show ring is because an immature dog usually does not have the necessary body substance to carry the adult style successfully. The compromise is both sensible and attractive.

And now we come to the “fancy” clips, forbidden in the show ring as being atypical of the breed but liked by many private owners. There are two main ones: the Retriever and the Royal Dutch.

THE RETRIEVER CLIP

The Retriever clip became fashionable in the early days of the Poodle revival when the general public had expressed disapproval of the shaven hindquarters seen on the large white German dogs then in the majority. Somehow these naked quarters appeared more repulsive on a white than on a black dog, and men especially were prone to look with disfavor upon the breed. When British imports began to arrive carrying their modest Saddle clips, interest among spectators at the shows revived and the Poodle was given a chance to prove his merit through personality rather than appearance.

The dog was considerably helped by the new Retriever clip, which as its name implies aimed at making him look like the sporting dog he can be and very often is. The fact that he originated as a working dog became more widely known, as well as the fact that he is still used in Britain and elsewhere as a very satisfactory dog to be shot over, owing to his keen scent and soft mouth.

CH. ENSARR THE RAVEN shown in Continental Clip. Note the slenderizing effect brought about by the shaved hindquarters.

To make this most workmanlike clip the dog’s coat is scissored or clipped all over with a coarse blade, leaving about an inch of hair which will curl tightly. Pompons, bracelets and bands are eliminated. Some owners like to keep the muzzle, feet and tail clipped, as is done in the Puppy cut, but a typical man’s dog will dispense with even these extra frills. This clip which looks very smart especially for a country dog, has the added advantage of being easily cared for.

CH. ENSARR GLACE. Shown here in his puppy clip, Mrs. W. French Githens’ Standard, Glace, has won five group firsts and has sired many champions. He is by Ch. Lucite of Salmagundi out of Ch. Pillicoc Pearl.

For the city dweller, however, there is nothing so alluring as a dandified, alert Poodle in a regulation clip, carrying a brightly colored ribbon in his topknot and a perky little pompon on the end of his tail. Small wonder that everyone stops to ire him as he swaggers down Park Avenue!

THE ROYAL DUTCH CLIP

Our second fancy clip, the Royal Dutch, was imported from Paris some years ago and found fertile soil in America. Its label “made in ” perhaps helped to make it popular. There are, however, many people who really enjoy owning a dog which they can make look grotesque.

This style consists of clipping the body hair very closely from the top of the neck down to the end of the tail but leaving the full length of coat in an oval shape from the top of the shoulders on the fore part of the dog and from the hip in the hind part down to the feet.

This long hair is scissored evenly but is left very full and is combed out to give the appearance of a cow boy’s chaps in front and baggy tros behind. Clipping continues from the fore chaps down the sides of the dog and under his tail in a narrow band to separate the tros.

The neck and throat are closely clipped from beneath the ear down to the chaps. The face is clipped from the opening of the ear towards the end of the muzzle, but must stop on each side of the nose on the upper lip to permit of a full mustache. A heavy mustache is also left on the lower jaw, providing a disagreeable catch-all for food particles and street dirt.

The topknot of hair which remains on the head may be shaped with scissors as one desires. The ears are closely clipped and shaped to conform with the leather or flap of the ear and a tassel of hair is left on the ends.

One can see this hideous travesty of the original Poodle clip on innumerable dogs today and the effect is to make them into caricatures of their race. Distorted is the Poodle’s lovely, long muzzle and eliminated are his two greatest glories of coat and ear.

The Royal Dutch clip certainly makes the dog which wears it unique, but it is not Poodle uniqueness. Only the traditional clips retain this; moreover, they are of historic interest for they illustrate the reason for the dog’s evolution.

Chapter 13

THE COLOR PROBLEM

AS LONG AS there has been a Poodle fancy, there have been black and white Poodles and for long before that, but the arrival of the colored Poodle dates back to about the early eighties. In a large show today, spectators can see apricots, creams, browns, greys and blues on the Poodle benches, in addition to blacks and whites. For the buying public this makes it easy to select a Poodle in the color which pleases individual tastes, but for the breeder it poses a serious question: in which color should I specialize?

At one time there might be a great demand for silvers, perhaps, and a breeder might begin to think that this color is the most popular. The following year, however, everyone might seem to want blacks or browns. Not only is such a situation perplexing but if the breeder tries to follow the fashion of the moment, it can play havoc with breeding operations. It is not as easy as it sounds to switch from one color to another, nor can it be done in a short period of time.

The viewpoints of buyer and breeder are so different that it would be folly for the latter to attempt to satisfy every demand. A person who is buying a pet has but one goal: to acquire a dog whose personality and color appeals and whose health is good. But a breeder must look beyond this. He has to be sure that the dogs he is breeding are of correct type and conformation. They must have soundness and balance and the thousand and one other things required to bring his animals up to a state somewhere near perfection. He cannot possibly hope to accomplish all this and at the same time bother about satisfying the demand for a brown Poodle from one client, a white from another or a black from a third. If he has started to breed one particular color he would be wise to stick to it and use all his ingenuity to produce as good Poodles as he can.

MINIATURES AND TOY. Left to right—Nicole, Miss Poedie and Pert, all of Touchstone, bred by Marion and Bruce Kafaroff. Here we have a litter of interbred Toys and Miniatures, the sire being the Toy, St. Eustace Pouche, the dam the Miniature Blakeen Naughty Fouchere, both creams. Nicole, Miniature in size, is an apricot; Miss Poede, the Toy, is beige, while Pert is a cream colored Miniature. St. Eustace Pouche was bred by Mrs. Clare Boothe Luce.

Color never has and never will make a Poodle, and if a breeder allows himself to be carried away by the desire to produce for color, he is apt to let good points become secondary. The public is a fickle mistress and it is better to lose a few sales than to dissipate one’s energies or upset well laid breeding plans in order to try to satisfy everyone.

BLACKS AND WHITES

The black Poodle is perhaps the most beautiful of all. When his coat is in prime condition it is not necessarily more profuse in growth than in other colors, but it has a sheen which is unique. To those who have been familiar with the breed for many years, the black dog seems to be the most characteristic of the breed. Buyers who ask for this color are often older people who hold the memory of a Poodle they owned as children. He was a black, and to them that color remains the personification of the breed. It is a man’s favorite color too, I think. As a customer once said to me succinctly, “there is no nonsense about a black!” I think I know what he meant.

CH. BLAKEEN ELDORADO, brown Miniature, a prominent variety group and best in show winner, is owned by Mrs. Sherman R. Hoyt.

There are hardly any pure black-bred strains in the Miniature variety. The Standard seems to be further along in evolving them but we are still apt to see quite a few “rusty” coats in all three varieties. An old coat, or one which is casting, will lack lustre, but if it is a true black, it will not even then look “rusty,” Brown in the pedigree background can cause this fault.

White is undoubtedly the most spectacular color of all and is gaining in popularity in all three varieties of the breed. However, since washing a Poodle (especially a Standard) is no sinecure, people who want a pet would do well to that white dogs are like white clothing, lovely when clean but not nearly so attractive otherwise. When bathing whites, bluing may be added to the water but the use of powder is now taboo in the show ring. A white Poodle must have dark eyes, black eye rims and a black nose. These are essential but he must not have black spots or markings on his skin.

THE SKIN-COLOR CONTROVERSY

The color of a white Poodle’s skin has long been a controversial subject. In olden days in Britain and no white Poodle would have been tolerated unless his skin was pink, but today we see blue or silver skins on whites and it is not held against them. Will Hally, a Scot, who was breeding Poodles even in their early days in Britain, and the late Miss Brunker, who was the first president of the Curly Poodle Club in England about 1898, and who founded the famous Whippendell strain, are both on record as stating that a silver- or blue-skinned white Poodle would have been heavily penalized in those early days, as representing a color cross. Some breeders of this day and age, however, are in complete disagreement with these and other old timers.

Let me give you a short outline of the two conflicting opinions. I will start with what Will Hally has to say on the subject when writing an article in “Our Dogs” in 1933. He emphatically states:

“The silver skins on whites are really blue skins and they are wrong and damaging to the breed because they are the result of color-crossing (say the mating of whites with blacks or blues). In those silver-skinned or blue-skinned whites you have a white Poodle which is not really white, only its coat is white and it is therefore not a pure white. In the reproductive sense it is not a white Poodle and it may produce any color, even parti-colors, because the dog is in itself a parti-colored influence.” He goes on to write that “until comparatively recent times, a white dog that had not the orthodox pale-pink or the creamy-pink skin would not have got into the prize list. That was not a fad but a fact founded on long experience—the fact that a dog with a wrong colored skin was not emblematic of the color which the coat represented.

“A brown Poodle should have a light brown skin. A blue or silver Poodle should have a pale-blue or grey skin. A fawn dog should have a fawn skin, brown eyes (not necessarily dark) and a light brown nose. An apricot Poodle should have an apricot skin and black eyes and nose. A black dog, of course, has a grey skin, dark eyes and black nose.”

CH. CARTLANE PETITE PLATINA, a Miniature excelling in profusion of coat, has won 32 groups and a best in show award. Owned by Mrs. Jean Openshaw, Platina is by Ch. Petit Pierre out of Ch. Cartlane Claudine.

Answering those who thought that pink-skinned white Poodles are apt to have “butterfly” noses and light or parti-colored eye rims, Mr. Hally writes that fanciers can breed out these faults by breeding to correct parents which have correct noses and correct skins. He claims that the silver- or blue-skinned white Poodle is not a short cut to these black points but rather “a short cut to trouble that will be difficult to get rid of.” However, if it is impossible to find white dogs with correct black points and pink or creamy-pink skins (Mr. Hally writes in parenthesis, “heaven help us if the breed has got as degenerate as all that,”) then we must resort to the mating together of whites and blacks, and he tells us how to do it.

“Suppose you mate a white dog to a black bitch, there will be parti-colors in the resultant litter: i.e., blacks with white splashes on them. Mate one of those particolored bitches to a pure black-bred dog and you will get a litter of blacks with white chests, chins and parts of toes. Then mate one of those slightly marked bitches again to a pure black-bred dog and you will get at least one perfectly black Poodle which will be fit to breed to any black. With whites, you apply the same system, mating a pure black dog to a pure white bitch. Then mate one of the most whitely marked bitches out of the resultant litter to a pure-bred white dog and in the third generation you will get a firmly established white.”

It should be emphasized that the animals used in this experiment where they are described as “pure-bred” black or white must have an unblemished one-color background, with no color mixture, and that when you breed your third generation dog or bitch, either black or white, you must continue to stick to the color you have finally produced; that is to say, you must mate your thirdgeneration white to genetically pure whites and your third-generation black to genetically pure blacks.

CH. HILLANDALE C’EST BON, white Standard bred and owned by Mrs. Charles Stewart Smith, was winners bitch at Morris and Essex, 1949; best of opposite sex at Morris and Essex and at Windham County, also best of breed at Staten Island, 1950. Her sire is Ch. Ensarr Glace; her dam, Ch. Hillandale Cadenza.

And now let me give you the other side of the skin controversy. Mr. Sherman R. Hoyt has written in “Popular Dogs” that “it is about as reasonable to expect to breed a Poodle having an even and unchanging pink skin without any signs of pigment elsewhere than in nose and lips and dark eyes, as to breed one with his clipping design ready made. Whether this color is present in patches of darker pinkish grey, or silver or whether it appears evenly distributed all over is as yet a matter of more or less breeding chance.” Mr. Hoyt writes that “skin color and coat color are not the same though they are somewhat related” and he summarizes that “skin color is an effect chemically produced and chemically maintained and is a function of skin cell metabolism common to all normal animals.” Also “the degree of skin color depends upon the amount of pigment deposited within certain cellular skin strata.” Finally Mr. Hoyt believes that “the rate of pigment production varies with the amount of chemical reactants present and is also subject to varieties by heat and exposure.”

So here we have two diametrically opposed opinions; the first from a man who has known and bred Poodles from the breed’s early days on the Continent; and the second, from a breeder who is a scientist but has not the long years of practical experience in breeding Poodles which the Scot possesses.

THE SILVERS

Silver Poodles are greatly ired by many people. This is, of course, a shade of grey rather than a color, but with even less pigmentation. Like the white it

creates a very striking dog but since most pure silvers darken into light greys as they mature, one does not often see the shade in an older Poodle. The Miniature, Champion Sirod Absolue for example, was a very pale silver until she had cast her coat once or twice, when she developed more tone color and became a light grey.

WALTZING MATHILDA, a very even colored blue, was sired by Rigolo III, a brown, out of Vulcan Blossom Ilka, an imported blue, was best Miniature puppy at Westminster, also at Huntingdon Valley in 1950. Breeder and owner, Mrs. Lucy Jewett Brady.

The great majority of grey Poodles are born black. If they are eventually going to be silver or blue, the hair on muzzle and feet turns light when they are about four weeks old, and this gives the puppies a very alluring “monkey-like” appearance. If the body hair is parted it will be seen to be growing in in a light shade and gradually the entire coat matches the silvery muzzle and feet. Dark greys do not change from black in this spectacular fashion; the color gradually distributes itself throughout the whole coat.

Some owners of silver Poodles have been distressed to see black hair growing out of skin which has been scarred by a sore or a wound. They need not worry, for in time the black color will disappear as the hair grows out and eventually no dark patch will remain. It is indeed difficult to convince the uninitiated of the truth of this statement until they have seen the condition work out in one of their own dogs.

However, any seeming inconsistency in color metamorphosis, I believe, can be explained to the reader’s satisfaction, to wit: Following most cases of skin injury, the hair falls out at and adjacent to the area damaged. The shaft or hair is lost but the root remains capable of sending out a new shaft as soon as the health of the skin as well as the general health of the body permits. But, when growing a new shaft through previously injured skin the root does not take up where it left off— it begins all over again, producing hair exactly as it did when the puppy was young. In other words, it reverts to the color metamorphosis of the newly born black puppy which changed from black to its eventual blue or silver shade of grey as it matured. Of course, this phenomenon is not duplicated during the course of ordinary shedding from normal skin; it occurs only consequent upon certain types of skin abrasion.

The ideal outcross in color for a blue Poodle is a cream as has been proved by breeders of Chows and Persian cats, but it is not easy now-a-days to find creamcolored Miniatures. Close line or inbreeding of silvers and greys will set the color in a strain, and a breeder who follows this practice will not run the risk of bringing in an undesirable mixture of color. It is of course possible and often desirable to out-cross with a black a blue which may be getting too inbred, but one must be sure that the dog chosen has a large percentage of blue blood in him. You may not obtain light shades from such a cross for you have to contend with the greater dominance and stronger pigmentation of black over blue, but once you have made the outcross you can absorb it back into your original line and work on from there.

It is becoming more and more necessary to supply color pedigrees as well as name pedigrees with Poodles which you sell; without them breeders would be working in the dark as regards the color backgrounds of the dogs they wish to use. A breeder should also study the Mendelian and other scientific theories and know that there are dominant colors, such as black, chocolate and yellow, and dilutions of these colors which are recessive, such as cream, grey and blue. He should ask himself whether he understands all the modifying and diluting factors which exist, and whether he knows how to operate and handle them. If he does not, he would be wise to avoid color breeding, per se, for a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.

Let the breeder concentrate on a well established color, breed it along orthodox lines and leave experimentation to others. He already has a full time job on his hands if he is sincerely dedicated to producing Poodles of correct type, good balance, proper conformation and soundness, without bothering to enter other fields.

Chapter 14

OPERATING A KENNEL

MANY PEOPLE who love dogs are attracted to the idea of owning a kennel. Some become kennel owners in a purely nominal sense, that is, their names are recorded as the ed owners of certain dogs and as the breeders of the puppies, the actual labor being done by salaried help. This type of kennel differs from the one operated solely by the owner, and it is the kennel of which I write. It is usually started as a financial venture which, while satisfying one’s desire to work among dogs, must also be made to pay.

Suppose we take my own case as an example. During the first World War I was left a widow with two babies under three years old, and with no more than the proceeds of a small life insurance policy. I could not seek work which entailed my leaving the home, so most fields were closed to me. Always an intense lover of dogs but with no practical experience, I decided to take a gamble and start a kennel.

After studying all the books I could find on the subject I decided on the breed in which I would specialize. I had to find a suitable house; but here I made two mistakes: I settled in a residential neighborhood and I did not allow for possible expansion. Fortunately when this expansion came far more quickly than I dared hope, I was able to rent a vacant lot next door, but the neighbors I could not handle so easily. In each of the three moves I made over succeeding years, I benefited by previous errors, and finally settled my dogs in a kennel which I planned according to my own ideas.

This chapter is written in the hope that perhaps it may help some beginner in the dog business to start right and to avoid many of my mistakes.

In looking for a place in which to start a kennel, it is essential to keep out of a neighborhood which might later prove hostile to your rather noisy type of business. Dogs will bark at times, it is their nature; and if you must be constantly quieting them, you will spoil their dispositions as well as your own.

A country place oftentimes includes an old barn or some outhouses which can be converted into suitable kennels, otherwise, you must choose a suitable site and erect your own building. If possible, place it on ground which slopes slightly away from the building and try to arrange for the main windows and outdoor runs to catch both the morning and afternoon sun. Have it set on cement blocks, well off the ground.

CH. PILLICOC RUMPELSTILSKIN, C.D., Standard, America’s best known Poodle of recent times; bred by Thomas T. K. Frelinghuysen, owned by Mrs. Milton Erlanger. In 1937, “Curley” as he is called by his host of irers, was awarded the American Kennel Club prize offered the American-bred dog winning the most non-sporting groups during that year. His record was 29 group firsts. To win the honor Curley and his handler, Henry Stoecker, toured from Maine to Texas and successfully met the challenge of the country’s finest dogs. He completed his championship at fourteen months of age, his C.D. degree at sixteen months. He is sired by Ch. Cadeau de Noel of Pillicoc, C.D.X., out of Ch. Giroflee of Misty Isles.

THE MAIN BUILDING

A building which is longer than it is wide is the most practical, because the stalls can open into a corridor on one side and into the outdoor runs on the other. In this plan, too, you can have airier stalls for you will require only solid partitions between each stall. Young dogs which are forever standing on their hind legs to peer over a solid entrance door are apt to become cow hocked. An open front also gives each dog more of a “community” feeling—he does not feel too isolated from what is going on around him. Be liberal with windows, and ventilator openings in the roof are desirable. If the back windows open outwards on hinged arms, so much the better for they can safely be left open during a rainstorm. Go to the additional expense of having a ceiling put in the building, otherwise it will be excessively hot in summer and wasteful of heat in winter.

If the floors are to be made of wood, be sure that there are two with an air space between, and the top one should be made of good quality, tightly fitting tongueand-groove flooring. Cracks in a floor, which make cleaning difficult, are a natural hideout for fleas and germs. Many kennel owners prefer cement floors for they can be hosed, but cement is too cold for dogs hence a removable wooden floor must be placed over it. Personally I prefer wood even though it entails scrubbing on hands and knees to keep it spotless.

STALLS AND SLEEPING BOXES

Always plan to have a spare stall available in case a scrubbed floor should not be sufficiently dry to house a dog when he has to come indoors. Each stall should be allowed good space. I think that a stall for a Standard Poodle should measure at least 4 × 8 feet. I dislike to see dogs confined in a small space, and I dislike cages equally, unless they are roomy and airy.

Each dog should have his own stall with a box raised off the floor to provide a comfortable bed in winter. There are many dogs, however, which prefer to sleep on the floor at any season, and if that is their choice they may be given a mat or rug in the winter provided it is kept very clean and aired daily.

The smaller dogs usually like to sleep in covered boxes. Have the lids hinged or removable for easy cleaning. Torn newspapers make the best filling for the boxes —straw or cedar shavings are not suitable for Poodles. Each stall should have an opening into an outside run, but in winter make it a double door vestibule style in order to prevent drafts or cold air along the floors.

The ideal heating for a kennel would be one which heats through pipes set under the floor, but such installation is costly. Whatever heating system is used, that the dogs live near or on the floor which is usually the coldest place in any building, so figure the temperature with this in mind. Oil heat saves a tremendous amount of labor. I have used Superfex oil heaters for many years in all my buildings. They are completely fool-proof, very safe and economical to operate.

If there is an entrance room in the middle of the building or at one end, set your

grooming table there with a good lighting fixture over it. Plan the lighting of the entire building carefully for good visibility is an asset.

It would be ideal to have a covered exercising space opening off the kennel, for on rainy days or when snow is on the ground it adds considerably to the work if dogs have to be dried off every time they come in. They should never be allowed to remain wet or even damp.

Linoleum is a suitable floor covering for entrance room and corridor; it facilitates cleaning. An incinerator placed conveniently nearby outside will save steps, but be sure it is well built for fire prevention. Always have a fire extinguisher within easy reach inside the kennel.

Now that the main kennel building is planned, you must provide quarters for housing bitches in season, also for the whelping of future litters. The in-season bitches should be kennelled as far from the main building as possible and be a complete unit. Stud dogs will not be entirely unaffected when bitches in season are on the premises but to kennel them as remotely as possible is the best that can be done.

CH. DIABLOTIN ONYX, young Miniature owned by Diablotin Kennels, has already won several best of variety and group placings while some of his progeny have points toward their titles.

If it is planned to whelp bitches outside of your own house, this same building can serve both purposes but, since no bitch should whelp unattended, space for a cot-bed should be arranged and also sufficient heat be figured on for newly born puppies. Usually in a modest establishment it is more practical to bring prospective mothers into one’s own house, placing their beds in a quiet room. Coming into the house is regarded as a special treat by most bitches, so they will be happy to have their families there. And here a roomy cage can be substituted for the whelping box—it should be airy and so built that the attendant can reach into it easily.

EXERCISING YARDS

In addition to the individual runs placed outside and against the kennel building, there should be a securely fenced, large yard in which several dogs can exercise together. Poodles are not fighters by nature, therefore may be permitted to play in a group. Unless daily walks can be arranged for the dogs, such exercise in a large yard is necessary for their health. The sense of freedom they derive from a spacious enclosure is also very good for their morale.

A dog continually confined in a limited space cannot be completely happy for every animal benefits from a sense of freedom. How pathetic it is to see dogs forever running back and forth against a fence which limits them to a space only a little larger than themselves! These are the dogs which develop into highstrung, nervous animals. A kennel owner should so divide her day’s work that she can spend a great deal of time with her animals. “Game” periods should be planned for as part of the regular kennel routine.

THE DAILY ROUTINE

And this brings us to the system of working a kennel; there should be such a system or confusion and possible neglect in some particular may result.

CH. ALDERBROOK HUZZAR, a grey Miniature, won eight groups in 1950 and was best American-bred in the Plainfield show the same year. Bred by Gillan Avery, he is sired by V for Vagabond of Misty Isles ex Gillan’s Silver Puff, and is owned by Olga Hone Rogers of Surrey Kennels.

Let us suppose that you open your kennel at seven in the morning. All the dogs are let out, and while they stretch their legs the building is aired and breakfast prepared. After feeding take up all newspapers from each stall, sweep the floors well, and if there are puppies in the kennel or dogs which have not been “kennel broken,” wash each floor with hot water to which a disinfectant has been added. Hands and knees should be utilized for this purpose—do not let anyone tell you differently! A mop is a lazy man’s tool and can never accomplish as much as can good, old-fashioned “elbow grease,” except on surfaces which do not actually come in with a dog’s body constantly, such as the corridor and entrance room. In any case, even if not soiled each stall should be scrubbed at least three times weekly.

Operating an odorless kennel is no job for a slacker but, if a time-table is made out and adhered to after discovering just how long each chore takes, the routine becomes quite simple. It is only difficult and confusing when the worker uses no system.

After cleaning inside the building, the next item on the time-table should be to pick up any stools in the runs or in the big yard. Nothing is so humiliating to a self-respecting kennel owner or worker as to have visitors’ shoes soiled! Too, leaving stools on the ground adds to the possibility of soil infection by worms. These pests are one of the greatest worries with which an owner has to contend. Cement runs can be hosed with disinfectant water, but soil is almost impossible to keep free from worm eggs except by liming, which over a large area is impractical to do often.

Grooming comes next on the list. Each inmate should be brushed every other day and inspected carefully for fleas, lice and ticks. One can develop a “seeing eye,” by which I mean that with practice one can learn to recognize the slightest deviation from the normal just by looking at each dog for a few minutes. One should, for instance, note instantly when a dog is abnormally quiet, or when his ears are bothering him, or his eyes discharging. One should pay careful attention to each dog’s stools and keep a keen eye on the hair under his tail for segments of tapeworm. All these symptoms, detected at once, will save money and trouble.

Especially in winter, the dinner hour for most dogs is around one-thirty. In hot weather some people feed much later but let us suppose it is one-thirty. An hour before feeding, the meal should be soaked. In tending young puppies, the second feeding should be around eleven o’clock in the morning with a second change of water in all dishes made in the early afternoon. Never allow water to be in full sunlight nor permit it to become dirty. This is most important for a dog’s health. After the heavy meat meal of the day all dogs will benefit by a rest period which interval will also permit the “boss” to relax and take an hour off.

Kennel work is not confined to a definite number of hours—no eight-hour day can be hoped for by an operating owner, though it may be the rule for helpers. Over a period of months one will be either still enthusiastic or bored with the whole job. The fact that the work is monotonous and exacting should be appreciated when dealing with kennel help. If one can give even a small financial interest in the business to a competent assistant, in addition to her salary, a greater incentive to work hard will be created. A really competent kennel maid is valuable to her employer, and some sacrifices should be made to keep her enthusiasm alive.

In any kennel there are innumerable details to be attended to; they may seem unimportant but in the aggregate they assume tremendous importance. For instance, keeping a puppy’s rear-end free of caked matter. If not removed at once, this may cause a sore liable to infection. Sweeping out the puppies’ runs

before putting them out—if this is neglected, small twigs or leaves dropped on the cement become tempting morsels for youngsters to chew and swallow. The more alert and watchful a kennel operator is, the greater will be her success.

CH. HILLANDALE PUNCH, Standard owned by Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Smith, was whelped in 1936 and is still hale and hearty. He was 1939 winners dog at Westminster and since then has won many groups and has sired many excellent dogs. By Ch. Ambroise of Misty Isles, he is out of Blakeen Poulet d’Or.

SEASONAL PROGRAM CHANGES

In fine weather, three o’clock in the afternoon should be the end of the rest period, when all the dogs should go out. In winter of course this routine may have to be modified considerably because dogs should not be left out for too long at a time on cold days. The winter season is harder on the kennel operator than the summer season for it entails putting the animals in and out constantly, besides drying them off with towels if they become wet.

The wise owner limits breeding operations to the spring and summer months. Puppies whelped in February and March can grow up in the sunshine and be outdoors practically all day. The latest mating month should be August. A kennel which houses no very young puppies during the winter will be more easily managed and full attention can be given to the grown dogs in preparation for the spring breeding season. Prospective brood matrons especially should be tested and treated for worms, and every dog should be bathed. In the kennel window screens should be repaired and painted in readiness for the summer while odd jobs, neglected during preceding months owing to pressure of more important work, should be undertaken. One can always find something to do around a kennel. The trouble is that a twenty-four hour day is too short!

But to return to the daily schedule.

Afternoons will probably be occupied in tutoring puppies; teaching them to go on a lead or pose on a table. Four o’clock is feeding time again for puppies on a four-meal schedule. In winter, it is time to get the stalls ready for the night. Papers in puppy stalls should have been changed constantly throughout the day, of course, but if the grown dogs are properly trained they will not have required fresh papers until now.

Before darkness runs must be hosed and the yard gone over again for the removal of stools, although this should be done at intervals throughout the day. Much extra work can be saved by attending to such chores as you go along instead of letting them pile up.

If the dogs are put indoors around six-thirty in summer, they will not need a run until eight o’clock, at which hour the puppies get their last meal and the grown dogs their good-night tidbit—a biscuit probably, or a milk and cereal feed for mothers and pregnant bitches. In winter the dogs will be shut up earlier than sixthirty, so they should have a run at that hour. It is a good plan to figure on three hours as the limit for a grown dog to remain in his stall during the day. This schedule might bring bed-time later than eight o’clock, but probably the time for opening the kennel in the morning is an hour later than in summer.

KENNEL BREAKING

Much labor in a kennel can be saved if all grown dogs are “kennel broken,” which of course is possible only when the animals are given a fair chance to be well mannered by sufficient runs out-of-doors. No healthy, adult dog will dirty his stall if he can help it; ordinarily, it is the fault of his owner or caretaker if he does. True, dirty stalls can result from bad feeding, therefore watch each dog’s bowel movements and regulate his diet according to his individual needs. Heavy feeding of carbohydrates causes more frequent movements than a diet containing a large proportion of proteins, for there is less waste matter for the dog to get rid of.

A dog may forget his manners in his stall if he has worms. The latter may irritate intestinal walls and cause diarrhoea, in which case the culprit cannot be blamed.

BOARDING

So far we have discussed only the operation of a breeding establishment. There is another branch of kennel work—boarding—which can be a lucrative line, worked in with the breeding. However, success is probable only if the boarding kennel can be placed at some distance from the breeding kennel and if an assistant can be assigned to one line or the other. Outside dogs harbor many ever-present dangers, among them distemper which can wipe out an entire season’s puppies and cause great financial loss, to say nothing of the extra work and worry involved.

No boarder should be accepted without a guarantee that he has had distemper or that he has been inoculated against it and even then he should be isolated for at least seven days, which is usually the period of incubation. This entails a separate and complete plant for boarding alone. Distemper can be carried through the air, by of dog with dog, and on the person, hence the importance of one worker spending all her time with the boarders exclusively. Of course all puppies in the breeding kennel should be inoculated at intervals, with serum from the age of six weeks to four months, and then with vaccine. All adult dogs should have been immunized but even so, immunization is not absolutely certain. Modern inoculation is merely the best weapon available against distemper today.

Never allow any outside dog or puppy inside the breeding kennel nor in yards or runways, and ask visitors to refrain from handling your puppies unless they have at the very least washed their hands. Some prospective buyers go from one kennel to another in search of a puppy, which is perfectly sensible and wise from

their point of view; but at the same time they are ignorant of the fact that they can carry distemper germs on their person from place to place. Usually “shoppers” are willing to co-operate with an anxious kennel owner when the possibilities of infection are explained to them.

ORLA VON SADOWA OF SALMAGUNDI, Miniature imported from by Mrs. Serena S. Griess and now owned by Cartlane Kennels.

Boarding other people’s dogs is risky and should not be entered into lightly if breeding is the main business of a kennel, and never, if there is no possible division of labor and buildings. Calculate the risks and figure out whether you can show sufficient financial profit from breeding alone. Then make your decision. Since a boarding kennel, if well patronized, requires less overhead to operate after the cost of the building has been paid off, many beginners, lacking sufficient capital to invest in good stock, start out on this basis and gradually build up the breeding department. This is a good plan if you can keep the puppies in their own building, for not many litters will be whelped at first.

If breeding is really your main interest, specialize in it as soon as you can and that in your hope of success you must have no other claim upon your time. A customer may buy a puppy from you once but if that little fellow is not well raised and healthy, there will be no return call nor any recommendations from one to another. This is the hallmark of a successful kennel insofar as selling is concerned. When buyers come to you because “Mrs. So and So’s puppy is such a success,” or because “Mrs. So and So told me you are so reliable,” then you have really established yourself and your hard work is paying dividends.

THE BREEDING KENNEL

The kennel owner may have ambitions other than selling. He may want to establish his own strain of dogs in the breed in which he specializes. He must then be prepared for protracted study of pedigrees and blood lines before deciding on the foundation stock he buys.

It is a false economy to purchase second rate dogs or bitches—buy the best you can, but if your means are limited I would rather see you invest in a reasonably nice female from a good producing line than in a first class one from a line which has not proved itself capable of producing consistently good dogs.

To invest in a stud dog when starting out is not a good idea. Rather put the extra money into your bitches and breed them to outside dogs. Do not feel that you must breed to a champion. His title in no way guarantees him to be a proponent sire. Check his pedigree, his stud records; if he has produced good puppies and you have reason to believe he will suit your bitch because the mating will carry out a plan already made, use him in spite of, rather than because of his championship. When you are fortunate enough to produce a male puppy which develops into a good dog, you may have a very valuable sire to use in carrying out your breeding plans.

Build up your strain slowly, concentrating on just one feature at a time. For instance, if you aim first towards the goal of establishing complete uniformity of type and expression, work towards that until you feel it is pretty well fixed. Then on to other points but always work on them one at a time. It takes several generations to establish a bona fide strain and great patience and perseverance are required.

Should you find as you go along that a dog or bitch in your kennel is not all you had hoped for as a producer, do not try to correct the fault by “breeding it out” as the saying goes. Reject the animal at once and replace it with one which seems to conform better to your plans.

SHOWING

Your second ambition probably is to exhibit your dogs. This can be undertaken

only if you have help in the kennel, for you cannot leave the dogs alone for the long periods of time required to attend shows. Nor can you, if you are alone, find the necessary time to train a show dog and get him into show bloom. When a dog wins there is behind that reward so much more than meets the eye! His ring manners are the result of hours and days of constant training at home, and his perfect condition the result of unremitting attention to coat and health.

CH. PILLICOC HOUDINI. By Sparkling Jet of Misty Isles out of Polly, the Miniature Houdini was an important breed and group winner in 1939, and he distinguished himself also by siring many champions. He belongs to Mrs. Milton Erlanger.

To train him, the prospective show dog must be trained to walk correctly, and to pose. You must take him outside the world of his kennel in order that he learn to ignore strange surroundings and retain his natural aplomb. In the show ring he will be judged on his looks, and his manners, on alertness and temperament. It is folly to expect perfect ring manners in an untrained dog. Many a good one has gone down to defeat on this score even though his good points, taken alone, would have merited better placement.

My advice to a prospective kennel owner would be to do one thing really well, be it breeding, boarding or showing. And be sure before you take the plunge that you are temperamentally fitted for the work. Not every one is. You must be a hard worker, ready to sacrifice much to the job and you must be a good sport. So many disappointments and heartaches will come your way; these you must be able to take in your stride, accepting the bad with the good and always retaining a will to overcome obstacles.

If your breed is the Poodle, you must be of a cheerful disposition for, as we have seen in previous chapters, Poodles are highly sensitive to their owner’s moods. I proved this myself when, during the war years I worried about my fighting sons. Sometimes my anxiety got the better of me and I went to the kennels nervous and on edge. The Poodles reacted immediately by becoming depressed and nervous themselves, so I learned to leave my worries in my home and go to them with a cheery smile. It worked.

To sum up, kennel work is not easy, but if you really enjoy it, there is great

happiness in it for you and immense satisfaction when your hard work rewards you with a particularly good home-bred dog, a prepotent strain of your own or a file of satisfied clients.

Chapter 15

SHOWS AND SHOWING

MOST PEOPLE at one time or another have attended a dog show either as an exhibitor, a pet owner or possibly just out of curiosity. During the summer season such exhibitions take place out of doors, on private estates or on the grounds of a club. Large tents are erected under which the dog benches are placed and refreshments served. Spacious rings are roped off outside the benching tents and in them the dogs are judged. Spectators sit or stand around the rings and sometimes so great is this interested throng that it is difficult to find space for even the smallest chair. The fortunate ones are those who, being more experienced in watching sports, bring with them their own chairs.

Spectators usually begin to take their places around the ring in which their favorite breed will be judged long before the scheduled time for judging, but they the waiting minutes happily swapping with their neighbors tales of doggy doings.

In the winter season dog shows of course are held indoors in large halls, such as Madison Square Garden, or in Armories lent for the purpose. The majority of shows are run under the rules of the American Kennel Club, the governing body that has jurisdiction over pure-bred dog competitions staged by all-breed and specialty clubs d with it.

CH. WHITE COCADE OF SALMAGUNDI, Standard, pictured just after his best in show win, with his owner, Mrs. Miriam Hall Silvernail. In addition to being a big winner in the show ring, Cocade has sired eight champions, among them the famous obedience contestant, Ch. Jester of Carillon, U.D.T., Int. C.D. Sired by Ch. Salmagundi’s Choice out of Ch. Princess du Labory of Salmagundi, Cocade was bred by Mr. and Mrs. Justin Griess.

AKC shows are usually “point” shows where championship points are awarded; they may also be “sanction” shows or matches, without points. The latter as a rule are very informal affairs popular among breeders as proving grounds for young stock. That is, they help to prepare inexperienced dogs for the greater tests ahead, and they also help trainers to find out just how youngsters may be shaping up.

All dogs exhibited at AKC shows must be ed with that organization, though it is permissible to show an uned dog three times as “listed.” No one should buy a puppy or a grown dog unless it comes from a ed litter.

A puppy whelped in a reputable kennel is the progeny of two ed parents, and before he is very old, the litter of which he is a part is ed by the owner of the dam, i.e., his breeder. That litter is given a number after which each member of it is eligible for registration at any future time. If the breeder has already ed each puppy as an individual, then only a transfer of ownership is required when the dog is sold, but his individual registration number and name can never be altered. In addition to the registration certificate, a buyer should receive from the seller for his own records a three-generation pedigree of the dog purchased.

Dog shows are financed and staged by various dog clubs. They may be “allbreed” or “specialty” shows. Of late years many specialty clubs, rather than

finance their own shows, hold them in conjunction with an all-breed exhibition. In any case, practically every bench show held under AKC rules follows the same pattern.

THE REGULAR CLASSES

Competition is divided into a series of classes (one series for each sex), each one differing in its requirements and successively more difficult to win. These classes include puppy, novice, American-bred, bred-by-exhibitor and open. In large shows, the puppy class is usually age-divided; six to nine months, and nine to twelve months. Beyond that age the dog is an adult and must be entered in any of the other classes. A novice entrant is eligible only if it has not previously won a first prize in other than puppy classes.

The American-bred class is for all dogs whelped in the United States which means that their dams must have been mated in America. Champions are barred. The bred-by-exhibitor class is exactly what its name implies, i.e., that the dog was bred by the person exhibiting it.

We find the hottest competition in the open class which is open to all dogs over six months of age. Champions are not barred and usually all the new importations make their American debuts here where they are pitted against the best American-breds. Some fanciers believe that it is not sporting to enter champions in this division, since the class called “Specials Only” is restricted to champions and the “best of winners” from the earlier classes. But not all agree with this viewpoint, claiming on their part that the stiffer the competition is in the open class, the better will be the quality of the dogs which can make the grade.

CH. PILLICOC RUMPELSTILSKIN, C.D., being awarded best in show at the Poodle Specialty at Far Hills, New Jersey, in 1939. Mrs. Whitehouse Walker gives the trophy to Henry Stoecker, handler for Mrs. Milton Erlanger while Judge George Thomas looks on. Mrs. James Austin competes for the honor with the best Miniature, Ch. Cheri of Misty Isles. Even the “white coat” seems happy about the whole thing.

The “Winners” class is for previously undefeated dogs. Since most shows divide the sexes in the classification list, there is usually a “winners” dog and a “winners” bitch. These two earn championship points granted according to the number of dogs competing at each show where the dog is exhibited. Fifteen points are required for a championship.

But there is still work ahead for the “winners”—they must compete together for “best of winners,” the object being to decide which of the two is entitled to compete for “best of breed,” which is the final judgment.

During the course of the day the judge has narrowed his field down to one dog, but now suddenly the ring is filled again; this time with the cream of the crop, the champions for “specials only!” From all over the country they come, every dog at his best, brushed ’till each hair shines, clipped in the best tradition! And the day’s “best of winners” must meet this influx of beauty!

The judge’s decision usually brings forth storms of applause from the spectators and then they drift away, satisfied, until they regather at the group judging where their favorite must compete with all other best of breed winners in each group classification.

In summer shows all dogs eliminated from competition during the course of judging may now go home, so weary owners pack their belongings, load up their cars and press the starters.

For some, the day will have been very satisfactory even if their dogs have failed to win the highest prize; for others, since every dog cannot possibly win, the day may have had its disappointments. But taken by and large, it will have been a grand outing, filled with interesting talk, the meeting of old friends and the making of new ones—and, what is perhaps more important than all, it has been the end of long, long months of arduous work in the home kennel.

A dog may be exhibited by its owner or by a handler—in show parlance a handler is a professional hired to take a dog into the ring for the owner. Usually, he has the entire care and training of the animal for months before the show season opens. He deserves full credit for the success of the dog he pilots to victory, for, no matter how good an animal may be in himself, if he is not well trained and well conditioned, his beauty will win him no prize in the show ring.

A great many breeders handle, train and show their own dogs and still more credit should go to them. They are not professionals and they have had to find the time and energy for this very demanding extra work while at the same time operating their kennel. It is a herculean task as anyone who has ever tried it knows. These people are the back-bone of the dog fancy for they usually prefer to show their home-breds rather than acquired or imported dogs, and they really take a serious interest in the welfare of the fancy. They are encouraging to newcomers and often go out of their way to teach a novice “the ropes.” They are seldom the exhibitors who complain in public of a judge’s decision in the ring. They take their defeats in as good a spirit as they take their triumphs. In short, they are good sports!

CH. FIDDOWN FLORIDE being awarded first in the group at the North Westchester show in 1943 by the late John Bates. Owner Mrs. Arthur Pope is handling as Mrs. Sherman R. Hoyt smiles her approval. Combining a successful show career with maternal duties, Floride has been a prolific producer of high class Miniatures.

Within the past few decades the organization of the dog show has become a fine art. About it, the beginner will learn much to his advantage by investigating every phase of its layout. And this he may do, for the place is his to see and to enjoy in every particular.

One of the most interesting sights is the section set apart for grooming the exhibits. Here you may see dogs sitting, lying or standing atop their crates while owners or handlers ply the brush, this last minute service being rendered each dog regardless of previous preparation at home. Poodle coats are fluffed out until every hair seems to stand shiningly apart. Scissors snip off straggling hairs, shape bracelets and saddles into one last inimitable contour. It is a scene of beehive activity insofar as the human element is concerned; in contrast, the dogs remain quiet, aloof, dignified.

When Henry Stoecker handled Mrs. Erlanger’s dogs, the Pillicoc Poodles made a picture not soon forgotten. Often Henry would have seven or eight dogs, in various postures on their crates, awaiting that final touch of the expert—all of them motionless but intensely interested in the goings-on around them. Tolerant, kindly, possibly a trifle disdainful of the peculiar quirks of their masters, show dogs seem to understand this business of being put down to perfection. A picture, and a lesson also, in the whole-hearted cooperation of dog with man!

SHOW TRAINING

In my chapter on buying a puppy, I mentioned the desirability of a kennel owner teaching his or her puppies to pose on a table at a tender age. In that instance my suggestion was made as a means of getting a puppy accustomed to being handled, thereby making him more saleable. But there can be another very important reason why this posing is desirable. Suppose you discover as a puppy develops that he is up to show form. If he has already been taught to stand still on a table with his head and tail held high and his feet correctly placed, you have laid the foundation for the training he must undergo before he can the ranks of the show dog.

We have already discussed the procedure of the show ring so, if your puppy looks really promising, arrange a small replica of a ring, complete with platform, in your yard. For the final lessons, ask a friend to act as judge. But until the dog is ready for those final lessons—and they will be many months ahead—pose your puppy every day; on a table at first and, later, on the platform and on the ground. Place his forelegs straight, with feet almost, but not quite, together, the toes pointing forward. Then see that his hind legs are set firmly on the table or platform, both legs standing square and true, with toes pointing forwards.

When he has learned to hold this pose unaided, with your left hand under his chin, raise his head and at the same time, with your right hand under his tail, raise it as high as it will go. Make him hold this pose while lightly stroking under his chin and on the underside of his tail until he gets the idea. After a few lessons move away from him gradually. All your movements should be very quiet, but completely assured and you should talk to him encouragingly.

Frequently owners express surprise when their pets, which wriggle and complain when groomed or handled at home, stand like little statues under experienced hands. It is no miracle but merely the reaction which expert handling creates in the dog or puppy. The expert knows her job and her confidence communicates itself to the subject. Instinctively the dog knows there is no use in protesting. He has met an irresistible force and he must bow to it. He is not afraid of it but he

knows that it controls him. Try to develop such assurance and command in yourself—not roughly or in haste, but with quiet determination. The keystone of all successful handling of dogs is confidence, in your attitude towards the dog and in his towards you.

When your puppy has learned to hold his pose without your help, take the next step. Raise him off his fore-feet and drop him back upon them, being sure that he comes down on the table with his feet correctly placed. Now stand in front of him and lift one foreleg at a time towards you, letting it drop back gently. If his conformation is good, if he has correct angulation of the shoulders (backward sloping) his feet will fall back in a perfect line, pointing neither to the right nor to the left—but straight ahead.

LOUISE BRANCH

CH. CARILLON CACCIA, C.D., as a puppy, photographed prior to his first clip. This is the correct method of posing a youngster.

Now go to his rear-end and place your hand between his hind legs, lifting him off the table and letting him down again. Here again the feet should come down pointing straight ahead. If they point outwards, the hock angle is faulty and the dog is called “cow hocked.” If they point inwards, he is “bow legged.” Accustom your puppy to having his feet and legs moved, and press down over his quarters to teach him to brace up against your pressure. your hands over his hindquarters and down his legs, over and down his shoulders, between his forelegs and across his ribs.

All this handling he must be willing to tolerate while holding his pose, for judges will follow this procedure as they seek out good or bad features of his anatomy. Get him accustomed to having his lips raised to expose his teeth and their alignment, his ears held back to show his finely chiselled cheeks, and pulled forward towards his nose to judge their length and breadth.

PRACTICE ON THE LEASH

In the show ring the first command a judge gives is a parade of the entrants around the ring. Your puppy must be trained to trot on your left side with straightforward, jaunty gait. Practice around your own platform, in a wide circle with the puppy making the curves without breaking his gait. This is a most important lesson, for dogs which jump around playfully make a bad impression on any judge, however cute they may look to the spectators. A judge is looking at the general appearance of the dog and if he moves well and seriously, though gaily, it will be noted in his favor.

When this lesson has been learned, the puppy should be taught to get up on the platform and stand still while he is examined. He must learn to do the same on the ground for some shows do not have platforms. Stand in front of him after you have placed him correctly, and have a favorite tidbit in your hands, letting his lead fall loosely. Keep his eyes fixed upon you while the judge you have now called in handles him as you have done throughout the training period. A well taught dog will not flinch nor lose his composure while a stranger examines him.

Now you will be ordered to move the dog up and down the length of the ring before the judge. He must run beside you in a straight line, forward and backward. It is impossible for any judge to make a fair decision on a dog’s action if he prances about, runs from side to side or jumps up at his handler. When you teach him this lesson, have lines drawn on the ground and keep him within them. This will help both you and him to run straight.

Some people hold the dog’s lead so taut that the animal cannot possibly run in his natural gait. If he is a bad fronted dog, the idea seems to be that holding his weight off his feet will hide the defect. As a matter of fact, it draws the judge’s attention to the fault, for any good man will make it his business to find out why the dog is being prevented from running naturally. Most dogs move far better on a loose lead, and it is particularly important for a Poodle whose action should be devoid of any extended stride. To achieve his “dancing” gait, he must have perfect balance and this a taut lead will upset.

Having made up his mind about action, a judge will now want to study the outline of each entrant and compare each with the other. He has them placed one behind the other and examines them carefully and comparatively. In America, the handler is allowed to kneel or stand beside the dog and assist him to hold his pose, holding up his head and tail and altering the position of his legs as required. This is strictly forbidden in the British and Continental show rings, where a dog must be allowed to stand naturally.

LOUISE BRANCH

EXAMINATION IN THE RING. Here the judge scrutinizes the dog’s hindquarters while the owner cooperates by keeping the exhibit in correct show pose.

Usually after this examination, a judge will call out two dogs together and have them run forward and backward before him. He eliminates those which fail to meet with his approval until he has four left. These he places in first, second, third and fourth place.

In large classes the dogs must remain alert for a considerable length of time and so must their handlers. It is not permissible for an exhibitor to speak to the judge while in the ring, but he should be ready at all times to obey promptly any command he may be given in regard to moving the dog.

Home teaching should follow all these procedures until the dog understands what is expected of him.

Many people think that a show is a nerve wracking experience for a dog, but if completely familiar with procedure and well trained, most of them enjoy it much as children enjoy a picnic outing. I know dogs that pine if left at home and others that jump into their travelling crates as soon as the car is loaded up.

GOING TO THE SHOW

After the months of preparation, the last bath and the final clip, the human element may be in a near state of exhaustion, but like a soldier primed for battle,

the Poodle is eager to get started. Show leads and bench chains appear; the satchels are packed with brushes, combs, scissors, etc.—perhaps a tasty lump of boiled liver is included!

Everyone is excited as the car comes to the door. Harassed queries are ed from one human to another: “have you got the tickets?”, “have you got your purse?”, “have we enough gas?”, have you this and have you that, until finally the motor starts and off they go! If the show is a one-day summer affair, the chances are they will all be home before dark; in time for a good run and a well earned supper. But if it is winter and the exhibition keeps open for two days, a much longer time will elapse before the home lights welcome them.

No puppies ever need to spend more than twenty-four hours at a show but grown dogs must be on exhibition ’till closing time each day. In old days the famous Westminster Kennel Club show lasted for four whole days and that was indeed a tour de force!

For owners who live at a distance from the exhibition building, these winter shows often entail much preparation, quite apart from the dogs. Hotel accommodations must be made well in advance and railway time tables or car routes studied. Exhibitors can leave their dogs in crates overnight in the show building but owners of one or two dogs usually take them to a hotel which will accept them.

When I used to show extensively, some thirty-five years ago, the Westminster show was held in the old Madison Square Garden, in New York City, and as I have said, the doors were open for four long, weary days. There was one compensating feature: the dog benches were placed in the gallery and exhibitors had a ringside seat to watch the judging in the arena.

I used to bring in from the country six or seven dogs, most of them puppies which were for sale, and I always managed to find a hotel which would accept a maximum of four dogs. Since the puppies were always sold off the bench and had usually been judged on the first day of the show, this was very satisfactory. Perhaps hotel managers are not so hospitable to our canine friends today, but I imagine there are a few who would take in two small dogs.

LOUISE BRANCH

FAMILIAR SHOW RING SCENE. Each exhibitor keeps his dog properly set up and showing for all it is worth, whether or not the judge happens to be looking directly at it at the moment. One never knows when the judge will give a sidelong glance at a dog about which he may be in doubt!

While I am reminiscing about the “good old days,” let me tell you about my first year as an exhibitor.

I had never been to a dog show in my life but I felt that I should exhibit. Fortunately I had the friendship and help of Isaac Black who was then the kennel manager of the Greentree Kennels in Manhasset. My first dogs were importations which were far more experienced than I, so that helped a great deal. Isaac Black used to take me to all the shows in his truck, loaded down with crates and dogs. My usual seat was the only one available, on the top of a crate or wedged between several. It was not luxurious traveling, but it was great fun!

At my first Westminster show, I exhibited a Sealyham Terrier female and a Cairn Terrier male. I had a beginner’s luck for the Sealy went up to winners and the Cairn won first in the variety class.

I did not plummet into overnight fame as a result of these wins, but they did help to put my new kennel on the dog world map.

A STOLEN DOG

I a happy reunion which took place at one Westminster show in the

old Garden. For some months I had been looking for a trace of a Cairn Terrier I had sold a Brooklyn family. The dog had been stolen and his owners were most unhappy. During the last day of the show a man approached offering to sell me a Cairn he said he had imported. He showed me a most impressive looking pedigree, but it was easy for anyone who had studied blood lines to detect many flaws in the document.

I pretended to be very interested, as indeed I was, and with permission, I told the man to bring the dog to my bench. I was quite sure he was the dog I was looking for, so I telephoned his family and they sent to the show a Filipino butler who had been devoted to the dog. I tied the dog on the bench among my own and awaited developments. As the butler walked down the aisle, nearer and nearer to the dog, a tremendous commotion broke out, the Cairn trying frantically to get loose. In a moment man and dog were completely tangled up together and my quest was over. Unfortunately the thief made a get-away while all the excitement was going on and he was never apprehended.

In conclusion, let me suggest again that it is important for kennel owners to show occasionally. It is an expensive item on the budget, but the financial burden will be off-set, in the long run, by added recognition and prestige, and also by an increased demand for puppies. It is good fun, too and makes a nice break in the monotony of kennel work.

The most important thing to , I think, is that dog showing is a sport, not a business. Treat it as such and do not take either your defeats or your victories too seriously.

Chapter 16

POODLE CLUBS HERE AND ABROAD

THE FIRST Poodle Club formed in Britain was in the year 1886. Up to this time the breed had been shown in the classes for foreign dogs and the majority were of the Corded variety.

However, as the “Curlies” began to take on increasing importance, it was deemed advisable to have a club which would help centralize the activities of all concerned so the Poodle Club was formed. Challenge certificates were obtained from the English Kennel Club and separate classification at the shows became assured.

A second organization called the Curly Poodle Club came into being about this time and from then on the Corded variety gradually became a minority.

In there were two clubs, the Club au Canicho and the Club des Amateurs au Caniche while , Switzerland, Holland, Luxembourg, Italy and Sweden each had their specialty clubs.

In America, the Kennel Club has no record of when the first Poodle Club was formed, though it is known that Mr. Henry Trevor was its delegate in September, 1896. In 1899 the formulated a standard which was very similar to our present one. One difference, however, is interesting.

There was a demand for “slightly spread” feet. Probably this came about because fanciers ed that the Poodle was originally a water dog. In very early days his feet were described as “webbed,” which would presuppose the toes as being rather more separated than we like today. Show requirements often tend to modify working attributes and this is probably what happened as the Poodle came to be produced more frequently for exhibition than for work.

CH. PUTTENCOVE IMPETUOUS, Standard, by Ch. Kaffir of Piperscroft ex Puttencove Candida, has sired many winners and has enjoyed a very successful show career. He was bred by Mr. and Mrs. George Putnam.

LOUIS BRANCH

CH. CARILLON JESTER, U.D.T., INT. C.D., one of the country’s outstanding obedience winners, also a group winner of note. He has been best obedience dog in show nine times, and was highest scoring obedience dog at the International trials in Toronto. Among his champion get are Carillon Jestina, Carillon Caccia, C.D., and Carillon Seraphina. He was bred by Blanche Saunders and is owned by Carillon Kennels.

The original Poodle Club was disbanded in 1898, and the second did not come into being until 1931. The were irers of the Anglo-French rather than the Germanic type of dog, so the standard they drew up followed the requirements of those in and Britain.

In 1937 the Interstate Poodle ed in to further the interests of the breed. Hence we have two member clubs directly d with the American Kennel Club, namely, the Poodle Club of America and the Interstate Poodle Club.

In addition to these we have several other specialty clubs located at strategic points across the country. Among them are the Poodle Club of America’s Pacific Coast Branch at Los Angeles, California; the Quinnipiac Poodle Club of New Haven, Connecticut; the Central States Poodle Club of Chicago, Illinois; the Black Gold Poodle Club of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and the Northern California Poodle Club.

Now, specialty clubs—whether they enjoy the privileges of direct hip with the American Kennel Club or whether they are what is termed subsidiary clubs—play an important role in the survival and progress of any breed. They are the centers of interest and instruction in and around the territory in which they function. They try to shows in their localities so as to provide worthwhile competition. They stage matches frequently to bring out young stock, they encourage beginners by helping them with their problems, and they

reach out constantly to bring into the breed new recruits to swell the ranks of the regulars.

One vital office of a member specialty club consists of making known to the American Kennel Club, through its delegate, the various things it wishes done in the interest of the breed it sponsors. It also offers prizes at shows, takes an active part in the selection of judges while insisting that its Standard of Perfection be understood and adhered to in the show ring.

INT. CH. GREGOIRE OF MISTY ISLES, Standard, bred by the author and owned by Mr. and Mrs. Grafton Minot. Clipped in Continental fashion as befits his domicile in , Gregoire has been a big winner abroad since leaving his native America in 1936. He became champion of , , Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg, and was judged International Champion and World’s Champion of Paris in 1937.

In those early days the breed was divided into two classes: the Standard, over fifteen inches in height, and the Miniature, under fifteen inches. However, in recent years the Toy Poodle has been removed from its own separate breed status and incorporated into the Poodle breed as a third variety. This was a departure from British practice for the Toy Poodle has never been recognized in England, but it brought the American Standard more in line with the Continental.

In an effort to retain the characteristics of their original working dog the French have always insisted on a medium size in their “Grand” or Standard Poodle. They limit these dogs to a height of fifty-five centimeters—about twenty-one and three-quarters inches—with only a “tolerance” for dogs up to sixty centimeters—about twenty-three and three-quarters inches. Even this tolerance is restricted by the specification that “all other points being equal, the small Poodle should be preferred.”

The “Moyenne” (medium) size in has a height limit of thirteen and threequarters inches up to seventeen inches and the “nain,” or dwarf, thirteen and three-quarters inches and under.

In America our heights still differ even though we have adopted a third variety. Our Toy Poodle has a height limit of ten inches, our Miniatures are under fifteen inches, and our Standard fifteen inches or over, which leaves a vacuum of several inches between the Miniature and the Standard. No Miniature may

measure fifteen inches, and certainly no Standard will ever be exhibited which stands as little as nineteen inches high and so there is a danger that the Miniature will be tempted to slip into those idle inches. Indeed he appears at times to be headed in this direction already.

INT. CH. PRINZ VON DER DREBOLDSBURG, white, a native of , and Int. Ch. Gregoire of Misty Isles, black, an American-bred, both owned by Mr. and Mrs. Grafton Minot of . Both Standards are champions of , , Switzerland, Belgium and Luxembourg.

Chapter 17

THE STANDARD AND ITS DEMANDS

IF WE READ the Standard as reproduced in full beginning on page 225, we see that the GENERAL APPEARANCE very clearly describes the Poodle we would all like to see. The paragraphs on feet, legs and neck are closely tied up with it, for they form the basis on which the dog’s general appearance to some extent depends.

Of course we cannot disregard entirely the old adage which says that a pure-bred is known by his head; there is much truth in this assertion. To a large degree the head proclaims the breed, being a distinguishing feature which sets it off from other breeds. But without number are other students of dogdom who, like myself, affirm that the body is exactly as important as, maybe more important than, the head as indicative of breed, style, type and contour. Because the Poodle has a style all his own and, when put down in organized competition, a contour unique among pure-bred dogs, I look to the feet, the legs and the neck as bearing great responsibility for a typical general appearance.

Without rather small feet, oval shaped with well arched toes, placed close together and having thick, hard pads, we cannot obtain the jaunty, almost dancing gait which characterizes the ideal Poodle in motion. These constitute the mechanism required to promote such action. A major fault, says the Standard, is flat or spread feet, thin pads.

MOVEMENT

Again, the requirements in the paragraph covering legs fulfill the need for the springy movement we want, where the feet are picked up daintily and advanced in fairly short steps. Good balance and flexibility are required for such action and both are found in a dog whose hocks are well let down and whose hind legs are well angulated. The Standard lists cow hocks as a major fault, and so it is; sometimes only the slightest tendency thereto is enough to destroy all semblance of springiness.

Note the Standard’s demand, under GAIT; a light, springy action; and under LEGS; hind legs very muscular . . . hindquarters well developed . . . second thigh showing both width and muscle. Angulation governs length of stride; muscular development aids springiness. Neither the one nor the other will do by itself alone. We must have both in cooperation if the dog is to step along smartly with that inimitable style which characterizes the breed.

The requirement of a long neck springing from strong shoulders, which slope well to the back is explained by our demand for a dog carrying himself proudly, for, in the last analysis, high head carriage gives a proud appearance to man or beast. The dictum head carried high is not per se a head directive at all. It rightly appears under neck for the neck constitutes the ing column whose length and strength determines where the head shall be and how it shall be carried. Furthermore, the neck has to be fairly long because the Poodle in station is well up off the ground.

The above model, adapted from Le Caniche by Paul Megnin, illustrates the squarely built body of the typical Poodle, the correct angulation of fore and hindquarters, and the general contour of the regulation clip. The head chart shows the relation of muzzle to skull, also ear length as accentuated by the length and trimming of the coat.

CH. PILLICOC POLARIS, white Standard, owned by Mrs. Milton Erlanger.

Anatomically the parts must fit; they must be in proportion. On so upstanding a dog, if the neck were not fairly long, nature’s original blue-print would be blurred beyond recognition. Throughout the animal kingdom neck length and leg length are usually correlated. There are exceptions of course—the elephant is one, but he has a trunk with which to reach down.

THE HEAD

Now let us consider the hall-mark of any breed, namely, the head. Here we find an important phase of type. In the olden days, the Poodle’s head was broader than we like today, with a shorter, blunter muzzle and more definite stop or indentation between the eyes at the top of the muzzle. As in so many other kinds of dogs, selective breeding has been responsible for this change. We want a long muzzle, which, combined with finely chiselled cheeks, gives a stream-lined effect to the head; but exaggeration here should be avoided since it is apt to upset the correct placement of the eye and give the profile a look of snipiness and weak chin. The placement of the eyes is very important as is their color and shape. Very light eye-color is a major fault. Eyes should be set rather wide apart and somewhat low in the skull in proportion to the length of head and muzzle, and they should be almond shaped, dark and not at all full.

CH. PUTTENCOVE TIRALIRA, Miniature, has every right to be proud of her exceptionally fine head, the muzzle being of unusual length. Bred by Mr. and Mrs. George Putnam, she was sired by Puttencove Trumpeter.

In a head which has progressed toward a commendable degree of refinement as has the Poodle head, the underjaw bears considerable responsibility. This fact is borne out by the Standard’s dictum against what it bad mouth—either under or overshot. The undershot mouth must mean a chin or underjaw too strong or prominent to integrate the typical Poodle profile, while in the same vein the overshot mouth must mean a weak chin which is equally incorrect. Therefore, the Standard demands teeth white, strong and level as the safe medium between the two extremes.

The Poodle’s ears are as much his glory as is his coat; they should be set low on his head while hanging in great length close to his face. The leather, or fleshy flap of the ear should be wide and should reach to the end of his nose.

DEPTH OF CHEST

Keeping in mind that the Poodle was originally evolved for the work of hunting water fowl, it is easy to realize why his chest must be deep, for the chest is the box which holds the heart and lungs. That it also must be moderately wide goes back to our requirements for action, since a narrow-chested dog seldom moves with spring in his step, while a wide-chested animal may under some circumstances develop a rolling gait.

The Poodle’s tail, like his head, must be carried high, must never curl over his back and must be set high on his quarters. When topped off with a cocky little

pompon of hair at its end smartness is emphasized, moreover the short back, as demanded by the Standard, is accentuated by the high tail set.

THE COAT

And now a word about coat, that highlight of perfection in the breed. The coat must be very profuse and thick, whether its quality be curly or frizzy. Nowadays, we seldom see a true curly-coated Poodle—Charles Hopton, who has judged our breed for many years, once remarked on this. Those beautiful silky curls which lie close to the body in order to protect it from water are no more, but instead we have frizzy, wiry coats which can grow to great length and when combed out create an arresting picture. Against these spectacular coats the true curly-coats would not stand much chance in the modern show ring, but they are regretted by many, for they were so typical of the Poodle’s origin.

In America, we have no color prejudice in our Standard, on the theory perhaps that “a good horse is never a bad color,” but we do insist on solid colors.

It should be understood that a Standard sets an ideal. Never in this world has any dog of any breed been considered a perfect specimen, but judges must have a criterion on which to base their judgments and breeders must have a definite ideal toward which to work. These are what a Standard offers.

STANDARD: DESCRIPTION AND STANDARD OF POINTS OF THE IDEAL POODLE.

1. General Appearance, Carriage and Condition. That of a very active, intelligent, smart and elegant looking dog, squarely built, well proportioned and

carrying himself proudly. Properly clipped in the traditional fashion and carefully groomed, the Poodle has about him an air of distinction and dignity peculiar to himself.

2. Head and Expression.

(a) Skull—should be slightly full and moderately peaked with a slight stop. Cheek bones and muscles flat. Eyes set far enough apart to indicate ample brain capacity.

Muzzle—long, straight and fine, but strong without lippiness. The chin definite enough to preclude snipiness. Teeth white, strong and level. Nose sharp with well defined nostrils.

(b) Eyes—oval shape, very dark, full of fire and intelligence.

(c) Ears—set low and hanging close to the head. The leather long, wide and heavily feathered—when drawn forward almost reaches the nose.

3. Neck. Well proportioned, strong and long enough to it of the head being carried high and with dignity. Skin snug at throat.

4. Shoulders. Strong, muscular, angulated at the point of the shoulder and the elbow t

sloping well back.

5. Body. The chest deep and moderately wide. The ribs well sprung and braced up. The back short, strong and very slightly hollowed, with the loins broad and muscular. (Bitches may be slightly longer in back than dogs).

6. Tail. Set on rather high, docked and carried gaily. Never curled or carried over the back.

7. Legs. The forelegs straight from shoulders with plenty of bone and muscle. Hindlegs very muscular, stifles well bent, and hocks well let down. Hindquarters well developed with the second thigh showing both width and muscle.

8. Feet. Rather small and good oval shape. Toes well arched and close, pads thick and hard.

9. Coat.

(a) Quality:

Curly Poodles—Very profuse, of harsh texture, even length, frizzy or curly, not at all open.

Corder Poodles—Very thick, hanging in tight, even cords.

(b) Clip:

Clipping either in the traditional Continental or English Saddle style is correct. In the Continental clip the hindquarters are shaved, with pompons on hips (optional), and in the English Saddle clip, the hindquarters are covered with a short blanket of hair. In both these clips the rest of the body must be left in full coat. The face, feet, legs and tail must be shaved, leaving bracelets on all four legs, and a pompon at the end of the tail. The top-knot and feather on the ears must be long and profuse, so as not to lose the very essential Poodle expression. A dog under a year old may be shown with the coat long except the face, feet and base of tail, which should be shaved. Any Poodle clipped in any style other than the above mentioned shall be disqualified from the show ring.

10. Color. Any solid color. All but the browns have black noses, lips and eyelids. The browns and apricots may have liver noses and dark amber eyes. In all colors toenails either black or the same color as the dog.

11. Gait. A straightforward trot with light, springy action. Head and tail carried high.

12. Size. The Standard Poodle is fifteen inches or over at the shoulder.

13. DESCRIPTION AND STANDARD OF POINTS OF THE IDEAL MINIATURE POODLE.

(a) Same as large Poodle.

(b) Size—Under fifteen inches at shoulders, but over ten inches.

(c) Value of Points—Same as large Poodle.

(d) So long as the dog is definitely a Miniature, diminutiveness is only the deciding factor when all other points are equal; soundness and activity are every whit as necessary in a Miniature as they are in a large Poodle, and as these traits can only be seen when the dog is in action, it is imperative that Miniatures be moved in the ring as fully and decidedly as large Poodles.

14. DESCRIPTION AND STANDARD OF POINTS OF THE IDEAL TOY POODLE.

(a) Same as large Poodle.

(b) Size—Ten inches and under at shoulders.

(c) Value of Points—Same as large Poodle.

(d) So long as the dog is definitely a toy, diminutiveness is only the deciding factor when all other points are equal; soundness and activity are every whit as necessary in a toy as they are in a large Poodle, and as these traits can only be seen when the dog is in action, it is imperative that Toys be moved in the ring as fully and decidedly as large Poodles.

15. Value of Points.

General appearance, carriage and condition 20 Head, Ears, Eyes and Expression 20 Neck and Shoulders 10 Body and Tail 15 Legs and Feet 10 Coat, color and texture 15 Gait 10

16. Major Faults.

Bad mouth—either under or over shot.

Cow hocks.

Flat or spread feet, thin pads.

Very light eyes.

Excessive shyness.

17. Disqualifications.

Parti-colors.

Unorthodox clip.

Since the publication of the first edition of this book, the following addition was voted into the Standard, as a part of the No. 10 section on Color:

Grey Poodles, whose coats have not cleared to an even solid color, may be shown up to the age of 18 months. The degree of clearing shall only count in judging two or more grey Poodles under the age of 18 months when all other points are equal, in which case the more completely cleared dog shall be judged superior.

Regarding the Standard’s new paragraph, the word “clears” calls for some explanation. As we have seen previously, grey and silver Poodles are born black, their coats becoming grey or silver gradually with age. This transmutation is called “clearing”; i.e. becoming its true and final color.

There are however some Poodles, especially in the Standard variety, whose coats are “marbleized” as they grow out, which means that instead of only dark and light grey hairs appearing, there is a mixture of grey, black and brown hairs throughout the coat. Such a condition makes the Poodle in question definitely parti colored.

The idea behind the new rule is that before condemning the dog such coats should be given a chance to “clear” as the dog reaches maturity. As I see it, it does not apply to the “shaded” grey coats.

A glance at the photographs of grey Poodles in this book will explain what is meant by a “shaded” coat.

The color is grey throughout, but the saddle (when a Poodle carries a show clip) often shows a very light, sometimes silver shade, while the mane is darker and frequently contains lighter shades of grey. However, since a shade is “merely the expression of a degree of the basic color” which in this case is grey, it does not

seem that a judge could or should condemn such a coat as being other than one solid color. No hairs other than dark and light grey appear in it.

We often see this same condition of shading in brown Poodles.

TANGO OF PIPERSCROFT, C.D., C.D.X., apricot Standard, retrieving the dumbbell over the 4-foot 6-inch jump. Sired by Joker of Garston out of Samite of Piperscroft and bred by Mrs. G. E. L. Boyd, Tango came to America to Mrs. Whitehouse Walker and with her established the sport of obedience trials in 1934 at Bedford Hills, New York.

Chapter 18

AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB

POODLE CHAMPIONS OF RECORD

1940—October 1950

Alderbrook Huzzar

Amber of Lottal

Amusette

Anthony of Revenir

A Propos of Cartlane

Ardlussa Moppet’s Madcap

Astron Silver Star

Aucassin

Babillarde of Cartlane

Barbet Baiser

Barracks Hill Bomber

Barracks Hill Just Charles

Beau Beau of Bel Air

Belle Isles Bright Gem

Beltore Bright Star

Bemersyde Bubbling Over

Bermersyde General Nuisance

Berinshill Tarrytown Gem (Eng.)

Berkham Emma of Sunstorm (Eng.)

Berkham Isaac of Sunstorm (Eng.)

Betsal Lane Allegro

Betsal Lane Carrousel

Big Ben of Puttencove

Billet Doux of Misty Isles

Black Douglas of Lowmont

Black Imp o’ Wilpshire

Black Lily of Ensarr

Black Magic

Black Mumbo of Vanity Fair

Black Rose of Ensarr

Blakeen Ace High

Blakeen Aigrette

Blakeen Bali Hali

Blakeen Beguiler

Blakeen Bitzie Boy

Blakeen Bubbling Over

Blakeen Cafe Parfait

Blakeen Christable

Blakeen Colorado

Blakeen Coronet

Blakeen Cristoff

Blakeen C’Zig of Branwene

Blakeen Eldorado

Blakeen Fleur de Lys

Blakeen Flurry

Blakeen Griselda

Blakeen Hoity Toity

Blakeen Invincible

Blakeen Laline

Blakeen Lucienne

Blakeen Lustre

Blakeen Luzon

Blakeen Magic Dancer

Blakeen Minnikni

Blakeen Paper Doll

Blakeen Paper Weight

Blakeen Perfection II

Blakeen Quicksilver

Blakeen Radiance

Blakeen Rouletta

Blakeen Seabee

Blakeen Snow Flurry

Blakeen Sovereign Gold

Blakeen Student Prince

Blakeen Swansdown

Blakeen That’s Him

Blakeen The Ghost

Blakeen The Swan

Blakeen White Light

Blue Streak of Eathorpe-Mansard (Eng.)

Breloque of Cartlane

Broadrun Cheerio

Broadrun Cherry

Bogardus’ Blond Annette

Bonhomme of Toytown (Eng.)

Bon-Mar Baron Rouge

Boni Belle

Bric a Brac Black Star

Bric a Brac Best Man

Bric a Brac Bartender

Bric a Brac Blackbird

Bric a Brac Blythe Spirit

Bric a Brac Bonne Chance

Bric a Brac Bold Print

Bubbles of Misty Isles

Care Free of Salmagundi

Carillon Caccia

Carillon Colin of Puttencove

Carillon Colombe

Carillon Distingue

Carillon Jaseur

Carillon Jester

Carillon Jestina

Carillon Jongleur

Carillon Matinal

Carillon Moiree

Carillon Rene

Cartlane Caprice

Cartlane Caranto

Cartlane Causeur

Cartlane Claudine

Cartlane Chanteuse

Cartlane Coquette

Cartlane Corot

Cartlane Courtois

Cartlane Hillandale Cadenza

Cartlane Lakme

Cartlane Musette

Cartlane Once

Cartlane Pernette

Cartlane Primadonna

Cartlane Ravissante

Catawba Muscatel

Challendon Mood Indigo

Challendon Roue

Chansonette of Charleson

Charbonnage of Charleson

Cherin

Chloe’s Beau Geste

Chloe’s Jetee

Chloe’s Ricochet

Chloe’s Tonnerre

Clairwell Ce Soir

Clairwell Him Especially

Claudel Capitaine

Claudel Rene

Darwin Antoine

Darwin Francia

Debonair of Piperscroft (Eng.)

Demon of Misty Isles

Denise of Piperscroft (Eng.)

Diablotin Bit-on

Diablotin Charmeuse

Diablotin Danseuse

Diablotin Dawn Again

Diablotin Dem-setier

Diablotin Dentelle

Diablotin Firefly

Diablotin Onyx

Diane of Michelen

Dixie’s Lulu Belle

Dorian Bienaimee du Jardin

Droll von Sadowa of Salmagundi (Ger.)

Duchesse Babette des Chenes

Duchesse Le Brun De San Souci

Ensarr Astre

Ensarr Colette

Ensarr Glace

Ensarr Navy

Ensarr Salute

Ensarr Velours

Estid Mabie

Estid Jacques

Estid Jason of Russmar

Estid Jolene of Russmar

Etude en Noire de San Souci

Fairie Queen of Misty Isles

Fantasie du Carrousel

Far Away Katy Did

Felix of Piperscroft (Eng.)

Fernande De San Souci

Fiddown Floride

Gai Josephine des Chenes

Galcit’s Peck o’Trouble

Galcit’s Priority of St. Elmo

Gamine

Gay Annabell of Surrey

Giandina

Greverne Armand Gris

Grey Mystery

Guissona Canela

Halcyon of Toytown

Hanky Panky of Misty Isles

Hillandale Babine

Hillandale C’Est Bon

Hollycourt Adrienne

Hollycourt Anne de Joyeuse

Hollycourt Aure de Montalais

Hollycourt Balizarde

Hollycourt Brandywine

Hollycourt Doree

Hollycourt Fleur Noire

Hollycourt Ganymede

Hollycourt Greyling

Hollycourt Grillon Argente

Hollycourt Light of Star Tavern

Hollycourt Manicamp

Hollycourt Patricia

Hollycourt Penelope

Hollycourt Philippe

Hollycourt Platinum

Hollycourt Silverado

Idelong Damson

Jacob’s Le Monde Marquis

Jacob’s Le Monde We We Chere

Jeanne’s Emperor Maximilian

Jingle of Piperscroft (Eng.)

Katitena de Muriclar

Kennelquest Dancer

Kennelquest Lalo

Kingsland’s Little Lem

Kingsland’s Lucy

Lady Babette of Wilshire

Lady Virginia of Lowmont

Lafayette of Reglib

Laineux Nymph

La Rex Doll Pretty Doll

Leader’s Brown Tapper

Leader of Piperscroft of Blakeen (Eng.)

Leader’s Storm Strutter

Leicester’s Frolic

Leicester’s Moon Mist

Leicester’s Peaches and Cream

Leicester’s Sweet Stuff

Leicester’s Valentine Nibroc

Le Monde Chic de Larson

Little Ben of Puttencove

Little Fellow Pop (not reg.)

Lord Cy of Lowmont

Lowmont d’Artagnon

Lowmont Lady Dorothy

Lowmont Lady Joan

Lowmont Lady Luck

Lowmont Lady Sally

Lowmont Lord Jeremy

Lowmont Lord Johanus

Lowmont Lord Philip

Lowmont Madame Cambalet

Lowmont Madame d’Aiguillon

Lowmont Madame de Chevreuse

Lucas of Blakeen

Lucite of Salmagundi

Magic Fate of Blakeen

Magic Frivolous Sal

Magnus of Lowmont

Marcourt Josephine

Margot de Muriclar

Mariglen Fiscal Year

Marlene of Piperscroft of Sunstorm (Eng.)

Marmaduke of Meisen

Ma Vielle of Blakeen

Melanie of Morfa (Eng.)

Merrythought of Misty Isles

Minuet’s First Bow

Miss Perfection of Rosbar

Monty of Gilltown

Monsieur

Monsieur Gaston of Meridick

Montmorency

Morlen’s Nibbs

Nelly Bly

Nibroc Monsieur Beaucaire

Orsie’s Chan-Son

Orsie’s Genie

Orsie’s Kumsie

Palmares Andrette

Palmares Blonde Au Frais

Palmares Claudel Bel-Ivoire

Paquette

Paper Boy of Toytown (Eng.)

Patapouffe Pitter Patter

Penjoe Andre Le Noir Beau

Pepe le Mocco of Silvan

Petite Cherie II

Petite Magistrate de Muriclar

Petite Georgette

Petit Pierre (Hollycourt)

Phemie de bon Augure

Pierre Bouffon

Pierre d’Argent of Meridick

Piperscroft Berkham Wilfred (Eng.)

Pitter Patter of Piperscroft (Eng.)

Pillicoc Calamity Jane

Pillicoc Dare Devil

Pillicoc Day Dream

Pillicoc Gallant

Pillicoc Pegasus

Pillicoc Pearl

Pillicoc Peter Piper

Pillicoc Prunella

Pillicoc Siesta

Pillicoc Tziganne

Pixholme Whitecoral of Blakeen (Eng.)

Platina

Pop’s Triumph of Rosbar

Powder Puff of Catawba

Pruden’s Juliette

Pruden’s Little Skipper

Pruden’s Skipper of Pillicoc

Puttencove Blaise

Puttencove Clementine

Puttencove David

Puttencove Dyamo

Puttencove Grenadier

Puttencove Halla’s Hugo

Puttencove Hermoine

Puttencove Hester

Puttencove Impetuous

Puttencove Indian

Puttencove Irene

Puttencove Le Domino

Puttencove Lugen’s Putney

Puttencove Miranda

Puttencove Peachstone

Puttencove Punchinello

Puttencove Reveille

Puttencove Samatha

Puttencove Single Star

Puttencove Tiralira

Puttencove Vim

Qui Sait of Misty Isles

Qui Vive of King’s Point

Ramoneur of Catawba

Revemir Bitsie of Puttencove

Rigolo Le Duc De Maneglise

Robin Goodfellow

Robin Hood

Roger the Lodger

Rodyar Lowboy

Rodyar Musa McKim

Rodyar’s Terror by Night

Round Table’s Alberta

Round Table’s Brown Blossom

Round Table’s Constance

Round Table’s Decollette

Rosbar’s Little Nancy Dot

Rosbar’s Princesse Zenadie

Rosbar’s Precious Memory

Royal Jigger of Russmar

Runge’s Black Beau

Sabu of Piperscroft (Eng.)

Sagax Will o’ Wisp

Salmagundi Perhaps So Wise

Samarkand Illusion

Scallawag of Piperscroft of Blakeen (Eng.)

Seafren Acadie

Seafren Ange Gardien

Seafren Gourmet La Reine

Seafren Harum Scarum

Seafren High Falutin

Seafren High Stepper

Sherwood Claude Antoine

Sherwood Franchot

Sherwood Le Bon Petit Diable

Sherwood Louis Andre

Sherwood Louis Philippe

Sherwood Mademoiselle Bibi

Sherwood Pocket Edition

Sherwood Petite Four

Sherwood the Chocolate Dandy

Sherwood Soubrette

Shootingbox On Top

Shubrick Cafe Noir

Silver Silk of Tollsity (Eng.)

Smilestone’s Bacarat

Smilestone’s Bric a Brac

Smilestone’s Fancy Free

Smilestone’s Golliwog

Smilestone’s Madelon

Smilestone’s Magic

Smilestone’s Panda

Smilestone’s Silvern

Smilestone’s Surprise

Snappy Morn

Snow Boy of Fircot

Soldat de Guerre de Muriclar

Sparkling Lady of Raybrook

Star Tavern Top Secret

Strathglass Manon

Sunstorm’s Harvest

Surprise of Misty Isles

Surrey My Shadow

Surrey Jocelynne

Talons D’Argent of Meridick

The Sylph of Raybrook

Thibaut de Bon Augure

Tilo Blase

Tinker Tim of Carlsgate

Tommy K

Torchlight Cloudy

Torchlight Dunkerque

Torchlight Fair and Warmer

Torchlight Le Duc Noir

Torchlight Mime of Pillicoc

Torchlight Ruffled Seal

Touche O’Saligay

Towley’s Linda Lou

Un peu Lucy

Venda’s Gold Bell (Eng.)

Venda’s Winter Sunshine of Blakeen (Eng.)

Verdant Bon Vivant

Verdant Cyclone

Verdant Persifage

Verdant Vida

Vermilyea’s Candy Girl

Vicki of Lottal

Von’s Jimmy Cricket

Von’s Jitsie Lou

Von’s Jouteur Argente

Von’s Jubilant Judy

Von’s Silver Star

Wagonwheel Wicked Queen

Walkie Talkie of Misty Isles

Welcome ()

White Cocade of Salmagundi

Wychwood Peroquet of Blakeen (Eng.)

AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB

OBEDIENCE TEST TITLE WINNERS

1940—October 1950

COMPANION DOG

Androcles Moonlight

Astron Andre of Blakeen

Avron’s Gay Caprice

Baba

Beau Geste

Betsal Lane Beau Monte

Betsal Lane Carrousel

Betsal Lane’s Celeste Astre

Bijou Noir de Beau Chien

Black Eyed Susan of Blakeen

Black Magic Suzzi

Blakeen Allen

Blakeen Beau Brummel III

Blakeen Blanco

Blakeen Brilliance

Blakeen Brillantine

Blakeen Cafe Parfait

Blakeen Captain January

Blakeen Champagne Deborah

Blakeen Clare Jeanne

Blakeen Coronet

Blakeen C’Zig of Braninene

Blakeen Glacier

Blakeen Heigh Ho Silver

Blakeen Le Dandy

Blakeen Mademoiselle Belinda

Blakeen Nibs

Blakeen Nyx Muriclar

Blakeen Osprey

Blakeen Poilu

Blakeen Prelude

Blakeen Tito

Blakeen Tom Brown

Blakeen Smog

Blakeen Valiant Duc

Blue Champagne

Bopeep (not reg.)

Bout Zan of Inchiquin

Briminy of Euclid

Broadrun Pierre

Brown’s Black Coquine

Bubbles Soda Pop

Cafe Angelica

Cartlane Argentee

Cartlane Alexandrine

Cartlane Aristide

Cartlane Chanteur

Cartlane Coloratura

Cartlane Contralto

Cartlane Dernier Cri

Cartlane Gaston

Cartlane Gobelin

Cartlane Muzette

Cartlane Petite Platina

Cartlane Philine

Cartlane Rayon d’Or

Cartlane Rumeur

Cartlane Tambor

Cartlane Therese

Carillon Caccia

Carillon Qualite

Carillon Jester

Celloyd Dancer of Charwood

Chansonette of Charleson

Chanteur of Charleson

Charbon Camee of Puttencove

Charcoal

Chargeur of Charleson

Charlfrey’s Antoine

Charlfrey’s Porte de Danseuse

Charmaine

Chloe’s Beau Geste

Chocolate Chanteuse

Chocolate Petit Four

Chriscrest Invincible Boy

Christophe of Salmagundi

Cinnamon Cyrano of Boli

Clementine of Puttencove

Coco

Colette of Charleson

Cragmoore Kitten

Cricket of Millwheel

Da Miano’s Anatole

Da Miano’s Mousse

Diablotin Dimity

Diablotin Dryad

Diablotin Fernworth Frolic

Dido De Bon Augure

Dunwandrin Pepe Le Moko

Ebony Anyx of Allston

Eclat of Heatherden-Cartlane

Evanger’s Kokette

Fakir of Arnue Hearth

Fanfare Allegro

Fanfaron Dark Splendor

Far away Jacques

Far away Katy-Did

Far away Valerie

Fernworth Fleurette

Fran-Oaks Ingenue

Freddie of Puttencove

Ftatatita

Gaillard of Holiday House

Gamin of Redbrick

Gay Boy of Puttencove

Goldwood Lisette

General Girand of Bayside

Graeverne Angelique Attique

Graeverne Armand Gris

Goo Goo

Henri of Blakeen

Hilador Avril

Hilador Blueberry Muffin

Hollycourt Basile

Hollycourt Phebe

Husen’s Happy Cherie

Husen’s Manhattan Lady

Ilka Biscuit Tortoni

Ilka Hugo

Isle of Wyte’s Will o’the Wisp

Iton of Saguenay

Jacque d’Arcy

Jacqueline

Jeanne’s Emperor of Maximilian

Jericho

Jingo of Beaumont

Jocrisse of Glenmoor

Jody’s Friend Toni

Johnny Mite B

Joli Danseuse

Josette

Jovial Coeur

King’s Jester of Windyridge

Le Bon Roi Dagobert

Lilette Noir

Little Black Cricket

Little Meg Moppet

Long Shadows Courage

Lonnie Girl

Lord Jeffrey Amherst

Loufran Jocques

Lyon’s Mischief

Madame Pompadour II

Ma Folie Meredith

Magic Suzy

Manon of Franton

Ma Petite Chou of Surrey

Ma Vielle of Blakeen

Meisen’s Gay Ray-Ne

Merryland Jacqueline

Minuet

Minuet Ballerina

Minuet’s First Bow

Mister Misty of Dorcar

Mocha of Peterhof

Monsieur Beaucaire

Monsieur Pouf

Montmorency

Musterfield Pierre

Niki Naiad of Blakeen

Oreillette of Sirod

Ottman’s Inky II

Palmares Douronne D’or

Periwig Pantaloon

Peter Piper

Picotee’s Penny

Pierre Bouffon

Pierrot of Camee

Pillicoc Chataigne

Pillicoc Pride and Joy

Pledgette Noire of Inchiquin

Poilu de Guerre

Polichinelle Bouffon

Poli-Krat Jacques St. Louis

Poli-Krat Polite to Point

Pomjangles Jolie of Ayr

Pulaski’s Masterpiece

Puttencove Antoinette

Puttencove Bantam II

Puttencove Beau Jacques

Puttencove Benedict

Puttencove Casimir

Puttencove Fatima

Puttencove Guite

Puttencove Little Teeza

Puttencove Michael

Puttencove Miss Impy

Puttencove Jeudi

Puttencove Odette

Puttencove Punchinello

Puttencove Solitaire

Puttencove Vim

Remi of Ilka

Rimge’s Gamine

Roadcoach Gai Gamin

Roadcoach Mystery

Robinsbrook Lord Simon

Robinhood’s Best of Darbie Cove

Rockwell’s Babette

Rockwell’s Mister Samuel

Samarkand Demoiselle

Samarkand Illusion

San-Gra’s Grand Garcon

Seafren Dainty Damozel

Shari De Leon

Shubrick Shadeau

Shubrick Forever Amber

Silverdawn Abigail of Lufrau

Sir Galahad of Puttencove

Sir Nicholas of Black Beauty

Sirod Adagio

Soeur Suzette

Smilestone’s Golliwog

Sunstorm’s Caprice

Surrey Bubbles

Suzanne of Mamaro

Suzette of Vanity Fair

Tchouquette Du Briois

Tempest of Genmore

Tilo Blase

Timothy

Torchlight Abul the Bulbul

Torchlight Guy Tabarie

Torchlight Orizaba

Torchlight of St Pierre Eglise

Towhey’s Angelina

Ursafell Flyaway

Usfet

Varga’s Girl

Verdant Caie

Verdant Yvette

Wagonwheel Hedi

Williams’ Jacques Noir

Willy

Yankee Boy of Glenmoor

Zette of Millwheel

COMPANION DOG EXCELLENT

Black Eyed Susan of Blakeen

Blakeen Allen

Blakeen Captain January

Blakeen Coronet

Blakeen C’Zig de Branwene

Blakeen Brilliance

Blakeen Brillantine

Blakeen Glacier

Blakeen Pioneer

Blakeen Poilu

Bopeep (not reg.)

Broadrun Pierre

Cafe Angelica

Carillon Jester

Cartlane Aristide

Cartlane Gaston

Cartlane Gobelin

Cartlane Philine

Cartlane Rayon D’or

Cartlane Rumeur

Cartlane Tambor

Charbon Came of Puttencove

Charmaine

Chloe’s Beau Geste

Clementine of Puttencove

Cricket of Millwheel

Diablotin Dryad

Dido De Bon Augure

Eclat of Heatherden-Cartlane

Far away Katy-Did

Freddie of Puttencove

Gamin of Redbrick

Graeverne Armand Gris

Henri of Blakeen

Ilka Hugo

Jeanne’s Emperor Maximilian

Johnny Mite B

King’s Jester of Windyridge

Le Bon Roi Dagobert

Lilette Noir

Little Meg Moppet

Madame Pompadour II

Ma Folie Meredith

Merryland Jacqueline

Minuet’s First Bow

Mister Misty of Dorcar

Montmorency

Niki Naiad of Blakeen

Peter Piper

Pierre Bouffon

Poilu de Guerre

Poli-Krat Jacques St. Louis

Poli-Krat Polite To Point

Pulaski’s Masterpiece

Puttencove Antoinette

Puttencove Beau Jacques

Puttencove Benedict

Puttencove Casimir

Puttencove Fatima

Puttencove Guite

Puttencove Little Teeza

Puttencove Miss Impy

Puttencove Punchinello

Puttencove Vim

Silverdawn Abigail of Lufran

Sir Galahad of Puttencove

Smilestone’s Golliwog

Soeur Suzette

Sunstorm’s Caprice

Surrey Bubbles

Susette of Vanity Fair

Torchlight St Pierre Eglise

Ursafell Flyaway

UTILITY DOG

Black eyed Susan of Blakeen

Blakeen Allen

Blakeen Brilliance

Blakeen Coronet

Blakeen Glacier

Carillon Jester

Cartlane Gaston

Clementine of Puttencove

Diablotin Dryad

Dido De Bon Augure

Far away Katy-Did

Freddie of Puttencove

Gamin of Redbrick

Henri of Blakeen

Ilka Hugo

Jeanne’s Emperor Maximilian

Lilette Noir

Little Meg Moppet

Mister Misty of Dorcar

Niki Naiad of Blakeen

Pierre Bouffon

Poilu de Guerre

Pulaski’s Masterpiece

Puttencove Antoinette

Puttencove Beau Jacques

Puttencove Guite

Puttencove Little Teeza

Puttencove Miss Impy

Puttencove Vim

Silverdawn Abigail of Lufran

Smilestone’s Golliwog

Surrey Bubbles

Susette of Vanity Fair

UTILITY DOG TRACKER

Carillon Jester

Freddie of Puttencove

Gamin of Redbrick

Niki Naiad of Blakeen

TRACKING DOG

Sir Galahad of Puttencove

CH. HOLLYCOURT ANNE DE JOYEUSE has won many groups and one best in show. By Ch. Hollycourt Petit Pierre out of Hollycourt Grisette, she too is bred and owned by Hollycourt.

CH. HOLLYCOURT PETIT PIERRE, bred and owned by Hollycourt Kennels is sired by Bibelot Cadet of Misty Isles out of Ch. Platina. A beautiful grey, he is a consistent winner and the sire of nine champions.

AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB

CHAMPIONS OF RECORD

November 1950—September 1951

Bemersyde Black Bottom

Blakeen April Shower

Blakeen Fi Fo

Blakeen Mademoiselle Belinda, C.D.

Blakeen Snow Storm

Bon-Mar Brenda

Bon-Mar Cimarion

Braeval Biscuit (Eng.)

Carillon Scion

Carillon Sibelius

Cartlane Dentelle

Cartlane Percante

Charmaine

Chienne Chaude of Charleson

Chriscrest Fleurette

Claudel Capitaine

Con Brio Cartlane Denise

Diablotin Dimity, C.D.

Diablotin Pan of Elblac

Diablotin Prince Charming

Duc Le Brun Des Chenes

Ensarr Lace

Estid Ebony Miracle

Estid Mona Lisa

Fanfaron Dark Splendor

Frenches Vendas Chip of Silver (Eng.)

Frere Jacques of Crestwood

Galcit’s Pierre de San Souci

Galcit’s S’il Possible

Hillandale C’est Vrais

Hollycourt Mercure

Hollycourt Venture

Hollycourt Vichyssoise

Junehill Estid Bobbenette

Keep in tune with Clairedge, C. D.

Lady Miquette of Lowmont

Lady of Hickory Bank

Leicester’s Bon Ami

Leicester’s Endoron

Leicester’s Quida

Little Jack Horner

Lottal Allemonde

Lottal Master Grumpy

Lottal’s Monte Sano

Lottal’s Pitti Pat

Lowmont Cyrano de Bergerac

Lumardell Ebon

Madame Pompadour II, C.D.X.

Mousseux Des Chenes

Nibroc Adoreable

Norcrest Surrey Sahib

Orsie’s Joli-Ment

Orsie’s Mi-Ra-Bi-Le

Palmares Desiree

Periwig Pride of Star Tavern

Pillicoc Pact of Estid

Princess Mimi

Princess Snow White

Pulaski’s Black Crown Prince

Pulaski’s Maggie

Pulaski’s Master Casanova

Pulaski’s Master Don Juan

Puttencove Antonio

Puttencove Gauntlet

Puttencove Midshipman

Puttencove Serenade

Remark Caresse

Robinsbrook Lady Gillian

Robinsbrook Lord Simon

Rustler of Puttencove

Seahorse Brown Penny (Eng.)

Sherwood Ebonette

Sherwood Petite Mademoiselle

Sherwood Vest Pocket Edition

Spider of Piperscroft (Eng.)

Star Tavern So Dear

Sultan de San Souci

Surrey Mardi Gras

Verdant Verbena

Verdant Yvette, C.D.

Waltzing Matilda

AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB

OBEDIENCE TEST TITLE WINNERS

November 1950—September 1951

COMPANION DOG

Alphonse

Anne’s Ballerina Vite

Babalu of St. Elmo

Bay Rita’s Jeri

Beau Brummel of Euclid

Betsal Lane Allegro

Bigwig Barrister

Black Boy

Bon-Mar Beryl

Bubbles Monsieur D’Artagnan

Bubbles Sugar Dandy

Burlingame Top Flight

Cal An Millies Suzette

Carillon Moulin

Carillon Schubert

Cartlane Alexandrine

Cartlane Courtois

Cartlane Paon

Challendon Rack On

Champagne Fine of Puttencove

Chriscrest Gaston

Cleveland’s Gaiete Noire

Cookie

Danehurst’s Bonne et Belle

Ch. Dorian Bienaimee du Jardin

Eldohscroft’s Blue Bonnet

Ch. Fairie Queen of Misty Isles

Fantasy Hill’s Argent

Folly

Gamin de Roi

Gengarme

Graeverne Silver Chief

Hilador Bagatelle

Hollycourt’s Tinker Bell

Invincible Juliet of Paragon

Ch. Keep in tune with Clairedge

Koko Magovern

La Belle Boheme

La Belle Noire Babette

Lady Tar of Kensington

Laywell Bojangles

Loufran La Cloe Chet

Manon Topage de Lisle

Ma Petite Pijon Noire

Marney Show Girl

Marston’s Chico Coronach

Merryland Coronet

Mi Chi Chi

Miss Murphy de Rueshan

Mt. View’s Happy Suki

Napoleon Bonaparte

Ch. Palmares Claudel Bel-Ivoire

Palmares Cognac

Palmares Coquette Cherie

Pepe Le Cocoa

Petitcote Becky

Pillicoc Silhouette

Plandome King

Punchinella of Har-pic

Puttencove Butterfly

Puttencove Happy Ending

Puttencove Hosea

Puttencove Little Jeanne

Puttencove Tar Baby

Roadcoach Dear Clementine

Robinsbrook Bon Bon

Rumpelstilskin’s Colorature

Samarkand Christopher

Sherwyo Rozet Roue

Show Case Kinsmar’s Pirouette

Souffle of Darby Bounce

Ch. Surrey My Shadow

Surrey Singe Noir

Tana

Tiny Tempest of Blaze of Glory

Watch My Smoke

Xaro dit Cheri ()

COMPANION DOG EXCELLENT

Anne’s Ballerina Vite

Black Magic Suzzi

Blakeen Champagne Deborah

Blakeen Clare Jeanne

Babbles Soda Pop

Cal An Millies Suzette

Charlfrey’s Antoine

Cinnamon Cyrano of Boli

Fernworth Fleurette

Jacqueline

Koko Magovern

Little Black Cricket

Loufran Jocques

Magic Suzy

Meisen’s Gay Rey-Ne

Ottman’s Inky II

Punchinella of Har-pic

Puttencove Odette

Rockwell’s Babette

Show Case Kinsmar’s Pirouette

Yankee Boy of Glenmoor

Zette of Millwheel

UTILITY DOG

Blakeen Captain January

Blakeen Champagne Deborah

Cartlane Gobelin

Little Black Cricket

UTILITY DOG TRACKER

Ottman’s Inky II

TRACKING DOG

Ottman’s Inky II

Puttencove Beau Jacques

INDEX

adaptability, 16

afterbirth, 115, 117

age, to breed, 111

to buy, 57, 58

to housebreak, 64

to show, 194

to wean, 125

aggressiveness, lack of, 18

Alger, the Misses, 40

Ambroise of Misty Isles, 9

Ambroisine of Misty Isles, 9

American Kennel Club, 7, 25, 35, 40, 193, 215

Amour of Misty Isles, 9

Anita von Lutterspring, 1–10, 41

Barbet, 26, 30, 36

bathing, 138–140, 182

bedding, 61, 114, 173

Belling, Monsieur Clemens, 32

best in show, first, 44

Bibelot Cadet, 18

Black, Isaac, 209

blacks and whites, 157–159

Blakeen Agnes, 48

boarding, 183–186

Brady, Mrs., 43

breasts, care of, 123

bred bitch, care of, 113–115

feeding, 113

breeding, 96–108

kennel, 186

Brunker, Miss, 159

brushing and combing, 132–133

puppies, 126

butterfly noses, 161

Cadeau de Noel, 45

Caesarian, 118

calcium, 106, 113, 123

Caniche, 27, 31, 34, 36

canker, ear, 135

Carillon Celeste, 47

Corbeau, 47

Epreuve, 49

the Jester, 49

cerebral cavity, size, 25

Champions of Record (listing), 233–245

character, 11–21, 25

chest, depth of, 224

Chieveley Chopstick, 44

children and Poodles, 17

choosing, puppy, 51–57

brood matron, 111

stud dog, 112

classes at shows, 194–196

cleaning, 178

cleft palate, 119

clipping, 32, 141–154

feet, 127

clips, continental, 149

“lion,” 26

puppy, 149

retriever, 150

Royal Dutch, 153–154

saddle, 143–149

clubs, 211–217

coat, care of, 127, 132–133, 224–225

color, 155–168

changes, 166

crossing, 160, 162

outcrosses, 167

prejudices, 225

skin, 159–164

superstitions, 37

commands and gestures, 73

coming when called, 78

continental clip, 149

Corded Poodle, 38, 39

Corvi, Monsieur, 32

cropping, 34

crossing Toys, 35

Curly Poodle, 38

Dachshund, 29

Daumier, 34

delivery, assistance in, 118

dewclaws, removal of, 122

diet, bred bitch, 113

nursing mother, 123, 126

orphans, 120

stud dog, 107

weanlings, 125–126

diets, puppies, eight weeks, 83

four months, 87

grown dog, 91

dip, for vermin, 138

distemper, 184

inoculation, 53, 126, 184

docking, 122, 147

Durer, Albrecht, 22

dusting powders, 138

ears, 134–135, 223

eczema, 53, 129

English Kennel Club, 25, 38, 211

entertainers, Poodles as, 32

Eric Labory, 9, 45, 48, 50

Erlanger, Mrs. Milton, 46

exercise, 16, 94, 174

exercising yards, 176

exportations, to , 48

external parasites, 137–138

eyes, 125, 134, 135, 223

fat, addition of, 91

feeding, 80–95

amounts, 85, 87, 91

bred bitch, 113

dam in milk, 123

during whelping, 118

orphans, 120

studs, 107

weaklings, 106

when worming, 132

feeding time, kennel, 179

feet, 212, 218–219

fighting, 20

fillers, 81

first AKC ed, 40

Fitzinger, Dr., 23

fleas, 137–138, 178

flooring, kennel, 174

French Poodle, 29

gait, 219

German Kennel Club, 4, 8

Gessner, Conrad, 23

gestation, period of, 109

Giroflee of Misty Isles, 45

Githens, Mrs. W. French, 47

Gregoire of Misty Isles, 48

grooming, 128–140, 178, 199

grown dog, selection of, 58

guarding, 18

Hally, Will, 159, 160, 161

handlers, 197, 205

handling, abroad, 205

head, 222–223

health, importance of, 106

heating systems, 174

hernia, umbilical, 117

history, 22–39

Hogarth, 36

holiday puppies, 59

Hood, Tom, 36

house training, 61–66, 93

older dog, 66

Hunnewell, Hollis H., 40

Hoyt, Sherman R., 163

Hoyt, Mrs. Sherman R., 7, 8, 43, 45

hunting, 25, 28

Hutchinson, Mrs., 7

inbreeding, 99, 102–103

color, 167

inoculation, distemper, 43, 126, 184

inter-breeding varieties, 97

Irish Water Spaniel, 27

Jay, Mrs. De Lancey, 3

Jones, T. Heath, 25

jumping, 114

kennel, breaking, 183

daily schedule, 182

operation of, 169–190

planning of, 172–174

kennelman’s routine, 177

lactation, 122–123

Laverack, Edward, 104

leash training, 76, 203–204

lice, 53, 137–138, 178

like producing like, 100

line breeding, 99, 102–103

color, 167

“lion” clipping, 26

litters, size of, 109

Magrita, 31

matches, 193

mating, day of, 111

matrons, quarters for, 175

meat, 81, 83, 132

medicines, istration of, 131

mesalliances, danger of, 111

military exploits, 30

Miniature breeding, 97

Minot, Mrs. Grafton, 48

missing, reasons for, 112

Misty Isles Algie of Piperscroft, 44, 47

Moffino, 31

More of Misty Isles, 7

Monte Christo (a strain), 39

Moustache, 30

Moulton, Mrs. J. B., 40

mouth, 223

movement, 219

nails, 134, 137

number of meals, 90, 122

puppies, 109

Nunsoe Duc de la Terrace of Blakeen, 43

nursing, failure, 119

Nymphae Jason, 41, 47

Pice, 7, 45

obedience titled dogs (listing), 246–257

obedience titles, 69

oils, dangers of, 131–132

Orchard (a strain), 39

origin, 22–39

orphan puppies, 120–121

outcrossing, 105

paper breaking, 62, 63

parasites, external, 137–138

parti-colors, 160, 162

Paul of Misty Isles, 7, 45

pedigree study, 112, 187

period of gestation, 109

Pillicoc Friandise, 48

Houdini, 47

Rumpelstilskin, 45

play, 127

point shows, 193

pompons, 127, 147, 152, 224

Poodle cross, 29

posing, 127, 200–203

Pré-Fleurie (a strain), 39

Price, Charles, 44

pricing, of puppies, 57

punishment, 11

puppies, feeding, 83–88

first trimming, 127

orphan, 120

pricing, 57

weaning, 125–126

puppy clip, 149

registration, 193

totals, 41

regurgitation, 125

Reichenbach, Madame, 9

rest periods, 67, 75, 78

retriever clip, 150–152

revival of the breed, 41

Révoil, Monsieur, 28

Roulette of Misty Isles, 7, 45

Royal Dutch clip, 132, 134, 153–154

runs, care of, 181

cement, 178

saddle clip, 143–149

Saunders, Blanche, 50

scenting, 15

Schmiedeberg, R. von, 23

scratching, 129

seasonal periods, 111

selection for breeding, 187

for color, 155–157

of matron, 111

of puppy, 53

of stud, 112

Selincourt, 23

sensitiveness, 15

services, number of, 112

show classification, 194–196

procedure, 194

training, 200–203

showing, 188, 191–209

silvers, 164–166

silver skins, 160

site, of kennel, 170

size, Miniatures, 96–97, 216, 217

litters, 109

size and height, domestic, 217

foreign, 216

skin color, 159–164

skin and coat color, 160

sleeping accommodations, 61

boxes, 173

smugglers, Poodles as, 32

spaniel, 29

Sparkling Jet of Misty Isles, 45, 47

stalls, 173

standard of breed, 53, 225–230

Stoecker, Henry, 199

stolen dog, 209–210

Stonehenge, 25, 29

stools, 129, 179, 182

strain, 103–104, 187

stud dog, 175, 187

diet, 107

selection of, 112

superstitions, color, 37

swimming, 28, 135

tail, 122, 127, 147, 224

docking, 122

Tango of Piperscroft, 49

Taplin, 37

Taylor, Mrs. Jack, 45, 97, 99

teeth, 134, 137

teething, 90

temperament, 11–21

temperature, after whelping, 123

Thumbs Up, 18

ticks, 137, 178

Toy Poodles, 35, 216

inter-breeding, 97

training, 69–79

for cleanliness, 61–66, 93, 183

for shows, 189, 200–203

Trevor, H. C., 40, 212

tricks, 72

truffle dog, 29

underjaw, 223

Vagabond (a strain), 39

varieties, inter-breeding, 97

versatility, 15

vitamins, 92, 123

Walker, Mrs. Whitehouse, 41, 49

watchdog, 18

water dogge, 28, 36

weak puppies, feeding, 106

weaning, 125–126

weanlings, number of meals, 126

Westminster, 2, 41, 43, 207, 209

whelping, 115–119

box, 114

Whippendell (a strain), 159

Whippendell Poli, 41, 47

worms and worming, 53, 129, 131, 181