This lady has for many years past so identified herself with one variety that I need not tell most of my readers that she keeps an unusually large and successful kennel of Pomeranians, mostly of what I may call the medium size, but of late she has also gone in for Toys.

For a long time Miss Chell stuck entirely to whites, and has taken a great number of prizes with them, but she now keeps several other colours.

As I have frequently had the opportunity of forming an opinion on the subject, I may say Miss Chell is a capital exhibitor, shows her dogs for all they are worth, but is not cast down when they do not come out as well as she could wish.

Her kennel is remarkable for the coat and condition in which they are shown. I should say, for the number of entries she makes at the best shows, she is second to none of the exhibitors of the variety in this respect.

I should like to give Miss Chell's own words about her hobby, which I think will be interesting to my readers.

"Pomeranians have been for years my favourite dogs, and as I have never kept any other kind, perhaps I may be rather bigoted, for I think they are the most affectionate, faithful, and knowing dogs of any.

MISS CHELI. WITH HER TOY POMERANIANS DOT DAINTY TOPSY.

From photo by J. W. Wayne. Belper.

"My father began to breed them over twenty years ago, and of course I helped him with them to the best of my ability; but it was not until 1894 that we began exhibiting, commencing at the Royal Agricultural Hall with Belper Iveagh and Belper Beauty, where they both did well; and at the Toy Dog Show in the May following we showed Belper Fritz, who took all before him, and as long as he lived, which was till August, 1900, he was most successful, not often being beaten in the best company, and became Champion and Premier.

SOME OF MISS CHELL'S WHITE POMERANIANS.

From photo by J. W. Wayne, Belper.

"I think about 1895 I bought all the best of his kennel from my father, as he could not spare the necessary time for exhibiting, and have since been constantly breeding and exhibiting both whites and blacks, mostly of our own strain. I am pleased to say I have bred some very good whites, blacks, browns, and one blue; but whites are still my particular favourites, as there is more certainty and satisfaction with them than any other colour.

"Before we had our own stud dogs we always sent to the best in the country to form the purest strain obtainable, and by carefully blending the blood have bred some first-rate stock, finding we can rely on breeding whites from white parents, but have not the same results from coloured parents. To give an instance from my own experience, from a brown dam mated with a black sire, I had a litter of four, two being pure black, one brown, and one blue.

MRS. HARCOURT CLARE.

By permission of the Ladies' Kennel Journal.

"I am very partial to the Toys of this variety, and the demand for them at present so greatly exceeds the supply that, from a monetary point of view, they are the best to breed; but it must be borne in mind the smallest are not the best for breeding purposes. In my experience, dams of 8 or 9 lb. in coloured, and from 10 to 16 lb. in whites, are the best sizes, and the best and smallest Toys are not always the progeny of the smallest sires. To give an instance in our own kennel, one of our whites, Belper Bounce, weighing 25 lb., has sired dozens of puppies, both males and females, which have made up into specimens under 8 lb. in weight.

"In breeding Pomeranians it is best to start with as good stock as can be obtained; but great care, attention, and expense must be incurred before success can be looked for. I think I have said enough to express my views on this variety, about which many others probably know as much as I do."

As there are very few who have had such a successful career as Miss Chell, I do not concur in the last sentence of her remarks. I may say she has occasionally acted as judge, had large classes before her, and got through her duties with ability and expedition, and is justly popular with all to whom she is known amongst Doggy People.

The portraits of Miss Chell and a team of her Black Pomeranians, and a capital group of some of her celebrated White Pomeranians, will be readily recognised.