I have both judged and superintended dog shows for many years, have shown my own dogs for forty years, and as a "Professional Handler," am doing so yet, making about all the important shows in the United States,

To ship your dog to any show, and trust it to the care of show attendants to feed, water and exercise - is simply a case of cruelty to animals, such dogs I see at a show.

Having superintended dog shows, I know that it is almost impossible to hire attendants that will properly do their duties, being as they are, a lot of fellows who take the job because they "are out of work" - chronic in their cases - due to their worthlessness, etc.

The premium lists always read that - "all dogs will be fed, watered, exercised and returned promptly" - signed by the superintendent, which is meant all right, and if this one man, the superintendent, could do the work of a hundred men, your dog might then be properly or better cared for - but entrusted to the care of attendants - it is not, unless you have a good handler engaged. At every show, no exceptions, I see many a poor dog that is never taken off his bench for exercise or to attend to nature's calls, and while he may get a drink or two and have some dog biscuit wet with plain water shoved at him to eat - just stop and realize what a hard and cruel time he is having at the show - and don't wonder that he comes home sick and in many cases a "dead dog" the result. These are plain, cold facts and can't be disputed. Aside from the cruel part, it is as essential to have your dog well shown when judged, as it would be to have your horse well driven in a race - if you expect to win. Dogs sent unaccompanied by a handler, are yanked or pulled into the ring by an attendant, a stranger to the dog, and the result accordingly, in almost every instance. During the many years I have shown dogs, I have rarely had a dog sick afterward as the result of being at a show. The reason is this:

I go to shows on the same train with my dogs, water and care for them en route, if a "lay over," so do I and the dogs are taken care of as they deserve. At the show, every dog in my string is taken off his bench for exercise four to five times daily, fresh water kept in stall, bedding kept clean and changed, bowels watched when out for exercise (which if wrong, proper treatment given), and instead of trusting them to eat the dog bread moistened with water, which so many are not used to and will refuse to touch, every dog in my string is fed morning and night with beef and mutton, which" I buy and have cooked daily. Their health is looked after and if any signs of sickness, proper remedies administered. Every dog at a show should receive such care. You can't do too much for your dog and if you will arrange with some good handler and are willing to pay him a fair price for proper care, you need never have a sick dog as the result of showing him.

To ship a dog to a show means from a day or two to three days in his crate, confined and uncared for as to food, drink, or a chance to attend to nature's calls, and thern, if dog is addressed to the superintendent, when he finally arrives at the show, he may lay that day yet in his crate before taken out, (the superintendent a very busy man), and some attendant finally takes dog out and without even putting dog in the exercising ring, puts dog on his bench - where the poor dog very likely stays for the three or four days of the show; very little If any attention paid to him till he is packed up for his return trip home. Your dog has been serving time in prison - and just think how he has suffered, and don't wonder if he comes home sick. If you can go yourself - with your dog - to care for him, do this, but never send him to a dog show alone. Get a handler, if you can find a good man, who, aside from handling as a business, really loves dogs, and you think will care for the dog - as the writer does - and be willing to pay him his price for handling - for your dog deserves the best care he can get.

I am prepared to receive and condition dogs previous to shows. At every show, without any exceptions, I see dogs on their bench - neglected - and while it is impossible for me to attend to them all, yet I always do and sometimes exercise, if I possibly can.