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All About The Cocker Spaniel

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Sport: Cocker

There are 3OO-odd dog shows held in the U. S. Each year. Largest—even larger than England's famed Cruft's—is the open-air Morris & Essex show, staged each spring on the New Jersey estate of Mrs. M. Hartley Dodge. But the oldest and the most important is the midwinter West minster Kennel Club show, whose rosettes for 64 years have been tantamount to national championships.

Last week, when the Westminster was staged at Manhattan's Madison Square Garden, there was a turnout of 2,738 dogs (89 breeds), including many refugees from England (see p. 27). One, a pompous little Pekingese, which had waddled ashore only the day before, had scarcely lost his sea legs. Another, an ugly bulldog, had cost his owner a reputed $12,000 at a recent London sale. In the rings were many other strange-sounding foreign breeds : Keeshonden, kuvasz, komondorock,* Rottweilers, Salukis, Pulis, papillons and bouviers des Flandres. But they were outnumbered by dachshunds, Scotties, beagles, collies, terriers, spaniels — breeds beloved by genera tions of U. S. Dog lovers.

After three days of judging (first for best-of-breed, then for best-of-group),† the six finalists selected for the best-in-show competition were: a sleek Saluki, a tiny Brussels griffon, a powerful boxer, a dark red chow chow, a smooth fox terrier, a coal-black cocker spaniel. The terrier, four-year-old Nornay Saddler owned by James M. Austin of Old Westbury, L. I., had been judged best-in-show at 51 U.S. Shows, a record no dog has ever approached within sniffing distance. The cocker, four-year-old My Own Brucie owned by Herman Mellenthin of Poughkeepsie, N. Y., boasted no such record but was judged best-in-show (over 4,456 rivals) at the Morris & Essex last summer.

Nervously the six handlers fidgeted over their charges. Dr. Samuel Milbank, the finals judge, ordered the dogs to "pose," then "move." He stared at one, then another. Whenever he looked at the terrier, the terrier fans in the galleries nearly bit each other with anxiety. When he looked at the cocker, the cocker fans' hackles rose. Finally Judge Milbank stepped up to My Own Brucie, handed Owner Mellenthin the best-in-show rosette. "He was in the most beautiful bloom," said Judge Milbank. "He is a real champion."

Many a U. S. Dog-owner could take a vicarious pride in Champion My Own Brucie, only dog to win both the Morris & Essex and Westminster in one year. For the lopeared, silky cocker spaniel is the most popular dog in the U. S. Today. Among the 108 breeds registered with the American Kennel Club, cocker spaniels (18,500) far outnumber all others. Smallest (18 to 24 Ibs.) and merriest of the sporting spaniel family, whose early members were used for hunting in Spain as far back as 1386, the cocker has become America's sweetheart because it is both gun dog and lap dog, is at home on city streets as well as in the field.

The man responsible for developing the American cocker (the English cocker is a slightly different type) to its present state of near-perfection is My Own Brucie's owner, 52-year-old Herman Mellenthin. A lover of cocker spaniels since 1895, when they were larger and lazier. Breeder Mellenthin established a kennel in Milwaukee 33 years ago, moved it to Poughkeepsie five years later.

Out of My Own Kennels, after sedulous experiments, came Red Brucie, who turned out to be the Man o' War of cocker spaniels. During his 14 years (1921-35), Red Brucie sired 36 champions. My Own Brucie is his youngest son, only son of his last litter. Today most prize-winning cockers at U. S. Shows are descendants of Red Brucie. Even in last week's best-of-breed competition at the tip-top Westminster, Champion My Own Brucie's closest rival was his own son.

— The prize-winning komondor (giant, woolly Hungarian sheep dog) was shown by onetime World's Heavyweight Champion Gene Tunney.

†Show dogs are divided into six variety groups: Terriers, Toy Dogs, Hounds, Sporting Dogs, Working Dogs, Non-Sporting Dogs.

Worcester Dog Trainer And 'Unicorn' Spaniel Primed For Debut At Crufts

A dog trainer has set her sights on Crufts glory as she a her 'unicorn' canine prepare for their debut in the main ring.

Worcester's Georgie Lott, 37, who has been honing her agility skills since she was nine, has qualified for the headline event with her working cocker spaniel, Eadie.

Eadie, who has become known for wowing onlookers and standing out from the crowd, has earned the nickname 'The Unicorn'.

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Lott said: "She's actually known as 'The Unicorn', that's her nickname.

"When she was a puppy, she went on a training day and she was in a group with loads of collies, and of course, collies are renowned for being super intelligent.

"All these collies got this thing wrong and Eadie rocked up and just nailed it.

"The trainer was like 'she's not a dog, she's not even a collie, she's a unicorn.'"

The three-year-old spaniel isn't just a crowd-pleaser; she also holds a special place in her owner's heart, with Lott crediting the lockdown restrictions for fostering a special bond between them.

Eadie, who can read her owner "like a book", was predicted to be special from as young as eight weeks old.

Lott said: "I knew she was very special at eight weeks old when I picked her up as a puppy.

"I used to play thinking games and problem-solving games, and she would just work them out straight away."

Crufts, the world's biggest dog show, is not only a celebration of happy, healthy dogs but also recognises the significant roles dogs play in society.

Lott is a strong proponent of dog training as an effective tool to deal with canine anxiety and potential behavioural problems.

She said: "A lot of dogs do end up getting behavioural problems and I believe it's because they don't channel their energy.

Having faced multiple setbacks in previous attempts to qualify for Crufts, Lott is thrilled to finally have an opportunity to compete in the main ring.

She said: "I've tried for years, so just to make it into the top eight dogs in the country is an incredible achievement for a three-year-old dog.

"I can't explain how excited I am."

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