Dogs and All About Them

Excerpt

The popularity of the dog as a companion, as a guardian of property,
as an assistant in the pursuit of game, and as the object of a
pleasurable hobby, has never been so great as it is at the present
time.  More dogs are kept in this country than ever there formerly
were, and they are more skilfully bred, more tenderly treated, and
cared for with a more solicitous pride than was the case a generation
ago.  There are fewer mongrels in our midst, and the family dog has
become a respectable member of society.  Two million dog licences were
taken out in the British Isles in the course of 1909.  In that year,
too, as many as 906 separate dog shows were sanctioned by the Kennel
Club and held in various parts of the United Kingdom.  At the present
time there exist no fewer than 156 specialist clubs established for
the purpose of watching over the interests of the different breeds.