Beginners, and in fact some old exhibitors, must be reminded that when dogs are to make railroad journeys they should be provided with comfortable crates or boxes large enough to permit them to stand and turn about with ease; also, that the same should be so constructed that air will be freely admitted on all sides and at the top, for otherwise they would be in danger of suffocation were the freight packed very closely, as it almost always is in express cars. But this accident is never likely to happen where the top of the crate is round or has a double incline, like the roof of a house, - and if the latter, which is of the easiest construction, it should be made of slats or narrow strips of board, and around the uppermost one, in the middle of it, the tenant's chain should be looped and fastened so that he will not likely become entangled; while the upper slats on the sides should project four or five inches at the ends to serve as handles.

All crates should, of course, be as light as possible consistent with strength and durability. They should be boarded to a height which accords with the size of the dogs for which they are made; and the tops of the boards should be several inches above the uppermost part of the tenants' backs when they are lying down, so that they may rest without draughts or the cold wind blowing on them.

Either slats or wire netting can be put on above the boarding, but if the latter it should be of heavy wire, for the so-called chicken fence is much too fine, and the small wires breaking easily are a menace to the dog.

There must be a hole in the baseboards to admit the drinking-pan; and since express messengers very generally stow crates crosswise the cars, with the door ends facing inward, - while along their sides they closely pack cases, etc., - and many of these men will not open the doors for fear of being bitten, it is advisable to cut this hole under the door.

There should be destination cards tacked on both sides and over the door of the crate, together with the injunction "Water often; "and to the door end should be attached the drinking-pan. Here, also, should be hung a small bag of dog cakes if the dog has a long journey before him, but none will be required if it is a short one; in fact a mature dog that will reach his destination within forty-eight hours should not be given food while on the train.

Nor should he enter upon his journey with a full stomach, for were he to do so the excitement would retard digestion, and the retained foods, decomposing, would be extremely liable to cause colic, diarrhoea and possibly death. Consequently the rule should be to feed four or five hours previous to the time of starting, and give the dog a little gentle exercise just before he leaves, to favor his emptying himself. And when the journey can be made within the period stated, cards bearing "Do not feed this dog" should be tacked about the crate that the injunction may not be out of sight.

To send a dog unattended to a show and intrust him wholly to the caretakers provided by the management is generally safe if he is of fairly large variety. Still, when possible some one should be employed to receive him, look after him and his interests while on the bench and finally see him safely on his way home.

But while to journey alone might not be hazardous for most varieties, toy dogs, and especially Yorkshires, are distinct exceptions. The latter if good-coated specimens could not safely be sent on long journeys unless in the care of an attendant, and to leave them to the tender mercies of show-keepers would be equivalent to interrupting: their show career for a long time.

Toy dogs require proper boxes, not crates, and if sent even a short distance unattended they should be met on arrival by some friend who is up in the art of handling the breed and who will bestow the necessary attentions, etc.; whereas if the shows are a long way off, keep them at home unless some one can accompany them, for the risk would be much too great, and especially for the long-coated.

It ought not to be a difficult nor expensive matter to provide a special caretaker for other than a toy, for in the absence of a friendly exhibitor almost any one of the large number of so-called professional handlers, to be found at all important shows, and whose addresses are well known to managements, would for a few dollars take charge of a dog and give him good care. And at least one of the duties which he would assume he could perform more acceptably than the inexperienced owner himself, namely, that of preparing the dog for the ring and handling him while in it. Being up in all the, secrets of the toilet he would have him at his best by the time his class was called, and when before the judge he would see to it that at least his good points were duly brought out and no unusual prominence was given his defects.

But in choosing such a caretaker let it be one who is to handle no more than twelve dogs, for he could scarcely do full justice to a greater number; and had he several in the same classes he would quite naturally take the best one into the ring and leave the others to show attendants, who, as a rule, in this branch of the service are scarcely better than hitching-posts, having no interest whatsoever in the dogs which they are parading before the judges. And as several classes are being judged at the same time, if a handler has many dogs there might be one or more in each ring, and the majority of them, of course, beyond his oversight.

As stated near the beginning, shows themselves are not a great menace to dogs but they are made so to many by the stupidity of their owners or caretakers, and one of the most glaring faults of which they are guilty appears in the familiar method of feeding.

With only an occasional exception dogs do not eat well while on the bench, especially during the first and second days. This is but natural, and the loss of appetite would prove salutary were its significance rightly interpreted. A journey on the cars is extremely tiresome to man notwithstanding the luxurious provisions for his comfort, and, obviously, dogs shut in from light and often from air, in narrow and cramped quarters, must generally suffer intensely. There is, moreover, the constant and deafening din, which keeps them excited and anxious, and precludes all possibility of sleeping. It is not surprising, therefore, that after a journey, even although it has not extended beyond a day, they are fagged out, nervous and excitable. Now put them into a building with several hundred strange dogs, no small proportion of which are constantly yelping. and it would indeed be surprising were they at all inclined to eat.