World War I Archives - Edie MacKenzie

During the past century, there has always been a strong bond existent between British dog fanciers and the Dalmatian. It is said that these dogs have been known there for the past 200 years, and there has even been exploration of a theory that they are actually partially descended from the early English hunting hounds, the Talbot in particular, so similar are they to these dogs in type, character, and hunting ability.

Quite possibly a century or two ago there was some Talbot blood infused into the European dogs who, by their striking appearance, caught the eyes of travelers from Great Britain, then gained their admiration by their intelligence, along with their strong guard dog tendencies, and thus were brought back to Britain with the tourists. There seems no disputing the fact that the Dalmatian has his roots in very ancient times, and that the evolutions in the breed have been numerous.

When, in 1860, Great Britain held its second dog show there were only five breeds represented. These included Dalmatians, and so far as history records, this was the breed’s initial appearance in dog show competition. Were it not for a gentleman named Fred Kemp, who was President of the British Dalmatian Club and a third generation owner of this breed with which he himself was involved for more than half a century, Dalmatians might not have survived World War I.

Mr. Kemp is credited with having kept alive dogs in his kennel through the difficult and in many cases devastating period between 1914 and the Armistice in 1918, providing breeding stock at the end of this period. It is exciting to contemplate what happened to Dalmatians in England at the close of World War I. They fairly leaped ahead in popularity, the two Dalmatians registered with the Kennel Club in 1918 having increased to 125 by 1925 and to 889 by 1932. When the world famous dog show resumed, following World War I, there were two Dalmatians entered. In 1934, no fewer than 199 Dalmatian entries filled the classes for the breed, of which 15 were provided.

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The Poodle – A History

Poodles found their way to America from England. They did so in 1887. Prior to World War I, Poodle popularity reached a peak at American dog shows. Originally, Standards and Miniatures in America were shown as a single breed, and Toys were shown as a separate breed prior to World War II.

The Poodle Club of America, founded in 1931 to govern the standard of perfection for all Poodles, offered classes with the same criteria for all three sizes. As a matter of fact, the first Miniature to earn an American championship title was the black English dog named “Chopstick”.

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Some of England’s finest Poodles as well as several from the Continent were imported to America during the early 1900s. Their genetic heritage still carries on today, and we often see the names of well-known English dogs in the pedigrees of modern American Poodles.

By 1960, America had caught up with the British and European interest in the breed. Poodles became the most popular breed of dog in American Kennel Club registration. In the 1930s, Helen Whitehouse Walker, owner of Carillon Kennels, wanted to introduce the sport of obedience into America. She was tired of hearing people say that Poodles, with their fancy hairdos, were vanity dogs. She vowed to prove the Poodle’s intelligence and ability to be well-trained to America.

In 1934, as England was enjoying the growing sport of obedience “trialing”, Mrs. Walker went to Great Britain to study the sport and the training methods for obedience. When she returned
home to America, she shared what she had learned with others, including her dear friend, Blanche Sauders, who ultimately became a renowned obedience exhibitor and teacher.

By 1947, America was ready to recognize obedience competition. The American Kennel Club officially adopted the rules and regulations for the sport and established an obedience department within its ranks.

From the working Poodle-like dogs of Europe in the 12th century to the sophisticated Poodles of the 21st century, the breed maintains its ancestral traits that endear it to people around the world. Thus, centuries after the breed’s development, there seems no reason to believe the Poodle will be any less popular in the future than they have been in the past.

Dalmatian History

The Poodle: A Brief History Lesson

The Poodle – A History

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