Page 12 - Chow Life - Spring 2018
P. 12
A History of Great Kennels
By Patricia Trotter
At George Washington’s funeral Stud Book (not affiliated with what November 1927, Jones presented
in 1799, his fellow patriot Henry was to become the AKC we know the Far East Kennel of Chow Chows
Lee stated that our first American today). owned by L.R. Zifferer. The kennel
president was “first in war, first The records launched the AKC on was a palatial reproduction of a
in peace, and first in the hearts of the road to permanent stud-record Chinese temple, and the Chinese
his countrymen.” And indeed he accountability. Once this pedigree motif was carried throughout
was all of those things and more. information became available, the exterior and interior of
For Washington’s dog-breeding breeders were able to pursue the this Pennsylvania architectural
brilliance was unparalleled in quest for perfection that they still monument. The actual kennel
colonial America and could easily seek today. building was 214 feet from end to
have identified him as America’s end and featured two wings of 84
Almost all of the earlier breeds
first great breeder! registered by the AKC were dogs feet each. Classic reproductions
More than 200 years ago and a utilized by practical Americans to of Chinese furniture, art, rugs,
full century before the American bring game to the table or assist lanterns, pagodas, and other
Kennel Club became the guiding them with other chores. In time furnishings decorated the well-
force in our world of dogs, this this changed and differing breeds of staffed kennel.
consummate breeder was in dogs entered the registry, reflecting Dairy and vegetables were
search of the “perfect foxhound.” the differing backgrounds of their sourced and prepared on the
An educated stockman who owners. By the turn of the 20th premises. Meat slaughtered on the
understood animal husbandry and century the AKC had 56 breeds in farm was fed alternately cooked and
breeding, George Washington is the registry and during that century raw. A kennel maid was assigned
credited with being the father of the added another 80 or so. the sole job of bathing dogs and
American Foxhound. Much of the serious dog breeding cleaning Chow eyes with boric
Washington meticulously that took place in the early 1900s acid. Zifferer was credited with
planned his matings so that his was done by people of wealth who accumulating outstanding lines of
pack would be filled with dogs built luxurious kennels and hired dogs to match the splendor of their
that had speed, scent, and brains. kennel managers, kennel boys and housing.
Although his dog-breeding legacy maids, and even secretaries to The Firenze Kennels of Lieutenant
is often overlooked by historians, run an efficient operation. These Colonel M. Robert Guggenheim
it was one of his proudest personal proprietors imported dogs from all was another magnificent venue.
accomplishments. One can only over the world to add to America’s Located on 1,100 acres of
imagine how gratified he would gene pools. They spared nothing in prime Long Island real estate,
have been at the founding of the providing their animals with all the Guggenheim was concentrating
American Kennel Club a hundred best, and the importance of the U.S. on Bedlington Terriers at the time
years later. dog-show scene grew accordingly. of Jones’s interview, which was
For the American Kennel Club The chronicles of Arthur published in June of 1927. Although
was to bring order and direction to Frederick Jones, starting in Guggenheim had started with
the sport of breeding and exhibiting the 1920s, profiled these great Bulldogs, by the time of Jones’s visit
purebred dogs. American breeders establishments in the AMERICAN the kennel also housed 20 Pointers,
dating back to Washington had KENNEL GAZETTE and brought a dozen Wire Fox Terriers, 20
long kept breeding records and to the common man, some of English Springers, and a number of
pedigrees of their own individual whom truly sacrificed in order Labrador Retrievers and German
dogs—especially gundogs and to breed dogs, the scope of what Shepherd Dogs—all in addition
hounds. The hero of this endeavor dog breeding and showing was to the enormous Bedlington
was one Dr. Nicholas Rowe, who becoming. Since these kennels population. (Guggenheim’s
donated to the new registry’s cause provided stud dogs and breeding staff benched and showed 26
his three-volume set of stud-dog stock for the good of the order, Bedlingtons at Westminster that
records, which had been the small breeder also benefited in year.) It was said that if all the dogs
published as The National improving his bloodlines. housed at Guggenheim’s kennels
American Kennel Club over the years were brought
In an article published in together in one giant dog show, it
10
