1930 ARTICLE – DOG NEWS – Claire Knapp Penney reminisces of the “old style” chows and sportsmanship

I just ran into this article in my June 1930 Dog News and felt it was still so relevant today that I had to share.  Written by the highly respected Breeder, Exhibitor and judge, Mrs. Claire Knapp Penny (SEE RELATED ARTICLES AT BOTTOM OF POST).  Claire reminisced about original chow type, and how little of it was left to be seen…keeping in mind this was written in 1930 with the “original” chows appearing in America only in the early 1900’s!  Take special note of her use of the words sturdy, short leg, barrel and huge..words in the 1930’s that were interpreted quite differently than today, judging by the chow photos of the day which met that description.

SEE THE 1921 STANDARD WHICH WAS IN USE AT THE TIME OF CLAIRE’S ARTICLE

“Mrs. David Wagstaff will judge and naturally the Club is anxious to receive a bumper entry from the West as well as the East, in support of the President.  This show will be held on the Sunday before the opening of the Westminster doors, so ambitious folks who want their points should be scrambling around.  Alva Rosenberg will judge at the Garden.

Bring on your chows, pioneers of the West, for we hear they are real ones and if you win and the rest of us lose, so much the better.  When you get through with the whole thing, a real good licking amounts to one thing only–an incentive to go home and breed something better.  If you can’t take in that spirit as a few have proven in the past year, then the best thing you can do is to go home and knit!”

JUDGE- Mrs. David Wagstaff
LOCATION- New York City, NY
ENTRY- 177
BREEDER/OWNER- Mrs WO Penney, Clairedale Kennels

“I want to tell another little story here about an old dog I saw at Tuxedo Park this summer.  No one had laid eyes on him for months and when he walked in the ring, he looked the ideal Chow.  It was Himself, old Sancho, of the sturdy short leg, of the deep barrel and spring of rib, of huge coat and with the old chow look.

I want to tell you, that boy brought the house down when he won Best of Breed, and it was no miracle for me, for everything else I have seen all summer looked queer in comparison with this dog.  I am sure that I am getting away from the real old timers and that is the type we should all strive for, so perhaps this little eulogy may benefit someone else.”   ~Claire Knapp Penny Editor Dog News Chow column