BLUE BOOK POCKET-SIZE POOCHES FEATURED IN 1938 AKC PUBLICATION
toys
BY DAN SAYERS
I n 1938, the American Kennel Club published a book of “bench show dogs” that provides a snapshot of the sport as it existed in the US more than 80 years ago. Described as a volume devoted to the outstanding dogs of the preceding year, this one of a kind “Blue Book” features many imported and American-bred dogs that helped to raise the visibility of pure- breds during the Great Depression. At a time when people yearned for trust- worthy allies and creature comforts, pedigreed dogs (particularly Toy dogs) found greater acceptance as both companions and comforters. Dog shows of the day appealed to people from all walks of life, although these events cer- tainly found their greatest supporters among the nation’s hoi polloi . As recog- nized breeds became a status symbol of sorts, their patronage by ladies of soci- ety propelled Poms, Pekes, and Pugs into the American consciousness—and into American homes. The collection of Toys that follows provides a photographic record of a dozen recognized breeds that were embraced by the American fancier and, subsequently, by the American family. For some, the heady days of popularity seem a distant memory. For others, the best is certainly to come. Ch. Burlingame Dubarry (Meadowlands Rubus x Meadowlands Angelica)
104 | SHOWSIGHT MAGAZINE, OCTOBER 2020
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