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The Saluki, like the Greyhound, is almost devoid of a sense of smell and hunts entirely by sound and sight. They are rated as the fastest dogs that run, but for sustained speed the all-time champion is the Fox Hound. Many such hounds have been timed running a mile in a trifle more than 2 minutes, and the astonishing thing is that they can maintain for hours a rate of speed that is impossible by other swift dogs.

The bloodhound, a breed developed by William the Conqueror, has the keenest sense of smell of any dog on earth. He originally was called "the blooded hound," meaning that his breeding was the purest possible. But this became distorted, and so the most mournful looking, most inoffensive of all dogs owns the most savage-sounding name.

The Irish Wolfhound is the tallest of all dog breeds, the male measuring from 31 to 34 inches and weighing about 120 pounds on the average, while the female averages 28 inches and 90 pounds.

In the 1870's a great deal of friendly dispute about the sleekness of their dogs caused many breeders in the United States to group together to promote the first dog show in the United States. That was in Gilmore's Gardens, New York, and the show lasted three days-May 8-9-10, 1877. It was so genuinely enjoyed and so successful that it was determined to have an annual show thereafter. The Westminster Kennel Club, sponsor of the exhibition, has conducted such shows ever since.

The earliest Westminster shows-1877, 1878, 1879 -were at Gilmore's Gardens. The 1882 to 1890 shows, inclusive, were in the American Institute Building, New York. Those of 1912, 1913 and 1914 were in Grand Central Palace. Madison Square Garden has been the site since that time.

There were 1,177 dogs in the pioneer show of 1877-but only 15 or 20 breeds.

The record entry was in 1937, when 3,146 dogs were judged and that, perhaps, will be the New York perpetual record, because it was ruled, some years ago, that the entry list must be limited to 2,500 although the restriction has been made flexible, and the list has gone somewhat higher.

The record for entries in any American show-indoor or outdoor-was established with 4,456 for the 1939 Morris and Essex. Since it was revived following World War II the event was limited to a number of invited breeds. The record for entries by one owner was set at Morris and Essex in 1936 when Dr.' A. P. Munn of Long Branch, N.J., arrived with four vans containing 101 dogs.

The world's largest dog show is Crufts in London with 8,397 entries in 1970.

All dogs, to be eligible for the different classes at the accepted shows, must be registered and the pedigree of a dog becomes authentic only when traceable through the A.K.C. records.