Most nice days we walk the Main Street in Lake Placid and our observation is that most people love dogs.

Because the dog owners and walkers, and there are many of them, also love to exercise on Main Street and around Mirror Lake, they know they will be constantly stopped so every adult and child they meet can pet their pet dog. Please note that many visitors to Lake Placid also bring their dog or dogs with them on vacation.

So, dear readers, you see, there is already a dog show in Lake Placid every day. After you read this great story of the very successful Lake Placid Kennel Dog Show, with more than 100 entries, join me in asking my friend M. J. Lawrence, head honcho at ROOST, to bring back the dog show. Also, M. J., you can probably get another friend of mine, Sharon Higgins Bishop, to help out. She is well trained in dog shows and so are her dogs and her license plate reads “Dog Lady.” Maybe for a change it would be nice to see as many doggie bags in Lake Placid as hockey bags.

By the Bye, last year the National Dog Show drew 24.5 million viewers.

“LAKE PLACID, April 14, 1939 — The first Annual Lake Placid Kennel Club dog show, expected to attract more than 100 entries, will be held here tomorrow, April 15, in the Olympic Arena.

“According to Miss Margaret Dewey, secretary of the club, 75 entries from Northern New York communities have already been received and post-entries are expected to swell this number to well over 100.

“With the bulk of the entries from Lake Placid and Saranac Lake, the list already received reveals 13 Boston Terriers, 12 Cocker Spaniels, six Great Danes, for each of English Springer Spaniels, Siberian Huskies and Fox Terriers with lesser numbers of entries of Eskimos, German Shepherds and others.

“The show, which is under the auspices of the Lake Placid Kennel Club and sanctioned by the American Kennel Club, will be judged by Mr. Felix Lesser of Saranac Lake, well-known dog fancier and Owner. Official vetinarians will be Dr. Alton B. Bouton of Saranac Lake and Dr. Nayland Way of Westport.

“In addition to regulation ribbons, the Kennel Club is offering permanent trophy for the ‘best in show.’ Cash prizes are also being offered in specialty classes. The costume class, in which the person showing a dog must be dressed in costume typical of the animal exhibited, [that class might create a few jokes] will receive $3.00 for first place and $2.00 for second place through the courtesy of Hurley Brothers. In this class, the costume and not the dog will be judged.

“The Lake Placid Hardware donated cash prizes of $3.00 for first place and $2.00 for second place to the trick class, in which the dog shown must be able to do at least two tricks. [$1 in 1939 equivalent to $21.91 in 2024.]

“First place winners in the puppy class from three to six months and in the puppy class from six months to one year will received $1.50 and second place winners $1.00 offered by the Lake Placid Pharmacy.

“The first event carded on the program will be the Mongrel Parade, which will form just above Ryan’s Store on Main Street at 1:30 p.m. and proceed to the Arena. Each dog must be on a leash. [How cool is that event?]

“Immediately following the parade, all breeds will be judged, following the American Kennel Club order of judging. Winners of each breed will meet at 7:30 in the evening at the Arena to be judged ‘best in show.’ Specialty classes will also be shown in the evening, including costume class, trick dogs and puppy class.

[Many classes will not be entered because they did not exist in 1939. Some of my favorites of the new breeds are the Beardoodle — Bearded Collie/Poodle mix; the Beaski — Beagle/Siberian Husky mix; the Aussie Newfie — Australian Shepherd/Newfoundland mix and the Beago — Beagle and Golden Retriever mix.]

“The entries by community:

Lake Placid: F. J. Fortune, five Dalmatians; Helen Pelkey, chow chow; Lib Musgrove, chow chow; Leone Blinn, Boston Terrier; Ethel J. Betters, two Boston Terriers; Evelyn Knight, Boston Terrier; W. Ely Betters, Boston Terrier; George Fortune, R. D. Douglas and George Connor also Boston Terriers; Komatik Kennels, Two Samoyedes; Four Siberian huskies; C. A. McMorrow, Labrador Retriever; Merrill Thomas, English Setter; Armand Roy, Jr., Stanley Benham, Philip R. Pitcher, Alice M. Lincoln and Donald Griffin, Cocker Spaniels.

Saranac Lake: Leighton D. Jaeger, two Boston Terriers; Jerry Cavallo, Bulldog; Robert H. Reed, Jr., Boston Terrier; David Pasho, Fox Terrier; John Neubauer, Cairn; Harry Lewis, St. Bernard; Charles Boyton, Doberman Pinscher; Jolien Doyle, Collie; W. L. Utting, English Springer Spaniel; Janet Moody, English Springer Spaniel; William J. Wallace, Cocker Spaniel; Cornelius J. Hoctor, Cocker Spaniel; Thomas Brown, American Water Spaniel; Dr. and Mrs. Francis B. Trudeau, Great Dane; and Pointer and Dr. Alton P. Bouton, Boston Terrier.”

There were also entries from Syracuse, Keene Valley, Upper Jay, Canton, AuSable Forks, Ticonderoga and Duane.