Principles of dog breeding :

a presentation of heredity in dogs, the anatomy and functioning of sexual organs, the selection of bloodlines, the interpretation of pedigrees, plus practical advice on mating, whelping, care and management.

It may surprise many people to know that there is a book about dog breeding in the MOTAT collections. But to leave out information about certain types of dogs is to overlook an important means of propulsion in Antarctic transport. Dogs were easy to feed (often on pemmican or seal meat), companionable and, readily ‘manufactured’, though all the breeding for the 1957-8 Commonwealth Trans Antarctic Expedition was done off the ice.

The 20th July 2009 would have been Sir Edmund Hillary’s 90th birthday so MOTAT chose that day for the opening of the ‘90^o South’ exhibition celebrating the Commonwealth Trans Antarctic Expedition. This particular book can be seen in the exhibition at the desk of an expedition member next to the innovative Hillary Bunk. A crucial part of the New Zealand party’s trip from Scott Base to the top of the Skelton Glacier was done using dog sleds. However, the dogs made heavy work of the ascent so Hillary redeployed the dogs to reconnaissance duties finding routes for the tractors laying supply depots for the second half of the British crossing lead by Sir Vivian Fuchs.