Dogs.—Like the Cattle Show, the original Birmingham Dog Show has extended its sphere, and is now known as the National Exhibition of Sporting and other Dogs. The show takes place in Curzon Hall, and the dates are always the same as for the agricultural show in Bingley Hall. There is yearly accommodation for 1,000 entries, and it is seldom that a less number is exhibited, the prizes being numerous, as well as valuable. At the meeting of the subscribers held July 19, 1883, it was resolved to form a new representative body, to be called the National Dog Club, having for its object the improvement of dogs, dog shows, and dog trials, and the formation of a national court of appeal on all matters in dispute. It was also resolved to publish a revised and correct stud book, to include all exhibitions where 400 dogs and upwards were shown, and to continue it annually, the Council having guaranteed £150, the estimated cost of the publication of the book. This step was taken in consequence of the action of certain members of the Kennel Club, who passed what had been called "The Boycotting Rules," calling upon its members to abstain from either exhibiting or judging at shows which were not under Kennel Club rules, and excluding winning dogs at such shows from being entered in the Kennel Club Stud Book, many of the principal exhibitors being dissatisfied with such arbitrary proceedings, evidently intended to injure the Birmingham shows. At each show there are classes for bloodhounds, deerhounds, greyhounds, otterhounds, beagles, fox terriers, pointers, English setters, black-and-tan setters, Irish setters, retrievers, Irish spaniels, water spaniels (best Irish), Clumber spaniels, Sussex spaniels, spaniels (black), ditto (other than black), dachshunds, bassett hounds, foreign sporting dogs, mastiffs, St. Bernards, Newfoundlands, sheep dogs, Dalmatians, bulldogs, bull-terriers, smooth-haired terriers, black-and-tan terriers (large), small ditto black-and-tan terriers with uncut ears, Skye-terriers, Dandie Dinmonts, Bedlington terriers, Irish terriers, Airedale or Waterside terriers, wire-haired terriers, Scotch terriers (hard haired), Yorkshire terriers, Pomeranians, pugs, Maltese, Italian greyhounds, Blenheim spaniels, King Charles spaniels, smooth-haired toy spaniels, broken-haired ditto, large and small sized foreign dogs.
| 1876. | 1877. | 1878. | 1879. | 1880. | 1881. | 1882. | |
| No. of Visitors. | 14981 | 17948 | 19500 | 14399 | 16796 | 16849 | 15901 |
| Receipts at doors. | £664 | £740 | £820 | £580 | £728 | £714 | £648 |
| Sales of Dogs. | £556 | £367 | £485 | £554 | £586 | £474 | £465 |
In 1879, the exhibition of guns and sporting implements was introduced, an additional attraction which made no difference financially, or in the number of visitors.
Sporting.—An exhibition of requisites and appliances in connection with sports and pastimes of all kinds was opened in Bingley Hall, Aug 28, 1882. In addition to guns and ammunition, bicycles and tricycles, there were exhibited boats, carriages, billiard tables, &c.
Dairy Utensils.—The first of these exhibitions, June, 1880, attracted considerable attention for its novelty. It is held yearly in Bingley Hall.
Bees.—An exhibition of bees, beehives, and other apiary appliances took place at the Botanical Gardens, in Aug., 1879.
Food and Drinks.—A week's exhibition of food, wines, spirits, temperance beverages, brewing utensils, machinery, fittings, stoves and appliances, was held in Bingley Hall, December 12-20, 1881.
Building.—A trades exhibition of all kinds of building material, machinery, &c., was held in 1882.
Bicycles, &c.—The Speedwell Club began their annual exhibition of bicycles, tricycles, and their accessories in February, 1882, when about 300 machines were shown. In the following year the number was nearly 400; in 1884, more than 500; in 1885, 600.
Roots.—Messrs. Webb, of Wordsley, occupied Curzon Hall, November 20, 1878, with an exhibition of prize roots, grown by their customers.