 CHAPTER 39 THE WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER Man, being a hunting animal, kills the otter for his skin, and the badger also, the fox he kills because the animal likes lamb and game to eat. Man, being unable to deal in the course of a morning with the rocks under and between which his quarry harbours makes use of the small dog which will go underground, to which the French name Terrier has been attached. Towards the end of the reign of James I of England and 6th of Scotland, we find him writing to Edinburgh to have half a dozen earth dogs or terriers sent carefully to France as a present, and he directs that they be got from Argyle, and sent over in two or more ships best they should get harmed by the way. That was roughly 300 years ago, and the king most probably would not have so highly valued a newly invented strain as he evidently did value the terriers from Argyle. We may take it then that in 1600 the Argyle's terriers were considered to be the best in Scotland, and likely enough too, seeing the almost boundless opportunities the county gives for the work of the earth dogs. But men kept their dogs in the evil pre-show days for work and not for points, and mighty and different they were whether an ear cocked up or lay flat to the cheek, whether the tail was exactly of fancy length or how high to a hair's breadth it stood. These things are sine qua non on the modern show bench, but were not thought of in the cruel hard fighting days of old. In those days two things, and two things only, were imperatively necessary, pluck and capacity to get at the quarry. This entailed that the body in which the pluck was enshrined must be small and most active to get at the innermost recesses of the lair, and that the body must be protected by the best possible teeth and jaws for fighting, on a strong and rather long neck and directed by a most capable brain. It is held that feet turned out a little are better for scrambling up rocks than perfectly straight fox terrier-like feet. In addition it was useful to have your dog of a colour easy to see when in motion, though no great weight was laid upon that point, as in the days before newspaper and trains, men's eyes were good as a rule. Still, the quantity of white in the existing terriers all through the west coast of Scotland shows that it must have been a rather favoured colour. White West Highland terriers were kept at Polterloch sixty years ago, and so they were first shown as Polterloch terriers. Yet, although they were kept in their purest strain in Argyllshire, they are still to be found all along the west coast of Scotland, good specimens belonging to Russia, to Skye, and at Balakulish on Loch Levin, so that it is a breed with a long pedigree and not an invented breed of the present day. Emphatically they are not simply white coloured Scottish terriers, and it is an error to judge them on Scottish terrier lines. They are smaller than the average Scotty, more foxy in general conformation, straight-limbed, rather long, rather low, an active in body with a broad forehead, light muzzle and under jaw, and a bright, small, intelligent eye. Colonel Malcolm of Polterloch, who is recognised as the great authority on the breed, lays stress upon the quality of the coat. The outer coat, he says, should be very soft on the forehead and get gradually harder towards the haunches. But the harsh coat beloved of the showbench is all nonsense, and it is the easiest thing in the world to fake, as anyone can try who will dip his own hair in the now-fashionable anteric baths. The outer coat should be distinctly long, but not long in the fancy or show sense. Still, it should be long enough to hang as a thatch over the soft, woolly, real coat of the animal, and keep it dry so that a good shake or two will throw off most of the water, while the undercoat should be so thick and naturally oily that the dog can swim through a fair-sized river and not get wet, or be able to sit out through a drenching rain, guarding something of his masters, and be none the worst. This coat I, at least, have never seen a judge look for, but for the working terrier it is most important. The size of the dog is perhaps best indicated by weight. The dog should not weigh more than eighteen pounds, nor the bitch more than sixteen pounds. There is, amongst judges, I find, with all respect, I say it, an undue regard for weight and what is called strength, also for grooming, which means brushing or plucking out all the long hair to gratify the judge. One might as well judge of Sandow's strength, not by his performance, but by the kind of wax he puts on his moustache. The West Highland Terrier of the Old Sort I do not, of course, speak of bench dogs. Earn their living following fox, badger, or otter, wherever these went underground, between, over, or under rocks that no man could get at to move, and some of such size that a hundred men could not move them, and owe the beauty of their note when they came across the right scent. I want my readers to understand this, and not to think of a Highland fox-can as if it were an English fox-earth dug in sand, nor of badger work as if it were a question of locating the badger and digging him out. No, the badger makes his home amongst rocks, the small ones perhaps two or three tons in weight, and probably he has his henna end against one of three or four hundred tons, no digging him out, and, moreover, the passages between the rocks must be taken as they are, no scratching them a little wider. So if your dog's ribs are a trifle too big, he may crush one or two through the narrow slit and then stick. He will never be able to pull himself back, at least until starvation has so reduced him that he will probably be unable, if set free, to win, as we say in Scotland, his way back to the open. I remember a tale of one of my father's terriers who got so lost. The keepers went daily to the can, hoping against hope. At last, one day, a pair of bright eyes were seen at the bottom of a hole. They did not disappear when the dog's name was called. A brilliant idea seized one of the keepers. The dog evidently could not get up. Sir Rabbit's skin was folded into a small parcel round a stone and led down by a string. The dog at once seized the situation, and the skin, held on, was drawn up, and fainted on reaching the mouth of the hole. He was carried home tenderly and nursed. He recovered. Referring to the characteristics of this terrier, Colonel Malcolm continues, attention to breeding as to colour has undoubtedly increased the whiteness, but other points being good. A dog of the West Highland white terrier breed is not to be rejected if he shows his descent by a slight degree of pale red or yellow on his back or his ears. I know an old Argelshire family who consider that to improve their terriers, they ought all to have brownie yellow ears. Either again, except for the showbench, is the slightest objection to half-drop ears, i.e. the points of one or both ears just falling over. Unfortunately, the showbench has a great tendency to spoil all breeds from too much attention being given to what is evident, and ears are grand things for judges to pin their faith to. Also, they greatly admire a fine long face, and what is called, but wrongly called, a strong jaw, meaning by that an ugly, heavy face. I have often pointed out that the tiger, the cat, the otter, all animals remarkable for their strength of jaw, have exceedingly short faces, but their bite is cruelly hard. And what, again, could be dainty than the face of a fox? The terrier of the West Highlands of Scotland has come down to the present day, built on what I may perhaps call the fox lines, and it is a type evolved by work, hard and deadly dangerous work. It is only of late years that dogs have been bred for show. The so-called Scottish terrier, which at present rules the roost, dates from 1879 as a show dog. I therefore earnestly hope that no fancy will arise about these dogs which will make them less hardy, less wise, less companionable, less active, less desperate fighters underground than they are at present. A young dog that I gave to a keeper got its stomach torn open in a fight. It came out of the can to its master to be helped. He put the entrails back to the best of his ability, and then the dog slipped out of his hands to finish the fight, and forced the fox out into the open. That is the spirit of the breed, but, alas, that cannot be exhibited on the showbench. They do say that a keeper of mine, when chaffed by the fancier about the baby-faces of his lot, was driven to ask, Well, can any of you gentlemen oblige me with a cat and I'll show you? I did not hear him say it, so it may only be a tale. Anyhow, I have in my kennel a dog who, at ten months old, met a vixen fox as she was bolting out of her can, and he at once caught her by the throat, stuck to her till the pack came up, and then on till she was killed. In the course of one month his wounds were healed, and he had two other classic fights, one with a cat and the other with a dog-fox, not bad for a pup with a baby face. I trust my readers understand that West Highland white terriers are not white Aberdeens, not a new invention, but have a most respectable ancestry of their own. I add a formal list of points, but this is the work of showbench experts, and it will be seen from what I have written that I do not agree with them on certain particulars. There should be feather to a fair degree on the tail, but if experts will not allow it, put rosin on your hands and pull the hair out, and the rosin will win your prize. The eye should not be sunk, which gives the sulky look of the scotch terrier, but should be full and bright, and the expression friendly and confiding. The skull should not be narrow anywhere. It is almost impossible to get black nails in a dog of pure breed, and the black soon wears off the pad work, so folk must understand this. On two occasions recently I have shown dogs acknowledged as dogs to be quite first class, but you see they are not the proper type. The judges unfortunately have as yet their eyes filled with the Scottish terrier type, and prefer mongols that show it to the real Simon Pure. Standard of points. The general appearance of the West Highland white terrier is that of a small, game, hardy looking terrier, possessed with no small amount of self-esteem, with a valmenty appearance, strongly built, deepened chest and back grips, straight back and powerful quarters on muscular legs and exhibiting in a marked degree a great combination of strength and activity. Colour, white. Coat, very important and seldom seen to perfection, must be double coated. The outer coat consists of hard hair, about two and a half inches long and free from any curl. The undercoat, which resembles fur, is short, soft and close. Open coats are objectionable. Size? Dogs to weigh from 14 to 18 pounds, and bitches from 12 to 16 pounds, and measure from 8 to 12 inches at the shoulder. Skull, should not be too narrow, being in proportion to his powerful jaw, proportionately long, slightly domed, and gradually tapering to the eyes, between which there should be a slight indentation or stop. Eyebrows heavy. The hair on the skull should be from three quarters to one inch long and fairly hard. Eyes, widely set apart, medium in size, dark hazel in colour, slightly sunk in the head, sharp and intelligent, which, looking from under the heavy eyebrows, give a piercing look. Full eyes and also light coloured eyes are very objectionable. Muzzle, should be powerful, proportionate in length, and should gradually taper towards the nose, which should be fairly wide, and should not project forward beyond the upper jaw. The jaws level and powerful, the teeth square or evenly met, well set, and large for the size of the dog. The nose and roof of mouth should be distinctly black in colour. Ears, small, carried erect or semi erect, but never drop, and should be carried tightly up. The semi erect ear should drop nicely over at the tips, the break being about three quarters up the ear, and both forms of ears should terminate at a sharp point. The hair on them should be short, smooth, velvety, and they should not be cut. The ears should be free from any fringe at the top. Round, pointed, broad, and large ears are very objectionable, also ears too heavily covered with hair. Neck, muscular, and nicely set on sloping shoulders. Chest, very deep with breadth in proportion to the size of the dog. Body, compact, straight back, ribs deep, and well arched at the upper half of rib, presenting a flatish side appearance. Loins, broad, and strong. Hind quarters strong, muscular, and wide across the top. Legs and feet. Both fore and hind legs should be short and muscular. The shoulder blade should be comparatively broad and well sloped backwards. The points of the shoulder blade should be closely knit into the backbone, so that very little movement of them should be noticeable when the dog is walking. The elbow should be close into the body both when moving or standing, thus causing the foreleg to be well placed in under the shoulder. The foreleg should be straight and thickly covered with short hard hair. The hind legs should be short and sinewy. The thighs, very muscular, and not too wide apart. The hocks bent and well set in under the body, so as to be fairly close to each other, either when standing, walking, or running, trotting. And when standing, the hind legs from the point of the hock down to the fetlock joint should be straight or perpendicular and not far apart. The forefeet are larger than the hind ones, are round, proportionate inside, strong, thickly padded, and covered with short hard hair. The foot must point straight forwards. The hind feet are smaller, not quite as round as forefeet and thickly padded. The under surface of the pads of feet and all the nails should be distinctly black in colour. Hocks too much bent. Cow hocks detract from the general appearance. Straight hocks are weak. Both kinds are undesirable and should be guarded against. Tail, six or seven inches long, covered with hard hairs, no feathers as straight as possible, carried gaily but not curled over back. A long tail is objectionable. Movement should be free, straight, and easy all round. In front, the legs should be freely extended forward by the shoulder. The hind movement should be free, strong, and close. The hock should be freely flexed and draw close in under the body, so that when moving off the foot, the body is thrown or pushed forwards with some force. Stiff, stillty movement behind is very objectionable. Faults. Coat. Any silkiness, wave, or tendency to curl is a serious blemish, as is also an open coat. Black or grey hairs disqualify for competition. Size. Any specimens under the minimum or above the maximum weight are objectionable. Eyes, full or light-colored. Ears, round-pointed, drop, broad and large, or too heavily covered with hair. Muzzle, either under or overshot, and effective teeth. End of Chapter 39. Recording by Suzie Essay in the minus South Africa in January 2010. Chapter 40 of Dogs and All About Them. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Dogs and All About Them by Robert Layton. Chapter 40. The Dandy Dinmont. The breed of terrier now known as the Dandy Dinmont is one of the races of the dog which can boast of a fairly ancient lineage. Though it is impossible now to say what was the exact origin of this breed, we know that it was first recognized under its present name after the publication of Scott's Guy Manoring in the year 1814. And we know that for many years previously there had existed in the border counties a rough haired short-legged race of terrier, the constant and very effective companion of the border farmers and others in their fox hunting expeditions. Various theories have been suggested by different writers as to the manner in which the breed was founded. Some say that the Dandy is the result of crossing a strain of rough-haired terriers with the Dawshand. Others that a rough-haired terrier was crossed with the Otterhound, and others again assert that no direct cross was ever introduced to found the breed, but that it was gradually evolved from the rough-haired terriers of the border district, and this latter theory is probably correct. The Dandy would appear to be closely related to the Bedlington Terrier. In both breeds we find the same indomitable pluck, the same pendulous ear, and a light silky topknot adorning the skull of each. But the Dandy was evolved into a long-bodied short-legged dog, and the Bedlington became a long-legged short-bodied dog. Indeed, to illustrate the close relationship of the two breeds, a case is quoted of the late Lord Antrim, who, in the early days of dog shows, exhibited two animals from the same litter, and with the one obtained a prize or honorable mention in the Dandy classes, and with the other a like distinction in the Bedlington classes. It may be interesting to give a few particulars concerning the traceable ancestors of the modern Dandy. In Mr. Charles Cook's book on this breed, we are given the particulars of one William Allen of Holystone, born in 1704, and known as Piper Allen, and celebrated as a hunter of otters and foxes, and for his strain of rough-haired terriers who so ably assisted him in the chase. William Allen's terriers descended to his son James, also known as the Piper, and born in the year 1734. James Allen died in 1810 and was survived by a son who sold to Mr. Francis Sumner at Yet Home, a terrier dog named Old Pepper, descended from his grandfather's famous dog, Hitcham. Old Pepper was the great-grand sire of Mr. Sumner's well-known dog, Shem. These terriers, belonging to the Allens and others in the district, are considered by Mr. Cook to be the earliest known ancestors of the modern Dandy Dinmont. Sir Walder Scott himself informs us that he did not draw the character of Dandy Dinmont from any one individual in particular, but that the character would well fit a dozen or more of the Litterdale yeoman of his acquaintance. However, owing to the circumstance of his calling all his terriers Mustard and Pepper, without any other distinction except Old and Young and Little, the name came to be fixed by his associates upon one James Davidson of Hindley, a wild farm in the Teviotdale Mountains. James Davidson died in the year 1820, by which time the Dandy Dinmont terrier was being bred in considerable numbers by the border farmers and others to meet the demand for it which had sprung up since the appearance of Guy Manoring. As a result of the controversies that were continually recurring with regard to the points of a typical Dandy Dinmont, there was formed in the year 1876 the Dandy Dinmont Terrier Club with the object of settling the question forever and for this purpose all the most noted breeders and others interested were invited to give their views upon it. The standard points adopted by the club is as follows. Head. Strongly made and large, not out of proportion to the dog's size. The muscles showing extraordinary development, more especially the maxillary. Skull. Broad between the ears, getting gradually less towards the eyes and measuring about the same from the inner corner of the eyes to back of skull as it does from ear to ear. The forehead well domed. The head is covered with very soft silky hair which should not be confined to a mere top knot and the lighter in color and silkier it is the better. The cheeks starting from the ears proportionately with the skull have a gradual taper towards the muzzle which is deep and strongly made and measures about three inches in length or in proportion to skull as three is to five. The muzzle is covered with hair of a little darker shade than the top knot and of the same texture as the feather of the four legs. The top of the muzzle is generally bare for about an inch from the black part of the nose the bareness coming to a point towards the eye and being about one inch broad at the nose. The nose and inside of mouth black or dark colored. The teeth very strong especially the canine which are of extraordinary size for such a small dog. The canines fit well into each other so as to give the greatest available holding and punishing power and the teeth are level in front the upper ones very slightly overlapping the under ones. Many of the finest specimens have a swine mouth which is very objectionable but it is not so great in objection as the protrusion of the under jaw. Eyes set wide apart large full round bright expressive of great determination intelligence and dignity set low and prominent in front of the head color a rich dark hazel. Ears pendulous set well back wide apart and low in the skull hanging close to the cheek with a very slight projection at the base broad at the junction of the head tapering almost to a point the four part of the ear tapering very little the tapering being mostly on the back part the four part of the ear coming almost straight down from its junction with the head to the tip. They should harmonize in color with the body color. In the case of a pepper dog they are covered with a soft straight brownish hair in some cases almost black. In the case of a mustard dog the hair should be mustard in color a shade darker than the body but not black. All should have a thin feather of light hair starting about two inches from the tip and have nearly the same color and texture as the top knot which gives the ear the appearance of a distinct point. The animal is often one or two years old before the feather is shown. The cartilage and skin of the ear should not be thick but rather thin. Length of ear from three to four inches. Neck very muscular well developed and strong showing great power of resistance being well set into the shoulders. Body long strong and flexible ribs well sprung and round chest well developed and let well down between the four legs. The back rather low at the shoulder having a slight downward curve and a corresponding arch over the loins with a very slight gradual drop from top of loins to root of tail. Both sides of backbone well supplied with muscle. Tail rather short say from eight inches to ten inches and covered on the upper side with wiry hair of darker color than that of the body. The hair on the underside being lighter in color and not so wiry with a nice feather about two inches long getting shorter as it nears the tip. Rather thick at the root getting thicker for about four inches then tapering off to a point. It should not be twisted or curled in any way but should come up with a curve like a scimitar. The tip when excited being in a perpendicular line with a root of the tail. It should neither be set on too high nor too low. When not excited it is carried gaily and a little above the level of the body. Legs. The four legs short with immense muscular development and bone set wide apart the chest coming well down between them. The feet well formed and not flat with very strong brown or dark colored claws. Bandy legs and flat feet are objectionable. The hair on the four legs and feet of a pepper dog should be tan varying according to the body color from a rich tan to a pale fawn. Of a mustard dog they are of a darker shade than its head which is a creamy white. In both colors there is a nice feather about two inches long rather lighter in color than the hair on the four part of the leg. The hind legs are a little longer than the four ones and are set rather wide apart but not spread out in an unnatural manner while the feet are much smaller, the thighs are well developed and the hair of the same color and texture as the four ones but having no feather or dew claws. The whole claws should be dark but the claws of all vary in shade according to the color of the dog's body. Coat. This is a very important point. The hair should be about two inches long that from skull to root of tail a mixture of hardish and soft hair which gives a sort of crisp feel to the hand. The hair should not be wiry. The coat is termed piley or penciled. The hair on the under part of the body is lighter in color and softer than that on the top. The skin on the belly accords with the coloring of dog. Color. The color is pepper or mustard. The pepper ranges from a dark bluish black to a light silver gray. The intermediate shades being preferred the body color coming well down the shoulder and hips gradually merging into the leg color. The mustards vary from a reddish brown to a pale fawn. The head being a creamy white. The legs and feet of a shade darker than the head. The claws are dark as in other colors. Nearly all dandy denmonts have some white on the chest and some have also white claws. Size. The height should be from 8 to 11 inches at the top of shoulder. Length from top of shoulder to root of tail should not be more than twice the dog's height but preferably one or two inches less. Weight. From 14 pounds to 24 pounds the best weight as near 18 pounds as possible. These weights are for dogs in good working order. In the above standard of points we have a very full and detailed account of what a dandy should be like. And if only judges at shows would bear them in mind a little more we should have fewer conflicting decisions given. Even dandy fanciers in the public generally would not from time to time be set wondering as to what is the correct type of the breed. A dandy makes an excellent house guard. For such a small dog he has an amazingly deep loud bark so that the stranger who has heard him barking on the far side of the door is quite astonished when he sees the small owner of the big voice. When kept as a companion he becomes a most devoted and affectionate little friend and is very intelligent. As a dog to be kept in kennels there is certainly one great drawback where large kennels are desired and that is the risk of keeping two or more dogs in one kennel. Sooner or later there is sure to be a fight and when dandies fight it is generally a very serious matter. If no one is present to separate them one or both of the combatants is pretty certain to be killed. But when out walking the dandy is no more quarrelsome than other breeds of terriers if properly trained from puppyhood. There is one little matter in breeding dandies that is generally a surprise to the novice and that is the very great difference in the appearance of the young pups and the adult dog. The pups are born quite smooth-haired, the peppers are black in tan in color and the mustards have a great deal of black in their coloring. The topknot begins to appear sometimes when the dog is a few months old and sometimes not till he is a year or so old. It is generally best to mate a mustard to a pepper to prevent the mustards becoming too light in color though two rich colored mustards may be mated together with good results. It is a rather curious fact that when two mustards are mated some of the progeny are usually pepper in color though when two peppers are mated they are very seldom any mustard puppies. The popularity of the dandy has now lasted for nearly a hundred years and there is no reason why it should not last for another century if breeders will only steer clear of the exaggeration of show points and continue to breed a sound active and hardy terrier. End of Chapter 40 Recording by Anthony Wilson Dogs and All About Them by Robert Layton Chapter 41 The Sky and Clydesdale Terriers That the sky terrier should be called the heavenly breed is a tribute to the favor in which he is held by his admirers, certainly when he is seen in perfection he is an exceedingly beautiful dog, as certainly there is no breed more affectionate, more faithful, or more lovable. Among his characteristics are a long enduring patience, a prompt obedience, and a deep hearted tenderness combined with fearless courage. He is more sensitive to rebuke and punishment than most dogs and will nurse resentment to those who are unjust to him, not viciously but with an almost human plaintiveness which demands an immediate reconciliation. He is staunch and firm as his native hills to those who are kind to him and for entering into battle with an enemy there is no dog more recklessly daring and resolute. Visitors to dog shows are disposed to believe that the sky terrier with its well-groomed coat that falls in smooth cascades down its sides and its veil of thick hair that obscures the tender softness of its dark, thoughtful eyes is meant only to look beautiful upon the bench or to recline uncomfortable indolence on silken cushions. This is a mistake. See a team of skies racing up a hillside after a fugitive rabbit tirelessly burrowing after a rat or displaying their terrier strategy around a fox's earth or an otter's holt and you will admit that they are meant for sport and are demons at it. Even their peculiarity of build is a proof that they are born to follow vermin underground. They are long of body with short strong legs adapted for burrowing. With the doxin they approximate more closely than any other breeds to the shape of the badger, the weasel and the otter and so many animals which nature has made long and low in order that they may inhabit earths and insinuate themselves into narrow passages in the moorland cairns. There can be no question that these dogs which are so typically highland in character and appearance as well as the Clydesdale, the Scottish, the Dandy Dinmont and the White Pultilock Terriers are all the descendants of a purely native Scottish original. They are all interrelated but which was the parent breed is impossible to determine. It is even difficult to discover which of these two distinct types of the sky terrier was the earlier, the variety whose ears stand alertly erect or its near relative whose ears are pendulous. Perhaps it does not matter. The differences between the prickiered sky and the dropiered are so slight and the characteristics which they have in common are so many that a dual classification was hardly necessary. The earliest descriptions and engravings of the breed present a terrier considerably smaller than the type of today, carrying a fairly profuse hard coat with short legs, a body long in proportion to its height and with ears that were neither erect nor drooping but semi erect and capable of being raised to alertness in excitement. It is the case that dropiered puppies often occur in the litters of prickiered parents and vice versa. As its name implies, this terrier had its early home in the misty islands of sky, which is not to say that it was not also to be found in Lewis, Orrinsey, Collinssey and others of the Hebrides as well as on the mainland of Scotland. Dr. Johnson, who visited these islands with Boswell in 1773, noticed these terriers and observed that otters and weasels were plentiful in sky, that the foxes were numerous and that they were hunted by small dogs. He was so accurate an observer that one regrets he did not describe the mcclouds, terriers, and their work. They were at that time of many colors, varying from pure white to fawn and brown, blue, gray and black. The light-colored ones had black muzzles, ears and tails. Their tails were carried more gaily than would be permitted by a modern judge of the breed. In those days the Highlander cared less for the appearance than he did for the sporting proclivities of his dogs, whose business it was to oust the Todd from the earth in which it had taken refuge, and for this purpose certain qualities were imperative. First and foremost the terrier needed to be small, short of leg, long and lithe in body, with ample face fringe to protect his eyes from injury, and possessed of unlimited pluck and dash. The sky terrier of today does not answer to each and every one of these requirements. He is too big, decidedly he is too big, especially in regard to the head. A noble-looking skull with large, well-feathered ears may be admirable as ornament, but would assuredly debar its possessor from following into a fox's lair among the boulders. Then again his long coat would mitigate against the activity necessary for his legitimate calling. It was not until about 1860 that the sky terrier attracted much notice among dog lovers south of the border, but Queen Victoria's admiration of the breed, of which from 1842 onwards she always owned favorite specimens, and Sir Edwin Lansear's paintings in which the sky was introduced, had already drawn public attention to the decorative and useful qualities of this terrier. The breed was included in the first volume of the Kennel Club's studbook, and the best among the early dogs were such as Mr. Pratt's Ghillie and Dune Vegan, Mr. D. W. Pfeif's Novelty, Mr. John Bowman's Dandy, and Mr. McDonough's Rook. These were mostly of the drop-eared variety and were bred small. About the year 1874 fierce and stormy disputes arose concerning the distinctions of the Scottish breeds of terriers. The controversy was continued until 1879 when the Kennel Club was approached with the view to furnishing classes. The controversy was centered upon three types of Scottish terriers, those which claimed to be pure sky terriers, a dog described briefly as scotch, and a third, which for a time was miscalled the Aberdeen. To those who had studied the varieties, the distinctions were clear, but the question at issue was to which of these three rightly belonged the title of Scottish terrier. The dog, which the Scots enthusiasts were trying to get established under this classification, was the Caron Terrier of the Highlands, known in some localities as the shore-coated working sky, and in others as the Fox Terrier or Todd Hunter. A subdivision of this breed was the more leggy Aberdeen variety. The present-day sky is without doubt one of the most beautiful terriers in existence. He is a dog of medium size with a weight not exceeding 25 pounds and not less than 18 pounds. He is long in proportion to his height, with a very level back, a powerful jaw with perfectly fitting teeth, a small hazel eye, and a long hard coat just reaching the ground. In the prick-eared variety, the ears are carry-direct, with very fine ear feathering, and the face fringe is long and thick. The ear feathering and face-fall are finer in quality than the coat, which is exceedingly hard and weather-resisting. And here it is well to point out that the sky has two distinct coats, the undercoat, somewhat soft and woolly, and the upper, hard and rain-proof. This upper coat should be as straight as possible without any tendency to wave or curl. The tail is not very long and should be nicely feathered and in repose, never raised above the level of the back. The same description applies to the drop-eared type, except that the ears in repose instead of being carry-direct fall evenly on each side of the head. When, however, the dog is excited, the ears are pricked forward in exactly the same fashion as those of the Airdale Terrier. This is an important point, a houndy carriage of ear being a decided defect. The drop-eared variety is usually the heavier and larger dog of the two, and for some reason does not show the quality and breeding of its neighbor. Lately, however, there has evidently been an effort made to improve the drop-eared type, with the result that some very excellent dogs have recently appeared at the important shows. Probably Mr. James Pratt has devoted more time and attention to the Sky Terrier than any other now living fancier, though the names of Mr. Kid and Mr. Todd are usually well-known. Mr. Pratt's skies were allied to the type of Terrier claiming to be the original sky of the Highlands. The head was not so large, the ears also were not so heavily feathered, as is the case in the sky of today, and the colors were very varied, ranging from every tint between black and white. In 1892 a great impetus was given to the breed by Mrs. Hughes, whose kennels at Wolverley were of overwhelmingly good quality. Mrs. Hughes was quickly followed by such ardent and successful fanciers as Sir Claude and Lady Alexander of Bollack Mile, Mrs. Freeman, Miss Bauer Smith, and Miss McChine. Lately other prominent exhibitors have forced their way into the front rank, among whom may be mentioned the Countess of Aberdeen, Mrs. Hugh Ripley, Mrs. Wilmer, Miss Whishaw, and Mrs. Sandwith. Mrs. Hughes, Wolverley Duchess, and Wolverley Jock were excellent types of what a prickiered sky should be. Excellent two were Mrs. Freeman's Allister and Sir Claude Alexander's Young Roseberry, Olden Tynes, Abbas, and Wee Mac of Adel, Mrs. Wilmer's Jean, and Mr. Millar's Prince Donard. But the superlative sky of the period, and probably the best ever bred, is Wolverley Chummy, the winner of thirty championships which are but the public acknowledgment of his perfections. He is the property of Miss McChine, who is also the owner of an almost equally good specimen of the other sex in Fairfield Diamond. Among the drop-eared skies of present celebrity may be mentioned Mrs. Hugh Ripley's perfection, Miss Whishaw's Piper Gray, and Lady Aberdeen's Chromar Kelpie. There are two clubs in England and one in Scotland instituted to protect the interests of this breed, namely the Sky Terrier Club of England, the Sky and Clydesdale Club, and the Sky Terrier Club of Scotland. The Scottish club's description is as follows. Head, long with powerful jaws and incisive teeth closing level, or upper just fitting over under. Skull, wide at front of brow, narrowing between the ears and tapering gradually towards the muzzle, with little falling in between or behind the eyes. Eyes, hazel, medium size, close said. Muzzle, always black. Ears, prick or pendant. When prick, not large, erect at outer edges and slanting towards each other at inner from peak to skull. When pendant, larger, hanging straight, lying flat and close at front. Body, preeminently long and low. Shoulders broad, chest deep, ribs well sprung and oval shaped, giving a flatter appearance to the sides. Hind quarters and flank full and well developed. Back, level and slightly declining from the top of the hip joint to the shoulders. The neck, long and gently crusted. Tail. When hanging, the upper half perpendicular, the under half thrown backward in a curve. When raised, a prolongation of the incline of the back and not rising higher nor curling up. Legs, short, straight and muscular. No due clause, the feet large and pointing forward. Coat, double. And under, short, close, soft and woolly. And over, long, averaging five and a half inches, hard, straight, flat and free from crimp or curl. Hair on head, shorter, softer and veiling the forehead and eyes. On the ears, overhanging inside, falling down and mingling with the side locks, not heavily but surrounding the ear like a fringe and allowing its shape to appear. Tail also gracefully feathered. Color, any variety. Dark or light blue or gray or fawn with black points. Shade of head and legs approximating that of body. One, average measurements. Dog, height at shoulder, nine inches. Length, back of skull to root of tail, twenty-two and a half inches. Muzzle to back of skull, eight and a half inches. Root of tail to tip joint, nine inches. Total length, forty inches. Bitch, half an inch lower and two and a half inches shorter than dog. All points proportional. Thus body, twenty-one inches, head, eight inches and tail, eight and a half inches. Total, thirty-seven and a half inches. Two, average weight. Dog, eighteen pounds. Bitch, sixteen pounds. No dog should be over twenty pounds nor under sixteen pounds. And no bitch should be over eighteen pounds nor under fourteen pounds. Whereas the Scottish club limits the approved length of coat to five and a half inches, the English club gives a maximum of nine inches. This is a fairly good allowance, but many of the breed carry a much longer coat than this. It is not uncommon indeed to find a sky with a covering of twelve inches in length, which even allowing for the round of the body causes the hair to reach an often trail upon the ground. The Clydesdale may be described as an anomaly. He stands as it were upon a pedestal of his own, and unlike other Scotch terriers, he is classified as non-sporting. Perhaps his marvelously fine and silky coat precludes him from the rough work of hunting after vermin, though it is certain his game-like instincts would naturally lead him to do so. Of all the Scottish dogs he is perhaps the smallest, his weight seldom exceeding eighteen pounds. He is thus described by the Sky Terrier Club of Scotland. General appearance. A long, low-level dog with heavily fringed, erect ears, and a long coat like the finest silk or spun glass, which hangs quite straight and evenly down each side from a parting extending from the nose to the root of the tail. Head. Fairly long, skull-flat and very narrow between the ears, gradually widening towards the eyes and tapering very slightly to the nose, which must be black. The jaws strong and the teeth level. Eyes. Medium in size, dark in color, not prominent but having a sharp terrier-like expression. Eyelids black. Ears. Small, set very high on top of the head, carried perfectly erect and covered with long silky hair hanging in a heavy fringe down the sides of the head. Body. Long, deep in chest, well ribbed up, the back being perfectly level. Tail. Perfectly straight, carried almost level with the back and heavily feathered. Legs, as short and straight as possible, well said under the body and entirely covered with silky hair. Feet, round and cat-like. Coat. As long and straight as possible, free from all trace of curl or waviness, very glossy and silky in texture with an entire absence of undercoat. Color. A level bright and steel blue, extending from the back of the head to the root of the tail and on no account intermingled with any fawn, light or dark hairs. The head and legs and feet should be a clear bright golden tan free from gray, sooty or dark hairs. The tail should be very dark blue or black. The Clydesdale Terrier is rare, at any rate as regards the showbench. There are never more than two or three at most exhibited south of the tweed, even when classes are provided at the big shows and championships offered, thus indicating that the breed is not a popular one. And amongst those kennels who do show, there exists at the present time but one dog who can lay claim to the title of champion. This unique specimen is the property of Sir Claude Alexander, Bart of Bollack Mile, and is known under the name of Wee Wattie. There are of course several fanciers in Scotland, among whom may be mentioned Mr. G. Shaw of Glasgow, who is the owner of several fine examples of the breed, including beautiful sand toy and the equally beautiful Mozart. As with the Sky Terrier, it seems a matter of difficulty to produce a perfect Clydesdale, and until the breed is taken up with more energy it is improbable that first class dogs will make an appearance in the show ring. A perfect Clydesdale should figure as one of the most elegant of the Terrier breed, his lovely silk and coat, the golden brown hue of his face fringe, paws and legs, his well pricked and feathery ear, and his generally smart appearance should combine to form a picture exciting general admiration. End of Chapter 41 Chapter 42 of Dogs and All About Them This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer please visit LibriVox.org Recording by Anthony Wilson Dogs and All About Them by Robert Layton Chapter 42 The Yorkshire Terrier The most devout lover of this charming and beautiful Terrier would fail if he were to attempt to claim for him the distinction of descent from antiquity. Bradford and not Babylon was his earliest home and he must be candidly acknowledged to be a very modern manufactured variety of the dog, yet it is important to remember that it was in Yorkshire that he was made, Yorkshire, where lived the cleverest breeders of dogs that the world has known. One can roughly reconstitute the process. What the Yorkshire men desired to make for themselves was a pygmy, prickier Terrier with a long, silky, silvery gray and tan coat. They already possessed the foundation in the old English black and tan wire-haired Terrier. To lengthen the coat of this working breed they might very well have had recourse to a cross with the prickiered sky and to eliminate the wiry texture of the hair a further cross with the Maltese dog would impart softness and soakiness without reducing the length. Again a cross with the Clydesdale, which was then assuming a fixed type, would bring the variety yet nearer to the ideal and a return to the black and tan would tend to conserve the desired color. In all probability the dandy Dinmont had some share in the process. Evidence of origin is often to be found more distinctly in puppies than in the mature dog and it is to be noted that the puppies of both the dandy and the Yorkshire are born with decided black and tan color. The original broken haired Yorkshire Terrier of 30 years ago was often called a Scottish Terrier or even a sky and there are many persons who still confound him with the Clydesdale whom he somewhat closely resembles. At the present time he is classified as a toy dog and exhibited almost solely as such. It is to be regretted that until very lately the Terrier character was being gradually bred out of him and that the perkiness, the exuberance and gameness which once distinguished him as the companion of the Yorkshire operative was in danger of being sacrificed to the desire for the diminutive size and inordinate length of coat. Perhaps it would be an error to blame the breeders of Yorkshire Terriers for this departure from the original type as it appeared, say about 1870. It is necessary to take into consideration the probability that what is now called the old fashioned working variety was never regarded by the Yorkshire men who made him as a complete and finished achievement. It was possibly their idea at the very beginning to produce just such a diminutive dog as is now to be seen in its perfection at exhibitions glorying in its flowing tresses of steel blue silk and ruddy gold and one must give them full credit for the patience and care with which during the past 40 years they have been steadily working to the fixed design of producing a dwarfed breed which should excel all other breeds in the length and silkiness of its robe. The extreme of cultivation in this particular quality was reached some years ago by Mrs. Trower whose little dog Conqueror weighing five and a half pounds had a beautiful enveloping mantle of the uniform length of four and twenty inches. Doubtless all successful breeders and exhibitors of the Yorkshire Terrier have their little secrets and their peculiar methods of inducing the growth of hair. They regulate the diet with extreme particularity, keeping the dog lean rather than fat and giving him nothing that they would not themselves eat. Bread mixed with green vegetables, a little meat and gravy or fresh fish varied with milk puddings and sprat's toy pelt biscuits should be the staple food. Bones ought not to be given as the act of gnawing them is apt to mar the beard or mustache. For the same reason it is well when possible to serve the food from the fingers. But many owners use a sort of mask or hood of elastic material which they tie over the dog's head at mealtimes to hold back the long face fall and whiskers that would otherwise be smeared and sullied. Similarly as a protection for the coat when there is any skin irritation and an inclination to scratch linen or cotton stockings are worn upon the hind feet. Many exhibitors pretend that they use no dressing or very little and this only occasionally for the jackets of their Yorkshire terriers. But it is quite certain that continuous use of grease of some sort is not only advisable but even necessary. Opinions differ as to which is the best cosmetic but hair marrow, the dressing prepared for the purpose by Miss D. Wilmer of Yoxford Suffolk could not easily be improved upon for this or any other long-coated breed. For the full display of their beauty Yorkshire terriers depend very much upon careful grooming. It is only by grooming that the silvery cascade of hair down the dog's sides and the beautiful tan face fall that flows like a rain of gold from his head can be kept perfectly straight and free from curl or wrinkle. And no grease or pomade even if their use were officially permitted could impart to the coat the glistening sheen that is given by the dexterous application of the brush. The gentle art of grooming is not to be taught by theory. Practice is the best teacher. But the novice may learn much by observing the deft methods employed by an expert exhibitor. Mr. Peter Eden of Manchester is generally credited with being the actual inventor of the Yorkshire terrier. He was certainly one of the earliest breeders and owners and his celebrated albert was only one of the many admirable specimens with which he convinced the public of the charms of this variety of dog. He may have given the breed its first impulse but Mrs. M.A. Foster of Bradford was for many years the head and center of all that pertain to the Yorkshire terrier and it was undoubtedly she who raised the variety to its highest point of perfection. Her dogs were invariably good in type. She never exhibited a bad one and her Huddersfield Ben, Toy Smart, Bright, Sandy, Ted, Bradford Hero, Bradford Marie and Bradford Queen, the last being a bitch weighing only 24 ounces, are remembered for their uniform excellence. Of more recent examples that have approached perfection may be mentioned Mrs. Walton's Ashton King, Queen and Bright and her Mont Thabber Duchess. Mr. Mitchell's Westbrook Fred has deservedly won many honors and Mr. Firmstone's Grand Duke and Mind Amorous and Mrs. Sinclair's Maskus Superbus stand high in the estimation of expert judges of the breed. Perhaps the most beautiful bitch ever shown was Waveless, the property of Mrs. R. Marshall, the owner of another admirable bitch in little picture. Mrs. W. Shaw's Champion Sniton Amethyst is also an admirable specimen. The standard of points laid down by the Yorkshire Terrier Club is as follows. General appearance. That of a long-coated pet dog, the coat hanging quite straight and evenly down each side, a parting extending from the nose to the end of the tail. The animal should be very compact and neat, his carriage being very sprightly, bearing an air of importance. Although the frame is hidden beneath a mantle of hair, the general outline should be such as to suggest the existence of a vigorous and well-proportioned body. Head. Should be rather small and flat, not too prominent or round in the skull, rather broad at the muzzle with a perfectly black nose. The hair on the muzzle very long which should be a rich deep tan, not sooty or gray. Under the chin, long hair about the same color is on the crown of the head which should be a bright golden tan and not on any account intermingled with dark or sooty hairs. Hairs on the sides of the head should be very long of a few shades deeper tan than that on the top of the head, especially about the ear roots. Eyes. Medium in size, dark in color, having a sharp intelligent expression and placed so as to look directly forward. They should not be prominent. The edges of the eyelid should be dark. Ears. Small, V-shaped and carried semi-erect covered with short hair. Color to be a deep rich tan. Mouth. Good even mouth, teeth as sound as possible. A dog having lost a tooth or tooth through accident or otherwise is not to disqualify, providing the jaws are even. Body. Very compact with a good loin and level on the top of the back. Coat. As long and as straight as possible, not wavy, should be glossy like silk, not woolly, extending from the back of the head to the root of the tail. Color. A bright steel blue and on no account intermingled with fawn, light or dark hairs. All tan should be darker at the roots than at the middle of the hairs, shading off to a still lighter tan at the tips. Legs. Quite straight should be of a bright golden tan, well covered with hair. A few shades lighter at the end than at the roots. Feet. As round as possible, toenails black. Tail. Cut to medium length with plenty of hair, darker blue than the rest of the body, especially at the end of the tail, which is carried slightly higher than the level of the back. Weight. Divided into two classes, under five pounds and over five pounds to twelve pounds. End of Chapter 42. Chapter 43 Of Dogs and All About Them. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Anthony Wilson. Dogs and All About Them by Robert Layton. Chapter 43. The Pomeranian. Long before the Pomeranian dog was common in Great Britain, this breed was to be met with in many parts of Europe, especially in Germany, and he was known under different names, according to his size and the locality in which he flourished. The title of Pomeranian is not admitted by the Germans at all, who claim this as one of their national breeds, and give it the general name of the German Spitz. At Athens in the street of Thumes, there is a representation of a little Spitz leaping up to the daughter of a family as she is taking leave of them, which bears the date equivalent to 56 B.C. And in the British Museum, there is an ancient bronze jar of Greek workmanship upon which is engraved a group of winged horses, at whose feet there is a small dog of undoubted Pomeranian type. The date is the second century B.C. It is now generally accepted that wherever our Pomeranian originated, he is a northern or arctic breed. Evidence goes to show that his native land in prehistoric times was the land of the Samoyeds, in the north of Siberia along the shores of the Arctic Ocean. The Samoyed dog is being gradually introduced into England, and good specimens can be frequently seen at the principal shows. The similarity between our large white Pomeranian and the Samoyed is too great to be accidental. And we are drawn to the conclusion that in prehistoric times a migration of the Samoyeds was made from their native land into Pomerania, the most eastern province of Prussia bordering on the Baltic Sea, and that these people took with them their dogs, which were the progenitors of the present race of Pomeranian or Spitz. But in any case the Pomeranian dog, so-called, has been a native of various parts of Europe from very early times. His advent into England has been of comparatively recent date, at least in any great numbers, so far as can be ascertained since no ancient records exist on this question. Gainsborough, however, painted the famous actress Mrs. Robinson with a large white Pomeranian sitting by her side. In Rees Encyclopedia, published in 1816, a good picture of a white Pomeranian is given with a fairly truthful description. In this work he is said to be larger than the common sheet dog. Rees gives his name as Canis Pomeranius, from Linnaeus and Cianlup from Buffon. From these examples, therefore, we may infer that the large Pomeranian, or wolf Spitz, was already known in England towards the end of the 18th century, at least. There are, however, no systematic registers of Pomeranians prior to the year 1870. Even ten years later than this last date, so little was the breed appreciated that a well-known writer on dogs began an article on the Pomeranian with the words, The Pomeranian is admittedly one of the least interesting dogs in existence, and consequently his supporters are few and far between. The founders of the Kennel Club held their first dog show in 1870, and in that year only three Pomeranians were exhibited. For the next twenty years little or no permanent increase occurred in the numbers of Pomeranians entered at the cheap dog show in England. The largest entry took place in 1881 when there were fifteen. But in 1890 there was not a single Pomeranian shown. From this time, however, the numbers rapidly increased. Commencing in 1891 with fourteen, increasing in 1901 to sixty, it culminated in 1905 with the record number of 125. Such a rapid advance between the years 1890 and 1905 is unprecedented in the history of dog shows, although it is right to add that this extraordinarily rapid rise in popularity has since been equalled in the case of the now fashionable Pekinese. This tendency to advancement in public favor was contemporaneous with the formation of the Pomeranian Club of England, which was founded in 1891, and through its fostering care of the Pomeranian has reached a height of popularity far in advance of that attained by any other breed of toy dog. One of the first acts of the club was to draw up a standard of points as follows. Appearance. The Pomeranian should be a compact, short-coupled dog, well-knit in frame. He should exhibit great intelligence in his expression and activity and buoyancy in his deportment. Head and nose. Should be foxy and outline or wedge-shaped, the skull being slightly flat, large in proportion to the muzzle, which should finish rather fine and free from lippiness. The teeth should be level and should, on no account, be undershot. The hair on the head and face should be smooth and short-coded. The nose should be black, in white, orange and sable dogs, but in other colors may be self, but never party color or white. Ears. Should be small, not set too far apart nor too low down, but carried perfectly erect like those of a fox and like the head should be covered with short, soft hair. Eyes. Medium in size, not full nor set too wide apart, bright and dark in color showing great intelligence. In white, shaded sable or orange dogs, the rims around the eyes should be black. Neck and body. The neck should be rather short, well-set in. The back must be short and the body compact, being well-ribbed up and the barrel well-rounded. The chest must be fairly deep and not too wide, but in proportion to the size of the dog. Legs. The forelegs must be well-feathered, perfectly straight of medium length and not such as would be termed leggy or low on leg, but in due proportion in length and strength to a well-balanced frame. Must be fine and bone and free in action. The hind legs and thighs must be well-feathered, neither contracted nor wide behind. The feet small and compact in shape. The shoulders should be clean and well-laid back. Tail. The tail is one of the characteristics of the breed and should be turned over the back and carried flat and straight, being profusely covered with long, harsh, spreading hair. Coat. There should be two coats, an undercoat and an overcoat. The one a soft, fluffy undercoat, the other a long, perfectly straight coat, harsh in texture, covering the whole of the body very abundant round the neck and four part of the shoulders and chest, where it should form a frill of profuse standing off straight hair, extending over the shoulders. The hind quarter should be clad with long hair of feathering from the top of the rump to the hock. Color. All whole colors are admissible, but they should be free from white or shadings, and the whites must be quite free from lemon or any other color. A few white hairs in any of the self-color shall not necessarily disqualify. At present the whole-colored dogs are white, black, brown, light or dark, blue, as pale as possible, orange, which should be as deep and even in color as possible, beaver or cream. Dogs other than white with white foot or feet, leg or legs, are decidedly objectionable and should be discouraged and cannot compete as whole-colored specimens. In party-colored dogs the color should be evenly distributed on the body and patches. A dog with white or tan feet or chest would not be a party color. Shaded sables should be shaded throughout with three or more colors, the hairs to be as uniformly shaded as possible with no patches of self-color. In mixed classes where whole-colored and party-colored Pomeranians compete together, the preference should, if in other points they are equal, be given to the whole-colored specimens. Where classification is not by colors, the following is recommended for adoption by show committees. 1. Not exceeding seven pounds. Pomeranian miniatures. 2. Exceeding seven pounds. Pomeranians. 3. Pomeranians and Pomeranian miniatures mixed. The early type of a Pomeranian was that of a dog varying from ten or twelve pound weight up to twenty pound weight, or even more and some, few, of about twelve pound and over are still to be met with. But the tendency among present-day breeders is to get them as small as possible, so that diminutive specimens weighing less than five pounds are now quite common and always fetch higher prices than the heavier ones. The dividing weight as arranged some ten years ago by the Pomeranian Club is eight pounds, and the Kennel Club has recently divided the breed into two classes of Pomeranians and Pomeranians miniature. As a rule, the white specimens adhere more narrowly to the primitive type and are generally over eight pounds in weight, but through the exertions of many breeders, several are now to be seen under this limit. The principal breeders of this color in England today are Miss Hamilton of Roselle, Miss Chelle, Miss Lee Roberts, Miss's Pope, and Miss's Goodall Coke Steak. The first two whites to become full champions under Kennel Club rules were Rob of Roselle and Koenig of Roselle, both belonging to Miss Hamilton of Roselle. More black Pomeranians have been bred in England than any other color, and during the last fifteen years the number of good specimens that have appeared at our great exhibitions has been legion. There do not seem to be so many really good ones today as here to for. This is explained perhaps by the fact that other colors are now receiving more and more attention from breeders. A typical small black of today is Billy T., the property of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Mappin. He scales only five and a half pounds and is therefore, as to size and weight, as well as shape, style, and smartness of action, a good type of toy Pomeranian. He was bred by Mrs. Cates and is the winner of over fifty prizes and many specials. To enumerate all the first class blacks during the last thirty years would be impossible, but those which stand out first and foremost have been Black Boy, King Pippin, Kefir Boy, Bayswater Swell, Kensington King, Marland King, Black Prince, Hatcham Nip, Walkley Queenie, Viva, Gateacre Zulu, Glimpton King Edward, and Billy T. The brown variety has for a long time a special favor with the public and many good ones have been bred during the last ten years. There are many different shades of browns varying from a dark chocolate to a light beaver, but in all cases they should be whole colored. An admirable example of the brown Pomeranians is the incomparable Champion Tina. This beautiful little lady was bred by Mrs. Addis from Bayswater Swell, like Skitsie and scaled a little under five pounds. She won over every Pomeranian that competed against her besides having been many times placed over all other dogs of any breed in open competition. The shaded sables are among the prettiest of all the various colors which Pomeranians may assume. They must be shaded throughout with three or more colors as uniformly as possible with no patches of self color. They are becoming very popular and good specimens are much sought after at high prices. Mrs. Hall Walker has been constant promotion to this variety for several years and she possesses a very fine team in Champions Dainty Boy, Dainty Bell, Vibrary Bell, and in Gateacre Sable Sioux. Mrs. Vale Nicholas also has recently been most successful with shaded sables. Champion Nankie Poe over eight pounds and champions Sable Might and Adam bear witness to this statement. Her lovely Might is a typical example of a small Pomeranian with this color. He was bred by Mr. Hearst by Little Nipper X. Laurel Fluffy and scales only four and a quarter pounds. Mention should also be made of Mrs. Ives Dragonsfly, Mrs. Boucher's Lady Wolfino, Mrs. Bland's Marlin Topaz, Mr. Walter Wynan's Morning Light, and Mr. Fowler's Made Duchess. The blues or smoke-colored Pomeranians have likewise their admirers and among those who have taken up these as a specialty may be mentioned Mrs. Ives, Mrs. Parker, Mrs. Loy, and Mrs. Ruby Cook. Another color which has attained of late-years increasing popularity in England is orange. These should be self-colored throughout and light shadings, though not disqualifying, should be discouraged. The principal breeder of the orange Pomeranian today is Mr. W. Brown of Raleigh Essex, who has probably more specimens in his kennels than any other breeder of this color. Tiny Boy, The Boy, and Orange Boy are his best, and all three are approved sires. Mrs. Hall Walker is an admirer of this color and her gate-acre Philander, Lupino, and Orange Girl are great prize winners. Ms. Hamilton of Roselle has for many years bred oranges and has given to the Pomeranian Club of which she is president two challenge cups for Pomeranians of this color. Mrs. Birch also is a lover of this hue and possesses such good dogs as Rufus Rustiscus and Cherry Winkle. There is still another variety which bears the name of party-colored. As the name implies, these dogs must be of more than one color and the colors should be evenly distributed on the body and patches. For example, a black dog with a white foot or leg or chest would not be a party-colored. As a matter of fact, there have been bred in England very few party-colored Pomeranians. They seem to be freaks which are rarely produced. It does not follow that by mating a black dog to a white dog or vice versa, a party-colored will be necessarily obtained. On the contrary, it is more likely that the litter will consist of some whole-colored blacks and some whole-colored whites. Ms. Hamilton's Maefe King and Mrs. Vale Nicholas's Shelton Novelty are the two most prominent species at the present time. Although Mrs. Harcourt Claire's Magpie and Mr. Temple's Layswood Tauntit were perhaps better known some time ago. Among toy dogs, this particular breed has enjoyed an unprecedented popularity. The growth in the public favor among all classes has been gradual and permanent during the last 15 years and there are no signs that it is losing its hold on the love and affection of a large section of the English people. His handsome appearance, his activity and hardy-hood, his devotedness to his owner, his usefulness as a house-dog, and his many other admirable qualities will always make the Pomeranian a favor both in the cottage and in the palace. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Dogs and All About Them by Robert Layton, Chapter 44. In the fourth chapter of Macalay's History of England, we read of King Charles II that, he might be seen before the dew was off the grass in St. James' Park, striding among the trees, playing with his spaniels and flinging corn to his ducks, and these exhibitions endeared him to the common people who always liked to see the great unbend. There would appear to be much divergence of opinion as to the origin of this breed and the date of its first appearance in England, but it was certainly acclimatized here as early as the reign of Henry VIII. And it is generally thought that it is of Japanese origin, taken from Japan to Spain as early voyagers to the east and hence imported into England. The English toy spaniels of today, especially the Blenheim variety, are also said by some to be related to some sporting spaniels which belong to Queen Mary about the year 1555, and might have been brought over from Germany. Mary kept a pack of spaniels for hunting purposes. There was another theory advanced for some reason that the English toy spaniel of the present day derived its origin from the Cocker spaniel as these larger dogs have the same colors and markings, black and tan, tricolor and red and white. The Cocker also occasionally has the spot on the forehead, which is a characteristic of the Blenheim. Be the origin of the King Charles spaniel and its advent in this country would it may, King Charles II so much indulged and loved these little friends that they followed him hither and thither as they pleased and seemed to have been seldom separated from him. By him they were loved and cherished and brought into great popularity. In his company they adorn canvas and ancient tapestries and are reputed to have been allowed free access at all times to Whitehall, Hampton Court and other royal palaces. There are now four recognized varieties of the English toy spaniel or more properly speaking five as the Marlboro-Blenheims are considered a distinct type. The latter are said by some to be the oldest of the toy spaniels, by others to have been first brought over from Spain during the reign of King Charles II by John Churchill, first Duke of Marlboro, from whose home, Blenheim Palace, the name was derived and has ever since been retained. If we may take the evidence of Van Dyke, Wattow, Francois Boucher and Gruz, in whose pictures they are so frequently introduced, all the toy spaniels of bygone days had much longer noses and smaller, flatter heads than those of the present time and they had much longer ears, these in many instances dragging on the ground. The Marlboro-Blenheim has retained several of the ancestral points. Although this variety is of the same family and has the same name as the short-nosed Blenheim of the present day, there is a great deal of difference between the two types. The Marlboro is higher on the legs, which need not be so fully feathered. He has a much longer muzzle and a flatter and more contracted skull. The Marlboro possesses many of the attributes of a sporting spaniel, but so also does the modern Blenheim, although perhaps in a lesser degree. He has a very good scent. Mr. Rodden B. Lee states that the Blenheims of Marlboro were excellent dogs to work the covarts for cocks and pheasant, and that accepting in color there is in reality not much difference in appearance between the older orange and white dogs, not as they are today, with their abnormally short noses, round skulls and enormous eyes, and the liver and white cockers, which H.B. Challon drew for Daniel's Rural Sports in 1801. This will bear out the statement that the smaller type of spaniel may be descended from the cockers. The ground color of this dog is white, with chestnut encircling the ears to the muzzle. The sides of the neck are chestnut, as are also the ears. There's a white blaze on the forehead in the center of which should be a clear lozen shape chestnut spot called the beauty spot, in breeding with other varieties is fast being lost. Chestnut markings are on the body and on the sides of the hind legs. The coat should incline to be curly, the head must be flat, not broad, and the muzzle should be straight. The chestnut should be of a rich color. The four varieties, the King Charles, Tri-Color or, as he has been called, Charles I spaniel, the modern Blenheim and the Ruby have all the same points differing from one another in color only, and the following description of the points as determined by the toy spaniel club serves for all. Head should be well domed and in good specimens is absolutely semi globular, sometimes even extending beyond the half-circle and projecting over the eyes so as nearly to meet the upturned nose. Eyes The eyes are set wide apart with the eyelid square to the line of the face, not oblique or fox-like. The eyes themselves are large and dark as possible so as to be generally considered black. They're enormous pupils which are absolutely of that color increasing the description. There is always a certain amount of weeping shown at the inner angles. This is owing to a defect in the lacrimo duct. Stop The stop or hollow between the eyes is well marked as in the bulldog or even more so. Some good specimens exhibit a hollow deep enough to bury a small marble. Nose The nose must be short and well turned up between the eyes and without any indication of artificial displacement afforded by a deviation to either side. The color of the end should be black and it should be both deep and wide with open nostrils. Jaw The muzzle must be square and deep and the lower jaw wide between the branches leaving plenty of space for the tongue and for the attachment of the lower lips which should completely conceal the teeth. It should also be turned up or finished so as to allow of its meeting the end of the upper jaw turned up in a similar way as above described. Ears The ears must be long so as to approach the ground. In an average size dog they measure 20 inches from tip to tip and some reach 22 inches or even a trifle more. They should be set low on the head paying flat to the sides of the cheeks and be heavily feathered. In this last respect the King Charles is expected to exceed the Blenheim and his ears occasionally extend to 24 inches. Size The most desirable size is indicated by the accepted weight of from 7 to 10 pounds. Shape In compactness of shape these spaniels almost rival the pug but the length of coat adds greatly to the apparent bulk as the body when the coat is wetted looks small in comparison with that dog. Still it ought to be decidedly cobby with strong stout legs short broad back and white chest. The symmetry of the King Charles is of importance but it is seldom that there is any defect in this respect. Coat The coat should be long silky soft and wavy but not curly. In the Blenheim there should be a profuse mane extending well down in the front of the chest. The feather should be well displayed on the ears and feet and in the latter case so thickly as to give the appearance of their being webbed. It is also carried well up on the backs of the legs. In the black and tan the feather on the ears is very long and profuse exceeding that of the Blenheim by an inch or more. The feather on the tail which is cut to the length of 3 and a half to 4 inches should be silky and from 5 to 6 inches in length constituting a marked flag of a square shape and not carried above the level of the back. Color The color differs with the variety. The black and tan is a rich glossy black and deep mahogany tan. Tan spots over the eyes and the usual markings on the muzzle, chest and legs are also required. The ruby is a rich chestnut red and is whole colored. The presence of a few white hairs intermixed with the black on the chest of a black and tan or intermixed with the red on the chest of a ruby spaniel shall carry weight against a dog but shall not in itself absolutely disqualify. But a white patch on the chest or white on any other part of a black and tan or ruby spaniel should be a disqualification. The Blenheim must on no account be whole colored but should have a round of pure pearly white with bright rich chestnut or ruby red markings evenly distributed in large patches. The ears and cheeks should be red with a blaze of white extending from the nose up the forehead and ending between the ears in a crescentic curve. In the center of this blaze at the top of the forehead there should be a spot of red the size of a six pence. Tan ticks on the four legs and on the white muzzle are desirable. The tricolor should in part have the tan of the black and tan with markings like the Blenheim in black instead of red on a pearly white ground. The ears and under the tail should also be lined with tan. The tricolor has no spot, that beauty being particularly the property of the Blenheim. The all red king Charles is known by the name of ruby spaniel the color of the nose is black the points of the ruby are the same as those of the black and tan differing only in color. The King Charles variety used to consist of black and tan and black and white spaniel and it is thought that by the inner breeding of the two specimens the tricolor was produced. The color of the King Charles now is a glossy black with rich mahogany tan spots over the eyes and on the cheeks. There should also be some tan on the legs and under the tail. The Prince Charles or tricolor should have a pearly white ground with glossy black markings evenly distributed over the body and patches. The ears should be lined with tan. Tan must also be seen over the eyes and some on the cheeks. Under the tail also tan must appear. The Blenheim must also have a pearly white ground with bright rich chestnut ruby red markings evenly distributed in patches over the body. The ears and cheeks must be red and a white blade should stretch from the nose to the forehead and fence in a curve between the ears. In the middle of the forehead there should be on the white blades a clear red spot about the size of a six pants. This is called the Blenheim spot which as well as the profuse main adds greatly to the beauty of this particular toy spaniel. Unfortunately in a litter of Blenheims the spot is often wanting. The ruby spaniel is of one color a rich unbroken red. The nose is black. There are now some very beautiful specimens of ruby spaniels but it is only within the last quarter of a century that this variety has existed. It seems to have originally appeared in a litter of King Charles puppies when it was looked upon as a freak of nature taking for its entire color only the tan markings and losing the black ground. The different varieties of toy spaniels have been so much interbred that a litter has been reputed to contain the four kinds but this would be a very rare occurrence. The Blenheim is now often crossed with the tricolor when the litter consists of puppies quite true to the two types. The crossing of the King Charles with ruby is also attended with very good results. The tan markings on the King Charles becoming very bright and the color of the ruby also being improved. Neither of these specimens should be crossed with either the Blenheim or the tricolor as white must not appear in either the King Charles or the ruby spaniel. It is regretted by some of the admirers of these dogs that custom has ordained that their tails should be docked. As portrayed in early pictures of the King Charles and the Blenheim varieties, the tails are long well flagged and inclined to curve gracefully over the back and in none of the pictures of the supposed ancestors of our present toy spaniels, even so recent as those painted by Sir Edwin Landseer, do we find an absence of the long tail? If left intact, the tail would take two or three years to attain perfection but the same may be said of the dog generally which improves very much with age and is not at its best until it is three years old and even then continues to improve. Although the toy spaniels are unquestionably true aristocrats by nature, birth and breeding and are most at home in a drawing room or on a well kept lawn they are by no means deficient in sporting proclivities and in spite of their short noses their scent is very keen. They thoroughly enjoy a good scamper and are all the better for not being too much pampered. They are very good house dogs, intelligent and affectionate and have sympathetic coaxing little ways. One point in their favor is the fact that they are not noisy and do not yapp continually when strangers go into a room where they are or at other times as is the habit with some breeds of toy dogs. Those who have once had King Charles spaniels as pets seldom care to replace them by any other variety of dog fearing lest they might not find in another breed such engaging little friends and companions gentle as a viewer and also comforters. Although these dogs need care they possess great powers of endurance. They appreciate warmth and comfort but do not thrive so well in either extreme heat or intense cold. One thing to be avoided is the wetting of their feathered feet or should this happen allowing them to remain so. And as in the case of all dogs with long ears the interior of the ears should be carefully kept dry to avoid the risk of canker. In going back to a period long before the last century was halfway through we find that a great number of these ornamental pets were in the hands of working men living in the east of London and the competition among them to own the best was very keen. They held miniature dog shows at small taverns and paraded their dogs on the sanded floor of tap rooms their owners sitting round smoking long church warden pipes. The value of good specimens in those early days appears to have been from five pounds to two hundred and fifty pounds which latter some has said to have been refused by a comparatively poor man for a small black and tan with very long ears and a nose much too long for our present day fancy. Among the names of some of the old prominent breeders and exhibitors may be mentioned those of C. I. Strop, J. Garwood, J. A. Bugs, and Mrs. Forder. It is interesting to note on looking over a catalogue of the Kennel Club show that in eighteen eighty-four the classes for toy spaniels arrived with two championship prizes one each for Blenheims and black and tans and the total entries were nineteen. At this date neither tricolors nor rubies were recognized as a separate variety by the Kennel Club and they had no place in the register of breeds until the year nineteen oh two. At the Kennel Club show in nineteen oh four thirty one classes were provided and eight challenge certificate prizes were given the entries numbering a hundred and nine. The formation of the toy spaniel club in eighteen eighty-five and the impetus given to breeders and exhibitors by the numerous shows with good classification have caused this beautiful breed to become more popular year by year. Fifty years ago the owners might be almost counted on the fingers of one's hands now probably the days of the year that hardly cover them. Among the most successful exhibitors of late years have been the Honorable Mrs. McLaren Morrison the Honorable Mrs. Leighton Mrs. Graves Mrs. L. H. Thompson Mrs. Young Mrs. H. B. Looker Mrs. Pravet Mrs. Hall Mrs. Clarkson and Grantham Mrs. Dean Mr. H. Taylor Mrs. Bright Mrs. Adamson Mrs. Spawforth Mrs. Hope Patterson Mrs. Lydia Jenkins and Mrs. E. Taylor The novice fancier desirous of breeding for profit, exhibition or pleasure when price is an object for consideration is often better advised to purchase a healthy puppy from a breeder of repute rather than to be deluded with the notion that a good adult should be purchased for a few pounds or to be carried away with the idea that a cheap, indifferently bred specimen will produce first class stock. It takes years to breed out bad points but good blood will tell. When you are purchasing a bitch with the intention of breeding many inquiries should be made as to the stock from which she comes. This will influence the selection of the sire to whom she is to be mated and he should excel in the points in which she is deficient. It is absolutely necessary to have perfectly healthy animals and if the female be young and small stock is desired her mate should be several years her senior. A plain specimen of the right blood is quite likely to produce good results to the breeder. For example, should there be two female puppies in a well bred litter one remarkable of promising all the requirements for a coming champion the other large and plain this litter should be selected for breeding purposes as being stronger she will make a better and more useful mother than her handsome sister who should be kept for exhibition or for sale at a remunerative price. The modern craze for small specimens makes them quite unsuitable for procreation. A brood bitch should not be less than 9 pounds and even heavier is preferable. A sire the same size will produce small and far more typical stock than one of 5 or 6 pounds as the tendency is to degenerate especially in head points. But small size can be obtained by suitably selecting the parents. The early spring is the best season for breeding as it gives the puppies a start of at least 6 months in which to grow before the cold weather sets in although of course they can be bred at any time but autumn and winter puppies are more troublesome to rear. It is always wise to administer occasionally both to puppies and adults a dose of warm medicine so as to give no chance to internal parasites the most troublesome ill with which the dog owner has to wrestle causing even more mortality than the dreaded scourge of distemper. The rules of hygiene cannot be overlooked as upon them hangs the success of the breeder. Plenty of fresh air light and sunshine are as necessary as food. Puppies of this breed are essentially delicate and must be kept free from cold and drafts but they require liberty and freedom to develop and strengthen their limbs otherwise they are liable to develop rickets. Their food should be of the best quality after the age of 6 months nothing seems more suitable than stale brown bread cut up dice size and moistened with good stock gravy together with minced lean underdone roast beef with the addition 2 or 3 times a week of a little well cooked green vegetable varied with rice or soot pudding and plain biscuits fish may also be given occasionally When only 2 or 3 dogs are kept table scraps will generally be sufficient with the pernicious habit of feeding at all times and giving sweets, pastry and rich dainties is most harmful and must produce disastrous result to the unfortunate animal. 2 meals a day at regular intervals are quite sufficient to keep these little pets in the best condition although puppies should be fed 4 times daily in small quantities After leaving the mother she had better if put on dry food and a small portion of scraped or finely minced lean meat given them every other day alternately with a chopped hard boiled egg and stale breadcrumbs End of chapter 44