 Chapter 45 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 Emily Livingston. Dogs and All About Them by Robert Layton Chapter 45 The Pecanese and the Japanese Few of the many breeds of foreign dogs now established in England have attained such a measure of popularity in so short a time as the Pecanese. Of their early history, little is known beyond the fact that at the looting of the summer palace of Pei King in 1860 bronze effigies of the dogs, known to be more than 2,000 years old, were found within the sacred precincts. The dogs were, and are to this day, jealously guarded under the supervision of the chief eunuch of the court when few have ever found their way into the outer world. So far as the rider is aware, the history of the breed in England dates from the importation in 1860 of five dogs taken from the summer palace where they had, no doubt, been forgotten on the flight of the court to the interior. Admiral Lord John Hay, who was present on active service, gives a graphic account of the finding of the little dogs in a part of the garden frequented by an aunt of the emperor who had committed suicide on the approach of the Allied forces. Lord John and another naval officer, a cousin of the late Duchess of Richmond's, each secured two dogs. The fifth was taken by General Dunn, who presented it to Queen Victoria. Lord John took pains to ascertain that none had found their way into the French camp, and he heard then that the others had all been removed to Jehal within the court. It is therefore reasonable to suppose that these five were the only palace dogs or sacred temple dogs of Peking, which reached England, and it is from the pair which lived to a respectable old age at Goodwood that so many of the breed now in England trace their descent. Many years ago Mr. Alfred de Rothschild tried, through his agents in China, to secure a specimen of the palace dog for the rider in order to carry on the Goodwood strain. But without success, even after correspondence with Peking, which lasted more than two years, but we succeeded in obtaining confirmation of what we had always understood. Namely, that the palace dogs are rigidly guarded and that their theft is punishable by death. At the time of the Boxer Rebellion, only spaniels, pugs, and poodles were found in the Imperial Palace when it was occupied by Allied forces, the little dogs having once more preceded the court in the flight to see Gnofnu. The Duchess of Richmond occasionally gave away a dog to intimate friends, such as the Dowager Lady Warncliffe, Lady Dorothy Neville, and others. But in those days the Pekingese was practically an unknown quantity and it can therefore be more readily understood what interest was aroused about eleven years ago by the appearance of a small dog, similar in size, color, and general type, to those so carefully cherished at Goodwood. This proved to be none other than the since well-known sire Akum, owned by Mrs. Douglas Murray, whose husband, having extensive interest in China, had managed after many years to secure a true palace dog smuggled in a box of hay placed inside a crate which contained a Japanese deer. Akum was mated, without delay, to two Goodwood bitches, the result being, in the first letters, Champion Goodwood Low and Goodwood Putt Sing. To these three sires, some of the bluest Pekingese blood is traceable. Champion Goodwood Chum, Champion Chu Air of Alderborn, Champion Jia Jia Manchu Tao Tai, Goodwood Ming, Marland Myth, and others. It must, however, be clearly admitted that since the popularity of the breed has become established, we unluckily have seen scores of Pekingese in the show ring who have lost all resemblance to the original type, and for this the Pekingese club is in some measure to blame. The original points for the guidance of breeders and judges were drawn up by Lady Samuelson, Mrs. Douglas Murray, and Lady Algernon Gordon Lennox, who fixed the maximum size at ten pounds, a very generous margin. Since then the club has amended the scale of points, no doubt in order to secure a larger membership, and the maximum now stands at eighteen pounds. Is it therefore to be wondered at that confusion exist as to what is the true type? At shows there should be two distinct classes, the Palace Dog and the Peking Spaniel, or any other name which would enable the breeds to be kept distinct. The following is the scale of points as issued by the Pekingese club. Head, massive, broad skull, wide and flat between the ears, not dome shaped. Wide between the eyes, nose, black, broad, very short and flat. Eyes, large, dark, prominent, round, lustrous, stop, deep ears, heart shaped, not set too high. Leather never long enough to come below the muzzle, not carried erect, but rather drooping long feather. Muzzle, very short and broad, not under hung nor pointed wrinkled. Mane, profuse, extending beyond the shoulder blades, forming rough or frill round front of neck, shape of body, heavy in front, broad chest falling away lighter behind, lion like, not too long in the body. Coat and feather condition, long with thick undercoat, straight and flat, not curly nor wavy, rather coarse but soft. Feather on thighs, legs, tail and toes, long and profuse. Color, all colors allowable. Red, fawn, black, black and tan, sable, brindle, white and partly colored. Black masks and spectacles round the eyes with lines to the ears are desirable. Legs, short, four legs heavy, bowed out at elbows, hind legs lighter but firm and well shaped. Feet, flat not round, should stand well up on toes, not on ankles. Tail, curled and carried well up on loins, long, profuse straight feather. Size, being a toy dog the smaller the better, provided type and points are not sacrificed. Anything over 18 pounds should disqualify. When divided by weight classes should be over 10 pounds and under 10 pounds. Action, free, strong and high, crossing feet or throwing them out and running should not take off marks. Weakness of joints should be penalized. Lady Algernon Gordon-Linux has occasionally been criticized for her advocacy of whole colored specimens. But in support of this preference it can be proved that the original pair brought to Goodwood, as well as Mrs. Murray's Akum, were all of the golden chestnut shade and as no brindled, party colored or black dog has ever been born at Goodwood or Broughton, we have some authority for looking upon whole color as an important point. This view was in the first place confirmed by the late Chinese ambassador in London and further by Baron Speck von Sternberg, who was for many years minister at Peking and had very special facilities for noting the points of the palace dogs. In every case a black muzzle is indispensable, also black points to the ears with trousers, tail and feathering a somewhat lighter shade than the body. There is considerable divergence of the opinion as to the penalization of what in other breeds known as the Dudley nose. But on this point there must be some difficulty in the shows. In the Pekingese the color of the nose varies in a remarkable way, especially in the case of the bitches. For instance, a pinkish tinge was always visible on the nose of Goodwood May before the birth of her puppies, but it resumed its normal color when the puppies were a few weeks old. As a representative type, true heir of Alderborn resembles most nearly the old Goodwood dogs. He has the same square, cubby appearance, broad chest, bowed legs, profuse feather and large lustrous eyes, points which are frequently looked for in vain nowadays, and his breeder and owner may well be proud of him. The Pekingese differs from the Japanese dog in that it appears to be far stronger in constitution and withstands the changes of the English climate with much greater ease. In fact they are as hardy under healthy conditions as any English breed, and the only serious trouble seems to be with the weakness which is developing in the eyes. Small abscesses frequently appear when the puppies are a few months old and, although they may not affect the sight, they almost inevitably leave a bluish mark, while in some cases the eye itself becomes contracted. Whether this is one of the results of inbreeding it is difficult to say, and it would be of interest to know whether the same trouble is met with in China. The Pekingese bitches are excellent mothers, provided they are not interfered with for the first few days. This was discovered at Goodwood years ago by the fact that, on two or three occasions, one celestial lady, who had been given greater attention than she considered necessary, revenged herself by devouring her own family of puppies. One thing seems from experience to be especially advisable, as far as things can be arranged, to breed in the spring rather than the autumn. The puppies need all the open air and exercise that is possible, and where rickety specimens are so frequently met with, it is only natural that a puppy who starts life with the summer months ahead is more likely to develop well than one born in the autumn. Great attention should be paid with reference to the frequent almost certain presence of worms, which trouble seems more prevalent with the Pekingese than with many other breed. Wherever possible, fish should be given as part of the dietary. Some Pekingese devour it with relish, others will not touch it, but there is no doubt it is a useful item in the Bill of Fair. Bread well soaked in very strong stock, sheeps head and liver are always better as regular diet than meat, but in cases of debility, a little raw meat given once a day is most beneficial. It would not be fitting to close an article on Pekingese without bearing testimony to their extraordinarily attractive characteristics. They are intensely affectionate and faithful and have something almost cat-like in their domesticity. They display far more character than the so-called toy dog usually does, and for this reason it is all important that pains should be taken to preserve the true type in a recognition of the fact that quality is more essential than quantity. As their breed name implies, these tiny black-and-white long-haired lapdogs are reputed to be natives of the land of the Chrysanthemum, the Japanese who have treasured them for centuries have the belief that they are not less ancient than the dogs of Malta. There seems to be a probability, however, that as the breed may claim to be Chinese just as surely as Japanese the Honorable Mrs. McLaren Morrison, an authority on exotic dogs whose opinion must always be taken with respect, is inclined to believe that they are related to the short-nosed spaniels of Tibet, while other experts are equally of opinion that the variety is an offshoot of the spaniels of Peking. It is fairly certain that they are indigenous to the Far East once we have derived so many of our small snub-nosed, large-eyed, and long-haired pets. The Oriental peoples have always bred their lapdogs to small size, convenient for carrying in the sleeve. The sleeve dog and the chin dog are common and appropriate appellations in the East. The Japanese spaniel was certainly known in England half a century ago and probably much earlier. Our seamen often brought them home as presents for their sweethearts. These early imported specimens were generally of the larger kind, and if they were bred from, which is doubtful, it was by crossing with the already long-established King Charles or Blenheim spaniels, their colors were not invariably white and black. Many were white and red, or white with lemon-yellow patches. The coloring other than white was usually about the long-fringed ears and the crown of the head, with a line of white running from the point of the snub-black nose between the eyes as far as the occiput. This blaze up the face was commonly said to resemble the body of a butterfly, whose closed wings were represented by the dog's expansive ears. The white and black coloring is now the most frequent. The points desired are a broad and rounded skull, large in proportion to the dog's body, a wide, strong muzzle, and a turned-up lower jaw. Great length of the body is not good. The back should be short and level. The legs are by preference slender and much feathered. The feet large and well separated. An important point is the coat. It should be abundant, particularly about the neck, where it forms a ruffle and ought to be quite straight and very silky. The Japanese spaniel is constitutionally delicate, requiring considerable care in feeding. A frequent, almost a daily change of diet is to be recommended, and manufactured foods are to be avoided. Rice usually agrees well. Fresh fish, sheep's head, tongue, chicken livers, milk, or batter puddings are also suitable, and occasionally give oatmeal porridge, alternated with a little scraped raw meat as a special favor. For puppies newly weaned, it is well to limit the supply of milk foods and to avoid red meat. Finally, minced rabbit or fish are better. Of the Japanese spaniels, which have recently been prominent in competition, may be mentioned, Miss Serena's champion Fuji of Kobe, a remarkably beautiful bitch, who was under five pounds in weight, and who, in her brief life, gained six full championships. This is Gregson's champion Tora of Braywick, a fine red and white dog, somewhat over seven pounds, is also to be remembered as a typical example of the breed. Together, with Kara, the smallest chap ever exhibited or bred in this country, weighing only two and a half pounds when two and a half years old. It is Samuel Sin's Togo and Otoyo of Braywick and Mrs. Hull's champion Daddy Jap. There has lately been a tendency to lay too much stress upon the diminutive size in this variety of dog, to neglect of well-formed limbs and free movement, but on the whole it may be stated with confidence that the Japanese is prospering in England, thanks largely to the energetic work of the Japanese Chin Club, which was formed some three years ago to promote the best interest of the breed. The following is the official standard issued by the club. Head should be large for size of animal, very broad with slightly rounded skull. Muzzle, strong and wide, very short from eyes to nose. Upper jaw should look slightly turned up between the eyes. Lower jaw should also be turned up or finished so as to meet it, but should the lower jaw be slightly under hung, it is not a blemish provided the teeth are not shown in consequence. Nose, very short in the muzzle part. The end or nose proper should be wide with open nostrils and must be the color of the dog's marking, i.e. black and black marked dogs and red or deep flesh color in red or lemon marked dogs. Eyes, large, dark, lustrous, rather prominent, set wide apart. Ears, small and V-shaped, nicely feathered, set wide apart and high on the head and carried slightly forward. Neck should be short and moderately thick. Body, very compact and squarely built, with a short back rather wide chest and of generally copy shaped. The body and legs should really go into a square, i.e. the length of the dog should be about its height. Legs, the bones of the legs should be small, giving them a slender appearance and they should be well feathered. Feet, small and shaped, somewhat long. If feathered, the tufts should never increase the width of the foot, but only its length a trifle. Tail, carried in a tight curl over the back. It should be profusely feathered, so as to give the appearance of a beautiful plume on the animal's back. Coat, profuse, long, straight, rather silky. It should be absolutely free from wave or curl and not lie too flat, but have a tendency to stand out, especially at the neck, so as to give a thick mane or rough, which with profuse feathering on thighs and tail gives a very showy appearance. Color, either black and white or red and white, i.e. party colored. The term red includes all shades, sable, brindle, lemon or orange, but the brighter and clearer the red the better. The white should be clear white, and the color, whether black or red, should be evenly distributed in patches over the body, cheeks and ears. Height at shoulder, about ten inches. Weight, the desirable is from four pounds to nine pounds. The smaller size is preferable, if good shape. End of Chapter 45. Recording by Emily Livingston. The Maltese Dog and the Pug. No doubt has been cast upon the belief that the small, white, silky, canis meliteus is the most ancient of all lapdogs of the western world. It was a favorite in the time of Phidias. It was a special pet of the great ladies of Imperial Rome. It appears to have come originally from the Adriatic island of Melita rather than from the Mediterranean Malta, although this supposition cannot be verified. However, no question that it is of European origin and that the breed, as we know it today, has altered exceedingly little in type and size since it was alluded to by Aristotle more than three hundred years before the Christian era. One may gather from various references in literature and from the evidence of art that it was highly valued in ancient times. When his favorite dog Dies wrote Theophrastus in illustration of the vain man, he deposits the remains in a tomb and erects a monument over the grave with the inscription Offspring of the Stock of Malta. The offspring of the Stock of Malta were probably first imported into England during the reign of Henry VIII. It is certain that they were regarded as meat playfellows for mincing mistresses in the reign of Elizabeth, whose physician, Dr. Chaos, alluded to them as being distinct from the Spaniel, gentle or comforter. Early writers aver that it was customary when Maltese puppies were born to press or twist the nasal bone with the fingers in order that they may seem more elegant in the sight of men. A circumstance which goes to show that our forefathers were not averse to improving artificially the points of their dogs. The snowy whiteness and soft, silky texture of its coat must always cause the Maltese dog to be admired. But the variety has never been commonly kept in England. A fact which is no doubt due to the difficulty of breeding it and to the trouble in keeping the dog's long jacket clean and free from tangle. Thirty or forty years ago it was more popular as a lap dog than it has ever been since, and in the early days of dog shows many beautiful specimens were exhibited. This popularity was largely due to the efforts of Mr. R. Mandeville of Southwick, who has been referred to as virtually the founder of modern Maltese. His phyto and lily were certainly the most perfect representatives of the breed during the decade between 1860 and 1870, and at the shows held at Birmingham, Eilington, the Crystal Palace, and Cremorne Gardens this beautiful brace was unapproachable. It is a breed which to be kept in perfection requires more than ordinary attention, not only on account of its silky jacket which is peculiarly liable to become matted and is difficult to keep absolutely clean without frequent washing, but also on account of a somewhat delicate constitution, the Maltese being susceptible to colds and chills. If affected by such causes, the eyes are often attacked and the water running from them induces a brown stain to mar the beauty of the face. Skin eruptions due to unwise feeding or parasites due to uncleanliness are quickly destructive to the silky coat and constant watchfulness is necessary to protect the dog from all occasions for scratching. The diet is an important consideration always and a nice discernment is imperative in balancing the proportions of meat and vegetable. Too much meat is prone to heat the blood while too little induces eczema. Scraps of bread and green vegetables well mixed with gravy and finely minced lean meat form the best dietary for the principal meal of the day and plenty of exercise is imperative. The following is the standard description and points of the Maltese Club of London Head should not be too narrow but should be of a terrier shape not too long but not apple headed. Ears should be long and well feathered and hang close to the side of the head the hair to be well mingled with the coat of the shoulders. Eyes should be a dark brown with black irons and not too far apart. Nose should be pure black. Legs and feet legs should be short and straight feet round and the pads of the feet should be black. Body and shape should be short and copy load to the ground and the back should be straight from the top of the shoulders to the tail. Tail and carriage should be well arched over the back and well feathered. Coat, length and texture should be a good length longer the better of a silky texture not in any way woolly and should be straight. Color it is desirable that they should be pure white but slight lemon marks should not count against them. Condition and appearance should be of a sharp terrier appearance with a lively action the coat should not be stained but should be well groomed in every way. Size the most approved weights should be from four pounds to nine pounds the smaller the better but it is desirable that they should not exceed ten pounds. There seems to be no doubt that the fawn colored pug enjoys the antiquity of descent that is attached to the greyhound the Maltese dog and some few other venerable breeds. Although much has been written on the origin of these dogs nothing authentic has been discovered in connection with it. Statements have appeared from time to time to the effect that the pug was brought into the country from Holland. In the early years of the last century it was commonly styled the Dutch pug but this theory does not trace the history far enough back and it should be remembered that at that period the Dutch East India Company was in constant communication with the Far East. Others declare that Muscovy was the original home of the breed a supposition for which there is no discernible foundation. The study of canine history receives frequent enlightenment from the study of the growth of commercial intercourse between nations and the trend of events would lead one to the belief that the pug had its origin in China. Particularly in view of the fact that it was with that country that most of the blunt-nosed toy dogs with tails curled over their backs are associated. The pug was brought into prominence in Great Britain about 60 years ago by Lady Willoughby de Aresby of Grimthorpe near Lincoln and Mr. Morrison of Wallam Green who each independently established the kennel of these dogs with such success that eventually the fawnpugs were spoken of as either the Willoughby or the Morrison pugs. At that period the black variety was not known. The Willoughby pug was duller in color than the Morrison which was of a brighter, rudderer hue but the two varieties have since been so much interbred that they are now indistinguishable and the fact that they were ever singularly recognized as either Willoughby's or Morrison's is almost entirely forgotten. A fawnpug may now be either silver-gray or apricot and equally valuable. Whatever may be the history of the pug as regards its nativity it had not been long introduced into England before became a popular favorite as a pet and it shared with King Charles Spaniel the affection of the great ladies of the land. The late Queen Victoria possessed one of which she was very proud. The pug has however now fallen from his high estate as a ladies' pet and his place has been usurped by the toy Pomeranian, the Pecanese and Japanese all of which are now more highly thought of in the drawing room or Boudoir. But the pug has an advantage over all these dogs as from the fact that he has a shorter coat he is cleaner and does not require so much attention. It was not until the establishment of the pug dog club in 1883 that a fixed standard of points was drawn up for the guidance of judges when awarding the prizes to bugs. Later on the London and Provincial pug club was formed and standards of points were drawn up by that society. These however have never been adhered to. The weight of a dog or a bitch according to the standard should be from 13 pounds to 17 pounds but there are very few dogs indeed that are winning prizes who can draw the scale at the maximum weight. One of the most distinctive features of a fawn pug is the trace which is a line of black running along the top of the back from the occiput to the tail. It is the exception to find a fawn pug with any trace at all now. The muzzle should be short, blunt, but not up-faced. Most of the winning pugs of the present day are undershot at least half an inch and consequently must be up-faced. Only one champion of the present day possesses a level mouth. The toenails should be black according to the standard but this point is ignored altogether. In fact the standard as drawn up by the club should be completely revised for it is no true guide. The color which should be either silver or apricot fawn, the markings on the head which should show a thumb mark or diamond on the forehead together with the orthodox size are not now taken into consideration and the prizes are given to oversized dogs with big skulls that are patchy in color and the charming little pugs which were once so highly prized are now the exception rather than the rule while the large lustrous eyes so sympathetic in their expression are seldom seen. The black pug is a recent production. He was brought into notice in 1886 when Lady Brassie exhibited some at the Maidstone show by whom he was manufactured is not a matter of much importance as with the fawn pug in existence there was not much difficulty in crossing it with the shortest faced black dog of small size that could be found and then back again to the fawn and the thing was done. Fawn and black pugs are continually being bred together and as a rule if judgment is used in the selection of suitable crosses the puppies are sound in color whether fawn or black. In every respect except markings the black pug should be built on the same lines as the fawn and be a copy little dog with short back and well developed hind quarters, wide in skull with square and blunt muzzle and tightly curled tail. End of Chapter 46 Chapter 47 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 47 The Brussels Grafane Away back in the 70s numbers of miners in Yorkshire and the Midlands are said to have possessed the little wiry coated and wiry disposition to red dogs which accompanied their owners to work being stowed away in pockets of overcoats until the dinner hour when they were brought out to share their master's meals for chance chasing a casual rat in between times. Old men of today who remember these little red terriers tell us that they were the originals of the present day Brussels Grafans and to the sporting propensities of the aforesaid miners is attributed the gameness which is such a characteristic of their latter day representatives. No one who is well acquainted with the Brussels Grafane would claim that the breed dates back like the Greyhound to Horry Antiquity or indeed that it has any pretensions to have come over with the Conqueror. The dog is not less worthy of admiration on that account. It is futile to inquire too closely into his ancestry like Topsy, he grode and we must love him for himself alone. Even in the last 15 years we can trace a certain advance in the evolution of the Brussels Grafane. When the breed was first introduced under this name into this country underjaw was accounted of little or no importance whereas now a prominent chin is rightly recognized as being one of the most important physical characteristics of the race. Then again quite a few years ago a Grafane with a red pin wire code was rarely met with but now this point has been generally rectified and every show specimen of any account whatever possesses the much desired covering. The first authentic importations of Brussels Grafans into this country were made by Mrs. Kingscote, Mrs. Della Gordon, Mrs. Frank Pierce and Fletcher who at that time, circa 1894 kept a dog shop in Regent Street. Mrs. Handley's Spicer soon followed and it was at her house that in 1896 the Grafane-Bruxell Waugh Club was first suggested and then formed. The Brussels Grafane Club in London was a later offshoot of this club and like many children would appear to be more vigorous than its parent. Grafans soon made their appearance that shows in one many admirers though must be admitted that their progress up the ladder of popularity was not so rapid as might have been expected. The breed is especially attractive in the following points. It is hardy, compact, portable, very intelligent, equally smart and alert in appearance, affectionate, very companionable, and above all it possesses the special characteristic of wonderful eyes ever changing in expression and compared with which the eyes of many other toy breeds appear as a glass bead to a fathomless lake. Grafans are hardy little dogs though like most others they are more susceptible to damp than to cold. While not greedy like the Terrier Tribe they are usually good feeders and good doers and not irasomely dainty with regard to food as is so often the case with toy spaniels. It must be admitted that grafans are not the easiest of dogs to rear, particularly at weaning time. From five to eight weeks is always a critical period in the puppyhood of a grafans and it is necessary to supersede their maternal nourishment with extreme caution. Farnacious foods do not answer and usually cause trouble sooner or later. A small quantity of scrapped raw beef an egg spoonful at four weeks increasing to a teaspoon full at six may be given once a day and from four to five weeks to additional meals of warm milk goats for preference and not more than a tablespoon at a time should be given. From five to six weeks the mother will remain with the puppies at night only and three milk meals may be given during the day with one of scrapped meat at intervals of about four hours care being taken to give too little milk rather than too much. At six weeks the puppies may usually be taken entirely from the mother and at this time it is generally advisable to give a gentle verma-fuge such as ruby. A very little German rusk may also be added to the milk meals which may be increased to one and a half tablespoons at a time but it must always be remembered that in nine cases out of ten trouble is caused by overfeeding rather than underfeeding and until the rubicon of eight weeks has been passed, care and oversight should be unremitting. At eight weeks old force or brown breadcrumbs may be added to the morning milk chopped meat may be given instead of scrapped at midday, the usual milk at tea time and a dry biscuit such as plasma for supper. At ten weeks old the milk at tea time may be discontinued and the other meals will be ordered accordingly and very little further trouble need be feared for gruffins very rarely suffer from teething troubles. Brussels gruffins are divided into three groups according to their appearance and representatives of each group may be and sometimes are found in one in the same litter. First and foremost both in importance and in beauty comes the gruffin Bruxellois, a cubby compact little dog with wiry red coat large eyes, short nose well turned up and sloping back very prominent chin and small ears. Secondly comes the gruffins of any other color or as they are turned in Brussels, gruffins belges. These are very often gruffins of the usual color with a miss mark of white or black or occasionally they may be gray or fawn. But the most approved color and certainly the most attractive is black and tan. The third group of Brussels gruffins is that termed smooth or in Brussels gruffin braben con. The smooth gruffin is identical with the rough in all points except for being short haired. As is well known, smooth gruffins are most useful for breeding rough ones with the desired hard red coat and many well known show dogs with rough coats have been bred from smooth ones. For example, sparklets champion copthorn lobster champion copthorn treasure champion copthorn talk of the town and copthorn blunderbuss. This and many other facts in connection with breeding gruffins will be learned from experience, always the best teacher. The descriptive particulars of the Brussels gruffin are general appearance a ladies little dog intelligent, sprightly robust of compact appearance and the head. Rounded, furnished with somewhat hard irregular hairs longer round the eyes and nose and cheeks. Ears, erect when cropped as in Belgium, semi erect when uncropped. Eyes, very large, black or nearly black. Eyelids edged with black eyelashes long and black covered with hairs leaving the eye they encircle perfectly uncovered. Nose, always black. Short, surrounded with hair converging upward to meet those which surround the eyes. Very pronounced stop. Lips, edged with black furnished with a mustache. A little black in the mustache is not a fault. Chin, prominent without showing the teeth and edged with a small beard. Chest, rather wide and deep. Legs, as straight as possible of medium length. Tail, erect and docked to two-thirds. Color, in the Grafans Bruxellois red, in the Grafans Belgias preferably black and tan but also gray or fawn. In the Petit Brabencon red or black and tan. Texture of coat. Harsh and wiry, irregular rather long and thick. In the Brabencon it is smooth and short. Weight, lightweight five-pound maximum and heavyweight nine-pound maximum. Faults. The faults to be avoided are light eyes, silky hair on the head, brown nails, teeth showing and a hanging tongue or a brown nose. Chapter 47 Chapter 48 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 48 The Miniature Breeds Except in the matter of size and qualifications of the miniature black and tan terrier should be as nearly like the larger breed as possible, for the standard of points applies to both varieties accepting that erect or what are commonly known as tulip ears of semi erect carriage are permissible in the miniatures. The officially recognized weight for the toy variety is given as under seven pounds but none of the most prominent present day winners reach anything like that weight. Some in fact are a little more than half of it. And the great majority are between four pounds and five pounds. Probably the most popular specimens of the miniature black and tan at the present time are Mr. Whaley's Glenartney Sport and Mr. Richmond's Mary Adam. Mary Adam is only four and a half pounds in weight and he is a beautifully proportioned with a fine long head, a small dark eye small ears and the true type of body. His markings of deep black and rich tan are good and his coat is entirely free from the bare patches which so often mar the appearance of these toys giving the suggestion of delicacy. The miniature black and tan is certainly not a robust dog and has lost much of the terrier boisterousness of character by reason of being pampered and coddled. But it is a fallacy to suppose that he is necessarily delicate. He requires to be kept warm but exercise is better for him than eiderdown quilts and silken cushions and judicious feeding will protect him from the skin diseases to which he is believed to be liable. Under proper treatment he is no more delicate than any other toy dog and his engaging manners and cleanliness of habit ought to place him among the most favored of ladies pets and lap dogs. It is to be hoped that the efforts now being made by the black and tan terrier club will be beneficial to the increased popularity of this diminutive breed. For the technical description and scale of points the reader is referred to the chapter on the larger variety of black and tan terrier. Of late years toy bull terriers have fallen in popularity. This is a pity as their livid puchin self-assertion is most amusing. As pets they are most affectionate, excellent as watchdogs, clever at acquiring tricks and always cheerful and companionable. They have good noses and will hunt diligently but wet weather or thick undergrowth will deter them and they are too small to do serious harm to the best stocked game preserve. The most valuable toy bull terriers are small and very light in weight and these small dogs usually have apple heads. Pony Queen, the former property of Sir Raymond Terwitt Wilson weighed under three pounds but the breed remains toy up to fifteen pounds. When you get a dog with a long wedge shaped head the latter in competition with small apple headed dogs always takes the prize and a slightly contradictory state of affairs arises from the fact that the small dog with an imperfectly shaped head will sell for more money than a dog with a perfectly shaped head which is larger. In drawing up a show schedule of classes for this breed it is perhaps better to limit the weight of competitors to twelve pounds. The Bull Terrier Club put fifteen pounds as the lowest weight allowed for the large breed and it seems a pity to have an interregnum between the large and miniature variety. Still in the interest of the small valuable specimens this seems inevitable and opportunist principles must be applied to doggy matters as to other business in this world. At present there is a diversity of opinion as to their points but roughly they are a long flat head wide between the eyes and tapering to the nose which should be black ears erect and bat like straight legs and rather distinctive feet. Some people say these are cat like. Toy Bull Terriers ought to have an alert gay appearance coupled with refinement which requires a nice whip tail. The best color is pure white. A brindle spot is not a miss and even a brindle dog is admissible but black marks are wrong. The coat ought to be close and stiff to the touch. Toy Bull Terriers are not delicate as a rule. They require warmth and plenty of exercise in all weathers. The most elegant and graceful and refined of all dogs are the tiny Italian Greyhounds. They are exquisitely delicate lines. They are supple movements and beautiful attitudes. They are soft large eyes. They are charming coloring. They are gentle and loving nature and they are scrupulous cleanliness of habit. All these qualities justify the admiration bestowed upon them as drawing room pets. They are fragile it is true. Fragile as eggshell china not to be handled roughly. But their constitution is not necessarily delicate and many have been known to live to extreme old age. Miss Mackenzie's Jack one of the most beautiful of the breed ever known lived to see his 17th birthday and even then was strong and healthy. Their fragility is more apparent than real and if they are not exposed to cold or damp they require less pampering than they usually receive. This cause has been a frequent source of constitutional weakness and it was deplorably a fault in the Italian Greyhounds of half a century ago. One cannot be quite certain as to the derivation of the Italian Greyhound. Its physical appearance naturally suggests a descent from the gaze hound of the ancients with the added conjecture that it was purposely dwarfed for convenience of being nursed in the lap. Greek art presents many examples of a very small dog of Greyhound type and there is a probability that the diminutive breed was a familiar ornament in the atrium of most Roman villas. In Pompeii a dwarfed Greyhound was certainly kept as a domestic pet and there is therefore some justification for the belief that the Italian prefix is not misplaced. In very early times the Italian Greyhound was appreciated. Then Dyke, Neller, and Watteau frequently introduced the graceful figures of these dogs as accessories in their portraits of the court beauties of their times and many such portraits may be noticed in the galleries of Windsor Castle and Hampton Court. Mary, Queen of Scots is supposed to have been fond of the breed as more surely were Charles I and Queen Anne. Some of the best of their kind were in the possession of Queen Victoria at Windsor and Valmoral where Sir Edwin Landseer transferred their graceful forms to canvas. Among the more prominent owners of the present time are the Baroness Campbell von Lawrence whose Rosemead Laura and Una are of superlative merit alike in outline, color, style, length of head, and grace of action. This is Florence Scarlett whose Svelta Salterrello and Sola are almost equally perfect. Mrs. Matthews, the owner of Champion Signore, our smallest and most elegant dog show and Mr. Charles Wood who has exhibited many admirable specimens, among them Sussex Queen and Sussex Princess. The Italian Greyhound Club of England has drawn up the following standard and scale of points. General Appearance. A miniature English Greyhound, more slender in all proportions ideal elegance and grace and shape, symmetry and action. Head. Skull, long, flat and narrow. Muzzle, very fine. Nose, dark and color. Ears, rose shaped, placed well back, soft and delicate and should touch or nearly touch behind the head. Eyes, large, bright and full of expression. Body. Neck, long and gracefully arched. Shoulders, long and sloping. Back, curved and drooping at the quarters. Legs and feet. Forelegs straight, well set under the shoulder. Fine pasturns, small, delicate bone. Hind legs, hocks well let down. Thighs muscular. Feet long. Hairfoot. Tail, coat and color. Tail rather long with low carriage. Skin, fine and supple. Hair thin and glossy like satin. Preferably self-colored. The color most prized is golden fawn but all shades of fawn, red, mouse, cream and white are recognized. Blacks, brindles and pied are considered less desirable. Action. High stepping and free. Weight. Two classes. One of eight pounds and under. The other over eight pounds. The diminutive Shetland Cheap Dog has many recommendations as a pet. Like the sturdy little Shetland pony, this dog has not been made small by artificial selection. It is a collie in miniature, no larger than a Pomeranian. And it is perfectly hearty, wonderfully sagacious and decidedly beautiful. At first glance the dog might easily be mistaken for a Belgian butterfly dog for its ears are somewhat large and upstanding with a good amount of feather about them. But upon closer acquaintance the shape and nature become more pronounced. The body is long and set low on stout short legs which end in long shaped feathered feet. The tail is a substantial brush, beautifully carried and the coat is long and inclined to silkiness with a considerable neck frill. The usual weight is from six to ten pounds. The dog being of smaller size than the bitch. The prettiest are all white or white with rich sable markings but many are black and tan or all black. The head is short and the face not so aquiline as that of the large collie. The eyes are well proportioned to the size of the head and have a singularly soft round brightness reminding one of the eye of a woodcock or a snipe. The Shetlanders use them with the sheep and they are excellent little workers intelligent and very active and as heartiest terriers. Dog lovers in search of novelty are less than take up this attractive and certainly genuine breed. End of Chapter 48 Chapter 49 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 49 Many people are deterred from keeping dogs by the belief that the hobby is expensive and that it entails a profitless amount of trouble and anxiety. But to the true dog lover the anxiety and trouble are far out balanced by the pleasures of possession and as to the expense that is a matter which can be regulated at will. A luxuriously appointed kennel of valuable dogs who are pampered into sickness may indeed become a serious drain upon the owner's banking account but if managed on business principles the occupation is capable of yielding a very respectable income. One does not wish to see dog keeping turned into a profession and there seems to be something mean in making money by our pets but the process of drafting is necessary when the kennel is over stock and buying and selling are among the interesting accessories of the game second only to the pleasurable excitement of submitting one's favorites to the judgment of the show ring. The delights of breeding and rearing should be their own reward as they usually are yet something more than mere pin money can be made by the alert amateur who possesses a kennel of acknowledged merit and who knows how to turn it to account. A champion ought easily to earn his own living some are a source of handsome revenue. Occasionally one hears by prices being paid for dogs acknowledged to be perfect specimens of their breed for the St. Bernard Sir Belvedere 1600 pounds were offered Plin Le Mans was sold for a thousand the same sum that was paid for the bulldog Rodney's Stone for the Collies Southport Perfection and Ormskirk Emerald Mr. Megson paid a thousand sovereigns each size is no criterion of a dog's market value Mrs. Ashton Cross is said to have refused 2000 pounds for her celebrated pecanese Chu Air and there are many lapdogs now living that could not be purchased for that high price These are sums which only a competent judge with a long purse would dream of paying for an animal whose tenure of active life can hardly be more than 8 or 10 years and already the dog's value must have been attested by his success in competition It requires an expert eye to perceive the potentialities of a puppy and there is always an element of speculative risk for both buyer and seller Many a dog that has been sold for a song has grown to be a famous champion At Cruff's show in 1905 the bulldog Maomet was offered for 10 pounds No one was bold enough to buy him yet 18 months afterwards he was sold and considered cheap at a thousand Uncertainty adds zest to a hobby that is in itself engaging Thanks to the influence of the Kennel Club and the institution of dog shows which have encouraged the improvement of distinct breeds there are fewer nondescript Mongrels in our midst than there were a generation or so ago A fuller knowledge has done much to increase the pride which the British people take in their canine companions and our present population of dogs has never been equaled for good quality in any other age or any other land The beginner cannot easily go wrong or be seriously cheated but it is well when making a first purchase to take the advice of an expert and to be very certain of the dog's pedigree age, temper and condition The approved method of buying a dog is to select one advertised for sale in the weekly journals devoted to the dog A better way still if a dog of distinguished pedigree is desired is to apply direct to a well-known owner of the required breed or to visit one of the great annual shows such as Cruffs Manchester the Ladies' Kennel Association the Kennel Club, Crystal Palace in October the Scottish Kennel Club or Birmingham and there choose the dog from the benches buying him at his cataloged price In determining the choice of a breed it is to be remembered that some are better watchdogs than others some more docile some safer with children The size of the breed should be relative to the accommodation available To have a Sink Bernard or a Great Dane glumping about a small house is an inconvenience and sporting dogs which require constant exercise and freedom are not suited to the confined life of a Bloomsbury flat Nor are the long-haired breeds at their best dragling around in the wet muddy streets of a city For town life the clean-legged terrier the bulldog the pug and the skipperkey are to be preferred Vitchers are cleaner in the house and more tractable than dogs The idea that they are more trouble than dogs is a fallacy The difficulty arises only twice in a 12 month for a few days and if you are watchful there need be no misadventure If only one dog or two or three of the smaller kinds be kept there is no imperative need for an outdoor kennel although all dogs are the better for life in the open air The house dog may be fed with meat scraps from the kitchen served as an evening meal with Rodnim or a dry biscuit for breakfast The duty of feeding him should be in the hands of one person only When it is everybody's and nobody's duty he is apt to be neglected at one time and overfed at another Regularity of feeding is one of the secrets of successful dog keeping It ought also to be one person's duty to see that he has frequent access to the yard or garden that he gets plenty of clean drinking water plenty of outdoor exercise and a comfortable bed For the toy and delicate breeds it is a good plan to have a dog room set apart with a suitable cage or basket kennel for each dog Even delicate toy dogs however ought not to be permanently lodged within doors and the dog room is only complete It has as an annex A a grass plot for playground and free exercise Next to wholesome and regular food fresh air and sunshine are the prime necessaries of healthy condition Weakness and disease come more frequently from injudicious feeding and housing than from any other cause Among the free and ownerless pariah dogs of the East, disease is almost unknown For the kennels of our British bred dogs, perhaps a southern or a southwestern aspect is the best But wherever it is placed the kennel must be sufficiently sheltered from rain and wind and it ought to be provided with a covered run in which the inmates may have full liberty An awning of some kind is necessary Trees afford good shelter from the sun rays but they harbor moisture and damp must be avoided at all costs When only one outdoor dog is kept a kennel can be improvised out of a packing case supported on the bricks above the ground with the entrance properly shielded from the weather No dog should be allowed to live in a kennel in which he cannot turn round at full length Properly constructed, portable and well ventilated kennels for single dogs are not expensive and are greatly to be preferred to any amateur makeshift A good one for a terrier need not cost more than a pound It is usually the single dog that suffers most from sleep accommodation His kennel is generally too small to admit of a good bed of straw and if there is no railed in run attached he must needs to be chained up The dog that is kept on the chain becomes dirty in his habits unhappy and savage His chain is often too short and is not provided with swivels to avert kinks On a sudden alarm or on the appearance of a trespassing tabby he will often bound forward at the risk of dislocating his neck The yard dog's chain ought always be fitted with a stop-link spring to counteract the effect of the sudden jerk The method may employ with advantage in the garden for several dogs a separate rope being used for each Unfriendly dogs can thus be kept safely apart and still be to some extent at liberty There is no obvious advantage in keeping a watchdog on the chain and then in an enclosed compound unless he is expected to go for a possible burglar and attack him A wire netting enclosure can easily be constructed at very little expense For the more powerful dogs the use of wrought iron railings is advisable and these can be procured cheaply from Sprats or Bolton and Paul's fitted with gates and with revolving troughs for feeding from the outside Opinions differ as to the best material for the flooring of kennels and the paving of runs asphalt is suitable for either in mild weather but in summer becomes uncomfortably hot for the feet unless it is partly composed of cork Concrete has its advantages if the surface can be kept dry Flagstones are cold for winter as also are tiles and bricks For terriers who enjoy burrowing earth is the best ground for the run It can be kept free from dirt and buried bones by a rake over in the morning While tufts of grass left around the margins supply the dog's natural medicine The movable sleeping bench must of course be of wood raised a few inches above the floor with a ledge to keep in the straw or other bedding Wooden floors are open to the objection that they absorb the urine but dogs should be taught not to foul their nest and in any case a frequent disinfecting of the solution of piercings or J's fluid should obviate impurity while fleas which take refuge in the dust between the planks may be dismissed or kept away with a sprinkling of paraffin Whatever the flooring scrupulous cloneliness in the kennel is a prime necessity and the inner walls should be frequently lime washed It is important too that no scraps of rejected food or bones should be left lying about to become putrid or to tempt the spirits of rats which bring fleas If the dogs do not finish their food when it is served to them it should be removed until hunger gives appetite for the next meal Many breeders of large and thick coated varieties such as Sampernards, Newfoundlands Old English sheepdogs and rough haired collies give their dogs nothing to lie upon but clean bare boards The coat is itself a sufficient cushion but in winter weather straw gives added warmth and for short hair dogs, something soft if it is only a piece of carpet or a sack is needed as a bed to protect the hawks from abrasion With regards to feeding this requires to be studied in relation to the particular breed One good meal a day served by preference in the evening is sufficient for the adult if a dried dog cake or a handful of rodinum be given for breakfast and perhaps a large bone to gnaw at clean cold water must always be at hand in all weathers and a drink of milk colored with tea is nourishing goat's milk is particularly suitable for the dog many owners keep goats on their premises to give a constant supply it is a mistake to suppose as many persons do that meat diet provokes eczema and other skin troubles the contrary is the case the dog is by nature a carnivorous animal and wholesome flesh either cooked or raw should be his staple food horse flesh which is frequently used in large establishments is not so fully to be relied upon as ordinary butcher meat there is no serious objection to bullocks heads sheep's heads bullocks tripes and ponches and a little liver given occasionally is an apparent food which most dogs enjoy but when it be afforded wholesome butchers meat is without question the proper food oatmeal porridge rice barley linseed meal and bone meal ought only to be regarded as occasional additions to the usual meat diet and are not necessary when dog cakes are regularly supplied well boiled green vegetables such as cabbage turnip tops and nettle tops are good mixed with the meat potatoes are questionable of the various advertised dog foods many of which are excellent the choice may be left to those who are fond of experiment or who seek for convenient substitutes for the old fashioned and wholesome diet of the household sickly dogs require in village treatment but the best course is usually the simplest and given a sound constitution to begin with any dog ought to thrive if he is only properly housed carefully fed and gets abundant exercise End of Chapter 49 Chapter 50 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 Robert Layton Chapter 50 of Dogs and All About Them The modern practice of dog breeding in Great Britain has reached a condition which may be esteemed as an art at no other time and in no other country have the various canine types been kept more rigidly distinct or brought to a higher level of perfection formally dog owners apart from the keepers of packs of hounds paid scant attention to the differentiation of breeds and the conservation of type considered it no serious breach of duty to ignore the principles of scientific selection and thus contribute to the multiplication of mongrelts. Discriminate breeding was rare and if a bulldog should mate himself with a grey hound or a spaniel with a terrier the alliance was regarded merely as an inconvenience so careless were owners in preventing the promiscuous mingling of alien breeds that it is little short of surprising so many of our canine types have been preserved in their integrity the elimination of the non-descript curve is no doubt largely due to the work of the homes for lost dogs that are instituted in most of our great towns every year some 26,000 homeless and ownerless canines are picked up by the police in the streets of London and during the 47 years which have elapsed since the dog's home at Battersea was established upwards of 800,000 dogs have passed through the books a few to be reclaimed or bought the great majority to be put to death a very large proportion of these have been veritable mongrelts not worth the value of their licences, diseased and maimed curse or bitches and wealth and turned ruthlessly adrift to be consigned to the oblivion by the lethal chamber where the thoroughbred seldom finds its way and if as many as 500 undesirables are destroyed every week at one such institution it is clear that the ill-bred mongrel must soon altogether disappear but the chief factor in the general improvement of our canine population is due to the steadily growing care and pride which are best out upon the dog and to the scientific skill with which he is being bred admitting that the dog seen at our best contemporary shows are superlative examples of scientific selection one has yet to acknowledge that the process of breeding for show points has its disadvantages and that in the sporting and pastoral varieties more especially utility is apt to be sacrificed to ornament and type and stamina to fancy qualities not always relative to the animal's capacities as a worker the standards of perfection and scales of points laid down by the specialist clubs are usually admirable guides to the uninitiated but they are often unreasonably arbitrary in the insistence upon certain details of form generally in the neighborhood of the head while they leave the qualities of type and character to look after themselves or to be totally ignored it is necessary to assure the beginner in breeding that points are essentially a far less moment than type and a good constitution the one thing necessary in the cultivation of the dog is to bear in mind the purpose for which he is supposed to be employed and to aim at adapting or conserving his physique to the best fulfillment of that purpose remembering that the grey hound has tucked up loins to give elasticity and bend to the body and running that a terrier is kept small to enable him the better to enter an earth that a bulldog is massive and undershot for encounters in the bullring that the cally's ears are directed to assist him in hearing sounds from afar as those of the bloodhound are pendant the more readily to detect sounds coming to him along the ground while his head is bent to the trail nature has been discriminant in her adaptations of animal forms and the most perfect dog yet bred is the one which approaches nearest to nature's wise intention the foregoing chapters have given abundant examples of how the various breeds of the dog have been acquired, manufactured improved, resuscitated and retained broadly speaking new methods have been adopted the method of introducing an outcross to impart new blood, new strength new character and the method of inbreeding to retain an approved type an outcross is introduced when the breed operated upon is declining in stamina or is in danger of extinction or when some new physical or mental quality is desired new types and eccentricities are hardly wanted however may nowadays be achieved by the simple process of selecting individuals from different strains of the same breed mating a bitch which lacks required points with the dog in whose family they are prominently and consistently present inbreeding is a reverse of outcrossing it is a practice of mating animals closely related to each other and this within limits an entirely justifiable means of preserving and intensifying family characteristics there is a law in zoology that an animal cannot transmit a quality which it does not itself innately possess or which none of its progenitors has ever possessed by mating a dog and a bitch of the same family therefore you concentrate and enhance a uniform number of possibly heterogeneous ancestors by exactly a half right back to the very beginning there is no sure way of maintaining uniformity of type and an examination of the most extended pedigree of almost any famous dog will show how commonly inbreeding is practiced inbreeding is certainly advantages when managed with judgment and discreet selection but it has its disadvantages also for it is to be remembered that faults and blemishes are inherited as well as merits and that the faults have a way of asserting themselves with annoying persistency furthermore breeding between animals closely allied in parentage is prone to lead to degeneracy physical weakness and mental stupidity while impotence and sterility are frequent concomitance and none but experienced breeders should attempt so hazardous an experiment observation has proved that the union of father with daughter and mother with son is preferable to an alliance between brother and sister perhaps the best union is that between cousins for the preservation of general type however it ought to be sufficient to keep to one strain and to select from that strain members who while exhibiting similar characteristics are not actually too closely allied in consanguinity to move perpetually from one strain to another is only to court an undesirable confusion of type in founding a kennel it is advisable to begin with the possession of a bitch as a companion the female is to be preferred to the male as affectionate and faithful and she is actually much cleaner in her habits in the house if it is intended to breed by her she should be very carefully chosen and proved to be free from any serious fault and predisposition to disease not only should a written pedigree be scrupulously scrutinized but her own constitution and that of her parents on both sides should be minutely inquired into a bitch comes into season for breeding rice in a year the first time when she is reaching maturity usually at the age of from seven to ten months her condition will readily be discerned by the fact of an increased attentiveness of the opposite sex and the appearance of a mucous discharge from the vagina she should then be carefully protected from the gallantry of suitors dogs kept in the near neighborhood of a bitch on heat who is not accessible to them go to feed and suffer in condition with most breeds it is unwise to put a bitch to stud before she is eighteen months old but mr. Stubbs recommends that a bull bitch should be allowed to breed at her first heat while her body retains the flexibility of youth and there is no doubt that with regard to the bulldog great mortality occurs in attempting to breed from maiden bitches exceeding three years old in almost all breeds is that the first three litters are the best it is accordingly important that a proper mating should be considered at the outset and a prospective sire selected either through the medium of stud advertisements or by private arrangement with the owner of the desired dog for the payment of the requisite stud fee varying from a guinea to ten or fifteen pounds the services of the best dogs of the particular breed can usually be secured it is customary for the bitch to be the visitor and it is well that her visit should extend to two or three days at the least when possible a responsible person should accompany her if the stud dog is a frequenter of shows he can usually be depended upon to be in sound physical condition no dog who is not so can be expected to win prizes but it ought to be a certain to beforehand that he is what is known as a good stock getter the fee is for his services not for the result of them both owners of stud dogs will grant two services and this is often desirable especially in the case of a maiden bitch or of a stud dog that is overwrought as so many are it is most important that both the mated animal should be free from worms and skin disorders 50% of the cash valities among young puppies are due to one or other of the parents having been in an unhealthy condition when mated a winter developing is not advisable it is best for puppies to be born in the spring early summer thus escaping the rigors of inclement weather during the period of gestation the breeding bitch should have ample but not violent exercise with varied and wholesome food including some preparation of bone meal and at about the third week whether she seems to require it or not she should be treated for worms at about the 60th day a mild purgative should be given usually salad oil is enough but if constipation is apparent castor oil may be necessary on the 62nd day the whelps may be expected and everything ought to be in readiness for the event a coarsely constituted bitch may be trusted to look after herself on these occasions no help is necessary and one may come down in the morning to find her with a litter comfortably nestling but with the toy breeds and the breeds that have been rare in artificial conditions difficult for protracted parturition is frequent and human assistance ought to be at hand in case of need the owner of a valuable bull bitch for example would never think of leaving her to her own unaided devices all unto interference however should be avoided and it is absolutely necessary that the person attending her is formally familiar in anticipation of a possibly numerous litter a foster mother should be arranged for beforehand comfortable quarters should be prepared in a quiet part of the house or kennels warm and free from drafts clean bedding of wheat and straw should be provided but the bitch should be allowed to make her nest in her own instinctive fashion let her have easy access to drinking water she will probably refuse food for a few hours before her time but a little concentrated nourishment such as brand's essence or a drink of warm milk should be offered to her in further preparation for the confinement a basin of water containing antiseptic for washing in, towels, warm milk a flask of brandy a bottle of ergotine and a pair of scissors or commodities which may all be required in emergency the ergot which must be used with extreme caution is invaluable when party vision is protracted and there is difficult straining with that result its effect is to contract the womb and expel the contents but when the puppies are expelled with ease it is superfluous for a bitch of 10 pounds in weight 10 drops of the extract of ergot in a teaspoon full of water should be ample given by the mouth the scissors are for severing the umbilical cord if the mother should fail to do it in her own natural way sometimes a puppy may be enclosed within a membrane which the dam cannot readily open with tongue and teeth if help is necessary it should be given tenderly and with clean fingers occasionally a puppy may seem to be inert and lifeless after repeatedly licking it the bitch may relinquish all effort at restoration and turn her attention to another that is being born in such a circumstance a rejected little one may be discreetly removed and a drop of brandy at the point of the fingers smeared upon its tongue may revive animation or it may be plunged up to the neck in warm water the object should be to keep it warm and to make it breathe when the puppies are all born the dam may be given a drink of warm milk and then left alone to their toilets and to suckle them if any should be dead these ought to be disposed of curiosity in regard to the other should be temporarily repressed and inspection of them delayed until a more fitting opportunity if many are then seen to be malformed or to have cleft pallets these had better be removed and mercifully destroyed it is the experience of many observers that the first welps born in a litter are the strongest, largest and healthiest if the litter is a large one the last born may be noticeably puny and this disparity in size may continue to maturity the wise breeder will decide for himself how many welps should be left to the care of their dam this number should be relative to her health and constitution and in any case it is well not to give her so many that they will be a drain upon her these breeds of dogs that have been most highly developed by man and that appear to have the greatest amount of brain and intelligence are generally the most prolific as to the number of puppies they produce st. bernards, pointers, setters are notable for the usual strength of their families st. bernards have been known to produce as many as 18 welps and it is no one common thing for them to produce from 9 to 12 a pointer of Mr. Barkley Fields Phoebe produced 21 at a birth Phoebe read 10 of these herself and almost every one of the family became celebrated it would be straining the natural possibilities of any bitch to expect her to bring up 18 puppies healthily half that number would tax her natural resources to the extreme but nature is extraordinarily adaptive in tempering the wind to the charon lamp and a dam who gives birth to a numerous litter ought not to have her family unduly reduced it was good policy to allow Phoebe to have the rearing of as many as 10 out of her 21 a bitch having 12 will bring up 9 very well one having 9 will rare 7 without help and a bitch having 7 will bring up 5 better than 4 breeders of toy dogs often rare the overplus offspring by hand with the help of a maw and thompson feeding bottle that tonized milk and one or more of the various advertised infants foods or often puppy foods others prefer to engage or prepare in advance a foster mother the foster mother need not be of the same breed but she should be approximately a similar size and their own family ought to be of the same age as the one of which she is to take additional charge one can usually be secured through advertisement in the canine press some owners do not object to taking one from a dog's home which is an easy method in consideration of the circumstance that by far the larger number of lost dogs are bitches sent adrift because they are in wealth the chief risk in this course is that the unknown foster mother may be diseased or verminous or have contracted the seeds of distemper or her milk may be populated with embryo worms these are dangers to guard against a cat makes an excellent foster mother for toy dog puppies worms ought not to be a necessary accompaniment of puppy hurt and if the siren damn are properly attended to in advance they need not be the writer has attended at the birth of puppies not one of whom has shown the remotest sign of having a worm and the puppies have almost galloped into healthy happy maturity protected from all the usual canine ailments by constitutions impervious to disease he has seen others almost eaten away by worms great eating knots of them have been ejected they have been vomited they have wriggled out of the nostrils they have perforated the stomach and brought such damage that most of the puppies succumbed and those that survived were permanently deficient in stamina and liable to go wrong on the least provocating the puppy that is free from worms starts life with a great advantage end of chapter 50 chapter 51 part 1 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 51 part 1 some common ailments of the dog and their treatment the experienced dog owner has long ago realized that cleanliness wholesome food judicious exercise and a dry, comfortable and well ventilated kennel are the surest safeguards of health and that attention to these necessaries saves him an infinitude of trouble and anxiety by protecting his dogs from disease on the first appearance of illness in his kennels the wise dog owner at once calls in the skills of a good veterinary surgeon with minor ailments which he can deal with himself whilst he ought at least to be able to recognize the first symptoms of the dreaded distemper and give first aid until the vet arrives to apply his remedies and give professional advice distemper although more than 100 years have elapsed since this was first imported to this country from France a great amount of misunderstanding still prevails among a large section regarding its true nature and origin the fact is the disease came to us with a bad name for the French themselves deemed it incurable in this country the old-fashioned plan of treatment was want to be the usual rough remedies ametics purgatives the siten and the lancet failing in this specifics of all sorts were eagerly sought for and tried and are unfortunately still believed in to a very great extent distemper has a certain course to run and in this disease nature seems to attempt the elimination of the poison through the secretions thrown out by the nasopharyngeal mucus membrane our chief difficulty in the treatment of distemper lies in the complications thereof we may and often do have the organs of respiration attacked we have sometimes congestion of the liver or mucus inflammation of the bile ducts inflammation of the brain or nervous structures combined with epilepsy convulsions or Korea distemper is also often complicated with severe disease of the bowels and at times with an affection of the eyes causes whether it be that the distemper virus the poison seedling of the disease really originates in the kennel or is the result of contact of one dog with another or whether the poison floats to the kennel on the wings of the wind or is carried there on a shoe or the point of a walking stick the following facts ought to be born in mind one anything that debilitates the body or weakens the nervous system paves the way for the distemper poison two the healthier the dog the more powered as he possess to resist contagion three when the disease is episodic by proper attention to diet and exercise frequent change of kennel straw and perfect cleanliness four the predisposing causes which have come more immediately under my notice are debility, cold, damp, starvation filthy kennels unwholesome food impure air and grief the age at which dogs take distemper they may take distemper at any age the most common time of life is from the fifth till the 11th or 12th month symptoms there is first and foremost a period of latency or of incubation in which there is more or less of dullness and loss of appetite and this glides gradually into a state of feverishness the fever may be ushered in with chills and shivering the nose now becomes hot and dry the dog is restless and thirsty and the conjunctive way of the eyes will be found to be considerably injected sometimes the bowels are at first constipated but they are more usually irregular sneezing will also be frequent and in some cases cough, dry and husky at first the temperature should be taken and if there is a rise of 2 or 3 degrees the case should be treated as distemper and not as a common cold at the commencement there is but little exudation from the eyes and nose but as the disease advances the symptom will become more marked being clear at first so too will another symptom which is partially diagnostic of the malady namely increased heat of body combined with the rapid falling off in flesh sometimes indeed proceeding quickly onto positive immaciation as the disease creeps downwards and inwards along the air passages the chest gets more and more affected the discharge of mucus and pus from the nostrils more abundant and the cough loses its dry character becoming moist the discharge from the eyes is simply mucus and pus but if not constantly dried away will gum the inflamed lids together that from the nostrils is not only purulent but often mixed with dark blood the appetite is now clean gone and there is often vomiting and occasional attacks of diarrhea now in mild cases we may look for some abatement of the symptoms about the 14th day the fever gets less inflammation decreases in the mucus passages and appetite is restored as one of the first signs of returning health more often however the disease becomes complicated diagnosis the diagnostic symptoms are the severe catar combined not only with fever but speedy immaciation pneumonia, as we might easily imagine is a very likely complication and a very dangerous one there is great distress in breathing the animal panting rapidly the countenance is anxious the pulse small and frequent and the extremity is cold the animal would faint sit up on his haunches or even seek to get out into the fresh air but sickness, weakness and prostration often forbid his movements if the ear or stethoscope is tied to the chest the characteristic signs of pneumonia will be heard these are sounds of moist reputations etc bronchitis is probably the most common complication in fact it is always present except in very mild cases the cough becomes more severe and often comes on in tearing paroxysms causing sickness and vomiting the breathing is short and frequent the mouth hot and filled with while very often the bowels are constipated if the liver becomes involved we shall very soon have the jaundiced eye and the yellow skin the aurea is another very common complication we have frequent purging and maybe sickness and vomiting feats of a convulsive character are frequent concomitants of this temper epilepsy is sometimes seen owing no doubt to the generation of the nerve centers caused by poisoning there are many other complications and skin complaints are common after it treatment this consists firstly in doing all in our power to guide a specific cataral fever to a safe termination and secondly in watching for and combating complications whenever we see a young dog ailing losing appetite exhibiting cataral symptoms and getting thin with a rise in temperature we should not lose an hour if he be an inner dog find him a good bed in a clean well ventilated apartment free from lumber and free from dirt if it be summer have all the windows out or opened if winter a little fire will be necessary but have half the window opened at the same time only take precautions against his lying in a draft fresh air in cases of this temper and indeed in fevers of all kinds cannot be too highly extolled the more rest the dog has the better he must be kept free from excitement and care must be taken to guard him against cold and wet when he goes out of doors to obey the calls of nature the most perfect cleanliness must be enjoined and disinfectants used such as permanganate of path ash carbolic acid, piercings or easel if the sick dog on the other hand be one of a kennel of dogs then quarantine must be adopted the hospital should be quite removed from the vicinity of all other dogs and as soon as the animal is taken from the kennel the latter should be thoroughly cleansed and disinfected and the other dogs kept warm and dry well fed and moderately exercised food and drink for the first three or four days let the food be light and easily digested in order to induce the animal to take it it should be as palatable as possible for small dogs you cannot have anything better than milk porridge at all events the dog must, if possible be induced to eat he must not be horned unless there be great emaciation he must not overeat but what he gets must be good as to drink, dogs usually prefer clean cold water and we cannot do harm by mixing therewith a little plain nighter begin by giving a simple dose of castor oil just enough and no more that will clear out the bowels by one or two motions drastic purgatives and medicines such as mercury, jalape, aloes, and padda fillin cannot be too highly condemned for very small toy dogs such as Italian greyhounds, Yorkshire terriers, etc I should not recommend even oil itself but mana one drum to two drums dissolved in milk by simply getting the bowels to act once or twice we shall have done enough for the first day and have only to make the dog comfortable for the night on the next day begin with a mixture such as the following solution of acetate of ammonia 30 drops to 120 sweet spirits of nighter 15 drops to 60 salicylate of soda 2 grains to 10 thrice daily in a little cup for water it can be very troublesome and the fever does not run very high the following may be substituted for this on the second or third day syrup of squills 10 drops to 60 tincture of henbane 10 drops to 60 sweet spirits of nighter 10 drops to 60 income for water a few drops of dilute hydrochloric acid should be added to the dog's drink and two teaspoonfuls to a quart of water of the chlorate of patash this makes an excellent fever drink especially if the dog can be got to take decoction of barley barley water instead of plain cold water pest made of kin and robinson's patent barley if there be persistent sickness and vomiting the medicine must be stopped for a time small boluses of ice frequently administered will do much good and doses of dilute prusik acid from 1 to 4 drops in a little water will generally arrest the vomiting if constipation be present we must use no rough remedies to get rid of it a little raw meat cut into small pieces minced in fact or a small portion of raw liver may be given if there be little fever if there be fever we are to trust for a time to injections of plain soap and water diarrhea although often a troublesome symptom is it must be remembered as salutary one unless therefore it becomes excessive do not interfere if it does give the simple chalk mixture 3 times a day but no longer than is needful the discharge from the mouth and nose is to be wiped away with a soft rag or better still some tow which is afterwards to be burned wetted with a weak solution of carbolic the forehead, eyes and nose may be fomented 2 or 3 times a day with moderately hot water with great advantage it is not judicious to wet a long haired dog much but a short haired one may have the chest and throat well fomented several times a day and well rubbed dry afterwards heat applied to the chests of long haired dogs by means of a flat iron will also effect good the following is an excellent tonic sulfate of quinine 1.8 to 3 grains powdered rhubarb 2 to 10 grains extract of tarac sapcum 3 to 20 grains make a bolus thrice daily during convalescence good food, viral sprouts in valid food and in valid biscuit moderate exercise fresh air and protection from cold this with an occasional mild dose of castor oil or rhubarb are to be our sheet anchors I find no better tonic than the tablets of phosphorin 1.25 of a tablet thrice daily rolled in tissue paper for a toy dog up to 2 tablets for a dog of mastiff size bronchitis dogs that have been exposed to wet or that have been put to lie in a damp or drafty kennel with insufficient food are not less liable than their masters to catch a severe cold which if not promptly attended to may extend downward to the lining membranes of bronchi or lungs in such cases there is always symptoms more or less of fever with feets of shivering and thirst accompanied with dullness a tired appearance and loss of appetite the breath is short inspirations painful and there is a rattling of mucous in chest or throat the most prominent symptom perhaps is the frequent cough it is at first dry ringing it is evidently painful in a few days however or sooner it softens and there is a discharge of rothy mucous with it and in the latter stages of pus and ropey mucous treatment keep the patient in a comfortable well ventilated apartment with free access in and out if the weather be dry let the bowels be freely acted upon to begin with but no weakening discharge from the bowels after the bowels have been moved we should commence the exhibition of small doses of tartar emetic with squeals and opium thrice a day if the cough is very troublesome give this mixture tincture of squeals 5 drops to 30 paragoric 10 drops to 60 tartar emetic 1 sixteenth of a grain to 1 grain syrup and water as efficiency thrice daily a full dose of opium every night in mild cases carbonate of ammonia may be tried it often does good the dose being from 2 grains to 10 in comfort water or even plain water the chronic form of bronchitis will always yield if the dog is young to careful feeding moderate exercise and the exhibition of cod liver oil with a mild iron tonic the exercise however must be moderate more kept from the water a few drops to a teaspoon full of paragoric given at night will do good and the bowels should be kept regular and a simple laxative peel given now and then diarrhea or looseness of the bowels or purging is a very common disease among dogs of all ages and breeds it is nevertheless more common among puppies about 3 or 4 months old and among dogs who have reached the age of from 7 to 10 years it is often symptomatic of other ailments causes very numerous in weekly dogs exposure alone will produce it the weather too has no doubt much to do with the production of diarrhea in most kennels it is more common in the months of july and august although it often comes on in the very dead of winter puppies if overfed will often be seized with this troublesome complaint a healthy puppy hardly ever knows when it has had enough and it will moreover stuff itself with all sorts of garbage acidity of the stomach follows with vomiting of the ingesta and diarrhea succeeds brought on by the acrid condition of the kind which finds its way into the duodenum this stuff would in itself act as a purgative but it does more it abnormally excites the secretions of the whole alimentary canal and a sort of subacute mucous inflammation is set up the liver too becomes mixed up with the mischief throws out a superabundance of bile and thus aids in keeping up the diarrhea among other causes we find the eating of indigestible food drinking fowl or tainted water too much green food raw punches fowl kennels and damp drafty kennels symptoms the purging is of course the principal symptom and the stools are either quite liquid or semi fluid bilious looking dirty brown or clay colored or mixed with slimy mucous in some cases they resemble dirty water sometimes as already said a little blood will be found in the dejection owing to congestion of the mucous membrane from liver obstruction in case there be blood in the stools a careful examination is always necessary in order to ascertain the real state of the patient blood it must be remembered might come from piles or polypy or it might be dysentery and proceed from ulceration of the rectum and colon it the simplest form of diarrhea unless the disease continues for a long time there will not be much wasting and the appetite will generally remain good but capricious in bilious diarrhea with large brown fluid stools of appetite there is much thirst and in a few days the dog gets rather thin although nothing like so rapidly as in the immaciation of this temper the treatment will it need hardly be said depend upon the cause but as it is generally caused by the presence in the intestine of some irritating matter we can hardly err by administering a small dose of castor oil combining with it if there be much pain which you can tell by the animal's presence from 5 to 20 or 30 drops of paludinum or of the solution of the muriate of morphia this in itself will often suffice to cut short an attack the oil is preferable to rhubarb but the latter may be tried the simple not the compound powder those from 10 grains to 2 drums of bolus if the diarrhea should continue next day proceed cautiously remember there is no great hurry to add and check to diarrhea is at times dangerous to administer dog doses of the aromatic choc and opium powder or give the following medicine 3 times a day compound powdered catechu 1 grain to 10 powdered choc with opium 3 grains to 30 mix if the diarrhea still continues good may upcrew from a trial of the following mixture lodinum 5 to 30 drops dilute sulfuric acid 2 to 15 drops in comfort water this after every liquid motion or if the motions may not be observed 3 times a day if blood should appear in the stools give the following Kino powder 1 to 10 grains powder epicac 1 fourth to 3 grains powdered opium 1 half to 2 grains this may be made into a bolus with any simple extract for a day the food is of importance the diet should be changed the food requires to be of a non-stimulating kind no meat being allowed but milk and bread or rice etc to drink either pure water with a pinch or two of chlorate and nitrate of pot ash in it or patent barley water if the dog will take it the bed must be warm and clean and free from drafts 1 cannot be too particular with the cleanliness and disinfection of the kennels End of chapter 51 Part 1 Recording by Shana Sear, Fresno, California