Dogs and All about Them Part 26

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 at the shoulders. EYES--Should be a dark brown, with black eye rims 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 cobby, low 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, the longer the better, of a silky texture, not in any way woolly, and should be straight. COLOUR--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 4 lb. to 9 lb., the smaller the better, but it is desirable that they should not exceed 10 lb.

There seems to be no doubt that the fawn-coloured 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 this 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 is with that country that most of the blunt-nosed toy dogs, with tails curled over their backs, are a.s.sociated.

The Pug was brought into prominence in Great Britain about sixty years ago by Lady Willoughby de Eresby, of Grimthorpe, near Lincoln, and Mr.

Morrison, of Walham Green, who each independently established a kennel of these dogs, with such success that eventually the fawn Pugs 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 colour than the Morrison, which was of a brighter, ruddier hue, but the two varieties have since been so much interbred that they are now undistinguishable, and the fact that they were ever familiarly recognised as either Willoughbys or Morrisons is almost entirely forgotten. A "fawn" Pug may now be either silver grey or apricot, and equally valuable.

Whatever may have been the history of the Pug as regards its nativity, it had not been long introduced into England before it became a popular favourite as a pet, and it shared with the 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 Pekinese, and j.a.panese, 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 Pugs. 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 b.i.t.c.h, according to the standard, should be from 13 lb. to 17 lb., 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 upfaced. Most of the winning Pugs of the present day are undershot at least half an inch, and consequently must be upfaced. Only one champion of the present day possesses a level mouth. The toe-nails 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 colour, 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 over-sized dogs with big skulls that are patchy in colour, and the charming little Pugs which were once so highly prized are now the exception rather than the rule, while the large, l.u.s.trous 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 Bra.s.sey 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 colour, 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 cobby little dog with short back and well-developed hind-quarters, wide in skull, with square and blunt muzzle and tightly-curled tail.

CHAPTER XLVII

THE BRUSSELS GRIFFON

Away back in the 'seventies numbers of miners in Yorks.h.i.+re and the Midlands are said to have possessed little wiry-coated and wiry-dispositioned 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 masters' meals, perchance chasing a casual rat in between times. Old men of to-day who remember these little "red tarriers" tell us that they were the originals of the present-day Brussels Griffons, 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 Griffon would claim that the breed dates back, like the Greyhound, to h.o.a.ry 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 growed" and we must love him for himself alone.

Even in the last fifteen years we can trace a certain advance in the evolution of the Brussels Griffon. 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 recognised as being one of the most important physical characteristics of the race.

Then, again, quite a few years ago a Griffon with a red pin-wire coat 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 Griffons into this country were made by Mrs. Kingscote, Miss Adela Gordon, Mrs. Frank Pearce, and Fletcher, who at that time (_circa_ 1894) kept a dog-shop in Regent Street. Mrs. Handley Spicer soon followed, and it was at her house that, in 1896, the Griffon Bruxellois Club was first suggested and then formed. The Brussels Griffon Club of London was a later offshoot of this club, and, like many children, would appear to be more vigorous than its parent. Griffons soon made their appearance at shows and won many admirers, though it 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 gla.s.s bead to a fathomless lake.

Griffons 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 tiresomely dainty with regard to food, as is so often the case with Toy Spaniels. It must be admitted that Griffons 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 Griffon, and it is necessary to supersede their maternal nourishment with extreme caution. Farinaceous foods do not answer, and usually cause trouble sooner or later. A small quant.i.ty of sc.r.a.ped raw beef--an eggspoonful at four weeks, increasing to a teaspoonful at six--may be given once a day, and from four to five weeks two additional meals of warm milk--goat's for preference--and not more than a tablespoonful 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 sc.r.a.ped 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 vermifuge, 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 tablespoonfuls 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 pa.s.sed, 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 sc.r.a.ped at midday, the usual milk at tea-time, and a dry biscuit, such as Plasmon, for supper. At ten weeks old the milk at tea-time may be discontinued and the other meals increased accordingly, and very little further trouble need be feared, for Griffons very rarely suffer from teething troubles.

Brussels Griffons are divided into three groups, according to their appearance, and representatives of each group may be, and sometimes are, found in one and the same litter. First and foremost, both in importance and in beauty, comes the Griffon Bruxellois, a cobby, compact little dog, with wiry red coat, large eyes, short nose, well turned up, and sloping back, very prominent chin, and small ears.

Secondly come the Griffons of any other colour, or, as they are termed in Brussels, Griffons Belges. These are very often Griffons of the usual colour, with a mismark of white or black, or occasionally they may be grey or fawn. But the most approved colour, and certainly the most attractive, is black and tan. The third group of Brussels Griffons is that termed "smooth," or, in Brussels, Griffons Brabancons. The smooth Griffon is identical with the rough in all points except for being short-haired. As is well known, smooth Griffons 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, Ch. Copthorne Lobster, Ch. Copthorne Treasure, Ch. Copthorne Talk-o'-the-Town, and Copthorne Blunderbuss. This and many other facts in connection with breeding Griffons will be learnt from experience, always the best teacher.

The descriptive particulars of the Brussels Griffon are:--

GENERAL APPEARANCE--A lady's little dog--intelligent, sprightly, robust, of compact appearance--reminding one of a cob, and captivating the attention by a quasi-human expression. HEAD--Rounded, furnished with somewhat hard, irregular hairs, longer round the eyes, on the 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, eyebrows 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 p.r.o.nounced stop. LIPS--Edged with black, furnished with a moustache. A little black in the moustache 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.

COLOUR--In the Griffons Bruxellois, red; in the Griffons Belges, preferably black and tan, but also grey or fawn; in the Pet.i.t Brabancon, red or black and tan. TEXTURE OF COAT--Harsh and wiry, irregular, rather long and thick. In the Brabancon it is smooth and short. WEIGHT--Light weight, 5 lb. maximum; and heavy weight, 9 lb.

maximum. FAULTS--The faults to be avoided are light eyes, silky hair on the head, brown nails, teeth showing, a hanging tongue or a brown nose.

[Ill.u.s.tration: TOY DOGS 1. MRS. GRESHAM'S PUG CH. GRINDLEY KING 2. MRS. T. WHALEY'S BRUSSELS GRIFFON GLENARTNEY SPORT 3. PEKINESE CH.

CHU-ERH OF ALDERBOURNE _Photograph by Russell_]

CHAPTER XLVIII

THE MINIATURE BREEDS

Except in the matter of size, the general appearance 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, excepting that erect, or what are commonly known as tulip ears, of semi-erect carriage, are permissible in the miniatures. The officially recognised 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 little more than half of it, and the great majority are between 4 lb. and 5 lb.

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 Merry Atom. Merry Atom is only 4-1/2 lb. in weight, and he is 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 he 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 cus.h.i.+ons, 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 favoured of lady's pets and lapdogs. 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 lilliputian self-a.s.sertion is most amusing. As pets they are most affectionate, excellent as watch-dogs, 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 Tyrwhitt Wilson, weighed under 3 lb., but the breed remains "toy" up to 15 lb. When you get a dog with a long wedge-shaped head, the latter in compet.i.tion 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 cla.s.ses for this breed it is perhaps better to limit the weight of compet.i.tors to 12 lb. The Bull-terrier Club put 15 lb. 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 interests 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 colour is pure white. A brindle spot is not amiss, 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, graceful, and refined of all dogs are the tiny Italian Greyhounds. Their exquisitely delicate lines, their supple movements and beautiful att.i.tudes, their soft large eyes, their charming colouring, their gentle and loving nature, and their 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 eggsh.e.l.l china--not to be handled roughly. But their const.i.tution 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 seventeenth 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 const.i.tutional 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 Gazehound of the ancients, with the added conjecture that it was purposely dwarfed for the 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. Vandyck, Kneller, 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 Balmoral, where Sir Edwin Landseer transferred their graceful forms to canvas.

Among the more prominent owners of the present time are the Baroness Campbell von Laurentz, whose Rosemead Laura and Una are of superlative merit alike in outline, colour, style, length of head, and grace of action; Mrs. Florence Scarlett, whose Svelta, Saltarello, and Sola are almost equally perfect; Mrs. Matthews, the owner of Ch. Signor, our smallest and most elegant show dog; and Mr. Charlwood, who has exhibited many admirable specimens, among them Suss.e.x Queen and Suss.e.x 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, and of ideal elegance and grace in shape, symmetry, and action. HEAD--Skull long, flat and narrow. Muzzle very fine. Nose dark in colour. 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--Fore-legs straight, well set under the shoulder; fine pasterns; small delicate bone. Hind-legs, hocks well let down; thighs muscular.

Feet long--hare foot. TAIL, COAT AND COLOUR--Tail rather long and with low carriage. Skin fine and supple. Hair thin and glossy like satin.

Preferably self-coloured. The colour most prized is golden fawn, but all shades of fawn--red, mouse, cream and white--are recognised.

Blacks, brindles and pied are considered less desirable. ACTION--High stepping and free. WEIGHT--Two cla.s.ses, one of 8 lb. and under, the other over 8 lb.