Dogs Used in Work (Continued)

bull dogs—bull terriers—boston terriers

Amongst the most popular breeds of late years, has been one that would not be generally expected to be found in that capacity, although it is a very old and national breed. Perhaps I should say that, in reference to all the companionable breeds I have mentioned in these articles, I mean more especially kept by ladies, as when one speaks of such dogs, one naturally thinks of animals not chained to a dog box, or shut up in a kennel outside, but brought into the house, and, literally "treated as one of the family." I refer to the Bull Dog, and having owned and had to do with a great many of these, I can testify to their usual good temper and placidity of disposition, in spite of the many unfavourable comments we frequently hear about them. Indeed, it is a rare thing to meet with a bad tempered Bull dog, and the majority of them will submit to great liberties being taken, even by smaller dogs, rather than attempt to take their own part, and have little idea of fighting in the style practised by some other breeds. But if they once make up their minds to go for any person, or animal, they are difficult to dislodge when they have taken hold. The sizes are very various, the dogs running from under forty pounds to over fifty-five pounds, and the bitches from under thirty-five to under fifty pounds, and of late years a class of "Toy Bull dogs" have been brought out, which I mention elsewhere. The head large, small ears, rather prominent eyes, very short nose, chin rather turned up and generally pugilistic look of the face, with the body rather heavy in front, swung between legs placed widely apart, back short and curved, technically called "roached," with mean hindquarters and a short tail, with a downward turn in it if not "screwed," are familiar features of the breed to most people knowing anything of it, and the colours are white, white and brindle, white and Hound tan, white and black, brindle, brindle and white, brindle and fallow, fawn with black muzzle, fawn and white, red, red and white, red and black, black, and black and white. Of course the brindles, reds, and fawns run into different shades of each, but I think the foregoing contain nearly all the colours allowed by the Bull Dog Clubs. It is a fascinating breed, and when once it has been taken up, is seldom altogether dropped, and I have known several generations of the same family keeping up the strain. I should say the mortality amongst Bull Dogs is as great as, or probably greater than, in any other breed of dog, particularly before they are a year old. Whether their being so much inbred, to preserve certain characteristics, or being so short faced as to interfere with their organs of respiration, are the causes, I will not pretend to say, but if you ask any breeder, he will tell you what considerable losses he suffers every year. Another difficulty which would not be suspected, is that many of them are such bad "doers," that is, do not seem to have any appetite for their food. I remember congratulating an enthusiast of the breed on the condition of his favourite, a large brindle and white, at least fifty pounds weight. "Yes," he said, "he is looking well, but for the last fortnight he has been living entirely on veal cutlets." I thought he would be an expensive boarder on such fare, but from my experience of the breed and its owners, I doubt very much if any other kind of dog is so much pampered. They are naturally slow and lazy in their movements, do not, as a rule, take much exercise, or go much into the open air, so have not much healthy appetite, but as a thin Bull Dog is an abomination, their "condition" must be kept up.

Bull Terrier.—The Bull Terrier, formerly so much used in combats with others of the same variety, (now happily things of the past, except "on the quiet" at some of the less reputable public houses in out of the way spots), has always been a prime favourite with the younger members of the sporting fraternity, on account of his undaunted courage, activity, lively disposition, and neat "business-like" appearance. He has been much affected by the stoppage of "cropping the ears," and they are only now beginning to produce specimens with small, well-carried, drop ears, which take off much of the fierce expression they formerly wore, and make them more presentable to the general public. For my own part, and I have had many good specimens in my time, I do not care for them being too big. I think twenty-five pounds quite heavy enough, even for a dog, but I have often seen them at shows nearly or quite double that weight, when to my mind, they become coarse and unwieldy, whereas such a breed should be active, bright and lively, as well as shapely and stylish in appearance. In colour he should be pure white, although I have seen and owned many otherwise nearly perfect specimens, with markings, usually lemon or brindled, on some part of head or body. The following are the points laid down by Mr. S. E. Shirley, President of the Kennel Club, who used to own some grand specimens:—The head should be long; the forehead flat, the eyes small, round, keen, and as dark as possible, any approach to a light or hazel coloured eye, being very objectionable; the jaws should be quite level, strong and muscular; the muzzle fine and tapering from the eyes; the nose quite black; the neck, long and well set into strong, sloping shoulders; the chest wide and deep; the legs very straight, strong and powerful; the feet small and round; the back strong and short; the tail, which is or should be a great point in the Bull Terrier, should be moderately fine, at the root, gradually tapering to the point, it should be set on rather low, and carried in a gay, jaunty manner, neither high nor low, not "hooped," or with the slightest inclination to twist or "screw."

The Boston Terrier.—By the kindness of a correspondent on the "other side of the water," who has taken the trouble to supply some authentic details of this breed of which so little is known amongst Englishmen, but which are sure to be of much interest to the many fanciers and admirers of the variety, I have much pleasure in giving the actual words of my correspondent in the following description and standard of show points of the Boston Terrier.

"Concerning the earlier dogs of the breed.—How did the breed originate? It resulted from a cross between the English Bull dog and the English Terrier, and these two have been considerably inbred. Accidental peculiarities of the first dogs used as sires are partly responsible for the present type. About 30 years ago Mr. Robert C. Hooper, of Boston, Mass., U. S. A., came into possession of a dog named Judge who was imported from England. This dog known as Hooper's Judge was destined to be the ancestor of the true modern Boston Terrier. He was a cross between an English Bull dog and an English Terrier, leaning in type rather more toward the Bull dog. Judge was bred to Gyp, or Kate, a white bitch, owned by Ed. Burnett, of Southboro, Mass. She weighed twenty pounds, had a fine three-quarter tail low stationed, stocky-build, showing strength in her make-up, good head, being short and blocky. From Judge and Gyp descended Well's Eph. Eph was mated to Tobin's Kate, weighing twenty pounds, short head, golden brindle in colour, and straight three-quarter tail. From Well's Eph and Tobin's Kate came Barnard's Tom, the first dog with a screw tail. This dog Tom was a great improvement over his sire and grandsire, beside being the first to show the fine quality that is present in a good specimen of the modern Boston Terrier—Tom was the best Boston Terrier of his day, so, of course, was much used in stud. The above gives very briefly the main facts concerning the older dogs of this breed. To correct an idea that has become somewhat prevalent, it can here be stated that the dog is in no sense a fighting dog. While he is plucky as might be expected from his ancestry, he is not quarrelsome or aggressive—is very loyal to his master, obedient, affectionate and of sweet nature, quick in motion and very intelligent."

Show points and standard of the Boston Terrier, furnished by an enthusiastic American fancier of the breed.

General Appearance.—The general appearance of the Boston Terrier is that of a smooth, short-coated, compactly built dog of medium stature. The head should indicate a high degree of intelligence, and should be in proportion to the dog's size, the body rather short and well knit, the limbs strong and finely turned, no feature being so prominent that the dog appears badly proportioned. The dog conveys an idea of determination, strength and activity—style of a high order, carriage easy and graceful.

Skull—Broad and flat without prominent cheeks, and forehead free from wrinkles.

Stop—Well defined but indenture not too deep.

Eyes—Wide apart, large and round, neither sunken nor too prominent, dark in colour and soft—the out side corner on a line with the cheeks as viewed from the front.

Ears—Small and thin, as near corners of the skull as possible.

Muzzle—Short, square, wide and deep, without wrinkles; nose black and wide, with a well defined straight line between nostrils. The jaws broad and square with short, regular teeth; the chops wide and deep, not pendulous, completely covering the teeth when the mouth is closed.

Neck—Of fair length, without throatiness, and slightly arched.

Body—Deep and broad at chest, well ribbed up. Back short, not roached. Loins and quarters strong.

Elbows—Standing neither in nor out.

Fore legs—Wide apart, straight and well muscled.

Hind legs—Straight, quite long from stifle to hock, which should turn neither in nor out, short and straight from hock to pastern, thighs well muscled, hocks not too prominent.

Feet—Small, turned neither in nor out. Toes compact and arched.

Tail—Set on low, fine tapering or screw—devoid of fringe or coarse hair, not carried above the horizontal.

Colour—Any colour, brindle, evenly marked with white, strongly preferred.

Markings—White muzzle, blaze on face, collar, chest and feet.

Coat—Fine in texture, short and bright and not hard.

Weight—Light-weight class, under twenty-three pounds, but not less than thirteen pounds. Heavy-weight class, twenty-three to thirty pounds, inclusive.

Disqualifications—Cocked tail or any artificial means to deceive the judge.

SCORE OF POINTS.

Skull, 12; ears, 2; eyes, 5; stop, 2; muzzle, 12; neck, 5; body, 15; elbows, 2; forelegs, 4; hindlegs, 4; feet, 2; tail, 10; colour, 8; markings, 4; coat, 3; general appearance, style, 10.

Total, 100.