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ILLUSTRATED-BY-

CORNELL UNIVERSITY

THE
Hlower Weterinary Library
FOUNDED BY
ROSWELL P. FLOWER

for the use of the

N. Y. STATE VETERINARY COLLEGE
1897

‘ornell University Library

British dogs at work,

Cornell University

Library

The original of this book is in
the Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright restrictions in
the United States on the use of the text.

http://www. archive.org/details/cu31924001173230

BRITISH DOGS AT WORK

AGENTS

America . THe Macmirtan Company
64 & 66 Firra Avenue, New York

CanapA . THe Macmitran Company or Canapa, Lrp.
27 RicHMoND STREET WeEsT, ToronTo

Inpia_ . . Macmirran & Company, Ltp.
Macmittan Buirpinc, BomBay
309 Bow Bazaar STREET, CaLcuTTA

BRITISH DOGS
AT WORK

A. CROXTON SMITH

WITH 20 FULL-PAGE ILLUSTRATIONS
IN COLOUR

G. VERNON STOKES

LONDON .
ADAM AND CHARLES BLACK

1906

To the Reader

THE letterpress of this book makes no pre-
tence of competing with the excellent works
that are already in existence, its object
being to afford some help and interest to
the thousands who keep one or two dogs as
workers or as pets, or to the more limited
number who may contemplate getting to-
gether a kennel for purposes of exhibition.
From the questions that are frequently
reaching me, I have come to the conclusion
that many will be grateful for advice upon
the common ailments from which dogs are
liable to suffer, free from unnecessary techni-

calities, together with some observations
Vv

British Dogs at Work

upon the general treatment of our canine
friends.

Mr. Vernon Stokes’ illustrations are so
admirable in every respect, that I feel that
whatever I have to say must of necessity
be subordinated to them. They will appeal
alike to the connoisseur and to the man who
does not know a dog in the technical sense.
To the old hand, who may say that I am
telling him nothing new, I may rejoin that
he has already graduated in the best of all
schools—that of experience—and that my
remarks are largely addressed to those who
are about to tread the path he has followed
for years.

Mr. Vernon Stokes asks me to express
his thanks to the following for allowing him
to use their dogs as models for his sketches:
Mrs. Ingle Bepler, Irish Setters ; Mrs. Edgar

To the Reader

Waterlow, Bulldogs ; Miss Maud Bernhard-
Smith, Scottish Terriers; Mr. Edgar Water-
low, Sussex Spaniels ; Dr. Cooper Bentham,
Deerhounds; Mr. A. E. Hill, Fox Terriers ;
Mr. W. Wrighton Thorpe, Airedales; Mr.
W. Lee, Cocker Spaniels; Mr. B. Wells,
Retrievers; Mr. A. S. Hall, Irish Wolf-
hounds; while he drew upon my own

kennels for Bloodhounds and Bassets.

A.C. 8.

vii

_
S

Oo BD MP oH FP ww pw

Contents

Man’s First FRIEND .

KENNELS AND THEIR CONSTRUCTION
How to Buy a Doe .

FEEDING AND REARING

GENERAL MANAGEMENT

Hounps at WoRK

SHootine Does .

THE TERRIERS

THE ScIENCE oF BREEDING.

SomE ComMMoN AILMENTS

PAGE

110

oe a
ma 7 FF & wD HB Oo

oO WN AD OT P w bw

List of Illustrations

The Pointer
The Otterhound .

. The Beagle .
. The Deerhound

The Irish Wolfhound
The English Setter
The Clumber Spaniel

. The Sussex Spaniel
. The Scottish Terrier

The Foxhound

. The Basset Hound
. The Bloodhound .
. The Irish Setter .
. The Retriever

. The Cocker Spaniel
. The Fox Terrier .

Frontispiece
FACING PAGE
6

British Dogs

17. The Airedale Terrier

18. The Bulldog

19. The Collie .

20. The Old English Sheepdog

at Work

FACING PAGE

88
98
106
118

The illustrations in colour in this Volume have been engraved and printed
in England by the Hentschel Colourtype process.

I
MAN’S FIRST FRIEND

Mr. Kip.ine, in one of those happy phrases
of his, has spoken of the dog as man’s first
friend, a phrase which correctly describes
the relationship between the human and
canine races. This is an idea which Mr.
Maeterlinck has beautifully amplified in his
charming essay on the “Death of a Little
Dog.” If you have not read it, may I advise
you to do so without delay. “Man loves
the dog,” he says, “but how much more
ought he to love it, if he considered, in the
inflexible harmony of the laws of nature, the
sole exception, which is that love of a being
that succeeds in piercing, in order to draw

closer to us, the partitions, every elsewhere
I I

British Dogs at Work

impermeable, that separate the species. We
are alone, absolutely alone, on this chance
planet, and, amid all the forms of life that
surround us, not one, excepting the dog, has
made an alliance with us. <A few creatures
fear us, most are unaware of us, and not one
loves us.” Exactly when this friendship was
first formed and cemented into an alliance
for the mutual benefit of both it is difficult
to say. Wedo know, however, that the dog
existed in a domesticated state in prehistoric
times, while the pages of history bear ample
testimony to the esteem in which the Canide
were held by the ancients. It is easy to
conceive the many uses to which the dog was
put by primitive man, especially in the direc-
tion of providing food for the larder. Hounds
were early subdivided into those that hunted
by sight and those that hunted by scent,
and we can see how the peculiar instincts of
each were specialised and fostered by selec-
tion. As the necessity of employing the dog

as a food-provider became less he would
2

Man’s First Friend

naturally come more and more into requisi-
tion for purposes of sport, while his services
were in continuous demand as a guard of
life and property.

Homer has drawn largely upon the canine
race to aid him in his picturesque imagery,
and scattered about Pope’s translation we
find abundant allusions, such as—

Not fiercer rush along the gloomy wood

With rage insatiate, and with thirst of blood,
Voracious hounds, that many a length before
Their furious hunters drive the wounded boar ;
But if the savage turns his glaring eye,

They how] aloof, and round the forest fly.

Old writers, greatly daring, have en-
deavoured to trace the descent of our
hounds of to-day from the Homeric era.
George Turberville, in his Noble Art of
Venerie or Hunting, published in 1576, tells
of a chronicle he saw in Brittany, written
by John of Monmouth, an Englishman, who
treats of the arrival into Italy of Atneas
with his son Ascanius after the fall of

British Dogs at Work

Troy. Silinius, son of the latter, was killed
accidentally by his own son Brutus when
hunting, whereupon Brutus found it con-
venient to take a voyage into Greece, “to
deliver certayne Troyans, his companions
and allyes, which were yet there deteyned
in captivitie since the destruction of Troye.”
With these he set sail, having on board a
number of hounds and greyhounds, passed
through the Straits of Gibraltar and “de-
scended in the Isles of Armorie, which at
this present is called Bretaigne in France
by reason of his name was Brutus.”
Turberville proceeds to recount some of
the deeds of the Trojans, and winds up by
saying: “I have thought it good to re-
coumpte this historie that men may thereby
understand that it is long since houndes
have been used in Bretaigne, and I think
certainly that these Troians were the first
which brought the race of houndes into this
country. For I find no history which

maketh mention of longer continuance than
4

Man’s First Friend

that doth, and it is a thing most certaine,
that the greatest part of the races of houndes
whiche are in Fraunce and other countries
adioyning, did come from the country of
Bretaigne, excepting the race of white
houndes, the whiche I think to be come from
Barbary.”

It is not my purpose here to inquire
whether Turberville is right or wrong in his
surmise, but we know that to this day in
France there are breeds of beautiful hounds
whose purity of lineage has been preserved
with great jealousy by successive genera-
tions. That the Egyptians knew the dog
about 3000 B.c. is evidenced by their monu-
ments of that period, and traces of him have
been found with the bones of Neolithic man.
The mastiff was in these islands before the
Romans discovered them; some hold that
swift hunting dogs, such as the greyhound,
were indigenous to Britain, and Oppian
tells of hounds that hunted by scent being
fed by “the fierce nation of painted Britons,

British Dogs at Work

who call them agasaei.” However, it is
scarcely necessary to dip further into the
pages of history, as we may take it for
granted that this strange friendship between
man and dog dates back anterior to any time
of which we have trustworthy record. Nor
need I occupy space with a discussion as to
the probable origin of the species, consider-
ing that authorities differ in their views.
This much we know, that there are some
hundred and eighty-nine distinct varieties of
the domestic dog. Lest you should regard
this as an exaggerated estimate I would
point out that the Kennel Club recognises
thirty-seven varieties of sporting, and thirty-
eight varieties of non-sporting dogs as being
sufficiently established in this country to
watrant a separate classification at shows.
These are as follow :—

SPORTING
BLOODHOUNDS BEAGLES
OTTERHOUNDS Basset Hounps—
FoxHOUNDS Smooth
HARRIERS Rough

THE OTTERHOUND

THE sport of otter-hunting dates back into the Middle Ages,
and it is still pursued with vigour in these Islands. The
pure-bred Otterhound is a noble specimen of the hound
tribe, and it is somewhat difficult to credit the belief that a
Terrier or Deerhound enters into his composition. Any-
how he is a hound all over.

HIS WORK

In spite of closely preserved streams the otter is still
fairly plentiful, and there are some one-and-twenty packs in
the United Kingdom, most of which cover a large tract of
country. Few are composed of pure-bred Otterhounds,
Foxhounds, cross-bred Foxhounds and Otterhounds, or Welsh
Foxhounds all being used. A Bloodhound cross has also
been resorted to. As a rule the otter-hunter must be an
early riser, as the place of meet may be a considerable
distance away, and he may rely upon getting plenty of
exercise in the course of the morning’s hunting. The pack
is always accompanied by several little terriers, whose duty
it is to dislodge the quarry when he has sought refuge in
his holt.

HIS POINTS

In general appearance the pure Otterhound has much
resemblance to the Bloodhound, saving that his coat is rough
and wiry, while his colour will be sandy or grizzled, or
black and tan. The head is somewhat broader, and of
course it goes without saying that body and legs must be of
the stoutest, with ample muscle and plentiful depth of chest,
in which heart and lungs have free play.

Fae PNR ip»
Ris det
‘uae
hie
wri Da

Man’s First Friend

SPORTING —continued

DACHSHUNDS
GREYHOUNDS
DEERHOUNDS
Borzois
IntsH WoLFHOUNDS
WHIPPETS
POINTERS
SETTERS—
English
Trish
Black-and-Tan
RETRIEVERS—
Flat-Coated
Curly-Coated
Labradors
SPANIELS—
Trish Water
Water, other than Irish
Clumber

SPANIELS, contd.—
Field
English Springers other
than Clumber, Sussex, and
Field Welsh Springers
Red-and-White
Cocker
Fox TrErrieRS—
Smooth
Wire
Ir1sH TERRIERS
ScoTtisH TERRIERS
WELSH TERRIERS
Danviz Dinmont TERRIERS
SKYE TERRIERS—
Prick-Eared
Drop-Eared
AIREDALE TERRIERS
BEDLINGTON TERRIERS

Sussex
NON-SPORTING.

BULLDOGS St. BERNARDS—
BuLipoes (Toys) Rough
MASTIFFS Smooth
GREAT DANES CoLLizs—
NEWFOUNDLANDS— Rough

Black Smooth

White-and-Black, or other | OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOGS

than Black DALMATIANS

British Dogs at Work

NON-SPORTING—continued

PooDLES
BuLL TERRIERS
WHITE ENGLISH TERRIERS
BLACK-AND-TAN TERRIERS
Toy SPANIELS—

King Charles or Black-and-

Tan

Blenheim

Ruby or Red

Tricolour
JAPANESE
PEKINGESE
YORKSHIRE TERRIERS
CLYDESDALE TERRIERS
MALTESE
ITALIAN GREYHOUNDS

BLACK-AND-TAN TERRIERS—
Miniature
CHow CHows
POMERANIANS
Pues—
Fawn
Black
ScHIPPERKES
GRIFFON BRUXELLOIS
Forztien Dogs—
Bouledogues Frangais
Elk-Hounds
Eskimos
Lhassa Terriers
Samoyedes, and any other
variety not mentioned
above

KENNELS AND THEIR
CONSTRUCTION

“ First catch your hare,” said the immortal
Mrs. Glasse, who, after all, was not a lady but
a certain Dr. John Hill. Very admirable
advice, no doubt, to the cook, but not to the
would-be dog-owner. Have your accommo-
dation ready before you set out to buy a dog,
and do not start with the premise that any-
thing is good enough, unless you wish to
make a bad mistake at the outset. Dogs
are sensitive beings, liable to various ail-
ments, and eager to reciprocate any kindness,
so please make up your mind to do the thing
properly if you are going to do it at all.
The smaller breeds can be slept in a box
9 2

British Dogs at Work

supplied with a bed of straw or piece of
carpet, in scullery or outhouse, but the
bigger varieties cannot always live under a
roof without inconvenience, and it becomes
necessary to find them a special kennel.
This need not be an elaborate affair where
only one dog is under consideration, but it is
obvious that if one purposes getting together
a small team of sporting dogs something
more extensive must be contemplated, unless
one has a stable or barn with spare room.

I have no sympathy with the man who
thinks that a barrel placed upon its side
meets all requirements, provided it has a
staple affixed to it to which a chain can be
fastened. This is too primitive and rigorous
a method of housing, even in the case of
rough-coated, hardy breeds, and is quite
unsuited for cold weather. While being
no advocate of coddling, I am convinced
that reasonable warmth and freedom from
draughts and damp are essential to a dog’s

well-being, especially if he is pure bred and
10

Kennels and their Construction

not merely a hardy mongrel ready for what-
ever the fates may send him. A roomy
kennel, made of stout wood and covered out-
side with tarred felt, is not an expensive
affair, and well repays for the making. In
many cases it could be erected as a lean-to
against a wall in a sunny and sheltered
position. If so constructed as to have the
entrance at the side, the inmate can curl
himself up at one end, away from the cold
winds. Half-way across I should have a
removable board at least nine inches deep
which would serve to keep the straw in its
place and also act asa draught screen. It
is of great advantage to have one side or
end hinged so that the interior may be
thoroughly cleaned without difficulty, and
this may also be made to serve as an outer
day bench in warm weather. If you con-
template breeding any puppies, to whom
warmth is absolutely essential if they are to
be reared, I should strongly advise having

the inside of the kennel lined with cow-hair
II

THE BEAGLE

EnTHUustastic beaglers are numbered by their thousands,
packs of Beagles being in evidence all over the kingdom,
and large entries are on view at some of the leading shows
at which a sporting judge is officiating. The ancient Britons
are said to have used them, or at any rate a hound to which
they are closely akin, and they are likely to be popular so
long as there are hares to be hunted and men and women to
follow them. They have a keen sense of smell, and music
that cheers the heart of the sportsman. The Beagle should
not exceed sixteen inches in height, and preference is usually
given to a pack of twelve inches.

HIS WORK

His work is, of course, hunting the hare, the field follow-
ing on foot. If you are getting a pack together it is
necessary to have them level in size, and the man who sets
about breeding them has much to learn. Pocket Beagles
is a term applied to those under ten inches, and they are
employed in rabbit hunting or shooting, or hunting a drag.

HIS POINTS

Skull domed but free from coarseness ; head fairly long,
and muzzle free from snipiness; lips well flewed; ears
long and thin ; eyes brown or hazel, not deep set or full;
throat showing some dewlap; body short and compact ;
powerful loins; ribs fairly well sprung; legs and feet
as good as we want to see on any hound. Any hound
colour is admissible, but the blue mottled are much liked.

Kennels and their Construction

together a small team of sporting dogs, and
no easily converted brick building is avail-
able, a more ambitious erection is desirable,
and a wooden structure twenty feet long, six
feet in depth, and five feet six inches high at
the eaves, well and solidly built, lined with
cow-hair felt, and divided into four compart-
ments, need not cost more than about £20,
unless you live in a district where unusually
high wages are paid. I am, of course, speak-
ing of a lean-to. This should include double
doors to each compartment, in order that the
top half may be left open in the daytime
and on summer nights. Add also a fair-
sized hole with sliding door, as means of
entrance and exit, ventilators to each kennel,
and guttering to carry off the rain water,
and you will be equipped with a small range
that will last for years. Hach kennel should
have a removable bench, raised a few inches
from the floor, and the interior should be
lime-washed right through. Lest you tell
me that I am understating the cost, | may
13

British Dogs at Work

as well say at once that I know of such a
range of kennels, substantially built in every
detail, and now practically as good as ever
after ten years’ use, the cost of which came
within the figure named, although some of
the estimates from rival carpenters were for
more than double that sum. I may add
that the range of kennels which is in my
mind is completed with a fairly large con-
creted and cemented run, sloped gradually
towards one end, for purposes of drainage.
If you wish to breed dogs for show purposes
a run of some description is necessary, and,
if room permits, I would strongly urge the
advisability of having separate accommoda-
tion for adults and puppies. In a work of
this description, however, it would be beyond
my plan to offer advice to any one proposing
to go in for breeding extensively, as many
details would be necessary that cannot be
given in a limited space. Many experienced
breeders prefer a gravel yard to concrete, but
I imagine that this would come more expen-
14

Kennels and their Construction

sive in the long-run, as it would be necessary
to change the surface every few years. The
main disadvantage of cement is that it is
very cold and damp in rainy and wintry
weather, and is not conducive to the well-
being of young stock.

Supposing you wish to breed for show
purposes, you will find it desirable to give
much thought to the site and arrangement of
your kennels, such things as a cooking-room,
store-house for straw, hampers and collars,
etc., having also to be taken into considera-
tion. Whatever you do, make up your mind
from the beginning to have plenty of room.
My ideal kennels would have duplicate com-
partments, so that one could be used one
week and the other the next. Over-crowd-
ing is fatal, especially when you have
puppies about. Plenty of air space, ample
ventilation, and scrupulous cleanliness will
repay one a hundredfold. As regards the
best soil, opinions differ. Frankly, I have
no liking for clay, yet Beckford’s most recent

British Dogs at Work

editor, Mr. J. Otho Paget, insists that
kennels should never be built upon gravel,
for the heat of the dogs’ bodies will draw
up the moisture from beneath. I imagine
that a good concrete foundation would meet
any such objection. One thing is quite
obvious, you must shun any low-lying,
damp locality, or all your best efforts will
be doomed to disappointment, of which you
will have ample in the ordinary course of
events without going to meet it. A high
situation then, if possible, facing south, in
order that you may catch all the sunshine
available. You will be well advised to get
some large breeder to show you round his
place, for, after all, there is nothing like
a little practical demonstration to prevent
you making bad mistakes. Every man
has his own particular fad for increasing
the comfort of his dogs or minimising
labour.

Before closing this chapter, and coming

back again to the one-dog man, I should
16

Kennels and their Construction

like to say that I have no sympathy with
the practice of allowing one’s pet to sleep
in the bed-room. This seems to me to
be running contrary to all the rules of
hygiene, and it is not a commendable habit.

17 3

III
HOW TO BUY A DOG

Tus is not such an easy matter as it sounds
at the first blush, for I have known men
and women spend many an anxious hour
before they could make up their minds as to
what breed they should keep. The choice
is so wide, the variety sufficiently great to
be bewildering. If the dog is wanted
purely for sporting purposes, of course the
field is narrowed at once, and you cannot
do better than consult some experienced
friend who will tell you which is best
adapted to the country in which you live.
Should you be fond of hound work and
yet cannot run to the finest of all sports,

fox-hunting, you may derive endless pleasure
18

i}
ft

t 0)
sore
a eh

THE DEERHOUND

HERE we have as handsome a dog as we need wish to sée,
his general appearance suggesting a rough-coated Greyhound
of greater size and substance. Sir Walter Scott’s descrip-
tion of the Scottish Deerhound might almost stand to-day.
He has a considerable history, if one cares to delve into the
past, and Holinshed, who wrote in the sixteenth century,
tells how the Pictesh nobilitye repaired unto Craithlint,
King of the Scots, for to hunt and make merrie with him.
Perceiving that the Scottish dogs did far excel theirs both
in fairnesse, swiftnesse, and hardinesse, they got diverse
both dogs and bitches of the best kind for breed to be given
them. Yet being not content they stole one belonging to
the king, which led to a shrewde bickering between them,
in which many died.

HIS WORK

Like snakes in Ireland, the work of the Deerhound does
not exist to-day, the modern rifle having quite rendered his
services unnecessary. Until comparatively recent times he
coursed the deer, or tracked a wounded quarry.

HIS POINTS

Head broadest between the ears, tapering thence to the
nose ; muzzle pointed ; skull flat, and coated with moder-
ately long hair; ears set on high, and folded back (a
prick ear, or one large and coarse, is a bad fault); neck
long and strong; shoulders well sloped and clean; body
similar to that of the greyhound, but larger and more
powerful; eyes dark; coat harsh and wiry, but not
woolly. Colour dark blue-grey, lighter grey, or brindle,
preference being given to the darker; yellow and sandy-
red, or red-fawn.

How to Buy a Dog

from the possession of a couple or even a
single bloodhound. You can work them
whenever you please, so long as a man or
boy is available to act as runner; you can
pick your country, and you need not worry
about sheep or seeds, because the hunted
man can take any direction you desire. If
you have no horse you can arrange a circular
course, and watch the hound working, with
the aid of a pair of field-glasses. You can
study many interesting problems of scent
by varying your day and hour, and I
guarantee that if you are an enthusiast you
will have no reason to regret your choice
of one of these noble hounds.

If it is your intention to do a little
breeding, it is well to bear in mind that the
larger breeds require more attention and
are much more difficult to rear satisfactorily,
for to grow a puppy to great size requires
much skill and patience, and it is no easy
thing to get them straight in front or free
from cow-hocks behind. A larger dog, too,

British Dogs at Work

necessarily costs more to keep than a small
one. You would be surprised at the amount
of food a litter of hungry six-weeks-old
puppies can put away in the course of
twenty-four hours.

If you simply want a house pet or guard,
you have further to consider whether you
will have a pedigree dog from one of the
prominent show strains, or whether you will
be content with one of humbler lineage. A
well-bred dog gives greater pleasure to the
eye and is more or less a pride to his pos-
sessor, but he will probably be more delicate
until you have got him through his early
troubles, and he will cost you more money at
the outset. Few breeders of repute care to
accept less than four or five guineas for
quite a moderate sort of puppy, and if you
want a good one of its kind you would have
to pay double. If you contemplate breeding
with a view to ultimate exhibiting your best
plan will be to consult some acknowledged

expert, should you be fortunate enough to
20

How to Buy a Dog

know of one, for a little advice at the begin-
ning will spare you many disappointments
and much hard cash. Remember that for
this purpose it is no use going in for the
cheap and nasty strains, for your puppies
will probably be worthless when you get
them, and you will have wasted valuable
time.

People will not give a decent figure for
a young dog that is not of the correct
strain, unless he happens by chance to
have particularly excellent points, and, even
then, they would hesitate about paying a
long price for him, as they would feel no
conviction that he would be capable of
reproducing his merits. Therefore a few
pounds more expended at first must be
regarded as a judicious investment.

If it is a sporting dog that you are
seeking for working purposes only, you
need not trouble your head about show
strains, but go to some trustworthy keeper
and get him to find what you want. Here

British Dogs at Work

again, however, if you prefer an animal
with a sound pedigree, it may be pointed
out that there are certain strains combining
show and working blood. As a rule, it is
advisable to avoid exaggerated types, and
to choose a dog that looks to you to be
built on workmanlike lines, and that appears
to be hard and vigorous, with a frame cap-
able of standing a long day in the field.

In selecting a puppy, if you have half an
eye you should be able to see at a glance if
he looks healthy and strong. Pick one that
handles nicely, with skin loose and clean,
eye bright, and legs sound. Look well at
his coat in order to detect any signs of
eczema, and examine his mouth to see if
he is under- or over-shot. There is no exact
method of telling the age of an adult
dog, but few reach four or five without
showing grey hairs about the muzzle or
betraying their years in their teeth. Dis-
coloration of the teeth is not necessarily

an indication of age, as it is more often than
22

How to Buy a Dog

not a result of distemper, but there is a
general look about a dog that reaches his
fifth year which is not easily mistakable.
As a rule, it is inadvisable to buy a dog
after his third year, when you may consider
that he is about in his prime. Some breeds
age much more rapidly than others, but
you may take it that life is not worth much
after the ninth or tenth year.

The best way of ascertaining the names
and addresses of the leading breeders is by
consulting the columns of one of the kennel
papers, or by obtaining the catalogue of one
of the chief shows, the names and addresses
of the exhibitors being published at the end.

It is almost an impossibility for a novice
to select the best puppy from a litter, and
he must throw himself upon the fair deal-
ing of the breeder if he has no friend at
hand to consult. Puppies have a habit
of changing so much in appearance as they
grow that only the skilled man can say
which is likely to make the best. For

British Dogs at Work

instance, in one variety with which I am
particularly acquainted, a long, narrow head
is a desideratum, but if you took the puppy
with the finest head you would probably
find that he would be too small and snipy
when he had matured. Two clever young
men, suffering from a little knowledge, once
wished to purchase a puppy, for which they
were prepared to pay a long price, and the
breeder indicated the best, which happened
to have the thickest head in the litter. This,
however, did not satisfy the buyers, who
went away quite happy in the possession
of an inferior specimen, which happened
to have the finest skull. The fact that
some varieties change in colour as they
reach adult age has led to many amusing
blunders on the part of the inexpert.

THE IRISH WOLFHOUND

WE live in such a sceptical age that Goldsmith’s statement
about a Wolfhound reaching the stature of a yearling calf or
standing 4 feet in height finds no credence. The worthy
doctor’s natural history, however, was notoriously inexact,
and we may remain content with the knowledge that the
Trish Wolfhound at one time or another was an enormous
animal. For some reason or other he appears to have died
out, or nearly so, and that the breed has been resuscitated
so cleverly is a remarkable tribute to the small band of
enthusiasts headed by Captain Graham. The Deerhound
and Great Dane were the principal factors in the making of
the handsome dog that graces our shows to-day. Although
absolute uniformity of type may not have been reached, it
becomes apparent each year that Irish Wolfhounds are
becoming more level in appearance.

HIS WORK

His work, says some one, ceased with the death of the
last wolf in Ireland. Probably that is so, for it is difficult
to see what use the sportsman could now put him to.
He may, however, serve the more homely if none the less
admirable purpose, of being a splendid guard to person and
property.

HIS WORKS

An Irish Wolfhound must be of great size and com-
manding appearance. Dogs should not weigh less than
120 lbs., and bitches 90 lbs. Height of the one not under
31 inches, and of the other 28 inches. In general appearance
he should much resemble the Deerhound on a larger and
more massive scale.

IV
FEEDING AND REARING

Supposinc you have started by buying a
puppy, if you would rear him well you must
be prepared to go to some trouble in the
matter. I once sold a couple of puppies for
a comparatively small figure, whose owners
went to considerable pains over them. The
result was that both were beautifully reared,
and one changed hands at £100 when he
was about a year old, and the other, becom-
ing a champion, was fairly valued at a good
deal more. If they had been neglected in
puppyhood they would not have been worth
more shillings than they were pounds in
actuality. Time after time has the value of
good rearing been impressed upon me by
25 4

British Dogs at Work

concrete cases. No matter how well you
may start you will be disappointed in the
end if your feeding and exercising are wrong,
and you will probably blame the breeder for
having foisted a waster upon you when the
fault lies at home. The thing is not really
very difficult, and if you follow the few
homely hints that I purpose giving you, you
should be about right.

First of all, bear in mind that winter
puppies require more attention than those
whelped in the spring. Warmth is essential
to the well-being of young life, and no puppy
can thrive that is kept in a cold and damp
place. Any one keeping a number of dogs
would naturally have a kennel for puppies
warmed by preference by one of the excellent
anthracite stoves, which give great heat with
economy of fuel and attention. I have no
hesitation in recommending anthracite, as it
burns for many hours without attention, and
works out at a very moderate cost. Accom-

modation can usually be found for a single
26

Feeding and Rearing

youngster sufficiently warm to answer all
practical purposes. Toy dogs frequently have
a large room in the house assigned to them,
but it is not always easy to find winter
quarters for puppies which give plenty of
room for exercise, for you may take it for
granted that many inclement days will pre-
vent that outdoor liberty so desirable. An
ideal environment is a country place in which
the coming champion may wander about as
he pleases, sleep when tired, and then roam
about again. Such surroundings are, how-
ever, not always available, and it is satisfac-
tory to know that many good dogs are well
and truly raised each year under circum-
stances far more disadvantageous. A puppy
that is well fed and kept under congenial
conditions will sleep well and play well, and
it will indeed be unfortunate if he does not
develop properly also. Although it is un-
wise to overtax a puppy’s strength, I am a
believer in getting them accustomed to going
out regularly each day, and it is surprising
27

British Dogs at Work

how soon they become handy enough to
follow one, even in busy traffic.

The bigger breeds require infinite care to
prevent them going wrong on their legs, for
the heavier they are the more likely is the
soft bone to become crooked. Some people
aver that it is impossible to rear puppies of
the larger breeds in kennels, and that they
must be sent out to walk. You have first
to find your ideal walker, and that is a thing
I have not yet succeeded in doing. It is
very rarely that I have found this plan
work satisfactorily in my own experience,
puppies that I have sent into the country to
be walked almost invariably coming back
under-sized, or crooked, or with bad coats.
The common opinion seems to be that the
little stranger can fend for himself so long
as he has one or two substantial meals of
bread and milk. Unfortunately this happy-
go-lucky method is rarely satisfactory. Of
course, if you are merely keeping one or two

puppies as pets they will remain under your
28

Feeding and Rearing

charge, and you will be a poor workman if
you cannot grow them in a proper manner.
The usual time for weaning puppies is
about the fifth week, although in some cases
it is necessary to begin still earlier. Do not
wait, however, until this age before giving
first lessons in feeding. At the third week
the little creatures may be taught to lap
some warmed cow’s milk, adulterated by
about equal parts of water, and you may also
accustom them to the taste of broth. By
the fourth week, as a rule, you will find it
desirable to reinforce the mother’s milk by
one or two regular meals of milk from the
dairy, diluted with water, and, of course,
warmed, care being taken that only small
quantities are allowed at a time. Com-
plete weaning should take place from the
fifth to the sixth week, the best procedure
being to withdraw the dam at increasing
intervals during the day, and it will no
longer be necessary to reduce the strength
of the milk by the addition of water. At
29

THE ENGLISH SETTER

THE Setter is of great antiquity, and in early days was used
for hawking and netting. It isa moot point whether he
has his origin in the Spaniel or whether he existed in this
country before the latter breed was imported. He is a
very beautiful dog, his good looks being enhanced by a most
intelligent expression. Whether for use:in the field or
simply as a companion he is a desirable possession. The
leading strains of English Setters are known as the Laverack
and the Llewellin. The black and tan, or Gordon Setter,
hails from across the Border.

HIS WORK

The work of the Setter is identical with that of the
Pointer. Where authorities differ so much I will not
venture to hazard an opinion as to which is the better in
the field. Possibly the Setter is less liable to become foot-
sore, owing to the protection afforded by the hair between
his toes.

HIS POINTS

Head moderately narrow, with a distinct occiput ; fair
width between the eyes, with forehead overhanging slightly ;
good length of foreface, with wide nostrils; jaws level ;
eye dark brown and full of intelligence; ears of fine
quality, set low ; body long and low ; long neck, joined to
a sloping shoulder; chest deep and thighs long; coat
soft and silky, free from curl. The range of markings is
great, the ticked or flecked being much admired.

Feeding and Rearing

account should he be allowed to eat until his
stomach is distended. You want his legs to
be straight and strong, and set on clean at
the shoulder, and this result cannot be
attained if he overweights himself at meal-
times. The over-fed puppy, as soon as he
has done feeding, becomes sluggish and
sleepy, whereas a healthy one should sleep
and play alternately all the day. If puppies
are continuously lying about, you may con-
clude that something is wrong. Again,
assuming that the puppies are not of a
toy breed, and that bone and substance are
wanted, about the sixth week I should start
adding a little precipitated phosphate of
lime to one meal a day—say a level tea-
spoonful to every three puppies. Increase
this to twice a day by the second month, and
double the quantity. Let each meal, too,
become stiffer in consistency and contain less
liquid. Although there is no truth in the
belief that cow’s milk breeds worms, it is
certain that it may encourage the multipli-
31

British Dogs at Work

cation of these pests by aiding the secre-
tion of mucus in the stomach, in which
they thrive. Small quantities of cod-liver
oil or Parrish’s food are helpful when the
youngsters are not thriving, but it is neces-
sary to watch the effect of the former, owing
to its laxative tendencies. By the tenth
week the number of meals may be reduced
to four daily, and by the fourth or fifth
month to three. Raw meat may be given
with advantage now, and broken biscuits are
also to be recommended.

The foregoing observations apply more
directly to those who keep several puppies,
with the idea of making them develop to
the utmost advantage. The man who has
but one, and that intended solely as a com-
panion or guard, will not of necessity be at
such pains, for he will find that, after the
lapping stage, the puppy can be fed quite
well on household scraps, upon which he
will grow apace. At the same time my

directions as to the number of meals should
32

Feeding and Rearing

be followed, and I would also counsel the
addition of a little precipitated phosphate
of lime to one of the meals. Above all,
beware of that pernicious habit of feeding
between meals, and avoid sugar and other
sweet stuffs, which will help to produce an
over-fed, dyspeptic monstrosity. The most.
suitable epitaph for the tombstone of many
pet dogs would be: “Here lies poor Fido.
Killed by the kindness of an over-indulgent
mistress.”

A breeder, for whose opinion I have the
utmost respect, advised me to feed on whole-
meal bread in preference to white, and I
have never had occasion to regret adopting
his plan. This makes an excellent article
of diet, whether mixed with milk or gravy,
for the whelps, or with the cooked meat for
adults. It is also as cheap as anything you
can get, and you know that it is wholesome.
By contracting with a baker, and taking
a fair quantity at a time, you can buy it at
somewhat less than the ordinary market

22 5

British Dogs at Work

rates. It is possible, too, in many places to
get stale bread at considerably reduced
prices, and you want nothing better, provided
it has not begun to go mouldy.

The rations of an adult dog offer plenty
of scope for variety, but in my opinion the
basis should be meat, for we cannot forget
that we are dealing with a carnivorous
animal, although the conditions under which
he lives preclude us from drawing too much
upon the analogy of nature. One or two
dogs can be fed without much trouble,
household waste and biscuits, with occa-
sional pieces of meat from the butcher,
amply meeting all requirements. With
increasing numbers, however, the problem
of feeding will have to be reduced to a
system, in order that the best results may
be achieved at the most reasonable cost.
While the owner of a large kennel will
have to rely in a large measure upon horse-
flesh, which may be had in London for
seven shillings the half cwt. and for less in "

Feeding and Rearing

the country, the man who has half-a-dozen
dogs will in all probability be able to
arrange with his butcher for a supply of
trimmings sufficient to keep him going, with
the aid of paunches or cows’ udders. The
latter I believe to be wholesome and
nutritious, but they require to be well
cooked. Bullocks’ paunches are excellent,
but they must be gone over carefully for odd
nails, pieces of tin, etc., which have a way of
becoming embedded in them. Cods’ heads
and other fish cost but little, and make an
agreeable change, but the cooking must be
prolonged until the bones are all soft.
Sheep’s heads are always to be commended
as making excellent broth, and the heads of
fowls also give a liquor that is very nourish-
ing. In my own kennels the cooker is on
the go daily, except when a raw feed is
given for a change, and the meat and broth
have mixed with them stale bread, oatmeal
made into a thick porridge, or broken bis-
cuits. Once or twice weekly a little green
Re)

THE CLUMBER SPANIEL

HERE we have, as far as looks and dignity are concerned,
the king of the Spaniel race. He stands out distinctive and
apart, as befits the ducal appellation which he bears, for is
he not named after the stately home of the Newcastle
family? His beginnings are somewhat obscure, most
credence being given to the tradition that about the middle
of the eighteenth century the Duc de .Noailles of that
period presented some Spaniels to the then Duke of New-
castle. The demeanour and appearance of the Clumber
lend much force to the suggestion that a Basset Hound cross
figures conspicuously in his ancestry.

HIS WORK

He is undoubtedly a most useful dog for the sportsman,
being an all-round worker with a splendid nose and a tender
mouth, if asked to retrieve. He takes readily to water,
and is good on most kinds of game. He used to be largely
worked in packs.

HIS POINTS

He is a low-set, massive animal, the dogs running to as
much as 65 Ibs. in weight. He has that sedate, know-
ledgable expression so much admired in Spaniels, and he is
indubitably a very handsome fellow, with his creamy-white
body colour carrying lemon markings. His head is large
and broad on the top, his general looks betokening much
sagacity and intelligence.

Feeding and Rearing

quantity of bread left on the tables by the
lunchers and diners, and in an unexpected
burst of confidence he asked me what they
would do for the puddings if all the bread
were sold. I really could not tell him, and,
as I was not in the habit of taking pudding
for lunch, the conundrum did not worry
me much.

Plenty of variety is desirable, as dogs,
like human beings, demand a change. Now
and again it is one’s bad luck to get hold
of a shy feeder, who requires a lot of coaxing
before he will acquire reasonable habits.
A new hound I once had worried my
kennelman a great deal, as he objected to
everything we put before him, soon becom-
ing a sorry-looking creature. In despair I
wrote to his former owner, and was told that
a couple of quarts of milk warm from the
cow would probably tempt the epicure.
Failing this, a boiled chicken or young
rabbit would no doubt suffice. Reckoning
up the average price of London chickens to

British Dogs at Work

be about four shillings and sixpence each,
and coming to the conclusion that one
chicken would not make an excessive meal,
unless it happened to be a Surrey capon,
I decided to try what a dose of worm
medicine would do, followed by a simple
tonic, and real hard exercise. It was not
iong before the gentleman discovered that
London air produced an appetite, and we
had not much further anxiety about him.
Still, some will not thrive, and I think it
is a good plan then to resort to cod-liver oil
with their food. As a rule this is bene-
' ficial. Raw eggs often work wonders, but
usually have to be administered sparingly,
on account of the expense.

It is scarcely necessary to say that each
dog should be fed separately, and that if he
has not cleared up his tin within a reason-
able time it should be taken away from him.
Never get into the habit of leaving food in
the kennel. After feeding, the man should

go over each dog with a towel, wiping away
38

Feeding and Rearing

anything that may adhere to muzzle or
ears. This precaution is particularly desir-
able in the case of puppies, as a lot of messy,
greasy stuff sticking about the head or ears
is a prolific producer of ticks and lice. In-
sist, too, on having all food utensils carefully
cleaned directly they are finished with.

One must be governed by the look of
the dogs as to the amount of food to be
allowed to each. A fat, over-fed animal
soon develops indigestion and other evils,
and is unsightly at the best. Limit the
rations if you find one becoming beefy.

My kennelman, who has read through
the proof-sheets for me, tells me that in his
opinion there is nothing like bullock’s blood
for getting size. This should be boiled with
an equal quantity of water, when it will set
firm. The water can be poured off. A St.
Bernard breeder, famed for the size and
activity of his dogs, was an enthusiastic
believer in the efficacy of bullock’s blood, and
the results certainly substantiate his theory.

V
GENERAL MANAGEMENT

First among the rules to be written large
upon the walls of every kennel is: ‘The
strictest cleanliness must be observed.” To
the one-dog man this admonition need not
be addressed, or, at any rate, it should not
be necessary, as it is obviously impossible
to have a dirty animal about one’s place.
Where numbers are kept, however, the rule
must be rigidly enforced. In addition to
the daily mop out, the kennels should have
a thorough cleansing once a week, the
benches being turned out and the whole
place well swilled. In the winter especially
you will learn to appreciate my suggestion
as to the value of duplicate compartments,
40

General Management

as on damp and muggy days it is sometimes
difficult to get everywhere absolutely dry
before shutting-up time. I need scarcely
say that a dog must never be slept on a
damp bench, even though the straw be dry.
It is running too much risk. A lady of my
acquaintance attributed the immunity of
her dogs from sickness to the fact that her
kennels were limewashed once a month,
which was certainly a most sensible pro-
cedure. If you are prepared to run to the
expense of sawdust, and cover your kennel
floors with it, you will be well repaid in the
extra sweetness of the atmosphere. Dr. G.
V. Poore, who is well known as a sanitary
expert, is a keen advocate of the dry method
of sanitation, contending that putrefaction
is easily attained by washing down with
cold water. From experiments he has been
able to demonstrate the purifying qualities
of sawdust, and those of us who have had
a number of puppies together know that

the only way to keep the place sweet and
41 6

British Dogs at Work

wholesome is by having the floor thickly
littered with this material. Dr. Poore would
banish the water-tap from cow- houses,
piggeries, and stables, his plan being to
have the stalls sloping gradually to a gutter
or trough filled with absorbent material,
such as earth or peat-moss, which could be
removed when necessary. Most people, how-
ever, experience a difficulty in disposing of
sawdust, which cannot easily be burnt, and
which is not particularly acceptable on the
manure heap. The expense of sawdust,
however, need not be heavy, as it is not
necessary to clear up the lot every day. In
a town it will be found best to wash the
excreta down a drain, but in the country it
can be turned to more useful purposes. At
the Dogs’ Home at Battersea it is stored
in large tubs with tight-fitting tops, and I
have never noticed anything offensive. It is
esteemed of some value by tanners, I believe,
but small quantities would scarcely be worth

the trouble of keeping.
42

General Management

It is almost superfluous to say that all
doors and windows should be thrown wide
open in the daytime, in order to admit the
greatest amount of air and sunshine possible.
I have seen kennels that are damp, noisome
holes, quite unfitted for the housing of any
creature, much less a dog, and no animal
could thrive in such.

Dogs in the country keep their coats clean
without much difficulty, but I am convinced
that even with them a good grooming several
times a week is not only beneficial but
necessary. In townsa daily grooming should
be insisted upon,—for long-haired dogs,
with dandy brush and comb, and for short-
coated ones with brush and hound-glove
or towel, while there is nothing like the
naked hand for a final polish. The dog looks
as handsome again if he has a decent gloss
on his coat ; he may be handled with comfort
by his owner, and he is on altogether better
terms with himself, the stimulus to the
skin caused by the grooming reacting on

British Dogs at Work

the general health of the animal, while fleas
and other noxious parasites are effectually
banished. Not a single flea should be found
on dog or in kennel if you follow my plan.
Of this I am quite certain, if this advice is
scrupulously acted upon you will be much
freer from eczema and other skin troubles
than if the dogs are neglected in this respect.
Again, I should like to point out that any
incipient troubles are at once detected, unless
the attendant is a very unobservant person.
In some cases the daily toilet may not be
feasible, and all I can say then is, do it as
frequently as you can, and on no account
omit to go over each dog carefully at least
once a week, examining the inside of the ear
to see that no canker or eczema is mani-
festing itself, and looking also to the mouth
and feet. Anything wrong with the ear can,
as a rule, be checked in the early stages
by blowing white oxide of zinc powder into
the orifice twice a day, but should canker or
eczema once fairly get hold, you may have
44

General Management

considerable difficulty in effecting a cure.
Meanwhile the sufferer will be occasioned
much discomfort, if not actual pain.

Frequent bathing will not be necessary
if the preceding instructions are observed.
My own hounds rarely ever have a wash
unless they are being prepared for a show.
Unless there is urgent necessity, baths are
better avoided in cold weather, but in the
summer an occasional dip and a good soaping
are to be recommended.

A word of warning is necessary about the
disinfectant used in a bath. Carbolic is
excellent if used in discretion, but it is
imperative to bear in mind that the fluid
may become absorbed by the skin, and that,
consequently, a dog may be as effectually
poisoned by an overdose in his bath as by
taking some internally.

An integral part of kennel management
is exercise, for only an unusually constituted
dog can be kept in proper health and
condition unless he is taken out every day.

British Dogs at Work

The larger breeds are naturally somewhat
sluggish, with a tendency to lying about
when at home. They should, therefore, have
an hour’s steady walking each day, with the
exception of Sundays. Fast exercise, such
as running behind a horse or bicycle, is not
often desirable, and only when the animal
is in good training. The smaller varieties
are, aS a rule, more active, and, being
constantly on the move, do not need so
much straightforward walking.

Sporting dogs of necessity require a good
deal more work to keep them fit, and always
bear in mind that an obese dog is an
abomination, and that the best way of keep-
ing down flesh is not by a starvation diet but
by exercise. The daily outing is also useful
in other respects, for it means change of air
and freedom from monotony. The best way
in which to condition a dog for a show is to
give him plenty of work and to groom him
well. Fat will never look as well as muscle,
and you cannot expect your exhibit to do

General Management

well if you put him down shaped like a
sausage, with slack thighs and loins, and
open feet.

Never kennel up the dogs at night in
wet weather without first drying them
thoroughly with a towel. Sporting dogs
on returning from a day’s work should have
any caked mud removed, and should be well
dried. Go over them carefully to see if any
brambles or burdocks adhere to the coats,
and look at feet and ears, with the view
of ascertaining if they have sustained any
cuts or scratches. Attention to these de-
tails will be amply repaid in the additional
comfort to an animal that has served you
to the best of his power. It is advisable to
have always handy some ointment made of
boracic acid powder and veterinary vaseline.
Any vaseline will do, but the description
specified is much the cheaper. This is a
very soothing application for cuts or for
eczema in its early stages. Carbolic lotion
is also to be recommended, or failing these

British Dogs at Work

a wound should be treated with any disin-
fectant fluid that may be at hand. Bad
cuts on the feet will require binding up and
dressing daily. Occasionally you will find
that eczema causes a dog to nibble the
pads of his feet raw, and the quickest way
to effect a cure is to bandage the foot, as
recommended above. Many dogs persist in
tearing off the bandaging material as soon
as you have put it on, and the only thing
to be done then is to make a broad leather
collar, sufficiently stiff to prevent the neck .
being bent far enough to reach the wound.
Such a collar is necessary too at times to
prevent a dog biting himself raw when he
has an eczematous irritation in any par-
ticular spot. I have known a dog take
all the skin off for some inches square.
Fortunately their flesh has a wonderful
recuperative power, and it is a rare thing
for any serious trouble to ensue.

THE SCOTTISH TERRIER

STOUT-HEARTED, quaint of looks, and faithful to a degree,
it is not surprising that the Scottish Terrier has won for
himself a place in the hearts of all who know him. He is
a tough little fellow, and, with increasing popularity on the
show bench, he is also of considerable value when his points
are good. He has, I believe, a close kinship with the Skye
Terrier, although the long profuse coat of the latter lends
a marked superficial difference. The Scottie looks the
more workmanlike of the two, and he is certainly more
suited to the house on account of his short, wiry coat.

HIS WORK

To the English hunting man it sounds rank treason to
say it, but Scottie is largely used in the Highlands for
turning out a fox while his owner stands by with a gun,
but conditions are vastly different. He will also tackle an
otter in the water. Indeed he has courage enough for
anything.

HIS POINTS

In general appearance he is striking, owing to his short
legs and alert expression. His head is long, domed, and
covered with short wiry hair; muzzle powerful, with level
jaws; eyes dark brown or hazel, bright and intelligent ;
small prick ears, and sharp-pointed; neck short, thick,
and powerful, set on sloping shoulders; body moderately
long, well ribbed up, and with strong hind-quarters. All
four legs short and heavy in bone, the front ones straight,
and set on well under the body. The tail is not docked.
Coat short, dense, and very hard ; best weight about 18 lbs.
for the dogs and 16 Ibs. for bitches. Colour steel or iron-
grey, black or grey brindle, black, sandy, or wheaten,

VI
HOUNDS AT WORK

Wir a sport-loving nation such as ours it
is not surprising to find dogs used extensively
in all branches of field sport, although since
driving, with a desire for heavy bags, became
general, we find much less shooting over
dogs than was general twenty or thirty years
ago. Itis only natural, I suppose, that there
should be a certain amount of antagonism
between the showman and the sportsman,
in spite of the fact that many of the former
are to be found in the ranks of the latter.
In some varieties, no doubt, the tendency of
shows has been to bring about an exaggera-
tion of certain points that is not desirable or
needed in the working dog, and discussions
49 7

British Dogs at Work

are frequently arising in the press of a
more or less animated, if not acrimonious
nature. In defence of showing it may be
claimed at any rate that some varieties
would in all probability have become extinct
if it were not for the stimulus supplied by
competition. This remark would have been
unnecessary if as much devotion to breeding
on correct lines had been brought to bear
upon all sporting breeds as has been shown
in the case of the foxhound, a hound that
has been propagated with the greatest care
and intelligence for well over a century, with
the result that we have about as perfect
and breedy looking an animal as can be
wished. You have but to look at a fox-
hound to know that he has been bred with
scrupulous care for many generations, while,
on the other hand, many so-called working
dogs of other breeds show signs of deteriora-
tion and degeneracy. It is a common
thing to hear men say they are going to

judge a certain breed upon “hound lines,”
50

THE FOXHOUND

Perer Brckrorp, writing in 1779, complained of the
paucity of literature upon fox-hunting. Since his classic
work was given to the world, however, so much has been
written that it is but repeating truisms to say anything in
a brief space of this the noblest of all sports. The Fox-
hound, as we know him to-day, is perhaps of all animals
the most perfectly fitted for his particular work, so many
years has he been bred with the most jealous care. Hunting
is so intimately bound up with our national life as to be an
integral part of it, there being no less than two hundred
odd packs in the United Kingdom.

HIS WORK

What can one say of the Foxhound’s work that has not
been said times without number, and that is not common
knowledge to every man who has the instinct of a sports-
man? ‘ Hunting,” said Beckford, ‘‘is the soul of a country
life: it gives health to the body and contentment to the
mind ; and is one of the few pleasures that we can enjoy in
society, without prejudice either to ourselves or our friends.”
As it was then so it is to-day. Some critics are hardy
enough to aver that the hound as we know him has been
bred too much for pace, and has lost thereby some of his
scenting powers, but it is a dangerous subject to discuss.

HIS POINTS

Whyte-Melville in a single verse summed up admirably
the salient points to be looked for in a good hound.
On the straightest of legs and the roundest of feet,
With ribs like a frigate his timbers to meet,

With a fashion and fling and a form so complete,
That to see him dance over the flags is a treat!

Head long with broad muzzle, and flatter on the top
than that of the Bloodhound ; the eye keen and determined ;
neck clean and muscular, without the throatiness dis-
tinguishing the slower breeds of hounds ; body enormously
powerful, and legs and feet as our sporting poet describes
them. A good hound has a ‘fashion and fling” that
distinguish him from all other breeds, and make him an
object of distinction and beauty.

Hounds at Work

apparently oblivious of the distinguishing
characteristics of the variety. It is quite
true that there are points common to all kinds
of hounds, if we would have them at their
best: legs and feet, shoulders and quarters
must be beyond reproach if a hound is to
stand a hard day’s work, but surely one
cannot reasonably contend that a foxhound
or beagle, or a bloodhound or harrier can
be judged in the same manner. Anyhow,
the man who tries to do so will come a
howler. You might as well try to judge
a hackney as if he were a thoroughbred,
or a shorthorn as a Jersey.

Pride of place in any chapter devoted to
workers must of necessity be given to the
foxhound, who deserves all the flattering
things that have been said about him. The
glories of the chase have been sung times
without number, not by our most renowned
bards perhaps, for it is not easy to imagine
a hunting Wordsworth or Milton, although
there is every reason to believe that Shake-

British Dogs at Work

speare was a true sportsman, understanding
well the noble art of venerie. Many writers
of lesser degree, however, have succeeded
in giving us verse that is more than
passably good, and no sporting library
can be deemed complete that has not
upon its shelves Somerville’s Zhe Chase
and Feld Sports. The former, written in
blank verse in the early eighteenth cen-
tury, contains many shrewd reflections on
hounds and hound management, considered
sound enough for frequent quotation by
Peter Beckford in his classic Thoughts on
Hunting. Beckford himself writes with an
amount of literary distinction that is a
constant delight. Whyte-Melville, too, has
left us some poems that ring true. Who
can read “The Place where the old Horse
died” without a gulp in the throat? And in
“The King of the Pack” he has given us a
vivid picture of what a good hound should
be like.

So much has been written upon the sport
82

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of kings that it would be mere redundancy
for me to say more here, but perhaps a few
words upon the economic aspect may not be
out of place. The upkeep of a pack is a
costly affair when we take into consideration
the staff of hunt servants, the large stud of
horses necessary, the provision of compen-
sation to farmers, stopping earths, etc., in
addition to the actual maintenance of the
hounds themselves. You will read of Masters
being guaranteed a minimum of £2000 a
year, and it is doubtful if this would meet
all the outlay. “Nimrod,’ in The Chace,
which first appeared in 1832, quotes a
contemporary writer as estimating the
annual cost of a pack at £2235, and he
declares that in the best establishments at
that period very little was left out of £4000
per year. Then we have to remember the
expenses of the followers of the hunt, com-
puting the cost of a stud of hunters and the
money spent on railway fares, hotel bills,
hunting boxes, etc., and we can arrive at a
53

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pretty considerable sum being paid each year
by the votaries of the sport. In the United
Kingdom there are no less than 200 odd
packs of foxhounds and 20 packs of stag-
hounds.

The original outlay on a pack is also a
decent sum. Mr. Foljambe’s pack was sold
by public auction for £3600 in 1845, and
Lord Middleton paid as much as 2000
guineas for ten couples. One could go on
enumerating the large sums handed over at
different periods of the last century for good-
looking hounds of fashionable blood did it
serve any useful purpose, but enough has
been said to show that a Master needs a long
purse or a big subscription if he is to show
good sport.

Next to fox hunting comes the chase of
the hare, which may be indulged in on a
much humbler scale. The majority of
harrier packs of the present day are com-
posed of under-sized foxhounds, but we have
still some showing traces of the old slow-

Hounds at Work

hunting, tender-nosed Southern hound, and
there is at Bexhill a pack of black-and-tan
hounds. Beckford, who had no great liking
for hare hunting, used a cross of the large
slow-hunting harrier and what he called the
little fox beagle, the latter imparting the
desired dash and spirit. Most enthusiasts,
however, aver that to get the most enjoyment
out of the sport you must hunt on foot, for
which purpose, of course, you must have
recourse to the beagle, those between 12
inches and 153 inches being most favoured.
The man who cannot afford to ride to hounds
and yet loves hound work naturally turns to
beagling, and he will be rewarded by many
a good day. A still smaller variety, but
none the less a true beagle, is the under 10
inches or “ pocket” beagle. You may use a
pack for rabbit hunting, for hunting a drag,
or for driving rabbits to the gun, and to
whichever work you put them you may rely
upon being more than satisfied.

The basset hound has been sufficiently

British Dogs at Work

long in this country to claim notice in a
work devoted to British dogs. He is a
grand little fellow, with the noblest of heads
and the best of noses, while his note is as
musical as a rich-toned bell. He is not fast,
his formation preventing speed, but if you
take more pleasure in hound work than in
the number of kills recorded at the end of a
season, you will have no cause to regret the
possession of a pack of bassets. I have
heard of a couple in Natal bustling the
smaller buck out of the dense bush, doing
the work more satisfactorily than any other
breed of hound, and lasting through the
longest day. Quite a number of packs are
now hunted regularly in Great Britain.
Twenty packs of otterhounds hunt in
England, Scotland, and Ireland during the
summer months, and usually attract big
fields. Although a made breed, the otter-
hound has been long enough in existence to
come true to type, and a very handsome

hound he is. Few packs, however, are com-
56

1
LW :
gy ye

THE BASSET HOUND

For some inexplicable reason this charming little hound
seems to be under a temporary eclipse. Why it should be
so I do not venture to explain, as there is so much to be
said in his favour. It is over thirty years since he was
imported into this country from France, and we have
probably better specimens here than can be found in his
native land. Of the two varieties the smooth-coated is
much the more popular.

HIS WORK

In Great Britain, Bassets are used almost exclusively for
hare-hunting in packs, and rare good sport they afford to
the keen man who prefers seeing beautiful hound-work
without troubling too much about a kill at the end of it.
Splendid noses have these gay little fellows, and voices like
a Bloodhound’s. How it heartens you to hear them in full
ery. They will drive rabbits out of the scrub, too, and I
have heard of a couple doing yeoman work in the thick
bush in Natal bringing small buck to the gun.

HIS POINTS

Head as nearly resembling that of a Bloodhound as
possible; 2c. long and narrow, with heavy flews and
pronounced occiput; ears set low, long, and hanging in
graceful folds; heavy dewlap ; neck powerful; chest deep ;
fore-legs very short, crooked, half-crooked, or straight ;
body long, with muscular quarters; stifles well bent.
Colour black, tan, and white, lemon and white, or white
body, hare pied, and tan markings on head. The rough-
coated variety should carry a thick harsh coat.

Hounds at Work

posed of pure-bred hounds, most of them
being a scratch lot of foxhounds and otter-
hounds. Mr. Holland Buckley in Wales re-
sorted to a bloodhound cross, not, however,
with the most satisfactory results, I believe.

Last on my list of hounds hunting by
scent comes the bloodhound, a noble-looking,
dignified creature familiar to all frequenters
of dog shows. His predisposition to a fatal
form of distemper militates against his
universal popularity, but if people only
recognised what splendid sport he is capable
of giving I think he would be more generally
kept. Ifthe present attempt to strengthen
the constitution of the breed by means of
various out-crosses is successful, as there is
reason to hope that it may be, we may look
for a wider recognition of the value of this
beautiful hound. To many the name has a
sinister significance. Does he not hunt man,
and have not the pages of history and
popular fiction dwelt upon his relentless
pursuit of his human quarry with dire results

57 8

British Dogs at Work

to the hunted man when caught? It is not
easy to convince the public that a blood-
hound is one of the mildest-mannered
gentlemen that ever put nose to line, and
that the man he hunts is immune from
harm. Yetitis so. One rarely finds a bad-
tempered bloodhound, and I can quite credit
the story of a man having tied his pursuer
to a tree and gone on his way rejoicing.
Many dogs will hunt any one they know, but
the peculiarity of the well-trained blood-
hound is that he will follow the line of a
stranger and stick to it, no matter how many
times it may have been crossed by others.
This freedom from change, as we term it, is
absolutely essential if bloodhounds are ever
again to be used in tracking down criminals.
There is no reason in the world why they
should not be called in to the aid of the
police, as they arein America. On the other
side of the Atlantic it is common enough to
hear of them running down evildoers many

hours after a crime has been committed, and
58

Hounds at Work

they could do so here if as much trouble were
taken over their training. Many of the
hounds in America that achieve such
wonderful results were bred in England, or
come of immediate British ancestors. For
tracking poachers, escaped convicts, or
perpetrators of crimes in lonely country
places they would be of undoubted use, but
I do not pretend to suggest that they could
accomplish the impossible and carry a line
through crowded streets. As I write, the
public mind is agitated by the cruel murder
of an old lady at Camberley and the
attempted murder of others. I am convinced
that if the police had had a bloodhound
handy the criminal would have been in
charge before many hours had elapsed.
Altogether apart from the question of
utility the bloodhound may be commended
to the consideration of sportsmen who are
not possessed of long purses. A_ single
hound will hunt a man as well as a couple or
more, and many a pretty problem in scent,
59

British Dogs at Work

under varying conditions, can be worked
out by their aid. You have but to send
out a runner in any direction you please
and put the hound on his track. The man
can avoid sheep, and you need do no
damage to young corn. If you are not
keen on riding or do not keep a horse, you
may still get plenty of enjoyment by map-
ping out a circular course, which you can
intersect. With the aid of field-glasses it
is often possible to watch a hunt over some
miles, especially if you should happen to
have a convenient hill about.

It is well to enter the puppy early, say
when he is about seven months old. You
will be astonished to see how quickly he
gets his nose down. In the early lessons
let the youngster see some one he knows run
a short distance and hide. Then encourage
him to go seek, and when he has come
up to his man let him be rewarded by a
tit-bit. This will make him keen. The

distance may shortly be increased, and as
60

Tie

ANY gaa

‘THE BLOODHOUND

History and legend have invested the Bloodhound with
qualities that fill the popular imagination, giving him a
reputation for a ferocity that is wholly alien to his nature.
A kindlier-tempered animal does not exist, nor a more
tractable if taken in hand when young. He is not so
suitable for town life as some breeds, as it is his habit to
use his nose more than his eyes. A susceptibility to
distemper in a severe form tends to keep down the numbers,
and puppies are consequently valuable.

HIS WORK

The primary function of the Bloodhound is to hunt man,
and it is surprising what he can do in this direction when
carefully trained. In America there are well-authenticated
cases of criminals being run down ten and twelve hours
after the event, but here we regard it as good work if a
hound will find his man on a line three hours cold. I am
confident that the Bloodhound might be used with advantage
by the police in country districts, or by gamekeepers in
clearing an estate of poachers. One need have no com-
punction in employing his services, as he is quite harmless
when he catches his quarry.

HIS POINTS

A beautiful, well-balanced hound, heavier in build and
slower than the Foxhound. His head is a striking feature,
with its long, gracefully folding ears, and masses of loose
skin, commonly called wrinkle; the head is long, termin-
ating in a clearly defined peak at the occiput; the chest
should be deep, to give plenty of heart and lung room;
front legs straight, with plenty of bone.

Hounds at Work

soon as the puppy shows a disposition to
hunt, send the runner off without being
viewed. As greater proficiency is reached
allow a longer interval to elapse between
the laying-on of the hound and the starting
of the runner. The colder a line you can
get the hound to hunt the better. At least
you should endeavour to make him reach
such a degree of proficiency that the hunted
man may have three hours’ start on a fair
scenting day. It is desirable to vary your
runners, and to have the line crossed by others
at certain places, which may be indicated
by sticks in order that you may check the
hound if he shows any disposition to change.
I must not forget to mention that the clean
boot, 2.e. a boot that has not been dressed
in any way, should only be hunted. You
will frequently notice that the hound will
work some way down wind, parallel with
the original line taken by the quarry. If
you ride, give the hound plenty of room, as

he has a rooted objection to being ridden
61

British Dogs at Work

over. One great thing to be said in favour
of this sport is that no exception can be
taken to it on humanitarian grounds.

One of the most satisfactory, pieces of
work that I can recall was performed by
Mr. Edwin Brough’s bitch Kickshaw at
some trials near Winslow promoted by the
Association of Bloodhound Breeders, with
Lord Lonsdale as judge. At one point
was a lane which had been traversed by
a herd of cattle as well as a number
of farm hands. The bitch carried the line
slowly along this difficult piece of country
until she came to a field where the scent of
the runner was no longer foiled. Evidently
she was not quite satisfied by this time that
she was on the correct course, so she returned
to the beginning of the lane, verified her
line, and once more took it up at the end
of the lane, without taking any notice of
the intervening portion. This seems as near
reasoning as one is likely to get in a dumb

animal, and it was a performance to delight
62

Hounds at Work

the heart of the hound-lover. To see this
bitch cast if she got off the line was a treat.

After the hounds that hunt by scent we
come to the greyhound, which, as every-
body knows, hunts by sight. Coursing has
ever been a popular sport in this country,
from the time of the Anglo-Saxons onwards.
A glance at old prints of greyhounds
suggests that few breeds have changed less
in formation than this. Originally, no doubt,
he was much coarser in build, and we have
good reason for believing that he had deterio-
rated in courage towards the end of the
eighteenth century, as the Earl of Orford
of his day resorted to a bulldog cross to
infuse a desirable quality that he considered
lacking. To some this may have seemed a
rash adventure, having in mind the funda-
mental differences in the construction of the
two dogs, but any one who has had experience
in such hybridisation will not be surprised
to learn that the sixth or seventh genera-

tion showed no traces of the alien blood. I
63

British Dogs at Work

had the opportunity of watching the cross
out made between a bloodhound and a
basset by the late Sir Everett Millais, and
in less than six generations the bloodhound
had disappeared.

A treatise pertaining to hawking, hunt-
ing, etc., published in 1496, gives a descrip-
tion of the greyhound which might almost
stand to-day, and for this reason I make no
apology for quoting it :—

A greyhounde should be headed lyke a snake,

And neckyd lyke a drake,

Fotyd lyke a cat,

Tayled lyke a ratte,

Syded lyke a teme,

And chyned lyke a bream.

The fyrste yere he must lerne to fede,

The seconde yere to felde him lede,

The thyrde yere he is felow lyke,

The fourth yere there is none syke,

The fyfth yere he is good ynough,

The syxth yere he shall hold the plough,

The seventh yere he will avaylle

Grete bytches for assayle.

But when he is come to the ninth yere
64

Hounds at Work

Have him then to the tannere ;
For the best hounde that ever bytch had
At the ninth yere is full bad.

The fine old lord had the pluck he had in-
troduced into his favourites, for he rose from
a bed of sickness to witness a match from
the back of his piebald pony, and fell dead
at the moment of victory.

One has but to watch the pages of the
Field during the season to see how great
is the hold that coursing has upon the
community. Numbers of meetings are held
all over the country every week, culminating
in the great event which comes off each year
near Liverpool. To win the Waterloo Cup
is the height of the ambition of all en-
thusiasts, and great is the national excite-
ment, even people who do not know the
difference between a greyhound and a
terrier, following the result of each round.

Although but comparatively few owners
of greyhounds can hope to stand a chance cf

lifting the Cup, in spite of the fact that it
65 9

British Dogs at Work

has been won more than once by hounds
that have been picked up for the proverbial
song, many will try their luck at the
smaller meetings or make matches with their
neighbours, and a few remarks as to the
method usually followed in training may
not be misplaced. Getting a greyhound
into condition so as to put him down fit
and hard is a matter requiring considerable
skill, and few private owners have sufficient
knowledge to do the work themselves. To
prepare a hound for public competition it
will be found necessary to requisition the
services of one of the professional trainers,
and if you are only indulging in private
coursing you must subject them to a decent
amount of preliminary work. Gentle exercise
should be the rule at first, and there is
nothing like walking on the road, commen-
cing with about six miles daily. The hounds
must be watched to see that there are no
indications of sore feet, and to guard against

overwork. The experienced eye will tell
66

Hounds at Work

at once if there are signs of staleness, as the
dog becomes listless and loses his fire. Later
on a horse may be used with advantage,
twenty miles not being too much every
other day. Of this but little should be at a
gallop, a mile or so probably sufficing. As
a general principle, slow going is the best.
Directly the hounds come in give them a
good rub down with a hair glove and the
bare hand, and then see that they are
kennelled up free from draughts, as they are
in a condition to take a chill readily. The
diet must consist in large measure of meat.

By the way, greyhound nomenclature is
somewhat puzzling to the outsider, who is
never quite sure what is the difference
between a sapling and a puppy. The former
term is used until the end of the first season
after the youngster is whelped. The second
season finds him a puppy or first-season dog,
eligible for puppy stakes. At the close of
his second season he is described as an all-
aged dog.

VII
SHOOTING DOGS

THERE is nothing much more annoying than
to have a badly broken dog in the field. He
is a constant source of irritation, and is
provocative of much vigorous language. All
the storming in the world, however, will not
make an unsteady dog a good one, and great
care must be exercised when making a
purchase. Of course it is more satisfactory
to have one on trial for a few days, but it is
better still to buy of a man whose word may
be taken unreservedly, for a newcomer
cannot be expected to do himself justice in
strange surroundings. If you have the time
and a plentiful supply of patience there is

a good deal of pleasure to be derived from
68

THE IRISH SETTER

In Youatt’s day the Irish Setter was evidently held in high
esteem, as he tells us that a true one would obtain a higher
price than either an English or Scottish Setter. In those
days fifty guineas constituted no unusual price for a brace,
and even two hundred guineas had been known to be given.
The breed was maintained in its purity with great care, the
req or red-and-white colour being a conspicuous feature.

HIS WORK

Although he does the same kind of work as the English
Setter, his admirers hold that the Irishman is far better
adapted for the rough and hilly country over which he is
used. He is possessed of great endurance and exceptional
speed, and itis claimed that at home he can beat all comers.
Besides his excellence on moor or mountain, he is said to be
good on snipe. It seems to me that in many ways a red-
and-white dog would be preferable to a whole-coloured one,
as being more easily distinguishable, but it is to be presumed
that the Irish sportsmen know what is best suited for them.

HIS POINTS

Head long and lean; oval skull with well-defined
occiput ; a stop in front of the eye; good length in front
of the eye; ears of moderate size, set low, and of fine
texture; neck moderately long and muscular, slightly
arched ; body long, shoulders sloping; chest deep ; hind-
quarters powerful; coat flat and free from waviness.
Colour a rich golden chestnut, devoid of any traces of black.

Shooting Dogs

breaking a young dog yourself, but if you
have none of these qualities you had better
hand him over to the care of some trust-
worthy keeper, to whom you may have to
pay a fee ranging from £5 to £10, in addition
to a small weekly charge for his keep. This
would apply to setters or pointers, the charge
for breaking a spaniel or retriever being not
more than half.

As the training of pointers and setters
proceeds upon identical lines we may as well
deal with them as one, without entering into
any controversy as to which is the more
useful of the two. If I had to choose myself
the probability is that the setter would gain
the vote. No matter what kind you have,
he is a beautiful animal, and, when the
shooting days are over, man need want no
better or more intelligent companion. For
this reason, the man who loves a dog, quite
apart from the work that is required of him,
would be more likely to take a setter. A
setter, too, being better feathered between

British Dogs at Work

the toes, does not go footsore so readily, and
is therefore more adapted to a hard day
on the moors, where the heather is apt to
trouble a pointer a good deal.

In selecting a puppy from a litter note
the one that takes most notice of his
surroundings and displays the least signs
of nervousness at unwonted noises. It is
scarcely necessary to say that you will pick
a strong and healthy one. Early lessons
cannot begin too soon, but of course they
must be of an elementary nature, such as
would be given to any dog that one wishes
to grow up handy and under satisfactory
control. Teach them to obey readily, to
come to heel at command, and to kennel up
instantly when told to do so. This will
make the later and more important tuition
comparatively easy when one starts in earnest
after the novice has reached his eighth or
ninth month. Too much stress cannot be
laid upon the master arriving at a good
understanding with the pupil as soon as

Shooting Dogs

possible. You should be friends at all times,
a friendship in which there must be firmness
on the one part, but no undue shouting and
harsh words, and no employment of the whip
unless the puppy is particularly headstrong.
More often than not, any fault evident in
the dog is attributable to a bad upbringing.
I have heard an irascible owner shouting at
a pointer in the field in a voice loud enough
to flush every covey within a mile.

Serious breaking may commence at any
time after the eighth or ninth month, and it
will be found inadvisable to defer it much
after a year. The first lesson to be inculcated
is that of dropping to hand or to gun, the
technical term used instead of a command
to “lie down” being “down charge.” By
repeating the words “down charge,” while
pressing the pupil to the ground, he soon
understands what is required of him, but to
ensure that he shall remain so as long as
desired it is usual to fasten him up by a
long cord. Habituate him to remaining in

Missing Page

British Dogs at Work

their puppies in association with tame
rabbits, any disposition to hunt being met
with the order to “‘ ware chase.” The chances
are that as the first birds are killed the dog
will endeavour to run in, and he will have
to be punished if the “down charge” goes
unheeded.

The man who wants a good all-round dog,
and cannot afford to run to several, will be
sure to pin his faith to a retriever, or one of
the varieties of spaniels. The points to be
looked for in a good retriever are sagacity,
stamina, scenting properties, tenderness of
mouth, and steadiness. It is essential that
he should be under absolute control, ready
to lie by the side of his master in the butt
while birds are being killed, and making no
move until ordered to “seek dead.” Then
he will set to work at once, first, if he is all
he should be, gathering the wounded birds,
and then devoting himself to the dead. In
battue shooting a well-trained retriever is

almost indispensable. As with pointers and
74

THE RETRIEVER

Tue one-dog sportsman will have to look far before he
finds anything better for his purpose than a Retriever. Of
the two varieties, the flat-coated and the curly, the latter
demands little notice, as, for some reason or other, he is not
much in demand, popular taste inclining to the former.
Youatt speaks of Newfoundland dogs having been brought
to Europe and used as retrievers, and there is no doubt
that we must go back to this breed to find the early
parentage of the dog under discussion. The Setter, too,
has helped in the making.

HIS WORK

His work is quite apparent from his name, but Mr.
Harding Cox tells us in British Dogs that his helpmates
have had not only to fulfil the rdle of Retriever proper, but
also that of Setter, Spaniel, and Sleuth-hound. Much
Skill and patience are required in the breaking of a Retriever
puppy, but it is well worth the trouble.

HIS POINTS

Head long, terminating in a muzzle moderately large,
but free from lippiness; skull flat and fairly wide; ears
V-shaped and set close to head; eyes dark brown; neck
long and muscular; shoulders clean and set obliquely,
with deep chest and not too much spring of rib; fore-legs
straight, hind-legs with stifles fairly bent; thighs and
second thighs full of muscle; quarters also muscular ; coat
flat, long, and thick. Colour a glossy black.

Shooting Dogs

setters, instruction in obedience cannot well
begin too early. The dog must be so
schooled as to be under ready control,
answering at once to a whistle, and dropping
to hand. If he should not take kindly to a
signal by hand he should be fastened to a
long cord and pulled up peremptorily if orders
are disobeyed. Get him in the habit of
mouthing some soft object, such as a tobacco
pouch, checking him immediately if he dis-
plays any inclination to bite it. Next drop
the object and encourage the puppy to find
and bring it to you. Ultimately he must be
taught to carry a pinioned pigeon or young
rabbit. When you are satisfied that he will
carry a bird or rabbit without hurt, you
may hide the living quarry in a tuft of grass
and encourage him to “seek dead.”

Needless to say, when you get your
beginner in the field you must instantly
reprove any disposition to chase a hare or
rabbit. He must only pursue a wounded
bird or hare when ordered to do so. The

British Dogs at Work

single-handed sportsman after water-fowl or
snipe could not wish a more useful com-
panion than a well-broken retriever.

While upon this breed a word or two as
to their popularity on the show bench may
not be out of place. Here again we find the
enthusiasts divided into two camps, the one
declaring that show dogs are no good for
work, the other averring as stoutly that
a good-looking pedigree dog is quite as
capable of doing a satisfactory day’s work as
any other. There is no doubt that there is
a considerable demand for well-bred dogs,
and it is said with absolute truth, I believe,
that one champion, who was also a field
trialler, earned his master some £1400 or
more in stud fees, while his son, still in his
prime, had produced very nearly as much.
Big prices have also been realised by really
good dogs, and we may take it for granted
that puppies of first-class strains are always
worth more than those which have no par-

ticular breeding at the back of them. If,
76

Shooting Dogs

however, you wish to go in for this sort of
thing, you must start well at the beginning
by laying out a fair amount of money on
your foundation stock. It is useless expect-
ing satisfactory results to accrue from in-
different materials. Satisfy yourself, too,
that the bitch comes from a genuine working
strain.

The man who decides on a spaniel has
four or five varieties from which he can
choose, but perhaps the Sussex or a cocker
will be deemed the most suitable for all-
round purposes. The cocker, owing to his
diminutive size, is not so well adapted to
retrieving heavy game as the Sussex. Not-
withstanding this, his cheery nature and
love of work make him a general favourite.
The Clumber is a very handsome dog, and
most useful withal, but he is heavier and
slower, and not so fitted for a trying day in
the field. A spaniel comes in handy all the
year round for one thing or another. The
Trish water spaniel is a hard-bitten looking

British Dogs at Work

fellow, with a coat capable of standing any
amount of wet, but he is not kept for much
nowadays except wild-fowling. He has the
reputation of being harder-mouthed than the
other varieties.

The breaking of a spaniel will proceed
much on the same lines as that of a retriever.
You must teach him to retrieve by habituat-
ing him to mouthing soft objects without
biting, and then get him on to a living
bird, making him find at the word of
command.

Breaking him to hunt will be the most
difficult part of his tuition, as his tendency
will be to run the game on his own account,
and he should be obedient to signal or
whistle before you take him out. Guard
against too wide ranging, and check him
immediately he shows any fault. A good
deal of time and patience will be re-
quired, but you will be fully repaid for
the days spent with the puppy if you
have a perfectly broken dog at the end of

THE COCKER SPANIEL

For a bright, lively little fellow, companionable to a degree,
and ready for any work that he may be asked to do, the
Cocker has no rival. Does not everybody who lives in the
country know him, and love him too? He is one of the
handiest dogs imaginable, and it is not surprising that he
enjoys a wide popularity.

HIS WORK

Youatt tells us that in his day he was chiefly used for
flushing pheasants and woodcocks from thickets into which
Setters and even Springers could scarcely penetrate. From
the latter bird, indeed, he takes his name. Get a small
team of them, too, to bustle rabbits out of thick cover and
you may have an excellent morning’s sport. He is stout
of heart, and will retrieve game nearly half his own weight.
His superabundance of spirits may make him a bit head-
strong, but he is fully amenable to judicious discipline.

HIS POINTS

He is a small dog, weighing from 20 to 25 lbs., and he
is of many colours, ranging from black and black and tan
to liver, lemon, or red, preferably with white markings, as
making him more easily distinguishable. Fore-legs straight,
with plenty of bone, but not coarse ; hind-quarters power-
ful, with stifles well let down; the coat, though not very
long, should be dense and smooth or slightly wavy.

Shooting Dogs

his schooling. While firm with him at all
times, it is aS well to remember that undue
harshness may make him sulky or nervous,

and he will then be practically useless in
the field.

VIII
THE TERRIERS

Any observations on British dogs at work
would of necessity be incomplete without
some reference to the various breeds of
terriers, but there are so many excellent
works upon this subject that but few
observations of mine are called for. Nearly
everybody has kept a terrier of sorts at some
time or another. Whether as house guards,
companions, or workers they are to be
numbered among the indispensable friends
of man. First place in popularity must be
assigned to the fox terrier, whose value
ranges from a few shillings to several
hundreds of pounds, according to his quality.

It is not an easy thing to breed a good one,
80

The Terriers

or we should have more champions about,
considering the thousands that come into the
world each year. The short-legged, cobby
dog, so familiar to many of us in our boyhood,
the type beloved by Parson Jack Russell, has
passed away, and has been succeeded by a
terrier that shows considerably more day-
light underneath, and is longer and slacker
in his couplings. His chest, too, is narrower,
and he is several pounds heavier. It is very
doubtful if he can live as well with hounds
or go to earth as easily as his predecessor
of twenty or thirty years ago. I have no
doubt he is more plumb true in front, while
his head is a distinct improvement so far as
looks are concerned, but that scarcely makes
up for his diminution in utility. A terrier
of some description has been known for
centuries as being employed in bolting foxes
or badgers, but he was probably of a nonde-
script description. Beckford recommends a
good terrier to his imaginary correspondent,

pleading a preference for a black or white.
81 II

British Dogs at Work

‘Some there are so like a fox,” he says, “ that
awkward people frequently mistake one for
the other.” Unfortunately, he does not help us
much on the question of size. “Large ones are
useful at times,” he writes, “if they are to run
with the pack, but in an earth they do little
good, as they cannot always get up to a fox.”

Most of us, I suppose, can recall many a
happy day with ferret and terrier bolting
rabbits, and I can remember enormous quan-
tities of rats destroyed in the same manner.
Ratting provides plenty of fun, while serving
a useful purpose at the same time. Is it
necessary to remind you that this was one of
the accomplishments acquired at Cambridge
by the incomparable Calverley, who—

Learned to work the wary dog-cart
Artfully through King’s Parade ;
Dress, and steer a boat, and sport with

Amaryllis in the shade:
Struck, at Brown’s, the dashing hazard ;
Or (more curious sport than that)
Dropped, at Callaby’s, the terrier
Down upon the prisoned rat.
82

THE FOX TERRIER

Tur Fox Terrier is one of the common objects of country
and town alike. Wherever we go, there is he to be found
either in the wire-haired persuasion or the smooth. On
the show bench the Bulldog or Pomeranian may press him
closely, but as prime favourite in the hearts of the multitude
he holds indisputable sway. Dr. Caius, whose De Canibus
Britannicis et Raris Animalibus appeared in 1570, speaks
of “‘Terrars,” which were used for the same purposes as our
present-day terriers, but he give us no description whereby
we can identify them with any modern breed.

HIS WORK

Primarily, of course, the special duty of a Fox Terrier is
to accompany a pack of hounds, and to turn out reynard
when he goes to earth. He must have sufficient courage to
tackle a badger, and we all know and appreciate his value
as a ratter. Indeed, he is a good all-round dog, even to
protecting the townsman’s house against the wily burglar.

HIS POINTS

An evenly marked head to the average man is like that
blessed word Mesopotamia, and it may come as a shock to
the feelings of this gentleman to know that this apparent
point does not matter “tuppence.” The skull should be
flat and moderately narrow, broader between the ears and
decreasing in width to the eyes; jaw strong and muscular ;
teeth level; ears small and shaped like a V; neck clean
and muscular, without throatiness; shoulders long and
sloping ; chest deep, but rather narrow ; back short, with
broad and powerful loin; front legs very straight, with
heavy bone and well-rounded feet ; hind-quarters muscular.

The Terriers

Marvellous accounts are on record of the
numbers of rats killed by a terrier in an
incredibly short period. Youatt, for instance,
is responsible for the statement that a
hundred large rats were turned into a pit
and killed by a celebrated dog in six minutes
thirty-five seconds. He was such a nailer
that, when old and with but one eye and a
couple of teeth, he accounted for fifty rodents
in five minutes six seconds. This, however,
must be classed as a poor form of sport, except
with the object of making a young dog
clever.

The sterling qualities of the Irish terrier
are such as to have earned him the sobriquet
of Die-hard, and well does he deserve it.
Ready for any work, he has a dash and go
tempered with intelligence that endear him
to the heart of his master. Nothing comes
amiss to Paddy, and he has a constitution
that equips him for any amount of fatigue
and exposure. He is bigger than the fox

terrier, the desirable weight for dogs being
83

British Dogs at Work

24 lbs., and for bitches a couple of pounds
less. In spite of his gameness he has an
admirable temper to swell the credit side of
his good qualities.

The quaint, rugged-looking Scottish
terrier has made remarkable advances in
popular favour during the last decade, and
he has become so well established that no
further booming on the part of his friends is
necessary. His short, wiry coat is of little
trouble to keep in order, nor does it pick up
the dirt in the same manner as that of a
longer-haired dog. The Skye terrier must
surely be first cousin to him, but he is
blessed with a long, flat coat, which must
require much grooming and manipulation
before he is fit for the show bench. He has
the appearance of suffering from over-civilis-
ation, and I must admit a preference for the
hardier-looking Scottie. However, many
men many minds, or perhaps one should
more correctly say ladies in this case, for they

seem to have taken the Skye under their wing.
84

The Terriers

To Sir Walter Scott belongs the credit of
having provided a distinctive name for the
Dandie Dinmont. Sir Walter knew a dog,
and would have him put to his proper uses.
What does Dinmont say? “A bonny terrier
that, sir—and a fell chield at the vermin, I
warrant him—that is, if he has been weel
entered, for it a’ lies in that.”

“ Really, sir,’ said Brown, “his education
has been somewhat neglected, and his chief
property is being a pleasant companion.”

“Ay, sir?’—that’s a pity, begging your
pardon—it’s a great pity that; beast or
body, education should aye be minded. I
have six terriers at hame, forbye twa couple
of slow-hunds, five grews, and a wheen
other dogs. There’s auld Pepper and auld
Mustard, and young Pepper and young Mus-
tard, and little Pepper and little Mustard.
I had them a’ regularly entered, first wi’
rottens, then wi’ stots or weasels, and then
wi the tods and brocks, and now they fear

naething that ever cam’ wi’ a hairy skin on’t.”
85

British Dogs at Work

It is claimed that the modern Dandie is
descended directly from the terriers de-
scribed by the great romancer, and I see no
reason why that should not be so. It seems
to be admitted that the breed has come
down from the kennels of James Davidson
of Hindlee, and although Sir Walter has
stated in his notes to Guy Mannering
that the character of Dandie Dinmont was
a composite one, and not a portrait of any
individual, he also says that Davidson had
the humour of naming a celebrated race of
terriers which he possessed by the generic
names of Mustard and Pepper, according as
their colour was yellow or greyish-black,
without any other individual distinction,
except as according to the nomenclature in
the text. Scott further adds that so generally
was the name of Dandie Dinmont associated
with Davidson that when an English lady,
desirous of possessing a brace of the cele-
brated terriers, addressed him under that

name, the letter reached Mr. Davidson.
86

The Terriers

The appearance of the Dandie is too
familiar to call for description. He is now,
as he seems always to have been, a hardy,
game little tyke.

The Airedale is too big to answer well
to the name of terrier, a dog weighing from
40 to 45 lbs., while a bitch would be slightly
less. For all that he is a sportsman, if he
is unable to go to ground owing to his size ;
a hound is supposed to have figured in his
ancestry, but since he has come to be ex-
hibited in large numbers care has been
taken over his breeding, and he now comes
as true to type as any other dog. Another
North Country dog is the Bedlington, who
also has much to commend him, but as far
as one can see, he is not greatly in favour
outside the kennels of a few enthusiasts.

It is only some twenty years ago that the
Welsh terrier made a sort of apologetic
appearance in the Kennel Club Stud-Book,
but things have looked up with him since
then. This is not surprising, as he is a

British Dogs at Work

smart little fellow with plenty of spirit and
many good. points to recommend him. He
is a black-and-tan, or black, grizzle, and tan,
with a hard wiry coat, and any amount of
terrier character. Average weight about
20 lbs.

When the anti-cropping edict was pro-
mulgated by the Kennel Club plenty of
pessimists were found to declare in season
and out of season that the bull terrier was
doomed, as it was difficult to picture one
without cropped ears. Fortunately these
croakings have not been fulfilled, breeders
settling down to the sensible course of try-
ing to produce a presentable ear. There is
a clean built, muscular look about him that
is pleasing to the eye, and his courage is
beyond aspersion. He is a dog that will
fight to the death, but there is no great
practical use for him to-day, since dog-fighting
and badger-baiting have gone by the board.
No better guard could be wished, the very

sight of him being a terror to evildoers.
88

ae
at
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Oy
Ne

bi LPs
att
\Y

at
His
Pa,

THE AIREDALE TERRIER

In that good sporting county, Yorkshire, for many years a
broken-haired, rough-and-ready terrier was much in vogue
among the working-classes before he came to be classified
as a variety under the name at the head of this page. The
Airedale is a big dog, so big indeed that to call him a
terrier is a misnomer. A manufactured breed, in which the
Otterhound has played a considerable part, he has been in
existence long enough to come true to type, and he is a
smart, good-looking tyke with many admirable qualities.

HIS WORK

He is a hardy, tireless worker, ready for any vermin, and
well suited for working the rough banks of the streams in
his native county. It is no wonder that he has become
very popular of recent years.

HIS POINTS

Head long, with flat skull, narrowing slightly from
between the ears to the eyes ; scarcely any stop in front of
the eye; jaws powerful; ears V-shaped and small; eyes
dark and small, and full of expression; neck moderately
long, free from throatiness, and widening towards the
shoulder ; shoulders sloping, and chest deep; back short,
ribs well sprung ; hindquarters strong and muscular ; hocks
well let down; legs straight, with plenty of bone; feet
small and round. In colour the head and ears should be
tan, with dark markings on each side of the skull; legs also
tan; body black or dark grizzle. Weight of dogs, 40 to
45 lbs. ; bitches a little less. The Airedale Terrier Club
lays great stress upon size.

stones J

CMERNON-:

The Terriers

One word of advice to the novice who
may contemplate buying a wire-haired
terrier of any description. You may buy
a smart, trim-looking fellow at a show, and
in a few weeks you will be disgusted to find
that he is growing a profuse, woolly coat.
Remembering the Kennel Club rules against
trimming you will wonder how such things
can be. Well, there is no doubt that
matters are not at all in a satisfactory
condition, for it is generally recognised that
all these dogs are subjected to a consider-
able amount of preparation, to call it by its
mildest term, before they are regarded as
fit for the critical scrutiny of the judge.
We are told that it is impossible to breed a
rough terrier with the correct coat, but I am
inclined to think that breeders are following
the line of least resistance, and laying a
pretty rod in pickle for themselves. If the
coat of a dog can be got into condition by
clever manipulation, is there not a danger

of breeders ignoring this desirable point
89 12

British Dogs at Work

altogether, and ultimately producing a soft
woolly-coated terrier quite unsuited to hard
work and wet? With so many able terrier
men about I cannot think that the produc-
tion of a coat of desired length and texture
is an impossibility, although sacrifices would
have to be made in the intermediate stages.

IX
THE SCIENCE OF BREEDING

Tue breeding of pedigree stock of any de-
scription, whether it be guinea-pigs or race-
horses, casts an irresistible spell over the
minds of men, who are continually straining
after an unattainable ideal. While some
devote their attention to means of reaching
the North Pole, others range the forests of
South America and brave untold hardships
in the hope of discovering a rare orchid, but
thousands of us are doomed to spend our
days at home in humble obscurity. We
must have hobbies and pursuits to afford us
relaxation if we are busy people, or occupa-
tion if we are ranked among the idle, so we
turn our spare energies towards improving
g!I

British Dogs at Work

some variety of domestic animal or bird. I
say “improving,” although the chances are
that we are endeavouring to produce some
point that has neither beauty nor utility to
commend it. The lobes of a bantam may
cause its owner sleepless nights, and the
colour of a toy dog may entail endless worry
upon its fair owner. It is a curious world,
my masters, and the philosopher who has
none of our little weaknesses may well look
on in mild toleration of the foibles of man-
kind. Probably the chief allurement in
breeding pedigree stock is the glorious un-
certainty of the game. You see men start
upon it, well equipped with scientific know-
ledge and preconceived notions as to how the
thing should be done, and behold, all their
little plans are set at naught, while the
plain man, with his rule-of-thumb methods
and no stock-in-trade other than common
sense (the rarest of all senses, as some one
has well said), steps in and reaches the top
of the tree without apparent effort.
92

The Science of Breeding

The man who determines to try his luck
at breeding dogs will do well to make up his
mind at once to learn all he can from those
who have graduated in the school of experi-
ence. While many people are absurdly
jealous about giving anything away, there
are plenty of others who are only too pleased
to guide the unwary from the pitfalls that
abound. Read up all you can about the
breed that you favour. Talk with other
breeders with the object of impressing upon
your mind the characteristics of the different
strains and the main points and peculiarities
of individual dogs. Remember that although
good results may at times follow bad reason-
ing, you cannot always expect to have the
luck of the little French milliner who bought
the winning number in a lottery. Asked
afterwards if the fickle goddess had favoured
her, “Mais non,” she replied, “I dreamt
three nights in succession of the number
seven, and I said to myself, three sevens are
twenty-three, and I bought that number.”

British Dogs at Work

The axiom that like begets like has led
many astray, and needs certain qualifications.
It is quite true that if you mate a fox terrier
with a fox terrier the resulting progeny will
also be fox terriers, but it must not by any
means be assumed that the produce of the
best dog and the best bitch of their kind
will be as good from a show point of view as
their parents. This is such a commonplace
to all who have kept a kennel of dogs that I
write it with diffidence, but as I am en-
deavouring to be helpful to beginners I trust
that the older hand who does me the honour
of reading these remarks will be kindly
tolerant. Remember, then, that you have to
take into consideration that most potent law
known to biologists as the law of heredity.
Put in plain language, if success is to reward
your efforts you require to know the charac-
teristics that are at the back of the dog and
bitch you are using, what their parents and
grandparents were like, and further back
still, if it is possible. Certain head qualities,

The Science of Breeding

for instance, may exist to an unusual extent
in the parent stock that you are using, but
if these individuals come from a _ weak-
headed strain, the chances are that your
puppies will be weak in this respect. As it
is to be hoped that many who read this little
work will breed sporting dogs, it is well to
bear in mind that other qualities than the
purely physical are also subject to this great
law. The faculty of scent will be more
highly developed in some strains than others,
while stubbornness and lack of amenity to
discipline have an unpleasant way of re-
appearing in future generations. If you are
of an observant mind you will soon pick up
the salient features of the leading families of
the variety you are breeding, but one is
forced reluctantly to the conclusion that
there are breeders who can never learn.
Time after time we see certain people turning
out puppies by the hundred with a lament-
ably small percentage of dogs of the right
type, while another man, with not more than
95

British Dogs at Work

two or three brood bitches, manages to bring
out something above the average each year
with the regularity of clock-work. When you
have once grasped this idea you will prob-
ably arrive at the conclusion that successful
dog-breeding is not merely a matter of
chance, for surely luck would be on the side
of the big battalions.

After you have devoted much time to a
study of the best representatives of any
particular breed, you will have impressed
upon you the fact that leading families exist
within that breed. In other words, men
who have been at the game for years will
stamp an individuality upon their stock
that is quite unmistakable, and it will soon
occur to you that inter-breeding between
dogs from different kennels must be carried
out with a considerable amount of caution
if you do not wish to meet with disappoint-
ment. Experience alone can tell you how
far you may safely go in amalgamating the

best qualities of each. A useful tip for the
96

The Science of Breeding

novice is to decide upon the strain that
most fills his eye, and then, by a diligent
study of pedigrees, to follow as nearly as
possible upon the lines of the master. He
cannot go far wrong under such circum-
stances, and at any rate he will be building
up an invaluable foundation stock, even if
he is not fortunate enough to bring out any
champions. It is a truism that to preserve
type at its best a certain amount of in-
breeding must be resorted to, but this is a
practice calling for moderation if you do
not wish to lose all your young dogs with
distemper. Here you must invoke common
sense to your aid in order to tell you when
it is desirable to desert the strain you are
following and bring in fresh blood from
another kennel. If the variety of your
choice is fairly numerous you will not
experience much difficulty, but in some
breeds you will find that inbreeding has
been carried on to such an extent as to

demand drastic measures in the shape of a
97 13

British Dogs at Work

rank out-cross, but this is the sort of thing
not to be rushed into until you have
learned the A BC of the business. The
introduction of alien blood is not such a
terrible business as it sounds, for if you
resort to mathematics you will at once see
what a small proportion of the foreign
influence can be present in the third or
fourth generation, yet the good effects upon
the physique of the strain remain. By pre-
ference, for an out-cross I should select a
breed as nearly resembling in conformation,
colour, and texture of coat as possible my
own particular breed, and I should also let
the alien be a bitch, for the simple reason
that I believe the influence of the sire to
be greater than that of the dam. The late
Mr. James Howard of Bedford was not only
a horse-breeder of the first rank, but also
a very observant man, and the conclusions
he arrived at, and which were quoted
approvingly by the late Sir Everett Millais,
were that—
98

THE BULLDOG

Srurpy, thick-set, uncompromising in appearance, the Bull-
dog is supposed to represent our national characteristics.
Certainly he has many admirable qualities, among which are
to be numbered great devotion to his master or mistress,
and an unfailing kindliness of temper unless insult be offered
to those he loves. He is an excellent house dog, his worst
habits being a tendency to snort and snore. He shares
with the Fox Terrier the honour of being the most popular
show dog of the day, and several have been sold of recent
years for the goodly sum of £1000. In choosing one care
has to be exercised in seeing that one is not buying a
deformity that cannot walk a mile. A Bulldog can be
active, and he can also be the reverse. Of this you may be
sure, he is not so ugly as he is credited with being.

HIS WORK

For many years past humanitarian feelings have decreed
that the Bulldog shall be among the ranks of the un-
employed. His occupation has gone, with cock-fighting
and other diversions of a strenuous age.

HIS POINTS

Skull very large, broad, and square, flat on the top, with
a deep stop between the eyes; the nose large and black,
and set so far back as to come almost between the eyes;
the jaw broad and square, the lower projecting beyond the
upper and turning well up; the flews thick and deep;
the head and face well wrinkled ; eyes wide apart; ears
high on the head, small and thin; back and neck short
and powerful; chest very wide, with fore-legs short, heavy
in bone, and set wide apart; hind-legs longer than the
front, giving an arched appearance to the loins; tail set
on low, and pointing downwards.

STOWE S,

JON -

The Science of Breeding

1. From the male parent is mainly
derived the external structure, configura-
tion, and outward characteristics; also the
locomotive system or development.

2. From the female parent is derived
the internal structure, the vital organs, and,
in more proportion than the male, the con-
stitution, temper, and habits.

3. That the purer the race of the parent
the more certainty there is of its trans-
mitting its qualities to the offspring. The
parent of the purer descent will have the
greater influence.

4. That apart from certain disturbing
influences the male, if of pure descent and
descended from a stock of uniform colour,
will stamp his colour upon bis offspring.

Fix these views upon your mind, and you
will see how it is that frequently the best
puppies are bred from a bitch that in her-
self is far from being up to show form, but
it is also well to bear in mind that the dam
must have a good pedigree at the back of her.

British Dogs at Work

What must one look for, then, in an ideal
brood bitch? Primarily I should satisfy
myself that her pedigree contained the
factors upon which I wished to work. Then
she must be of sound constitution, with
plenty of bone and substance, and withal
roomy. If you have an eye for a dog or
an animal of any sort you will quickly
be able to decide upon the class of bitch
for which you are looking. There is some-
thing about her that fills the eye, but
which is not easy to set down upon paper.
Do not breed from immature matrons or
from those that are fallen into the sere and
yellow leaf. A bitch should be at her best
from sixteen months to four years, but you
may reasonably hope to go on using her
until she is nearly seven. I have bred from
them at an older period than that, but as a
rule the puppies will be fewer and smaller.
If you have any urgent reason for breeding
from an old bitch, then you must use a

young and vigorous dog.
100

The Science of Breeding

The selection of a sire is far from being
an easy matter. You must look at his
ancestry closely, in conjunction with that
of the dam, and do not be misled into
sending to the most prominent champion
simply because everybody else is running
after him. After you have studied the
question for some time you have the con-
clusion forced upon you that some dogs are
far more prepotent than others; that is to
say, they have a greater power of impress-
ing their image upon their progeny, and by
looking closely at their pedigrees you will
probably find that they have been con-
siderably inbred, or that their ancestors for
some generations back came from the same
kennel. The older and purer the pedigree
the more likely is any individual to repro-
duce the family characteristics. If you see
any owner putting down a lot of dogs of
varying types and characteristics, you may
assume at once that he is bringing imperfect

knowledge and intelligence to bear upon
IOI

British Dogs at Work

his operations. Therefore you are safer in
using a sire that comes from a kennel in
which uniformity of type is noticeable, pro-
vided, of course, that the stamp is a desir-
able one. To sum up, let both sire and
dam be as good as you can get them, but
do not anticipate failure if it is not your
fortune to secure possession of a champion
bitch. Above all, avoid any glaring faults
in either parent, as their elimination may
be a source of much worry, especially if the
dog and bitch are in any way nearly related.

One other word of advice: do not be
too impatient if your early efforts do not
realise your expectations. A good strain
does not grow with the rapidity of a certain
American gourd, which springs up so quickly
that the man who plants the seed has to
run away lest the tendrils should entwine
his legs. And because you are unsuccessful
at the outset do not begin to cry out
that the type is all wrong, and endeavour

to have it changed to suit your own de-
102

The Science of Breeding

based coinage. This is an unsportsman-
like attitude, which meets with emphatic
condemnation.

Unless you have a large room that can
be heated it is better to arrange for your
puppies to arrive in this world of trouble
during the spring or early summer, but as
this subject is dealt with in another chapter
I need not enlarge upon it here. Never
breed from a bitch every time she comes in
use, or you will weaken her and produce
weakly puppies. At the very least you
should let her miss once in three. It is
impossible to guarantee that a bitch will
prove in whelp even if she has been properly
served, but you can do your best to obtain
the desired result by taking care that she is
in good hard condition when sent to the dog.
A fat bitch is far less likely to prove fruitful
than one on the light side. During the
period of gestation, too, obesity is most
undesirable, and when a matron shows a

tendency to put on flesh it is wise to increase
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British Dogs at Work

the supply of meat in the daily dietary, and
reduce farinaceous stuffs. For the first five
weeks she should have her usual quantity of
exercise, and after this she should have
plenty of walking but no rushing about. If
heavy bone is desirable in the whelps a
plentiful supply of meat to the dam is indi-
cated, and a teaspoonful of precipitated
phosphate of lime is to be advised once a
day in the food.

Sixty-three days is the normal period of
gestation, but it is as well to be prepared for
eventualities at any time after the sixtieth
day. If a large litter is expected a foster-
mother must be on the premises, and I have
known it necessary to have a couple. Six
puppies are sufficient for any dam to suckle.
The date of whelping of the foster should
synchronise as nearly as possible with that
of the mother, as she is more likely to take
to the puppies. Much diplomacy is some-
times needed to ensure that the foster shall

adopt the little strangers. Remove her from
104

The Science of Breeding

her own and mix up with them the pure-
bred ones that she is expected to nurse, and
when she returns to them see that all are
started suckling together. She will need
careful watching for some hours.

In a normally healthy bitch whelping
should present little difficulty, and it is best
to leave matters to nature. In the case of
the bigger breeds the puppies should be
removed soon after they appear, to obviate
the danger of the dam lying upon them, but
one may be left with her if she shows any
inclination to fret. Occasionally a wrongful
presentation may occur, in which case the
mother will need assistance. Under such
circumstances the help of a vet or experi-
enced man is desirable, as the novice may do
a good deal of mischief. Should labour be
prolonged, liquid nourishment will be accept-
able to the patient, and if signs of ex-
haustion appear, a raw egg with a little
brandy may be given.

Occasionally, especially in the case of old
105 14

British Dogs at Work

bitches, practically no labour pains are
present. A slow walk or even a drive ina
cab will often bring about the desired result,
and some veterinary surgeons recommend
the application of ice to the abdomen. If
these fail, skilled assistance is necessary.
When whelping is apparently over, the dam
should be carefully examined for the purpose
of ascertaining if a puppy remains behind,
as a dead foetus, if not removed, may set
up blood-poisoning. After parturition the
bowels will probably be relaxed, and it is
desirable they should be so unless actual
diarrhoea develops. In the latter event five
to ten grains of carbonate of bismuth may be
shaken dry on the tongue thrice daily.
During labour the bitch should be inter-
fered with as little as possible, and only
attended by those to whom she is attached,
the presence of strangers being most dis-
tasteful. She should be humoured in every
way, and made to feel as comfortable as
possible. When labour is ended she should

106

THE COLLIE

THE Collie is a dog that is never likely to go out of fashion.
Possibly he is not quite so popular to-day among the
exhibiting fraternity as he was seven or eight years ago
but his intelligence, coupled with his good looks, will
prevent him falling into disfavour. It is not long since
there was quite a rage for the breed, and sums of £1000
and over have been paid for particularly perfect specimens.
The Collie has a long ancestry upon which to pride himself,
and many are the tales related by Scottish shepherds of his
remarkable intelligence. James Hogg, the Ettrick Shepherd,
tells how a flock of sheep under his charge became scattered
in different directions one dark night, but in the morning
he found every single one in a ravine under the charge of
his dog Sirrah.
HIS WORK

His work of guarding the sheep makes him one of man’s
most useful helpmates. I do not suppose that any one
would claim that dog shows have helped in any sense to
develop his specialised instinct, but the sheep-dog trials
that are held in different parts of the country are on quite
another footing, and they have at any rate shown the public
what remarkable feats the Collie can achieve.

HIS POINTS

Perhaps one of his most important features is his coat,
which must be very dense, the outer coat being harsh while
the inner is soft and close; the skull should be fiat,
moderately broad between the ears, gradually tapering to
the eyes; no “stop”; muzzle of fair length; the eyes
should be almond-shaped, brown in colour, and full of
intelligence ; ears small and semi-erect ; body fairly long,
with well-sprung ribs.}

The Science of Breeding

be sponged with tepid water and a mild dis-
infectant, and the soiled bed replaced with
new.
For the first few days a sloppy diet is
desirable, in case any fever should be present,
and to encourage the secretion of milk.
Oatmeal gruel, milk, and bread-and-milk
will do. Subsequently the diet must be of a
generous nature, as it is obviously unreason-
able to expect the nursing mother to stand
an abnormal strain on her system and do her
puppies well unless she has good food and
plenty of it. Milk given in large quantities
is not to be recommended, as it is apt to
cause acidity, although the addition of half a
cupful of lime-water to each pint will act as
a wholesome corrective. Broth, from which
all traces of fat have been carefully removed,
may be given with advantage, thickened
with stale bread or rice. Most mothers lie
close for the first few days, but it is necessary
that they should be removed from their

puppies for a short period several times a day.
107

British Dogs at Work

Now a word as to the puppies, upon which
so many hopes are centred. Little nourish-
ment is required for the first few hours after
birth, and it usually suffices if they are put
on to the dam when she has finished whelp-
ing. If strong and vigorous they will start
sucking at once, but you will find, as a rule,
that one or two require some assistance and
encouragement, and you must keep an eye
on them for some days to ensure that they
are not being starved. It is a good practice
to test the quality of the milk with a piece
of blue litmus paper. If there is any acidity
the paper will be turned red, and in such a
case the milk should be thoroughly drawn
off, the youngsters being fed artificially tem-
porarily. This may be the means of saving
puppies that would otherwise waste away
and die. If they feel flabby to the touch,
and are continually crying, you may suspect
the mother’s milk, or that the temperature
of the kennel is too low. Half a teaspoonful

of bicarbonate of soda, dissolved in a small
108

The Science of Breeding

quantity of water, may be given to the dam
as an antacid, this dose being for medium-
sized dogs. Naturally, the same precautions
should be taken in the case of the foster-
mother, although it is a strange thing that
the puppies frequently do better on her
than on their own mother. Occasionally
it happens that the puppies decline to pull
at some of the forward teats, which will
become hard and swollen unless attention is
promptly given. These should be kneaded
and the milk drawn off by hand, or trouble
will ensue. If the puppies should die, the
mother will be caused much distress unless
the milk is drawn off several times a day,
and means taken to dry it. Obviously dry
food is indicated, and the patient should
have her udders rubbed with camphorated
oil, and have a dose of castor oil.

109

x
SOME COMMON AILMENTS

I am making no pretence of entering upon a
learned disquisition on the many diseases to
which canine flesh is heir, but I propose to set
down a few observations upon the commonest
ailments, and to indicate simple forms of
treatment. It is almost worth having sick-
ness in one’s kennel in order to value the
increased sympathy and attachment that
spring up between master and patient. A
dog is a sensitive, highly-strung organism,
capable of appreciating to the full any
affection that may be bestowed upon him.
A good home nurse is sure to succeed
with dogs, for the common sense of the sick-

room may with advantage be carried to the
IIo

Some Common Ailments

canine hospital. The more they are treated
like human beings the better chance has one
of success. Half the battle consists in being
able to anticipate illness by detecting the
early signs of ailing. :This is not a difficult
matter if you study your dogs with care, so
that you may notice at once the dull eye, the
listlessness of demeanour, and the disinclina-
tion to take food with as much zest as on
ordinary occasions. It may not be as easy
to diagnose the complaint, but whatever may
be wrong you cannot do harm by guarding
against chills and taking immediate pre-
cautions to minimise the trouble that may
be coming. Time after time I have had
forced upon me by sad experience the folly
of neglecting incipient warnings, especially
in the case of young stock liable to fall with
distemper. You may have no reason for
suspecting the presence of this dread disease,
and you come to the conclusion that nothing
worse than a slight chill is the matter, with
the result that you are in the middle of a

IIt

British Dogs at Work

pronounced attack before you know where
you are, and you begin to wonder how many
graves will have to be sunk.

A clinical thermometer is an essential
part of one’s kennel equipment, as there is no
safer guide to the variations in a dog’s health.
The best way of taking the temperature is
in the rectum, the normal ranging from 101°
to 101°5°, while in the mouth it will be
about 2° lower. Puppies will be 1° higher,
and it has been noted that individuals vary,
but you must suspect something wrong if the
temperature falls below 99° or rises above
103° in the rectum. The pulse of an adult,
which will best be taken in the groin, ranges
from 70 to 90 beats per minute, in puppies
under three months from 120 to 140, from
the sixth to the ninth month from 90 to 110.
It is a good plan to accustom yourself to
the pulse of a healthy dog, and to the heart
and chest sounds by auscultation and _per-
cussion, as only by these means are you able

to detect readily variations from the normal.
112

Some Common Ailments

As distemper is the commonest and most
fatal disease from which dogs suffer, it will
be as well to deal with that first, although
it is not within the province of a layman to
treat the subject exhaustively. This is the
work of the trained hand, and, if you value
your puppy, I should strongly advise calling
in skilled advice, at any rate until long
experience has given you a considerable
knowledge of this complicated and dangerous
complaint. There is no such thing as a
“distemper age,” of which some people are
so fond of talking. A puppy may contract
it at six weeks, or he may escape until he
is eighteen months. While some never take
it at all, it is a rare thing for a dog that is
shown to escape. It is a contagious disease,
which cannot be contracted spontaneously,
and it is particularly puzzling in its early
stages, as a dog may be ailing for some time
without displaying any clearly defined
symptoms beyond general lassitude and a

slightly elevated temperature. A puppy is
113 15

British Dogs at Work

less immune in damp muggy weather. The
period of incubation after contact with the
virus is from four to fifteen days, and then
only slight symptoms may be observable.
It is well to distrust the majority of so-
called cures, for the disease assumes so many
forms that it is quite obvious that the same
specific cannot be efficacious in each case.
Loss of appetite, a dry nose, and a disinclina-
tion to exercise are among the early danger-
signals, which may be followed with sickness,
diarrhoea, and a hollow cough. If pursuing
a normal course, a discharge from nose and
eyes will appear, first thin and irritating,
and then thick enough to clog the nostrils.
The dog’s efforts to clear the nasal passages
have given rise to the term “snifters.” The
temperature, which should be taken thrice
daily and registered on a chart, may show a
considerable elevation, as much as 106° or
more by no means being uncommon. The
first thing to do is to put the patient into
a warm, well-ventilated room, which can be
114

Some Common Ailments

kept at an equable temperature. This is
absolutely essential if you would pull the
sufferer through. Next put on him a warm
coat, with gamgee wool underneath, so as to
afford ample protection to the chest. The
best plan for making a jacket is to take a
piece of blanket of sufficient size, cut two
holes about six inches apart, put the front
legs through these, and then sew up with a
packing-needle along the back and under the
throat. The ordinary form of coat is practi-
cally useless, as the most important organs
are left exposed. The nose and eyes must be
constantly freed from the discharge by means
of tepid water and some mild disinfectant,
and the sick-room must be kept well venti-
lated and scrupulously clean. Wash the
gums frequently with Condy’s fluid. The
breathing is assisted if the air is moistened
with sanitas or Friar’s balsam in boiling
water. <A little eucalyptus is also helpful,
applied to the nose. A simple febrifuge may

be made up of thirty-six grains each of sali-
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British Dogs at Work

cylate of soda and salicine, dissolved in three
ounces of water, and given three times a day, a
teaspoonful to a small dog and a tablespoon-
ful in the case of one of the larger breeds.
If this does not reduce the temperature, give
three times in one day, this dose being for
a big dog: 10 grains salicylate of soda, 5
grains phenacetin, and 5 grains sulphate of
quinine. Repeat in three or four days.

It is important that the bowels should
act freely, and, in the case of a troublesome
cough and much phlegm, an emetic may be
given with advantage, such as fifteen to
twenty grains of sulphate of zinc and a tea-
spoonful of wine of ipecacuanha. The eyes
need watching to prevent ulceration, and
boracic acid ointment may be applied to the
lids, while your chemist would make you up
an eye lotion, of which Goulard’s extract of
lead should be the chief ingredient.

The strictest attention must be paid to
the diet, for, after all, good nursing is the

most important factor contributing to re-
116

Some Common Ailments

covery. You will quite understand that
with a temperature liquid foods of a highly
nourishing nature are necessary, although it
does occasionally happen that a little finely-
chopped or scraped lean beef or mutton may
be helpful. However, you must rely princi-
pally upon beef-tea, raw egg, egg-and-milk,
plain milk, Benger’s food, bovril, etc. A tea-
spoonful of plasmon may be added to any of
these with advantage. Bear in mind that
this is a terribly weakening disease, and that
the strength of the patient must be main-
tained at all costs. Therefore he should be
fed hourly, with only a few ounces at a time,
lest the stomach be over-taxed. If the
attack is a severe one it is almost certain
that the dog will have to be drenched, and
this need not be a formidable affair if you
have tact and a kindly manner. It must be
so done as to cause the least possible distress.
I prefer to use a bottle without much
shoulder. Face the patient, and, without
any fuss or harshness, hold the lips on one
117

British Dogs at Work

side with your left hand, and insert the
bottle on the other side, making a pouch
of the lips with your right hand. You
will find it desirable to thicken the liquid
slightly with arrow-root or corn-flour, as,
if given thin, it is apt to cause a good
deal of coughing, which may end in vomit-
ing. If the dog is seriously ill, feeding
hourly night and day is necessary. Alcohol
in the early stages is not indicated, but if
there is great weakness, resort to brandy
pretty frequently, and port wine is not to
be despised. If diarrhoea and sickness are
present, from five to fifteen grains of carbon-
ate of bismuth may be shaken dry upon the
tongue three times a day, and the milk
should be thickened with arrow-root. You
will also find that Benger’s food, being pre-
digested, will be retained when others fail.
If no complications ensue, the patient
should be showing signs of improvement in
about a fortnight, but you must still exercise

unremitting care, for I know nothing so
“118

THE OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOG

OnE of my earliest recollections is of a shaggy, unkempt,
cute-looking dog trudging along behind the drovers in
charge of herds of cattle or flocks of sheep en route to one
of the great cattle markets of the Midland Counties. Since
then I have renewed his acquaintance in a much glorified
form at all the leading dog shows. ‘Could one of these
carefully groomed, gorgeous creatures ever descend to such
menial work again?” I ask myself. Well, I fancy he
would if you wished him to, for the eye is still full of fire
and intelligence, and he has the look of a workman.

HIS WORK

His work and that of the Collie are practically the same.
You will find him accompanying shepherds all over the
country, and you may still see him following cattle or sheep
to market. His sagacity is of the highest order.

HIS POINTS

Skull capacious, says the Specialist Club, and rather
squarely formed, giving plenty of room for brain power ;
well arched over the eyes, and all the head covered with
hair; jaw fairly long, strong, and square; ears small
and carried flat to the side of the head ; fore-legs perfectly
straight and heavy in bone; shoulders sloping; body
rather short and very compact, with well-sprung ribs ;
loin stout and slightly arched; coat profuse, hard in
texture, and shaggy. Any shade of grey, grizzle, blue, or
blue marled, with or without white markings. Tail
docked.

Some Common Ailments

liable to relapse as distemper. The tempera-
ture must have been normal some days
before you get on to any solid food, and this
must only be given in small quantities for
some time. Keep the dog quiet and free
from any chance of contracting a chill for a
week or two after he is apparently recovered,
and do not hurry about exercising him, if
you would avoid chorea or paralysis.

The worst complications to be feared are
pneumonia and fits, both of which are a
source of great mortality. The beginning of
pneumonia is not easily detected, but if you
notice a rise in temperature you should
sound the lungs by placing the ear to the
side, or, better still, by using a stethoscope,
and if you hear a crackling with the breath-
ing you may be satisfied as to what is the
matter. In its more advanced stage there is
much difficulty in breathing, and a distress-
ing cough. Relief may be obtained by
rubbing the sides and chest with turpentine
or mustard oil, but you will do well to call

119

British Dogs at Work

in a vet. without delay. My own experience
has been that the nervous system is most
likely to become affected when the tempera-
ture remains elevated for any considerable
period without showing any inclination to
fall. A distemper fit is quite different from
that of an epileptic nature, the main evi-
dence being at first a slight twitching or
champing of the jaws. The attacks become
increasingly frequent until the patient begins
to cry out most pitifully. For treatment,
dissolve two drams of bromide of potassium
in four ounces of water, and give from a tea-
spoonful to a tablespoonful three times daily,
according to the size of the dog. Chorea
frequently follows fits, and is by no means
an uncommon sequel to distemper, and
should the attack be severe there is little
hope of recovery. A mild case may be
helped by a course of Easton’s syrup, from
ten to thirty drops being given thrice daily
in water after feeding.

While upon this subject I may mention
120

Some Common Ailments

that once when I had an outbreak in my
own kennels I asked a well-known physician
if he could give me any tips, and he
suggested injecting into the veins of the
patient the blood from a dog that had just
recovered. Unfortunately, having no dog
that had got through the disease, I was not
able to act upon this advice.

Next to distemper, worms must be
accounted a plentiful source of trouble,
especially among puppies, practically all of
which suffer from these pests. There are
several varieties of these parasites, but those
most frequently met with are the round
worm and the tape-worm, the former being
commonly found in puppies. They are the
cause of endless mischief, and when they are
present you cannot expect a whelp to thrive.
In sucking puppies worms may cause enter-
itis, while the host may also develop fits, or
die of stoppage or perforation of the bowels.
I have known a little charcoal in the milk

act as a vermifuge with puppies just begin-
121 16

British Dogs at Work

ning to lap, but the safest and most effica-
cious remedy that I have tried for puppies
between four and eight weeks old is the mix-
ture recommended by “ Ashmont” in Kennel
Secrets. This is composed as follows :—
Wormseed oil, 16 drops ; oil of turpentine,
2 drops; oil of anise, 16 drops; olive oil, 3
drachms ; castor oil, 44 drachms. Administer
early in the morning, in an equal quantity
of milk, having first warmed the medicine
slightly. For large or medium-sized puppies
under six weeks give half a teaspoonful, and
double the dose from the sixth to the eighth
week. If the physic has not acted in an
hour’s time, a teaspoonful of castor oil in
warm milk will assist it. The toy breeds
being delicate, not more than half the above
dose should suffice for them. <A _ simpler
remedy, though I have not always found it
act as well, is half a grain of santonine in a
teaspoonful of castor oil for terrier size
puppies about the sixth week, and double
quantity for one of the larger breeds. The

122

Some Common Ailments

quantity may also be doubled after the
tenth week. Between the third and fourth
month I have used a level teaspoonful of
powdered areca nut, combined with one or
two grains of santonine. This should always
be administered in the early morning, before
a meal. The puppy should be fasted at
least twelve hours. The smaller breeds are
better with only half a teaspoonful of the
areca nut and one grain of santonine.
Follow in an hour with castor oil, and a
little warm milk will also be helpful. The
easiest way of giving this medicine is to mix
it with a small quantity of dripping or
butter, and then smear it on the tongue.
This in my experience is much more satis-
factory than pouring it down with milk or
pushing a ball down the throat, and the
puppy is not nearly as likely to vomit. The
same rule is applicable to adults. As areca
nut loses its virtue after it has been powdered
it is better to grate it freshly on a nutmeg-
grater, although I admit that this is a

123

British Dogs at Work

tedious process. For reducing a quantity to
powder a coffee machine is handier than
anything I know, the nut first being broken
with a hammer.

Adult dogs should be treated several
times a year for intestinal parasites, even
though their presence may not be apparent.
The dose of areca nut is, roughly, a grain for
every pound the dog weighs, though I do
not think more than 100 grains necessary
even for big dogs. Add two to five grains of
santonine, according to the size of the animal,
and fast for twenty-four hours, following up
in an hour’s time with castor oil. As the
whole of the worms may not be expelled at
the first time of asking it is well to repeat
the dose in about a week. Many of the
well-known specialists for canine medicines
put up worm balls, which are quite efficacious
if you do not want the bother of mixing your
own physic.

The presence of tape-worm is recognis-
able by the small segments, rather over

124

Some Common Ailments

half an inch long, which come away in the
excreta.

Kezema is a common and troublesome
complaint from which pure-bred dogs suffer
to an alarming extent. It may be caused by
lack of exercise, over-feeding, insufficiency of
meat in the diet, worms, etc. Mild cases,
manifested by a redness of the skin, or by
small sore patches, may frequently be checked
in the beginning by treatment with carbolic
lotion, or dressing with an ointment made of
veterinary vaseline and flowers of sulphur.
A little sulphur may be added to the food
with advantage, and I have found a Blaud’s
iron pill given once a day an admirable
blood tonic. In bad cases commence the
treatment by giving an ounce of Epsom salts
dissolved in four ounces of water, for big
dogs, and slightly under half an ounce for
terriers. Dip the patient in a mild bath
of carbolic or Jeyes’ fluid, and then dress
thoroughly with the following, at intervals

of several days: linseed oil, 1 pint; oil of
125

British Dogs at Work

tar, 2 ounces; cocoa-nut oil, 4 pint ; flowers
of sulphur, 4 ounces. Mix thoroughly
and warm before using. It is messy but
effectual.

The two kinds of mange, sarcoptic and
follicular, are caused by parasites. The
sarcoptic, which is the commoner, is highly
contagious, as the parasites live mainly on
the surface of the skin. For this reason it is
more readily cured. The irritation is con-
stant, and the hair falls off rapidly in patches.
The sulphur dressing recommended for
eczema may be employed with advantage,
the whole of the body being well saturated.
The kennels require a thorough fumigating
with burning sulphur, and must be well
washed down with a strong disinfectant, and
all woodwork lime-washed. Follicular mange
is caused by the parasite burrowing into the
skin, and it is almost incurable. Unless the
dog is of considerable value it is scarcely
worth while trying to cure him. Fortu-

nately it is not nearly as contagious as the
126

Some Common Ailments

other form, other dogs frequently coming in
contact with the patient without contracting
the complaint. Common sense, however, sug-
gests the complete isolation of a sufferer.
The head is usually the first place attacked,
little bare patches appearing with the skin
thickened. Pimples filled with pus are
noticed, and the skin assumes a bluish colour.
You will observe that the dog has a habit of
shaking himself instead of scratching, as in
the case of sarcoptic mange. If you are un-
lucky enough to get a visitation of this
wretched disease you cannot do better than
call in a vet.

Diarrhea is almost sure to appear in the
kennels at some time or other, and it is as
well to seek the cause at once. A chill may
be responsible, worms will do the mischief in
puppies, or your man may not pay sufficient
attention to the cleanliness of the feeding
and drinking utensils, or the cooker. Food
has a habit of decomposing in hot weather,

and causing a general attack of sickness. It
127

British Dogs at Work

is always best to resort to a dose of castor
oil first, with the object of getting rid of any
irritant. Then, in all probability, carbonate
of bismuth, in doses varying from five to
fifteen grains, three times a day, will effect a
cure. Sometimes this is not sufficient, and
you have to fall back upon careful dieting on
slops, mainly of arrow-root. In bad cases I
have used dry corn-flour mixed with brandy
with good results. If there is much pain,
opiates are called for, such as ten to fifteen
drops of laudanum in castor oil. Three
drops may be given to medium-sized puppies
four weeks old. Colic may be treated in the
same manner, and if the castor oil does not
promote action of the bowels an enema of
boiled starch and a few drops of laudanum
should be tried. This is useful, too, in bad
diarrhcea, as having a soothing effect.
Epileptic fits need no description, so easily
recognisable are they. At such times the
dog is not responsible for his actions, and

precautions must be taken to ensure that he
128

Some Common Ailments

does not bite the attendant when recovering.
A prolonged treatment of bromide is in-
dicated, ten grains of bromide of strontium
being administered three times daily with
the food for a month, and then twice daily
for several months. [I have seen it suggested
that these fits may be caused by auricular
mange, the acarus being found in the choco-
late-coloured discharge deep-seated in the
ear. Get a mixture of olive oil, 100 parts ;
naphthol, 10 parts; ether, 30 parts, and
inject once a day, holding the folds of the ear
for a few minutes in order that it may take
full effect.

For canker in the ear wash out with some
mild disinfectant, and then blow in white
oxide of zinc twice daily.

Wounds should be bathed with mild
antiseptics, stitches frequently having to be
inserted in the case of severe laceration.

129 17

Index

Adult dogs, feeding of, 34
Ailments, some common, 110
Airedale, the, 87

Alcohol, 118

Basset hound, the, 55
Beckford, 52, 81

Bitch, the brood, 100, 103
Bloodhound, the, 19, 57
Breeding, the science of, 91
Brough, Mr. Edwin, 62
Bull terrier, the, 88
Buying a dog, 18

Canker in the ear, 129
Cleanliness, 40

Clinical thermometer, the, 112
Coughs, 116

Dandie Dinmont, the, 85
Diarrhea, 127

Disinfectants, a warning, 45
Distemper, 57, 113
Distemper fit, 120

Dog shows, 49

Dogs, domestic, varieties of, 6

Ear, canker and eczema of, 44
Eczema, 125

Exercise, 45
Eyes, the, 116

Feeding, 25

Fits, 119, 128
Foster-mothers, 104
Foxhound, the, 50, 51
Fox terrier, the, 80

General management, 40
Greyhound, the, 63
Grooming, 43

Harriers, 54

Heredity, law of, 94
History, the dog in, 2
Hounds at work, 49
Hounds, descent of, 3
Hounds, judging, 50
Howard, Mr. James, 98

Inter-breeding, 96
Irish terrier, the, 83

Kennels and their construction, 9
Kennels, position of, 15

Lime-washing, value of, 41

131

British Dogs at Work

Man’s first friend, 1
Mange, 126
Millais, Sir Everett, 64, 98

** Nimrod,” 53

Ointment, a useful, 47
Orford, Earl of, 63
Otterhounds, 56
Out-crossing, 98

Pedigree dogs, 20, 76

Physic, how to administer, 117

Pneumonia, 119

Pointers, 69

Pulse, the, 112

Puppies, 14, 22, 26, 70, 103, 108,
121

Puzzle peg, 73

Rat-killing extraordinary, 83
Rearing, 25
Retriever, the, 74

Russell, Parson Jack, 81

Scott, Sir Walter, 35
Scottish terrier, the, 84

Setters, 69
Shooting dogs, 68
Sire and dam, influence of, 99
Sire, selection of, 101
Skye terrier, the, 84
Somerville, 52
Spaniel, breaking of, 78
The Clumber, 77
The Cocker, 77
Irish Water, 77
The Sussex, 77
Sporting dogs, 47
Stud fees, 76

Temperature, the, 112
Terriers, the, 80
Trimming, 89
Turberville, George, 3
Type, 97, 102

Right and wrong, 95

Waterloo Cup, the, 65
Welsh terrier, the, 87
Whelping, 105
Wholemeal bread, 33
Whyte-Melville, 52
Worms, 121

Writers on sport, 52

THE END

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