The Basset was not familiarly known to British sportsmen before 1863, in which year specimens of the breed were seen at the first exhibition of dogs held in Paris, and caused general curiosity and admiration among English visitors. In France, however, this hound has been used for generations, much as we use our Spaniel, as a finder of game in covert, and it has long been a popular sporting dog in Russia and Germany. In early times it was chiefly to be found in Artois and Flanders, where it is supposed to have had its origin; but the home of the better type of Basset is now chiefly in La Vendee, in which department some remarkably fine strains have been produced.
There are three main strains of the French Basset—the Lane, the Couteulx, and the Griffon. The Griffon Basset is a hound with a hard bristly coat, and short, crooked legs. It has never found great favour here. The Lane hounds are derived from the kennels of M. Lane, of Franqueville, Baos, Seine-Inferieure, and are also very little appreciated in this country. They are a lemon and white variety, withtorseor bent legs. The Couteulx hounds were a type bred up into a strain by Comte le Couteulx de Canteleu. They were tricolour, with straight, short legs, of sounder constitution than other strains, with the make generally of a more agile hound, and in the pedigree of the best Bassets owned in this country fifteen years ago, when the breed was in considerable demand, Comte de Couteulx's strain was prominent and always sought for.
With careful selection and judicious breeding we have now produced a beautiful hound of fine smooth coat, and a rich admixture of markings, with a head of noble character and the best of legs and feet. Their short, twinkling legs make our Bassets more suitable for covert hunting than for hunting hares in the open, to which latter purpose they have frequently been adapted with some success. Their note is resonant, with wonderful power for so small a dog, and in tone it resembles the voice of the Bloodhound.
The Basset-hound is usually very good tempered and not inclined to be quarrelsome with his kennel mates; but he is wilful, and loves to roam apart in search of game, and is not very amenable to discipline when alone. On the other hand, he works admirably with his companions in the pack, when he is most painstaking and indefatigable. Endowed with remarkable powers of scent, he will hunt a drag with keen intelligence.
There are now several packs of Bassets kept in England, and they show very fair sport after the hares; but it is not their natural vocation, and their massive build is against the possibility of their becoming popular as harriers. The general custom is to follow them on foot, although occasionally some sportsmen use ponies. Their pace, however, hardly warrants the latter expedient. On the Continent, where big game is more common than with us, the employment of the Basset is varied. He is a valuable help in the tracking of boar, wolf, and deer, and he is also frequently engaged in the lighter pastimes of pheasant and partridge shooting.
The Earl of Onslow and the late Sir John Everett Millais were among the earliest importers of the breed into England. They both had recourse to the kennels of Count Couteulx. Sir John Millais' Model was the first Basset-hound exhibited at an English dog show, at Wolverhampton in 1875. Later owners and breeders of prominence were Mr. G. Krehl, Mrs. Stokes, Mrs. C. C. Ellis and Mrs. Mabel Tottie.
As with most imported breeds, the Basset-hound when first exhibited was required to undergo a probationary period as a foreign dog in the variety class at the principal shows. It was not until 1880 that a class was provided for it by the Kennel Club.
It is to be regretted that owners of this beautiful hound are not more numerous. Admirable specimens are still to be seen at the leading exhibitions, but the breed is greatly in need of encouragement. At the present time the smooth dog hound taking the foremost place in the estimate of our most capable judges is Mr. W. W. M. White's Ch. Loo-Loo-Loo, bred by Mrs. Tottie, by Ch. Louis Le Beau out of Sibella. Mr. Croxton Smith's Waverer is also a dog of remarkably fine type. Among bitch hounds Sandringham Dido, the favourite of Her Majesty the Queen, ranks as the most perfect of her kind.
The rough or Griffon-Basset, introduced into England at a later date than the smooth, has failed for some reason to receive great attention. In type it resembles the shaggy Otterhound, and as at present favoured it is larger and higher on the leg than the smooth variety. Their colouring is less distinct, and they seem generally to be lemon and white, grey and sandy red. Their note is not so rich as that of the smooth variety. In France the rough and the smooth Bassets are not regarded as of the same race, but here some breeders have crossed the two varieties, with indifferent consequences.
Some beautiful specimens of the rough Basset have from time to time been sent to exhibition from the Sandringham kennels. His Majesty the King has always given affectionate attention to this breed, and has taken several first prizes at the leading shows, latterly with Sandringham Bobs, bred in the home kennels by Sandringham Babil ex Saracenesca.
Perhaps the most explicit description of the perfect Basset-hound is still that compiled twenty-five years ago by Sir John Millais. It is at least sufficiently comprehensive and exact to serve as a guide:—
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"The Basset, for its size, has more bone, perhaps, than nearly any other dog.
"The skull should be peaked like that of the Bloodhound, with the same dignity and expression, the nose black (although some of my own have white about theirs), and well flewed. For the size of the hound I think the teeth are extremely small. However, as they are not intended to destroy life, this is probably the reason.
"The ears should hang like the Bloodhound's, and are like the softest velvet drapery.
"The eyes are a deep brown, and are brimful of affection and intelligence. They are pretty deeply set, and should show a considerable haw. A Basset is one of those hounds incapable of having a wicked eye.
"The neck is long, but of great power; and in theBasset a jambes torsesthe flews extend very nearly down to the chest. The chest is more expansive than even in the Bulldog, and should in theBassets a jambes torsesbe not more than two inches from the ground. In the case of theBassets a jambes demi-torsesandjambes droites, being generally lighter, their chests do not, of course, come so low.
"The shoulders are of great power, and terminate in the crooked feet of the Basset, which appear to be a mass of joints. The back and ribs are strong, and the former of great length.
"The stern is carried gaily, like that of hounds in general, and when the hound is on the scent of game this portion of his body gets extremely animated, and tells me, in my own hounds, when they have struck a fresh or a cold scent, and I even know when the foremost hound will give tongue.
"The hind-quarters are very strong and muscular, the muscles standing rigidly out down to the hocks.
"The skin is soft in the smooth haired dogs, and like that of any other hound, but in the rough variety it is like that of the Otterhound's.
"Colour, of course, is a matter of fancy, although I infinitely prefer the tricolour, which has a tan head and a black and white body."
Persons unfamiliar with the sporting properties of this long-bodied breed are apt to refer smilingly to the Dachshund as "the dog that is sold by the yard," and few even of those who know him give credit to the debonair little fellow for the grim work which he is intended to perform in doing battle with the vicious badger in its lair. Dachshund means "badger dog," and it is a title fairly and squarely earned in his native Germany.
Given proper training, he will perform the duties of several sporting breeds rolled into one. Possessing a wonderful nose, combined with remarkable steadiness, his kind will work out the coldest scent, and once fairly on the line they will give plenty of music and get over the ground at a pace almost incredible. Dachshunds hunt well in a pack, and, though it is not their recognised vocation, they can be successfully used on hare, on fox, and any form of vermin that wears a furry coat. But his legitimate work is directed against the badger, in locating the brock under ground, worrying and driving him into his innermost earth, and there holding him until dug out. It is no part of his calling to come to close grips, though that often happens in the confined space in which he has to work. In this position a badger with his powerful claws digs with such energy and skill as rapidly to bury himself, and the Dachshund needs to be provided with such apparatus as will permit him to clear his way and keep in touch with his formidable quarry. The badger is also hunted by Dachshunds above ground, usually in the mountainous parts of Germany, and in the growing crops of maize, on the lower slopes, where the vermin work terrible havoc in the evening. In this case the badger is rounded up and driven by the dogs up to the guns which are posted between the game and their earths. For this sport the dog used is heavier, coarser, and of larger build, higher on the leg, and more generally houndy in appearance. Dachshunds are frequently used for deer driving, in which operation they are especially valuable, as they work slowly, and do not frighten or overrun their quarry, and can penetrate the densest undergrowth. Packs of Dachshunds may sometimes be engaged on wild boar, and, as they are web-footed and excellent swimmers, there is no doubt that their terrier qualities would make them useful assistants to the Otterhound. Apropos of their capabilities in the water it is the case that a year or two ago, at Offenbach-on-Main, at some trials arranged for life-saving by dogs, a Dachshund carried off the first prize against all comers.
As a companion in the house the Dachshund has perhaps no compeer. He is a perfect gentleman; cleanly in his habits, obedient, unobtrusive, incapable of smallness, affectionate, very sensitive to rebuke or to unkindness, and amusingly jealous. As a watch he is excellent, quick to detect a strange footstep, valiant to defend the threshold, and to challenge with deep voice any intruder, yet sensibly discerning his master's friends, and not annoying them with prolonged growling and grumbling as many terriers do when a stranger is admitted. Properly brought up, he is a perfectly safe and amusing companion for children, full of animal spirits, and ever ready to share in a romp, even though it be accompanied by rough and tumble play. In Germany, where he is the most popular of all dogs, large or small, he is to be found in every home, from the Emperor's palace downwards, and his quaint appearance, coupled with his entertaining personality, is daily seized upon by the comic papers to illustrate countless jokes at his expense.
The origin of the Dachshund is not very clear. Some writers have professed to trace the breed or representations of it on the monuments of the Egyptians. Some aver that it is a direct descendant of the French Basset-hound, and others that he is related to the old Turnspits—the dogs so excellent in kitchen service, of whom Dr. Caius wrote that "when any meat is to be roasted they go into a wheel, where they, turning about with the weight of their bodies, so diligently look to their business that no drudge nor scullion can do the feat more cunningly, whom the popular sort hereupon term Turnspits." Certainly the dog commonly used in this occupation was long of body and short of leg, very much resembling the Dachshund.
In all probability the Dachshund is a manufactured breed—a breed evolved from a large type of hound intermixed with a terrier to suit the special conditions involved in the pursuit and extermination of a quarry that, unchecked, was capable of seriously interfering with the cultivation of the land. He comprises in his small person the characteristics of both hound and terrier—his wonderful powers of scent, his long, pendulous ears, and, for his size, enormous bone, speak of his descent from the hound that hunts by scent. In many respects he favours the Bloodhound, and one may often see Dachshunds which, having been bred from parents carefully selected to accentuate some fancy point, have exhibited the very pronounced "peak" (occipital bone), the protruding haw of the eye, the loose dewlap and the colour markings characteristic of the Bloodhound. His small stature, iron heart, and willingness to enter the earth bespeak the terrier cross.
The Dachshund was first introduced to this country in sufficient numbers to merit notice in the early 'sixties, and, speedily attracting notice by his quaint formation and undoubted sporting instincts, soon became a favourite. At first appearing at shows in the "Foreign Dog" class, he quickly received a recognition of his claims to more favoured treatment, and was promoted by the Kennel Club to a special classification as a sporting dog. Since then his rise has been rapid, and he now is reckoned as one of the numerically largest breeds exhibited. Unfortunately, however, he has been little, if ever, used for sport in the sense that applies in Germany, and this fact, coupled with years of breeding from too small a stock (or stock too nearly related) and the insane striving after the fanciful and exaggerated points demanded by judges at dog shows, many of whom never saw a Dachshund at his legitimate work, has seriously affected his usefulness. He has deteriorated in type, lost grit and sense, too, and is often a parody of the true type of Dachshund that is to be found in his native land.
To the reader who contemplates possessing one or more Dachshunds a word of advice may be offered. Whether you want a dog for sport, for show, or as a companion, endeavour to get a good one—a well-bred one. To arrive at this do not buy from an advertisement on your own knowledge of the breed, but seek out an expert amateur breeder and exhibitor, and get his advice and assistance. If you intend to start a kennel for show purposes, do not buy a high-priced dog at a show, but start with a well-bred bitch, and breed your own puppies, under the guidance of the aforementioned expert. In this way, and by rearing and keeping your puppies till they are of an age to be exhibited, and at the same time carefully noting the awards at the best shows, you will speedily learn which to retain and the right type of dog to keep and breed for, and in future operations you will be able to discard inferior puppies at an earlier age. But it is a great mistake, if you intend to form a kennel for show purposes, to sell or part with your puppies too early. It is notorious with all breeds that puppies change very much as they grow. The best looking in the nest often go wrong later, and the ugly duckling turns out the best of the litter. This is especially true of Dachshunds, and it requires an expert to pick the best puppy of a litter at a month or two old, and even he may be at fault unless the puppy is exceptionally well reared.
To rear Dachshund puppies successfully you must not overload them with fat—give them strengthening food that does not lay on flesh. Lean, raw beef, finely chopped, is an excellent food once or twice a day for the first few months, and, though this comes expensive, it pays in the end. Raw meat is supposed to cause worm troubles, but these pests are also found where meat is not given, and in any case a puppy is fortified with more strength to withstand them if fed on raw meat than otherwise, and a good dosing from time to time will be all that is necessary to keep him well and happy.
Young growing puppies must have their freedom to gambol about, and get their legs strong. Never keep the puppies cooped up in a small kennel run or house. If you have a fair-sized yard, give them the run of that, or even the garden, in spite of what your gardener may say—they may do a little damage to the flowers, but will assuredly do good to themselves. They love to dig in the soft borders: digging is second nature to them, and is of great importance in their development.
If you have not a garden, or if the flowers are too sacred, it is better to place your puppies as early as possible with respectable cottagers, or small farmers, especially the latter, with whom they will have entire freedom to run about, and will not be overfed.
If you intend to show your puppies, you should begin some time in advance to school them to walk on the lead and to stand quiet when ordered to. Much depends on this in the judging ring, where a dog who is unused to being on a lead often spoils his chances of appearing at his best under the (to him) strange experiences of restraint which the lead entails.
During the past five-and-twenty years the names of two particular Dachshunds stand out head and shoulders above those of their competitors: Champions Jackdaw and Pterodactyl. Jackdaw had a wonderful record, having, during a long show career, never been beaten in his class from start to finish, and having won many valuable prizes. He was credited with being the most perfect Dachshund that had ever been seen in England, and probably as good as anything in Germany.
Ch. Jackdaw was a black and tan dog, bred and owned by Mr. Harry Jones, of Ipswich. He was sired by Ch. Charkow, out of Wagtail, and born 20th July, 1886. Through his dam he was descended from a famous bitch, Thusnelda, who was imported by Mr. Mudie in the early 'eighties. She was a winner of high honours in Hanover. The name of Jackdaw figures in all the best pedigrees of to-day.
Ch. Pterodactyl was born in 1888, and bred by Mr. Willink. He was in a measure an outcross from the standard type of the day, and his dam, whose pedigree is in dispute, was thought to have been imported. After passing through one or two hands he was purchased by Mr. Harry Jones, and in his kennel speedily made a great name in the show ring and at the stud, and was eventually sold for a high price to Mr. Sidney Woodiwiss, who at that period had the largest kennel of Dachshunds in England.
"Ptero," as he was called, was a big, light red dog, with wonderful fore-quarters and great muscular development. He also possessed what is called a "punishing jaw" and rather short ears, and looked a thorough "business" dog. He had an almost unbroken series of successes at shows in England, and being taken to Germany (in the days before the quarantine regulations), he took the highest honours in the heavy-weight class, and a special prize for the best Dachshund of all classes. This dog became the favourite sire of his day and the fashionable colour.
The black and tan thereupon went quite out of favour, and this fact, coupled with the reckless amount of inbreeding of red to red that has been going on since Ptero's day, accounts largely for the prevalence of light eyes, pink noses, and bad-coloured coats of the Dachshunds, as a class, to-day.
There are, strictly speaking, three varieties of Dachshund—(a) the short-haired, (b) the long-haired, and (c) the rough-haired.
Of these we most usually find the first-named in England, and they are no doubt the original stock. Of the others, though fairly numerous in Germany, very few are to be seen in this country, and although one or two have been imported the type has never seemed to appeal to exhibitors.
Both the long-haired and rough-haired varieties have no doubt been produced by crosses with other breeds, such as the Spaniel and probably the Irish Terrier, respectively.
In the long-haired variety the hair should be soft and wavy, forming lengthy plumes under the throat, lower parts of the body, and the backs of the legs, and it is longest on the under side of the tail, where it forms a regular flag like that of a Setter or Spaniel. The rough-haired variety shows strongly a terrier cross by his "varmint" expression and short ears.
The Germans also subdivide by colour, and again for show purposes by weight. These subdivisions are dealt with in their proper order in the standard of points, and it is only necessary to say here that all the varieties, colours, and weights are judged by the same standard except in so far as they differ in texture of coat. At the same time the Germans themselves do not regard the dapple Dachshunds as yet so fixed in type as the original coloured dogs, and this exception must also apply to the long and the rough haired varieties.
The following German standard of points embodies a detailed description of the breed:—
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GENERAL APPEARANCE AND DISPOSITION—In general appearance the Dachshund is a very long and low dog, with compact and well-muscled body, resting on short, slightly crooked fore-legs. A long head and ears, with bold and defiant carriage and intelligent expression. In disposition the Dachshund is full of spirit, defiant when attacked, aggressive even to foolhardiness when attacking; in play amusing and untiring; by nature wilful and unheeding. HEAD—Long, and appearing conical from above, and from a side view, tapering to the point of the muzzle, wedge-shaped. The skull should be broad rather than narrow, to allow plenty of brain room, slightly arched, and fairly straight, without a stop, but not deep or snipy. EYES—Medium in size, oval, and set obliquely, with very clear, sharp expression and of a dark colour, except in the case of the liver and tan, when the eyes may be yellow; and in the dapple, when the eyes may be light or "wall-eyed." NOSE—Preferably deep black. The flesh-coloured and spotted noses are allowable only in the liver and tan and dapple varieties. EARS—Set on moderately high, or, seen in profile, above the level of the eyes, well back, flat, not folded, pointed, or narrow, hanging close to the cheeks, very mobile, and when at attention carried with the back of the ear upward and outward. NECK—Moderately long, with slightly arched nape, muscular and clean, showing no dewlap, and carried well up and forward. FORE-QUARTERS—His work underground demands strength and compactness, and, therefore, the chest and shoulder regions should be deep, long, and wide. The shoulder blade should be long, and set on very sloping, the upper arm of equal length with, and at right angles to, the shoulder blade, strong-boned and well-muscled, and lying close to ribs, but moving freely. The lower arm is slightly bent inwards, and the feet should be turned slightly outwards, giving an appearance of "crooked" legs approximating to the cabriole of a Chippendale chair. Straight, narrow, short shoulders are always accompanied by straight, short, upper arms, forming an obtuse angle, badly developed brisket and "keel" or chicken breast, and the upper arm being thrown forward by the weight of the body behind causes the legs to knuckle over at the "knees." Broad, sloping shoulders, on the other hand, insure soundness of the fore-legs and feet. LEGS AND FEET—Fore-legs very short and strong in bone, slightly bent inwards; seen in profile, moderately straight and never bending forward or knuckling over. Feet large, round, and strong, with thick pads, compact and well-arched toes, nails strong and black. The dog must stand equally on all parts of the foot. BODY—Should be long and muscular, the chest very oval, rather than very narrow and deep, to allow ample room for heart and lungs, hanging low between front legs, the brisket point should be high and very prominent, the ribs well sprung out towards the loins (not flat-sided). Loins short and strong. The line of back only slightly depressed behind shoulders and only slightly arched over loins. The hind-quarters should not be higher than the shoulders, thus giving a general appearance of levelness. HIND-QUARTERS—The rump round, broad, and powerfully muscled; hip bone not too short, but broad and sloping; the upper arm, or thigh, thick, of good length, and jointed at right angles to the hip bone. The lower leg (or second thigh) is, compared with other animals, short, and is set on at right angles to the upper thigh, and is very firmly muscled. The hind-legs are lighter in bone than the front ones, but very strongly muscled, with well-rounded-out buttocks, and the knee joint well developed. Seen from behind, the legs should be wide apart and straight, and not cowhocked. The dog should not be higher at the quarters than at shoulder. STERN—Set on fairly high, strong at root, and tapering, but not too long. Neither too much curved nor carried too high; well, but not too much, feathered; a bushy tail is better than too little hair. COAT AND SKIN—Hair short and close as possible, glossy and smooth, but resistant to the touch if stroked the wrong way. The skin tough and elastic, but fitting close to the body. COLOUR—One Coloured:—There are several self-colours recognised, including deep red, yellowish red, smutty red. Of these the dark, or cherry, red is preferable, and in this colour light shadings on any part of the body or head are undesirable. "Black" is rare, and is only a sport from black and tan.Two Coloured:—Deep black, brown (liver) or grey, with golden or tan markings (spots) over the eyes at the side of the jaw and lips, inner rim of ears, the breast, inside and back of legs, the feet, and under the tail for about one-third of its length. In the above-mentioned colours white markings are objectionable. The utmost that is allowed being a small spot, or a few hairs, on the chest.Dappled:—A silver grey to almost white foundation colour, with dark, irregular spots (small for preference) of dark grey, brown, tan, or black. The general appearance should be a bright, indefinite coloration, which is considered especially useful in a hunting dog. WEIGHT—Dachshunds in Germany are classified by weight as follows:—Light-weight—Dogs up to 16-1/2 lb., bitches up to 15-1/2 lb.Middle-weight—Dogs up to 22 lb., bitches up to 22 lb.Heavy-weight—Over 22 lb.Toys—Up to 12 lb. The German pound is one-tenth more than the English. The light-weight dog is most used for going to ground.
There can hardly have been a time since the period of the Norman Conquest when the small earth dogs which we now call terriers were not known in these islands and used by sporting men as assistants in the chase, and by husbandmen for the killing of obnoxious vermin. The two little dogs shown in the Bayeux tapestry running with the hounds in advance of King Harold's hawking party were probably meant for terriers. Dame Juliana Berners in the fifteenth century did not neglect to include the "Teroures" in her catalogue of sporting dogs, and a hundred years later Dr. Caius gave pointed recognition to their value in unearthing the fox and drawing the badger.
"Another sorte, there is," wrote the doctor's translator in 1576, "which hunteth the Fox and the Badger or Greye onely, whom we call Terrars, because they (after the manner and custome of ferrets in searching for Connyes) creep into the grounde, and by that meanes make afrayde, nyppe and bite the Foxe and the Badger in such sorte that eyther they teare them in pieces with theyr teeth, beying in the bosome of the earth, or else hayle and pull them perforce out of theyr lurking angles, darke dongeons, and close caues; or at the least through cocened feare drive them out of theire hollow harbours, in so much that they are compelled to prepare speedie flyte, and, being desirous of the next (albeit not the safest) refuge, are otherwise taken and intrapped with snayres and nettes layde over holes to the same purpose. But these be the least in that kynde called Sagax."
The colour, size, and shape of the original terriers are not indicated by the early writers, and art supplies but vague and uncertain evidence. Nicholas Cox, who wrote of sporting dogs inThe Gentleman's Recreation(1667), seems to suggest that the type of working terrier was already fixed sufficiently to be divided into two kinds, the one having shaggy coats and straight limbs, the other smooth coats and short bent legs. Yet some years later another authority—Blome—in the same publication was more guarded in his statements as to the terrier type when he wrote: "Everybody that is a fox hunter is of opinion that he hath a good breed, and some will say that the terrier is a peculiar species of itself. I will not say anything to the affirmative or negative of the point."
Searching for evidence on the subject, one finds that perhaps the earliest references to the colours of terriers were made by Daniel in hisField Sportsat the end of the eighteenth century, when he described two sorts, the one rough, short-legged, and long-backed, very strong, and "most commonly of a black or yellowish colour, mixed with white"—evidently a hound-marked dog; and another smooth-coated and beautifully formed, with a shorter body and more sprightly appearance, "generally of a reddish brown colour, or black with tanned legs."
Gilpin's portrait of Colonel Thornton's celebrated Pitch, painted in 1790, presents a terrier having a smooth white coat with a black patch at the set-on of the undocked tail, and black markings on the face and ears. The dog's head is badly drawn and small in proportion; but the body and legs and colouring would hardly disgrace the Totteridge Kennels of to-day. Fox-terriers of a noted strain were depicted from life by Reinagle inThe Sportsman's Cabinet, published over a hundred years ago; and in the text accompanying the engraving a minute account is given of the peculiarities and working capacities of the terrier. We are told that there were two breeds: the one wire-haired, larger, more powerful, and harder bitten; the other smooth-haired and smaller, with more style. The wire-hairs were white with spots, the smooths were black and tan, the tan apparently predominating over the black. The same writer states that it was customary to take out a brace of terriers with a pack of hounds, a larger and a smaller one, the smaller dog being used in emergency when the earth proved to be too narrow to admit his bigger companion. It is well known that many of the old fox hunters have kept their special breeds of terrier, and the Belvoir, the Grove, and Lord Middleton's are among the packs to which particular terrier strains have been attached.
That even a hundred years ago terriers were bred with care, and that certain strains were held in especial value, is shown by the recorded fact that a litter of seven puppies was sold for twenty-one guineas—a good price even in these days—and that on one occasion so high a sum as twenty guineas was paid for a full-grown dog. At that time there was no definite and well-established breed recognised throughout the islands by a specific name; the embracing title of "Terrier" included all the varieties which have since been carefully differentiated. But very many of the breeds existed in their respective localities awaiting national recognition. Here and there some squire or huntsman nurtured a particular strain and developed a type which he kept pure, and at many a manor-house and farmstead in Devonshire and Cumberland, on many a Highland estate and Irish riverside where there were foxes to be hunted or otters to be killed, terriers of definite strain were religiously cherished. Several of these still survive, and are as respectable in descent and quite as important historically as some of the favoured and fashionable champions of our time. They do not perhaps possess the outward beauty and distinction of type which would justify their being brought into general notice, but as workers they retain all the fire and verve that are required in dogs that are expected to encounter such vicious vermin as the badger and the fox.
Some of the breeds of terriers seen nowadays in every dog show were equally obscure and unknown a few years back. Thirty-seven years ago the now popular Irish Terrier was practically unknown in England, and the Scottish Terrier was only beginning to be recognised as a distinct breed. The Welsh Terrier is quite a new introduction that a dozen or so years ago was seldom seen outside the Principality; and so recently as 1881 the Airedale was merely a local dog known in Yorkshire as the Waterside or the Bingley Terrier. Yet the breeds just mentioned are all of unimpeachable ancestry, and the circumstance that they were formerly bred within limited neighbourhoods is in itself an argument in favour of their purity. We have seen the process of a sudden leap into recognition enacted during the past few years in connection with the white terrier of the Western Highlands—a dog which was familiarly known in Argyllshire centuries ago, yet which has only lately emerged from the heathery hillsides around Poltalloch to become an attraction on the benches at the Crystal Palace and on the lawns of the Botanical Gardens; and the example suggests the possibility that in another decade or so the neglected Sealyham Terrier, the ignored terrier of the Borders, and the almost forgotten Jack Russell strain, may have claimed a due recompense for their long neglect.
There are lovers of the hard-bitten working "earth dogs" who still keep these strains inviolate, and who greatly prefer them to the better-known terriers whose natural activities have been too often atrophied by a system of artificial breeding to show points. Few of these old unregistered breeds would attract the eye of the fancier accustomed to judge a dog parading before him in the show ring. To know their value and to appreciate their sterling good qualities, one needs to watch them at work on badger or when they hit upon the line of an otter. It is then that they display the alertness and the dare-devil courage which have won for the English terriers their name and fame.
An excellent working terrier was the white, rough-haired strain kept by the Rev. John Russell in Devonshire and distributed among privileged sportsmen about Somersetshire and Gloucestershire. The working attributes of these energetic terriers have long been understood, and the smart, plucky little dogs have been constantly coveted by breeders all over the country, but they have never won the popularity they deserve.
Those who have kept both varieties prefer the Russell to the Sealyham Terrier, which is nevertheless an excellent worker. It is on record that one of these, a bitch of only 9 lb. weight, fought and killed, single-handed, a full-grown dog-fox. The Sealyham derives its breed name from the seat of the Edwardes family, near Haverfordwest, in Pembrokeshire, where the strain has been carefully preserved for well over a century. It is a long-bodied, short-legged terrier, with a hard, wiry coat, frequently whole white, but also white with black or brown markings or brown with black. They may be as heavy as 17 lb., but 12 lb. is the average weight. Some years ago the breed seemed to be on the down grade, requiring fresh blood from a well-chosen outcross. One hears very little concerning them nowadays, but it is certain that when in their prime they possessed all the grit, determination, and endurance that are looked for in a good working terrier.
A wire-haired black and tan terrier was once common in Suffolk and Norfolk, where it was much used for rabbiting, but it may now be extinct, or, if not extinct, probably identified with the Welsh Terrier, which it closely resembled in size and colouring. There was also in Shropshire a well-known breed of wire-hair terriers, black and tan, on very short legs, and weighing about 10 lb. or 12 lb., with long punishing heads and extraordinary working powers. So, too, in Lancashire and Cheshire one used to meet with sandy-coloured terriers of no very well authenticated strain, but closely resembling the present breed of Irish Terrier; and Squire Thornton, at his place near Pickering, in Yorkshire, had a breed of wire-hairs tan in colour with a black stripe down the back. Then there is the Cowley strain, kept by the Cowleys of Callipers, near King's Langley. These are white wire-haired dogs marked like the Fox-terrier, and exceedingly game. Possibly the Elterwater Terrier is no longer to be found, but some few of them still existed a dozen years or so ago in the Lake District, where they were used in conjunction with the West Cumberland Otterhounds. They were not easily distinguishable from the better-known Border Terriers of which there are still many strains, ranging from Northumberland, where Mr. T. Robson, of Bellingham, has kept them for many years, to Galloway and Ayrshire and the Lothians, where their coats become longer and less crisp.
There are many more local varieties of the working terrier as, for example, the Roseneath, which is often confused with the Poltalloch, or White West Highlander, to whom it is possibly related. And the Pittenweem, with which the Poltalloch Terriers are now being crossed; while Mrs. Alastair Campbell, of Ardrishaig, has a pack of Cairn Terriers which seem to represent the original type of the improved Scottie. Considering the great number of strains that have been preserved by sporting families and maintained in more or less purity to type, it is easy to understand how a "new" breed may become fashionable, and still claim the honour of long descent. They may not in all cases have the beauty of shape which is desired on the show bench; but it is well to remember that while our show terriers have been bred to the highest perfection we still possess in Great Britain a separate order of "earth dogs" that for pluckily following the fox and the badger into their lairs or bolting an otter from his holt cannot be excelled all the world over.
This dog, one would think, ought, by the dignified title which he bears, to be considered a representative national terrier, forming a fourth in the distinctively British quartette whose other members are the Scottish, the Irish, and the Welsh Terriers. Possibly in the early days when Pearson and Roocroft bred him to perfection it was hoped and intended that he should become a breed typical of England. He is still the only terrier who owns the national name, but he has long ago yielded pride of place to the Fox-terrier, and it is the case that the best specimens of his race are bred north of the border, while, instead of being the most popular dog in the land, he is actually one of the most neglected and the most seldom seen. At the Kennel Club Show of 1909 there was not a single specimen of the breed on view, nor was one to be found at the recent shows at Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester, or Islington, nor at the National Terrier Show at Westminster. It is a pity that so smart and beautiful a dog should be suffered to fall into such absolute neglect. One wonders what the reason of it can be. Possibly it is that the belief still prevails that he is of delicate constitution, and is not gifted with a great amount of intelligence or sagacity; there is no doubt, however, that a potent factor in hastening the decline is to be found in the edict against cropping. Neither the White Terrier nor the Manchester Terrier has since been anything like so popular as they both were before April, 1898, when the Kennel Club passed the law that dogs' ears must not be cropped.
Writers on canine history, and Mr. Rawdon Lee among the number, tell us that the English White Terrier is a comparatively new breed, and that there is no evidence to show where he originally sprang from, who produced him, or for what reason he was introduced. His existence as a distinct breed is dated back no longer than forty years. This is about the accepted age of most of our named English terriers. Half a century ago, before the institution of properly organised dog shows drew particular attention to the differentiation of breeds, the generic term "terrier" without distinction was applied to all "earth dogs," and the consideration of colour and size was the only common rule observed in breeding. But it would not be difficult to prove that a white terrier resembling the one now under notice existed in England as a separate variety many generations anterior to the period usually assigned to its recognition.
In the National Portrait Gallery there is a portrait of Mary of Modena, Queen Consort of James II., painted in 1670 by William Wissing, who has introduced at the Queen's side a terrier that is undoubtedly of this type. The dog has slight brown or brindle markings on the back, as many English White Terriers have, and it is to be presumed that it is of the breed from which this variety is descended.
Apart from colour there is not a great difference between the White English Terrier and the Manchester Black and Tan. But although they are of similar shape and partake much of the same general character, yet there is the distinction that in the black and tan the conservation of type is stronger and more noticeable than in the white, in which the correct shape and action are difficult to obtain. It ought naturally to be easier to breed a pure white dog from white parents than to breed correctly marked and well tanned puppies from perfect black and tans; but the efforts of many breeders do not seem to support such a theory in connection with the English Terrier, whose litters frequently show the blemish of a spot of brindle or russet. These spots usually appear behind the ears or on the neck, and are of course a disfigurement on a dog whose coat to be perfect should be of an intense and brilliant white. It appears to be equally difficult to breed one which, while having the desired purity of colour, is also perfect in shape and terrier character. It is to be noted, too, that many otherwise good specimens are deaf—a fault which seriously militates against the dog's possibilities as a companion or as a watch.
Birmingham and Manchester were the localities in which the English Terrier was most popular forty years ago, but it was Mr. Frederick White, of Clapham, who bred all the best of the white variety and who made it popular in the neighbourhood of London. His terriers were of a strain founded by a dog named King Dick, and in 1863 he exhibited a notable team in Laddie, Fly, Teddie, and Nettle. Mr. S. E. Shirley, M. P., was attracted to the breed, and possessed many good examples, as also did the Rev. J. W. Mellor and Mr. J. H. Murchison. Mr. Alfred Benjamin's Silvio was a prominent dog in 1877.
Silvio was bred by Mr. James Roocroft, of Bolton, who owned a large kennel of this variety of terrier, and who joined with his townsman, Joe Walker, and with Bill Pearson in raising the breed to popularity in Lancashire. Bill Pearson was the breeder of Tim, who was considered the best terrier of his time, a dog of 14 lb., with a brilliant white coat, the darkest of eyes, and a perfect black nose.
It is apparent that the Whippet was largely used as a cross with the English Terrier, which may account to a great extent for the decline of terrier character in the breed. Wiser breeders had recourse to the more closely allied Bull-terrier; Mr. Shirley's prize winning Purity was by Tim out of a Bull-terrier bitch, and there is no doubt that whatever stamina remains in the breed has been supported by this cross.
The following is the description laid down by the White EnglishTerrier Club:—
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HEAD—Narrow, long and level, almost flat skull, without cheek muscles, wedge-shaped, well filled up under the eyes, tapering to the nose, and not lippy. EYES—Small and black, set fairly close together, and oblong in shape. NOSE—Perfectly black. EARS—Cropped and standing perfectly erect. NECK AND SHOULDERS—The neck should be fairly long and tapering from the shoulders to the head, with sloping shoulders, the neck being free from throatiness, and slightly arched at the occiput. CHEST—Narrow and deep. BODY—Short and curving upwards at the loins, sprung out behind the shoulders, back slightly arched at loins, and falling again at the joining of the tail to the same height as the shoulders. LEGS—Perfectly straight and well under the body, moderate in bone, and of proportionate length. FEET—Feet nicely arched, with toes set well together, and more inclined to be round than hare-footed. TAIL—Moderate length, and set on where the arch of the back ends, thick where it joins the body, tapering to a point, and not carried higher than the back. COAT—Close, hard, short, and glossy. COLOUR—Pure white, coloured marking to disqualify. CONDITION—Flesh and muscles to be hard and firm. WEIGHT—From 12 lb. to 20 lb.
The Black and Tan, or Manchester, Terrier as we know him to-day is a comparatively new variety, and he is not to be confounded with the original terrier with tan and black colouring which was referred to by Dr. Caius in the sixteenth century, and which was at that time used for going to ground and driving out badgers and foxes.
Formerly there was but little regard paid to colour and markings, and there was a considerably greater proportion of tan in the coat than there is at the present day, while the fancy markings, such as pencilled toes, thumb marks, and kissing spots were not cultivated. The general outline of the dog, too, was less graceful and altogether coarser.
During the first half of the nineteenth century the chief accomplishment of this terrier was rat-killing. There are some extraordinary accounts of his adroitness, as well as courage, in destroying these vermin. The feats of a dog called Billy are recorded. He was matched to destroy one hundred large rats in eight minutes and a half. The rats were brought into the ring in bags, and as soon as the number was complete Billy was put over the railing into their midst. In six minutes and thirty-five seconds they were all destroyed. In another match he killed the same number in six minutes and thirteen seconds.
It was a popular terrier in Lancashire, and it was in this county that the refining process in his shape and colouring was practised, and where he came by the name of the Manchester Terrier.
Like the White English Terriers the Black and Tan has fallen on evil days. It is not a popular dog among fanciers, and although many good ones may be seen occasionally about the streets the breed suffers from want of the care and attention that are incidental to the breeding and rearing of dogs intended for competition at shows.
There are many who hold the opinion that one of the chief reasons for the decadence in the popularity of the Black and Tan Terrier, notwithstanding its many claims to favour, is to be found in the loss of that very alert appearance which was a general characteristic before the Kennel Club made it illegal to crop the ears of such as were intended for exhibition. It must be admitted that until very recently there was a considerable amount of truth in the prevalent opinion, inasmuch as a rather heavy ear, if carried erect, was the best material to work upon, and from which to produce the long, fine, and upright, or "pricked" effect which was looked upon as being the correct thing in a cropped dog; hence it followed that no care was taken to select breeding stock likely to produce the small, semi-erect, well-carried, and thin ears required to-day, consequently when the edict forbidding the use of scissors came into force there were very few small-eared dogs to be found. It has taken at least ten or a dozen years to eradicate the mischief, and even yet the cure is not complete.
Another factor which has had a bad effect is the belief, which has become much too prevalent, that a great deal of "faking" has been practised in the past, and that it has been so cleverly performed as to deceive the most observant judge, whereby a very artificial standard of quality has been obtained.
The standard of points by which the breed should be judged is as follows:—
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GENERAL APPEARANCE—A terrier calculated to take his own part in the rat pit, and not of the Whippet type. HEAD—The head should be long, flat, and narrow, level and wedge-shaped, without showing cheek muscles; well filled up under the eyes, with tapering, tightly-lipped jaws and level teeth. EYES—The eyes should be very small, sparkling, and bright, set fairly close together and oblong in shape. NOSE—Black. EARS—The correct carriage of ears is a debatable point since cropping has been abolished. Probably in the large breed the drop ear is correct, but for Toys either erect or semi-erect carriage of the ear is most desirable. NECK AND SHOULDERS—The neck should be fairly long and tapering from the shoulders to the head, with sloping shoulders, the neck being free from throatiness and slightly arched at the occiput. CHEST—The chest should be narrow but deep. BODY—The body should be moderately short and curving upwards at the loin; ribs well sprung, back slightly arched at the loin and falling again at the joining of the tail to the same height as the shoulders. FEET—The feet should be more inclined to be cat- than hare-footed. TAIL—The tail should be of moderate length and set on where the arch of the back ends; thick where it joins the body, tapering to a point, and not carried higher than the back. COAT—The coat should be close, smooth, short and glossy. COLOUR—The coat should be jet black and rich mahogany tan, distributed over the body as follows: On the head the muzzle is tanned to the nose, which with the nasal bone is jet black. There is also a bright spot on each cheek and above each eye; the underjaw and throat are tanned, and the hair inside the ears is the same colour; the fore-legs tanned up to the knee, with black lines (pencil marks) up each toe, and a black mark (thumb mark) above the foot; inside the hind-legs tanned, but divided with black at the hock joints; and under the tail also tanned; and so is the vent, but only sufficiently to be easily covered by the tail; also slightly tanned on each side of the chest. Tan outside the hind-legs—commonly called breeching—is a serious defect. In all cases the black should not run into the tan, norvice versa, but the division between the two colours should be well defined. WEIGHT—For toys not exceeding 7 lb.; for the large breed from 10 to 20 lb. is most desirable.
The Bull-terrier is now a gentlemanly and respectably owned dog, wearing an immaculate white coat and a burnished silver collar; he has dealings with aristocracy, and is no longer contemned for keeping bad company. But a generation or two ago he was commonly the associate of rogues and vagabonds, skulking at the heels of such members of society as Mr. William Sikes, whom he accompanied at night on darksome business to keep watch outside while Bill was within, cracking the crib. In those days the dog's ears were closely cropped, not for the sake of embellishment, but as a measure of protection against the fangs of his opponent in the pit when money was laid upon the result of a well-fought fight to the death. For fighting was the acknowledged vocation of his order, and he was bred and trained to the work. He knew something of rats, too, and many of his kind were famed in the land for their prowess in this direction. Jimmy Shaw's Jacko could finish off sixty rats in three minutes, and on one occasion made a record by killing a thousand in a trifle over an hour and a half.
The breed is sufficiently modern to leave no doubt as to its derivation. In the first quarter of the nineteenth century attention was being directed to the improvement of terriers generally, and new types were sought for. They were alert, agile little dogs, excellent for work in the country; but the extravagant Corinthians of the time—the young gamesters who patronised the prize-ring and the cock-pit—desired to have a dog who should do something more than kill rats, or unearth the fox, or bolt the otter: which accomplishments afforded no amusement to the Town. They wanted a dog combining all the dash and gameness of the terrier with the heart and courage and fighting instinct of the Bulldog. Wherefore the terrier and the Bulldog were crossed. A large type of terrier was chosen, and this would be the smooth-coated Black and Tan, or the early English White Terrier; but probably both were used indifferently, and for a considerable period. The result gave the young bucks what they required: a dog that was at once a determined vermin killer and an intrepid fighter, upon whose skill in the pit wagers might with confidence be laid.
The animal, however, was neither a true terrier nor a true Bulldog, but an uncompromising mongrel; albeit he served his immediate purpose, and was highly valued for his pertinacity, if not for his appearance. In 1806 Lord Camelford possessed one for which he had paid the very high price of eighty-four guineas, and which he presented to Belcher, the pugilist. This dog was figured inThe Sporting Magazineof the time. He was a short-legged, thick-set, fawn-coloured specimen, with closely amputated ears, a broad blunt muzzle, and a considerable lay-back; and this was the kind of dog which continued for many years to be known as the Bull-and-terrier. He was essentially a man's dog, and was vastly in favour among the undergraduates of Oxford and Cambridge.
Gradually the Bulldog element, at first pronounced, was reduced to something like a fourth degree, and, with the terrier character predominating, the head was sharpened, the limbs were lengthened and straightened until little remained of the Bulldog strain but the dauntless heart and the fearless fighting spirit, together with the frequent reversion to brindle colouring, which was the last outward and visible characteristic to disappear.
Within the remembrance of men not yet old the Bull-terrier was as much marked with fawn, brindle, or even black, as are the Fox-terriers of our own period. But fifty years or so ago white was becoming frequent, and was much admired. A strain of pure white was bred by James Hinks, a well-known dog-dealer of Birmingham, and it is no doubt to Hinks that we are indebted for the elegant Bull-terrier of the type that we know to-day. These Birmingham dogs showed a refinement and grace and an absence of the crook-legs and coloured patches which betrayed that Hinks had been using an out-cross with the English White Terrier, thus getting away further still from the Bulldog.
With the advent of the Hinks strain in 1862 the short-faced dog fell into disrepute, and pure white became the accepted colour. There was a wide latitude in the matter of weight. If all other points were good, a dog might weigh anything between 10 and 38 lbs., but classes were usually divided for those above and those below 16 lb. The type became fixed, and it was ruled that the perfect Bull-terrier "must have a long head, wide between the ears, level jaws, a small black eye, a large black nose, a long neck, straight fore-legs, a small hare foot, a narrow chest, deep brisket, powerful loin, long body, a tail set and carried low, a fine coat, and small ears well hung and dropping forward."
Idstone, who wrote this description in 1872, earnestly insisted that the ears of all dogs should be left uncut and as Nature made them; but for twenty years thereafter the ears of the Bull-terrier continued to be cropped to a thin, erect point. The practice of cropping, it is true, was even then illegal and punishable by law, but, although there were occasional convictions under the Cruelty to Animals Act, the dog owners who admired the alertness and perkiness of the cut ear ignored the risk they ran, and it was not until the Kennel Club took resolute action against the practice that cropping was entirely abandoned.
The president of the Kennel Club, Mr. S. E. Shirley, M. P., had himself been a prominent owner and breeder of the Bull-terrier. His Nelson, bred by Joe Willock, was celebrated as an excellent example of the small-sized terrier, at a time, however, when there were not a great many competitors of the highest quality. His Dick, also, was a remarkably good dog. Earlier specimens which have left their names in the history of the breed were Hinks's Old Dutch, who was, perhaps, even a more perfect terrier than the same breeder's Madman and Puss.
Lancashire and Yorkshire have always been noted for good Bull-terriers, and the best of the breed have usually been produced in the neighbourhoods of Leeds, Bradford, Manchester, Bolton, and Liverpool, while Birmingham also shared in the reputation. At one time Londoners gave careful attention to the breed, stimulated thereto by the encouragement of Mr. Shirley and the success of Alfred George.
Of recent years the Bull-terrier has not been a great favourite, and it has sadly deteriorated in type; but there are signs that the variety is again coming into repute, and within the past two years many admirable specimens—as nearly perfect, perhaps, as many that won honour in former generations—have been brought into prominence. Among dogs, for example, there are Mr. E. T. Pimm's Sweet Lavender, Dr. M. Amsler's MacGregor, Mr. Chris Houlker's His Highness, and Mr. J. Haynes' Bloomsbury Young King. Among bitches there are Mrs. Kipping's Delphinium Wild and Desdemona, Mr. Hornby's Lady Sweetheart, Mr. W. Mayor's Mill Girl, Mr. T. Gannaway's Charlwood Belle, Dr. J. W. Low's Bess of Hardwicke, and Mrs. E. G. Money's Eastbourne Tarqueenia. While these and such as these beautiful and typical terriers are being bred and exhibited there is no cause to fear a further decline in popularity for a variety so eminently engaging.
The club description is as follows:—
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GENERAL APPEARANCE—The general appearance of the Bull-terrier is that of a symmetrical animal, the embodiment of agility, grace, elegance, and determination. HEAD—The head should be long, flat, and wide between the ears, tapering to the nose, without cheek muscles. There should be a slight indentation down the face, without a stop between the eyes. The jaws should be long and very powerful, with a large black nose and open nostrils. Eyes small and very black, almond shape preferred. The lips should meet as tightly as possible, without a fold. The teeth should be regular in shape, and should meet exactly; any deviation, such as pigjaw, or being underhung, is a great fault. EARS—The ears, when cropped, should be done scientifically and according to fashion. Cropped dogs cannot win a prize at shows held under Kennel Club rules, if born after March 31st, 1895. When not cropped, it should be a semi-erect ear, but others do not disqualify. NECK—The neck should be long and slightly arched, nicely set into the shoulders tapering to the head without any loose skin, as found in the Bulldog. SHOULDERS—The shoulders should be strong, muscular, and slanting; the chest wide and deep, with ribs well rounded. BACK—The back short and muscular, but not out of proportion to the general contour of the animal. LEGS—The fore-legs should be perfectly straight, with well-developed muscles; not out at shoulder, but set on the racing lines, and very strong at the pastern joints. The hind-legs are long and, in proportion to the fore-legs, muscular, with good strong, straight hocks, well let down near the ground. FEET—The feet more resemble those of a cat than a hare. COLOUR—Should be white. COAT—Short, close, and stiff to the touch, with a fine gloss. TAIL—Short in proportion to the size of the dog, set on very low down, thick where it joins the body, and tapering to a fine point. It should be carried at an angle of about 45 degrees, without curl, and never over the back. HEIGHT AT SHOULDERS—From 12 to 18 inches. WEIGHT—From 15 lb. to 50 lb.
To attempt to set forth the origin of the Fox-terrier as we know him to-day would be of no interest to the general reader, and would entail the task of tracing back the several heterogeneous sources from which he sprang. It is a matter of very little moment whether he owes his origin to the white English Terrier or to the Bull-terrier crossed with the Black and Tan, or whether he has a mixture of Beagle blood in his composition, so it will suffice to take him as he emerged from the chaos of mongreldom about the middle of the last century, rescued in the first instance by the desire of huntsmen or masters of well-known packs to produce a terrier somewhat in keeping with their hounds; and, in the second place, to the advent of dog shows. Prior to that time any dog capable, from his size, conformation, and pluck, of going to ground and bolting his fox was a Fox-terrier, were he rough or smooth, black, brown, or white.
The starting-point of the modern Fox-terrier dates from about the 'sixties, and no pedigrees before that are worth considering.
From three dogs then well known—Old Jock, Trap, and Tartar—he claims descent; and, thanks to the Fox-terrier Club and the great care taken in compiling their stud-books, he can be brought down to to-day. Of these three dogs Old Jock was undoubtedly more of a terrier than the others. It is a moot point whether he was bred, as stated in most records of the time, by Captain Percy Williams, master of the Rufford, or by Jack Morgan, huntsman to the Grove; it seems, however, well established that the former owned his sire, also called Jock, and that his dam, Grove Pepper, was the property of Morgan. He first came before the public at the Birmingham show in 1862, where, shown by Mr. Wootton, of Nottingham, he won first prize. He subsequently changed hands several times, till he became the property of Mr. Murchison, in whose hands he died in the early 'seventies. He was exhibited for the last time at the Crystal Palace in 1870, and though then over ten years old won second to the same owner's Trimmer. At his best he was a smart, well-balanced terrier, with perhaps too much daylight under him, and wanting somewhat in jaw power; but he showed far less of the Bull-terrier type than did his contemporary Tartar.
This dog's antecedents were very questionable, and his breeder is given as Mr. Stevenson, of Chester, most of whose dogs were Bull-terriers pure and simple, save that they had drop ears and short sterns, being in this respect unlike old Trap, whose sire is generally supposed to have been a Black and Tan Terrier. This dog came from the Oakley Kennels, and he was supposed to have been bred by a miller at Leicester. However questionable the antecedents of these three terriers may have been, they are undoubtedly the progenitors of our present strain, and from them arose the kennels that we have to-day.
Mention has been made of Mr. Murchison, and to him we owe in a great measure the start in popularity which since the foundation of his large kennel the Fox-terrier has enjoyed. Mr. Murchison's chief opponents in the early 'seventies were Mr. Gibson, of Brockenhurst, with his dogs Tyke and Old Foiler; Mr. Luke Turner, of Leicester, with his Belvoir strain, which later gave us Ch. Brockenhurst Joe, Ch. Olive and her son, Ch. Spice; Mr. Theodore Bassett, Mr. Allison, and, a year or so later, Mr. Frederick Burbidge, the Messrs. Clarke, Mr. Tinne, Mr. Francis Redmond, and Mr. Vicary. About this time a tremendous impetus was given to the breed by the formation, in 1876, of the Fox-terrier Club, which owed its inception to Mr. Harding Cox and a party of enthusiasts seated round his dinner table at 36, Russell Square, among whom were Messrs. Bassett, Burbidge, Doyle, Allison, and Redmond, the last two named being still members of the club. The idea was very warmly welcomed, a committee formed, and a scale of points drawn up which, with but one alteration, is in vogue to-day. Every prominent exhibitor or breeder then, and with few exceptions since, has been a member, and the club is by far the strongest of all specialist clubs.
It will be well to give here the said standard of points.
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HEAD AND EARS—TheSkullshould be flat and moderately narrow, and gradually decreasing in width to the eyes. Not much "stop" should be apparent, but there should be more dip in the profile between the forehead and top jaw than is seen in the case of a Greyhound. TheCheeksmust not be full. TheEarsshould be V-shaped and small, of moderate thickness, and dropping forward close to the cheek, not hanging by the side of the head like a Foxhound's. TheJaw, upper and under, should be strong and muscular; should be of fair punishing strength, but not so in any way to resemble the Greyhound or modern English Terrier. There should not be much falling away below the eyes. This part of the head, should, however, be moderately chiselled out, so as not to go down in a straight line like a wedge. TheNose, towards which the muzzle must gradually taper, should be black. TheEyesshould be dark in colour, small, and rather deep set, full of fire, life, and intelligence; as nearly as possible circular in shape. TheTeethshould be as nearly as possible level,i.e., the upper teeth on the outside of the lower teeth. NECK—Should be clean and muscular, without throatiness, of fair length, and gradually widening to the shoulders. SHOULDERS AND CHEST—TheShouldersshould be long and sloping, well laid back, fine at the points, and clearly cut at the withers. TheChestdeep and not broad. BACK AND LOIN—TheBackshould be short, straight, and strong, with no appearance of slackness. TheLoinshould be powerful and very slightly arched. The fore ribs should be moderately arched, the back ribs deep; and the dog should be well ribbed up. HIND-QUARTERS—Should be strong and muscular, quite free from droop or crouch; the thighs long and powerful; hocks near the ground, the dog standing well up on them like a Foxhound, and not straight in the stifle. STERN—Should be set on rather high, and carried gaily, but not over the back or curled. It should be of good strength, anything approaching a "pipe-stopper" tail being especially objectionable. LEGS AND FEET—TheLegsviewed in any direction must be straight, showing little or no appearance of an ankle in front. They should be strong in bone throughout, short and straight to pastern. Both fore and hind legs should be carried straight forward in travelling, the stifles not turned outwards. The elbows should hang perpendicular to the body, working free of the side. TheFeetshould be round, compact, and not large. The soles hard and tough. The toes moderately arched, and turned neither in nor out. COAT—Should be straight, flat, smooth, hard, dense, and abundant. The belly and under side of the thighs should not be bare. As regards colour, white should predominate; brindle, red, or liver markings are objectionable. Otherwise this point is of little or no importance. SYMMETRY, SIZE, AND CHARACTER—The dog must present a general gay, lively, and active appearance; bone and strength in a small compass are essentials; but this must not be taken to mean that a Fox-terrier should be cloggy, or in any way coarse—speed and endurance must be looked to as well as power, and the symmetry of the Foxhound taken as a model. The terrier, like the hound, must on no account be leggy, nor must he be too short in the leg. He should stand like a cleverly-made hunter, covering a lot of ground, yet with a short back, as before stated. He will then attain the highest degree of propelling power, together with the greatest length of stride that is compatible with the length of his body. Weight is not a certain criterion of a terrier's fitness for his work—general shape, size and contour are the main points; and if a dog can gallop and stay, and follow his fox up a drain, it matters little what his weight is to a pound or so, though, roughly speaking, it may be said he should not scale over twenty pounds in show condition.
DISQUALIFYING POINTS: NOSE—White, cherry, or spotted to a considerable extent with either of these colours. EARS—prick, tulip, or rose. MOUTH—much overshot or much undershot.
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In order to give some idea of the extraordinary way in which the Fox-terrier took the public taste, it will be necessary to hark back and give aresumeof the principal kennels and exhibitors to whom this was due. In the year in which the Fox-terrier Club was formed, Mr. Fred Burbidge, at one time captain of the Surrey Eleven, had the principal kennels. He was the pluckiest buyer of his day, and once he fancied a dog nothing stopped him till it was in his kennels. He bought Nimrod, Dorcas, Tweezers, and Nettle, and with them and other discriminating purchases he was very hard to beat on the show-bench. Strange to say, at this time he seemed unable to breed a good dog, and determined to have a clear out and start afresh. A few brood bitches only were retained, and the kennels moved from Champion Hill to Hunton Bridge, in Hertfordshire. From thence in a few years came Bloom, Blossom, Tweezers II., Hunton Baron, Hunton Bridegroom, and a host of others, which spread the fame of the great Hunton strain. When the kennel was dispersed at Mr. Burbidge's untimely death in 1892, the dogs, 130 lots in all, were sold by auction and realised P1,800; Hunton Tartar fetched P135, Justice P84, Bliss P70, and Scramble P65.
Messrs. A. H. and C. Clarke were at this time quietly founding a kennel, which perhaps has left its mark more indelibly on the breed than any before or since. Brockenhurst Rally was a most fortunate purchase from his breeder, Mr. Herbert Peel, and was by Brockenhurst Joe from a Bitters bitch, as from this dog came Roysterer and Ruler, their dam being Jess, an old Turk bitch; and from Rollick by Buff was bred Ruse and Ransome. Roysterer was the sire of Result, by many considered the best Fox-terrier dog of all time; and Result's own daughter Rachel was certainly the best bitch of her day. All these terriers had intense quality and style, due for the most part to inbreeding. Very little new blood was introduced, with an inevitable result; and by degrees the kennel died out.
No history of the Fox-terrier could be complete without mention of Mr. Francis Redmond and his kennel, going back, as it does, to the Murchison and Luke Turner period, and being still to-day the most prominent one in existence. We can date his earlier efforts from his purchase of Deacon Nettle, the dam of Deacon Ruby; Dusty was the dam of Ch. Diamond Dust; Dickon he had from Luke Turner, and in this dog we have one of the foundation-stones of the Fox-terrier stud-book, as he was the sire of Splinter, who in his turn was the sire of Vesuvian.
Mr. Redmond's next great winners were D'Orsay and Dominie, two sterling good terriers, the former of which was the sire of Dame D'Orsay, who, bred to Despoiler, produced Dame Fortune, the mother of Donna Fortuna, whose other parent was Dominie. Donna Fortuna, considered universally the best specimen of a Fox-terrier ever produced, had from the first a brilliant career, for though fearlessly shown on all occasions she never knew defeat. Some took exception to her want of what is called terrier character, and others would have liked her a shade smaller; but we have still to see the Fox-terrier, taken all round, that could beat her.
As an outcross Mr. Redmond purchased Dreadnought, one of the highest class dogs seen for many years, but had very bad luck with him, an accident preventing him from being shown and subsequently causing his early death. We must not forget Duchess of Durham or Dukedom; but to enumerate all Mr. Redmond's winners it would be necessary to take the catalogues of all the important shows held for the past thirty years. To no one do we owe so much; no one has made such a study of the breed, reducing it almost to a science, with the result that even outside his kennels no dog has any chance of permanently holding his own unless he has an ample supply of the blood.
The great opponent of the Totteridge Kennel up to some few years ago was unquestionably Mr. Vicary, of Newton Abbot, who laid the foundation of his kennel with Vesuvian, who was by Splinter, out of Kohinor, and from whom came the long line of winners, Venio-Vesuvienne, Vice-Regal, Valuator, Visto, and Veracity. Fierce war raged round these kennels, each having its admiring and devoted adherents, until one side would not look at anything but a Redmond Terrier to the exclusion of the Vicary type. The Newton Abbot strain was remarkable for beautiful heads and great quality, but was faulty in feet and not absolute as to fronts, each of which properties was asine qua nonamongst the Totteridge dogs. Latter-day breeders have recognised that in the crossing of the two perfection lies, and Mr. Redmond himself has not hesitated to go some way on the same road.
[Illustration: FOX TERRIERS 1. Mrs. J. H. Brown's Ch. Captain Double 2. Mr. J. C. Tinne's Ch. The Sylph 3. Mr. T. J. Stephen's Wire-Hair Ch. Sylvan ResultPhotograph by Revely]
It is fortunate for the breed of Fox-terriers how great a hold the hobby takes, and how enthusiastically its votaries pursue it, otherwise we should not have amongst us men like Mr. J. C. Tinne, whose name is now a household word in the Fox-terrier world, as it has been any time for the past thirty years. Close proximity, in those days, to Mr. Gibson at Brockenhurst made him all the keener, and one of his first terriers was a bitch of that blood by Bitters. With daughters of Old Foiler he did very well—to wit, Pungent, sister to Dorcas, while through Terror we get Banquet, the granddam of Despoiler. He purchased from Mr. Redmond both Deacon Diamond and Daze, each of whom was bred to Spice, and produced respectively Auburn and Brockenhurst Dainty; from the latter pair sprang Lottery and Worry, the granddam of Tom Newcome, to whom we owe Brockenhurst Agnes, Brockenhurst Dame, and Dinah Morris, and consequently Adam Bede and Hester Sorrel.