Man, being a hunting animal, kills the otter for his skin, and the badger also; the fox he kills because the animal likes lamb and game to eat. Man, being unable to deal in the course of a morning with the rocks under and between which his quarry harbours, makes use of the small dog which will go underground, to which the French name terrier has been attached.
Towards the end of the reign of James the First of England and Sixth of Scotland, we find him writing to Edinburgh to have half a dozen "earth dogges or terrieres" sent carefully to France as a present, and he directs that they be got from Argyll, and sent over in two or more ships lest they should get harm by the way. That was roughly three hundred years ago, and the King most probably would not have so highly valued a newly-invented strain as he evidently did value the "terrieres" from Argyll. We may take it then that in 1600 the Argyllshire terriers were considered to be the best in Scotland, and likely enough too, seeing the almost boundless opportunities the county gives for the work of the "earth dogges."
But men kept their dogs in the evil pre-show days for work and not for points, and mighty indifferent were they whether an ear cocked up or lay flat to the cheek, whether the tail was exactly of fancy length, or how high to a hair's breadth it stood. These things aresine qua nonon the modern show bench, but were not thought of in the cruel, hard fighting days of old.
In those days two things—and two things only—were imperatively necessary: pluck and capacity to get at the quarry. This entailed that the body in which the pluck was enshrined must be small and most active, to get at the innermost recesses of the lair, and that the body must be protected by the best possible teeth and jaws for fighting, on a strong and rather long neck and directed by a most capable brain. It is held that feet turned out a little are better for scrambling up rocks than perfectly straight Fox-terrier like feet. In addition, it was useful to have your dog of a colour easy to see when in motion, though no great weight was laid upon that point, as in the days before newspapers and trains men's eyes were good, as a rule. Still, the quantity of white in the existing terriers all through the west coast of Scotland shows that it must have been rather a favoured colour.
White West Highland Terriers were kept at Poltalloch sixty years ago, and so they were first shown as Poltalloch Terriers. Yet although they were kept in their purest strain in Argyllshire, they are still to be found all along the west coast of Scotland, good specimens belonging to Ross-shire, to Skye, and at Ballachulish on Loch Leven, so that it is a breed with a long pedigree and not an invented breed of the present day. Emphatically, they are not simply white coloured Scottish Terriers, and it is an error to judge them on Scottish Terrier lines. They are smaller than the average Scottie, more "foxy" in general conformation—straight limbed, rather long, rather low, and active in body, with a broad forehead, light muzzle and underjaw, and a bright, small intelligent eye. Colonel Malcolm, of Poltalloch, who is recognised as the great authority on the breed, lays stress upon the quality of the coat. "The outer coat," he says, "should be very soft on the forehead and get gradually harder towards the haunches, but the harsh coat beloved of the show bench is all nonsense, and is the easiest thing in the world to 'fake,' as anyone can try who will dip his own hair into the now fashionable 'anturic' baths. The outer coat should be distinctlylong, but not long in the 'fancy' or show sense. Still, it should be long enough to hang as a thatch over the soft, woolly real coat of the animal and keep it dry so that a good shake or two will throw off most of the water; while the under coat should be so thick and naturally oily that the dog can swim through a fair-sized river and not get wet, or be able to sit out through a drenching rain guarding something of his master's and be none the worse. This under coat I, at least, have never seen a judge look for, but for the working terrier it is most important. The size of the dog is perhaps best indicated by weight. The dog should not weigh more than 18 lb., nor the bitch more than 16 lb.
"There is among judges, I find—with all respect I say it—an undue regard for weight and what is called strength, also for grooming, which means brushing or plucking out all the long hair to gratify the judge. One might as well judge of Sandow's strength, not by his performances, but by the kind of wax he puts on his moustache!
"The West Highland Terrier of the old sort—I do not, of course, speak of bench dogs—earned their living following fox, badger, or otter wherever these went underground, between, over, or under rocks that no man could get at to move, and some of such size that a hundred men could not move them. (And oh! the beauty of their note when they came across the right scent!) I want my readers to understand this, and not to think of a Highland fox-cairn as if it were an English fox-earth dug in sand; nor of badger work as if it were a question of locating the badger and then digging him out. No; the badger makes his home amongst rocks, the small ones perhaps two or three tons in weight, and probably he has his 'hinner end' against one of three or four hundred tons—no digging him out—and, moreover, the passages between the rocks must be taken as they are; no scratching them a little wider. So if your dog's ribs are a trifle too big he may crush one or two through the narrow slit and then stick. He will never be able to pull himself back—at least, until starvation has so reduced him that he will probably be unable, if set free, to win (as we say in Scotland) his way back to the open.
"I remember a tale of one of my father's terriers who got so lost. The keepers went daily to the cairn hoping against hope. At last one day a pair of bright eyes were seen at the bottom of a hole. They did not disappear when the dog's name was called. A brilliant idea seized one of the keepers. The dog evidently could not get up, so a rabbit skin was folded into a small parcel round a stone and let down by a string. The dog at once seized the situation—and the skin—held on, was drawn up, and fainted on reaching the mouth of the hole. He was carried home tenderly and nursed; he recovered."
Referring to the characteristics of this terrier, Colonel Malcolm continues:—"Attention to breeding as to colour has undoubtedly increased the whiteness, but, other points being good, a dog of the West Highland White Terrier breed is not to be rejected if he shows his descent by a slight degree of pale red or yellow on his back or his ears. I know an old Argyllshire family who consider that to improve their terriers they ought all to have browny yellow ears. Neither again, except for the show bench, is there the slightest objection to half drop ears—i.e., the points of one or both ears just falling over.
"Unfortunately, the show bench has a great tendency to spoil all breeds from too much attention being given to what is evident—and ears are grand things for judges to pin their faith to; also, they greatly admire a fine long face and what is called—but wrongly called—a strong jaw, meaning by that an ugly, heavy face. I have often pointed out that the tiger, the cat, the otter, all animals remarkable for their strength of jaw, have exceedingly short faces, but their bite is cruelly hard. And what, again, could be daintier than the face of a fox?
"The terrier of the West Highlands of Scotland has come down to the present day, built on what I may perhaps call the fox lines, and it is a type evolved by work—hard and deadly dangerous work. It is only of late years that dogs have been bred for show. The so-called 'Scottish' Terrier, which at present rules the roost, dates from 1879 as a show dog.
"I therefore earnestly hope that no fancy will arise about these dogs which will make them less hardy, less wise, less companionable, less active, or less desperate fighters underground than they are at present. A young dog that I gave to a keeper got its stomach torn open in a fight. It came out of the cairn to its master to be helped. He put the entrails back to the best of his ability, and then the dog slipped out of his hands to finish the fight, and forced the fox out into the open! That is the spirit of the breed; but, alas, that cannot be exhibited on the show bench. They do say that a keeper of mine, when chaffed by the 'fancy' about the baby faces of his 'lot,' was driven to ask, 'Well, can any of you gentlemen oblige me with a cat, and I'll show you?' I did not hear him say it, so it may only be a tale.
"Anyhow, I have in my kennel a dog who, at ten months old, met a vixen fox as she was bolting out of her cairn, and he at once caught her by the throat, stuck to her till the pack came up, and then on till she was killed. In the course of one month his wounds were healed, and he had two other classical fights, one with a cat and the other with a dog fox. Not bad for a pup with a 'baby face?'
"I trust my readers understand that the West Highland White Terriers are not White Aberdeens, not a new invention, but have a most respectable ancestry of their own. I add the formal list of points, but this is the work of show bench experts—and it will be seen from what I have written that I do not agree with them on certain particulars. There should be feather to a fair degree on the tail, but if experts will not allow it, put rosin on your hands and pull the hair out—and the rosin will win your prize. The eye should not be sunk, which gives the sulky look of the 'Scotch' Terrier, but should be full and bright, and the expression friendly and confiding. The skull should not be narrow anywhere. It is almost impossible to get black nails in a dog of pure breed and the black soon wears off the pad work, so folk must understand this. On two occasions recently I have shown dogs, acknowledged, as dogs, to be quite first class, 'but, you see, they are not the proper type.' The judges unfortunately have as yet their eyes filled with the 'Scottish' terrier type and prefer mongrels that show it to the real 'Simon Pure.'"
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STANDARD OF POINTS: The GENERAL APPEARANCE of the West Highland White Terrier is that of a small, game, hardy-looking terrier, possessed with no small amount of self-esteem, with a "varminty" appearance, strongly built, deep in chest and back ribs, straight back and powerful quarters, on muscular legs and exhibiting in a marked degree a great combination of strength and activity. COLOUR—White. COAT—Very important, and seldom seen to perfection; must be double-coated. The outer coat consists of hard hair, about 2-1/2 inches long, and free from any curl. The under coat, which resembles fur, is short, soft, and close. Open coats are objectionable. SIZE—Dogs to weigh from 14 to 18 lb., and bitches from 12 to 16 lb., and measure from 8 to 12 inches at the shoulder. SKULL—Should not be too narrow, being in proportion to his powerful jaw, proportionately long, slightly domed, and gradually tapering to the eyes, between which there should be a slight indentation or stop. Eyebrows heavy. The hair on the skull to be from 3/4 to 1 inch long, and fairly hard. EYES—Widely set apart, medium in size, dark hazel in colour, slightly sunk in the head, sharp and intelligent, which, looking from under the heavy eyebrows, give a piercing look. Full eyes, and also light-coloured eyes, are very objectionable. MUZZLE—Should be powerful, proportionate in length, and should gradually taper towards the nose, which should be fairly wide, and should not project forward beyond the upper jaw. The jaws level and powerful, and teeth square or evenly met, well set, and large for the size of the dog. The nose and roof of mouth should be distinctly black in colour. EARS—Small, carried erect or semi-erect, but never drop, and should be carried tightly up. The semi-erect ear should drop nicely over at the tips, the break being about three-quarters up the ear, and both forms of ears should terminate in a sharp point. The hair on them should be short, smooth (velvety), and they should not be cut. The ears should be free from any fringe at the top. Round, pointed, broad and large ears are very objectionable, also ears too heavily covered with hair. NECK—Muscular, and nicely set on sloping shoulders. CHEST—Very deep, with breadth in proportion to the size of the dog. BODY—Compact, straight back, ribs deep and well arched in the upper half of rib, presenting a flattish side appearance. Loins broad and strong. Hind-quarters strong, muscular, and wide across the top. LEGS AND FEET—Both fore and hind legs should be short and muscular. The shoulder blades should be comparatively broad, and well-sloped backwards. The points of the shoulder blades should be closely knit into the backbone, so that very little movement of them should be noticeable when the dog is walking. The elbow should be close in to the body both when moving or standing, thus causing the fore-leg to be well placed in under the shoulder. The fore-legs should be straight and thickly covered with short hard hair. The hind-legs should be short and sinewy. The thighs very muscular and not too wide apart. The hocks bent and well set in under the body, so as to be fairly close to each other either when standing, walking, or running (trotting); and, when standing, the hind-legs, from the point of the hock down to fetlock joint, should be straight or perpendicular and not far apart. The fore-feet are larger than the hind ones, are round, proportionate in size, strong, thickly padded, and covered with short hard hair. The foot must point straight forward. The hind-feet are smaller, not quite as round as fore-feet, and thickly padded. The under surface of the pads of feet and all the nails should be distinctly black in colour. Hocks too much bent (cow hocks) detract from the general appearance. Straight hocks are weak. Both kinds are undesirable, and should be guarded against. TAIL—Six or seven inches long, covered with hard hairs, no feathers, as straight as possible; carried gaily, but not curled over back. A long tail is objectionable. MOVEMENT—Should be free, straight, and easy all round. In front, the leg should be freely extended forward by the shoulder. The hind movement should be free, strong, and close. The hocks should be freely flexed and drawn close in under the body, so that, when moving off the foot, the body is thrown or pushed forward with some force. Stiff, stilty movement behind is very objectionable.
FAULTS: COAT—Any silkiness, wave, or tendency to curl is a serious blemish, as is also an open coat. Black or grey hairs disqualify for competition. SIZE—Any specimens under the minimum, or above the maximum weight, are objectionable. EYES—Full or light coloured. EARS—Round-pointed, drop, broad and large, or too heavily covered with hair. MUZZLE—Either under or over shot, and defective teeth.
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[Illustration: COL. MALCOLM'S WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIERS SONNY ANDSARAH]
[Illustration: MISS E. McCHEANE'S SKYE TERRIERS CH. FAIRFIELD DIAMONDAND CH. WOLVERLEY CHUMMIE Photograph by T. Fall]
The breed of terrier now known as the Dandie Dinmont is one of the races of the dog which can boast of a fairly ancient lineage. Though it is impossible now to say what was the exact origin of this breed, we know that it was first recognised under its present name after the publication of Scott'sGuy Mannering, in the year 1814, and we know that for many years previously there had existed in the Border counties a rough-haired, short-legged race of terrier, the constant and very effective companion of the Border farmers and others in their fox-hunting expeditions.
Various theories have been suggested by different writers as to the manner in which the breed was founded. Some say that the Dandie is the result of crossing a strain of rough-haired terriers with the Dachshund; others that a rough-haired terrier was crossed with the Otterhound; and others again assert that no direct cross was ever introduced to found the breed, but that it was gradually evolved from the rough-haired terriers of the Border district. And this latter theory is probably correct.
The Dandie would appear to be closely related to the Bedlington Terrier. In both breeds we find the same indomitable pluck, the same pendulous ear, and a light silky "topknot" adorning the skull of each; but the Dandie was evolved into a long-bodied, short-legged dog, and the Bedlington became a long-legged, short-bodied dog! Indeed to illustrate the close relationship of the two breeds a case is quoted of the late Lord Antrim, who, in the early days of dog shows, exhibited two animals from the same litter, and with the one obtained a prize or honourable mention in the Dandie classes, and with the other a like distinction in the Bedlington classes.
It may be interesting to give a few particulars concerning the traceable ancestors of the modern Dandie. In Mr. Charles Cook's book on this breed, we are given particulars of one William Allan, of Holystone, born in 1704, and known as Piper Allan, and celebrated as a hunter of otters and foxes, and for his strain of rough-haired terriers who so ably assisted him in the chase. William Allan's terriers descended to his son James, also known as the "Piper," and born in the year 1734. James Allan died in 1810, and was survived by a son who sold to Mr. Francis Somner at Yetholm a terrier dog named Old Pepper, descended from his grandfather's famous dog Hitchem. Old Pepper was the great-grandsire of Mr. Somner's well-known dog Shem. These terriers belonging to the Allans and others in the district are considered by Mr. Cook to be the earliest known ancestors of the modern Dandie Dinmont.
Sir Walter Scott himself informs us that he did not draw the character of Dandie Dinmont from any one individual in particular, but that the character would well fit a dozen or more of the Lidderdale yeomen of his acquaintance. However, owing to the circumstance of his calling all his terriers Mustard and Pepper, without any other distinction except "auld" and "young" and "little," the name came to be fixed by his associates upon one James Davidson, of Hindlee, a wild farm in the Teviotdale mountains.
James Davidson died in the year 1820, by which time the Dandie Dinmont Terrier was being bred in considerable numbers by the Border farmers and others to meet the demand for it which had sprung up since the appearance ofGuy Mannering.
As a result of the controversies that were continually recurring with regard to the points of a typical Dandie Dinmont there was formed in the year 1876 the Dandie Dinmont Terrier Club, with the object of settling the question for ever, and for this purpose all the most noted breeders and others interested were invited to give their views upon it.
The standard of points adopted by the club is as follows:—
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HEAD—Strongly made and large, not out of proportion to the dog's size; the muscles showing extraordinary development, more especially the maxillary. SKULL—Broad between the ears, getting gradually less towards the eyes, and measuring about the same from the inner corner of the eyes to back of skull as it does from ear to ear. The forehead well domed. The head is covered with very soft silky hair, which should not be confined to a mere topknot, and the lighter in colour and silkier it is the better. The cheeks, starting from the ears proportionately with the skull, have a gradual taper towards the muzzle, which is deep and strongly made, and measures about three inches in length, or in proportion to skull as three is to five. The muzzle is covered with hair of a little darker shade than the topknot, and of the same texture as the feather of the fore-legs. The top of the muzzle is generally bare for about an inch from the black part of the nose, the bareness coming to a point towards the eye, and being about one inch broad at the nose. The nose and inside of mouth black or dark coloured. The teeth very strong, especially the canine, which are of extraordinary size for such a small dog. The canines fit well into each other, so as to give the greatest available holding and punishing power, and the teeth are level in front, the upper ones very slightly overlapping the under ones. (Many of the finest specimens have a "swine mouth," which is very objectionable, but it is not so great an objection as the protrusion of the under jaw.) EYES—Set wide apart, large, full, round, bright, expressive of great determination, intelligence and dignity; set low and prominent in front of the head; colour a rich dark hazel. EARS—Pendulous, set well back, wide apart and low on the skull, hanging close to the cheek, with a very slight projection at the base, broad at the junction of the head and tapering almost to a point, the fore part of the ear tapering very little, the tapering being mostly on the back part, the fore part of the ear coming almost straight down from its junction with the head to the tip. They should harmonise in colour with the body colour. In the case of a pepper dog they are covered with a soft, straight, brownish hair (in some cases almost black). In the case of a mustard dog the hair should be mustard in colour, a shade darker than the body, but not black. All should have a thin feather of light hair starting about two inches from the tip, and of nearly the same colour and texture as the topknot, which gives the ear the appearance of a distinct point. The animal is often one or two years old before the feather is shown. The cartilage and skin of the ear should not be thick, but rather thin. Length of ear, from three to four inches. NECK—Very muscular, well developed, and strong; showing great power of resistance, being well set into the shoulders. BODY—Long, strong, and flexible; ribs well sprung and round, chest well developed and let well down between the fore-legs; the back rather low at the shoulder, having a slight downward curve and a corresponding arch over the loins, with a very slight gradual drop from top of loins to root of tail; both sides of backbone well supplied with muscle. TAIL—Rather short, say from eight inches to ten inches, and covered on the upper side with wiry hair of darker colour than that of the body, the hair on the under side being lighter in colour, and not so wiry, with a nice feather, about two inches long, getting shorter as it nears the tip; rather thick at the root, getting thicker for about four inches, then tapering off to a point. It should not be twisted or curled in any way, but should come up with a curve like a scimitar, the tip, when excited, being in a perpendicular line with the root of the tail. It should neither be set on too high nor too low. When not excited it is carried gaily, and a little above the level of the body. LEGS—The fore-legs short, with immense muscular development and bone, set wide apart, the chest coming well down between them. The feet well formed, andnot flat, with very strong brown or dark-coloured claws. Bandy legs and flat feet are objectionable. The hair on the fore-legs and feet of a pepper dog should be tan, varying according to the body colour from a rich tan to a pale fawn; of a mustard dog they are of a darker shade than its head, which is a creamy white. In both colours there is a nice feather, about two inches long, rather lighter in colour than the hair on the fore-part of the leg. The hind-legs are a little longer than the fore ones, and are set rather wide apart, but not spread out in an unnatural manner, while the feet are much smaller, the thighs are well developed, and the hair of the same colour and texture as the fore ones, but having no feather or dew claws; the whole claws should be dark; but the claws of all vary in shade according to the colour of the dog's body. COAT—This is a very important point; the hair should be about two inches long; that from skull to root of tail a mixture of hardish and soft hair, which gives a sort of crisp feel to the hand. The hair should not be wiry; the coat is termed pily or pencilled. The hair on the under part of the body is lighter in colour and softer than that on the top. The skin on the belly accords with the colour of dog. COLOUR—The colour is pepper or mustard. The pepper ranges from a dark bluish black to a light silver grey, the intermediate shades being preferred, the body colour coming well down the shoulder and hips, gradually merging into the leg colour. The mustards vary from a reddish brown to a pale fawn, the head being a creamy white, the legs and feet of a shade darker than the head. The claws are dark as in other colours. (Nearly all Dandie Dinmonts have some white on the chest, and some have also white claws.) SIZE—The height should be from 8 to 11 inches at the top of shoulder. Length from top of shoulder to root of tail should not be more than twice the dog's height, but, preferably, one or two inches less. WEIGHT—From 14 lb. to 24 lb. the best weight as near 18 lb. as possible. These weights are for dogs in good working order.
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In the above standard of points we have a very full and detailed account of what a Dandie should be like, and if only judges at shows would bear them in mind a little more, we should have fewer conflicting decisions given, and Dandie fanciers and the public generally would not from time to time be set wondering as to what is the correct type of the breed.
A Dandie makes an excellent house guard; for such a small dog he has an amazingly deep, loud bark, so that the stranger, who has heard him barking on the far side of the door, is quite astonished when he sees the small owner of the big voice. When kept as a companion he becomes a most devoted and affectionate little friend, and is very intelligent. As a dog to be kept in kennels there is certainly one great drawback where large kennels are desired, and that is the risk of keeping two or more dogs in one kennel; sooner or later there is sure to be a fight, and when Dandies fight it is generally a very serious matter; if no one is present to separate them, one or both of the combatants is pretty certain to be killed. But when out walking the Dandie is no more quarrelsome than other breeds of terriers, if properly trained from puppyhood.
There is one little matter in breeding Dandies that is generally a surprise to the novice, and that is the very great difference in the appearance of the young pups and the adult dog. The pups are born quite smooth-haired, the peppers are black and tan in colour, and the mustards have a great deal of black in their colouring. The topknot begins to appear sometimes when the dog is a few months old, and sometimes not till he is a year or so old. It is generally best to mate a mustard to a pepper, to prevent the mustards becoming too light in colour, though two rich-coloured mustards may be mated together with good results. It is a rather curious fact that when two mustards are mated some of the progeny are usually pepper in colour, though when two peppers are mated there are very seldom any mustard puppies.
The popularity of the Dandie has now lasted for nearly a hundred years, and there is no reason why it should not last for another century, if breeders will only steer clear of the exaggeration of show points, and continue to breed a sound, active, and hardy terrier.
That the Skye Terrier should be called "the Heavenly Breed" is a tribute to the favour in which he is held by his admirers. Certainly when he is seen in perfection he is an exceedingly beautiful dog. As certainly there is no breed more affectionate, more faithful, or more lovable. Among his characteristics are a long-enduring patience, a prompt obedience, and a deep-hearted tenderness, combined with fearless courage. He is more sensitive to rebuke and punishment than most dogs, and will nurse resentment to those who are unjust to him; not viciously, but with an almost human plaintiveness which demands an immediate reconciliation. He is staunch and firm as his native hills to those who are kind to him, and for entering into battle with an enemy there is no dog more recklessly daring and resolute.
Visitors to dog shows are disposed to believe that the Skye Terrier, with its well-groomed coat that falls in smooth cascades down its sides, and its veil of thick hair that obscures the tender softness of its dark and thoughtful eyes, is meant only to look beautiful upon the bench or to recline in comfortable indolence on silken cushions. This is a mistake. See a team of Skyes racing up a hillside after a fugitive rabbit, tirelessly burrowing after a rat, or displaying their terrier strategy around a fox's earth or an otter's holt, and you will admit that they are meant for sport, and are demons at it. Even their peculiarity of build is a proof that they are born to follow vermin underground. They are long of body, with short, strong legs, adapted for burrowing. With the Dachshund they approximate more closely than any other breeds to the shape of the badger, the weasel, and the otter, and so many animals which Nature has made long and low in order that they may inhabit earths and insinuate themselves into narrow passages in the moorland cairns.
There can be no question that these dogs, which are so typically Highland in character and appearance, as well as the Clydesdale, the Scottish, the Dandie Dinmont, and the White Poltalloch terriers, are all the descendants of a purely native Scottish original. They are all inter-related; but which was the parent breed it is impossible to determine.
It is even difficult to discover which of the two distinct types of the Skye Terrier was the earlier—the variety whose ears stand alertly erect or its near relative whose ears are pendulous. Perhaps it does not matter. The differences between the prick-eared Skye and the drop-eared are so slight, and the characteristics which they have in common are so many, that a dual classification was hardly necessary. The earliest descriptions and engravings of the breed present a terrier considerably smaller than the type of to-day, carrying a fairly profuse, hard coat, with short legs, a body long in proportion to its height, and with ears that were neither erect nor drooping, but semi-erect and capable of being raised to alertness in excitement. It is the case that drop-eared puppies often occur in the litters of prick-eared parents, andvice versa.
As its name implies, this terrier had its early home in the misty island of Skye; which is not to say that it was not also to be found in Lewis, Oronsay, Colonsay and others of the Hebrides, as well as on the mainland of Scotland. Dr. Johnson, who visited these islands with Boswell in 1773, noticed these terriers and observed that otters and weasels were plentiful in Skye, that the foxes were numerous, and that they werehunted by small dogs. He was so accurate an observer that one regrets he did not describe the Macleod's terriers and their work. They were at that time of many colours, varying from pure white to fawn and brown, blue-grey and black. The lighter coloured ones had black muzzles, ears, and tails. Their tails were carried more gaily than would be permitted by a modern judge of the breed.
In those days the Highlander cared less for the appearance than he did for the sporting proclivities of his dogs, whose business it was to oust the tod from the earth in which it had taken refuge; and for this purpose certain qualities were imperative. First and foremost the terrier needed to be small, short of leg, long and lithe in body, with ample face fringe to protect his eyes from injury, and possessed of unlimited pluck and dash.
The Skye Terrier of to-day does not answer to each and every one of these requirements. He is too big—decidedly he is too big—especially in regard to the head. A noble-looking skull, with large, well-feathered ears may be admirable as ornament, but would assuredly debar its possessor from following into a fox's lair among the boulders. Then, again, his long coat would militate against the activity necessary for his legitimate calling.
It was not until about 1860 that the Skye Terrier attracted much notice among dog lovers south of the Border, but Queen Victoria's admiration of the breed, of which from 1842 onwards she always owned favourite specimens, and Sir Edwin Landseer's paintings in which the Skye was introduced, had already drawn public attention to the decorative and useful qualities of this terrier. The breed was included in the first volume of the Kennel Club Stud Book, and the best among the early dogs were such as Mr. Pratt's Gillie and Dunvegan, Mr. D. W. Fyfe's Novelty, Mr. John Bowman's Dandie, and Mr. Macdona's Rook. These were mostly of the drop-eared variety, and were bred small.
About the year 1874, fierce and stormy disputes arose concerning the distinctions of the Scottish breeds of terriers. The controversy was continued until 1879, when the Kennel Club was approached with the view to furnishing classes. The controversy was centred upon three types of Scottish terriers: those which claimed to be pure Skye Terriers, a dog described briefly as Scotch, and a third, which for a time was miscalled the Aberdeen. To those who had studied the varieties, the distinctions were clear; but the question at issue was—to which of the three rightly belonged the title of Scottish Terrier? The dog which the Scots enthusiasts were trying to get established under this classification was the Cairn Terrier of the Highlands, known in some localities as the short-coated, working Skye, and in others as the Fox-terrier, or Tod-hunter. A sub-division of this breed was the more leggy "Aberdeen" variety.
The present-day Skye is without doubt one of the most beautiful terriers in existence. He is a dog of medium size, with a weight not exceeding 25 lb., and not less than 18 lb. he is long in proportion to his height, with a very level back, a powerful jaw with perfectly fitting teeth, a small hazel eye, and a long hard coat just reaching the ground. In the prick-eared variety the ears are carried erect, with very fine ear feathering, and the face fringe is long and thick. The ear feathering and face fall are finer in quality than the coat, which is exceedingly hard and weather-resisting. And here it is well to point out that the Skye has two distinct coats: the under coat, somewhat soft and woolly, and the upper, hard and rain-proof. This upper coat should be as straight as possible, without any tendency to wave or curl. The tail is not very long, and should be nicely feathered, and in repose never raised above the level of the back.
The same description applies to the drop-eared type, except that the ears in repose, instead of being carried erect, fall evenly on each side of the head. When, however, the dog is excited, the ears are pricked forward, in exactly the same fashion as those of the Airedale Terrier. This is an important point, a houndy carriage of ear being a decided defect. The drop-eared variety is usually the heavier and larger dog of the two; and for some reason does not show the quality and breeding of its neighbour. Lately, however, there has evidently been an effort made to improve the drop-eared type, with the result that some very excellent dogs have recently appeared at the important shows.
Probably Mr. James Pratt has devoted more time and attention to the Skye Terrier than any other now living fancier, though the names of Mr. Kidd and Mr. Todd are usually well known. Mr. Pratt's Skyes were allied to the type of terrier claiming to be the original Skye of the Highlands. The head was not so large, the ears also were not so heavily feathered, as is the case in the Skye of to-day, and the colours were very varied, ranging from every tint between black and white.
In 1892 a great impetus was given to the breed by Mrs. Hughes, whose kennels at Wolverley were of overwhelmingly good quality. Mrs. Hughes was quickly followed by such ardent and successful fanciers as Sir Claud and Lady Alexander, of Ballochmyle, Mrs. Freeman, Miss Bowyer Smyth, and Miss McCheane. Lately other prominent exhibitors have forced their way into the front rank, among whom may be mentioned the Countess of Aberdeen, Mrs. Hugh Ripley, Mrs. Wilmer, Miss Whishaw, and Mrs. Sandwith. Mrs. Hughes' Wolverley Duchess and Wolverley Jock were excellent types of what a prick-eared Skye should be. Excellent, too, were Mrs. Freeman's Alister, and Sir Claud Alexander's Young Rosebery, Olden Times, Abbess, and Wee Mac of Adel, Mrs. Wilmer's Jean, and Mr. Millar's Prince Donard. But the superlative Skye of the period, and probably the best ever bred, is Wolverley Chummie, the winner of thirty championships which are but the public acknowledgment of his perfections. He is the property of Miss McCheane, who is also the owner of an almost equally good specimen of the other sex in Fairfield Diamond. Among the drop-eared Skyes of present celebrity may be mentioned Mrs. Hugh Ripley's Perfection, Miss Whishaw's Piper Grey, and Lady Aberdeen's Cromar Kelpie.
There are two clubs in England and one in Scotland instituted toprotect the interests of this breed, namely, the Skye Terrier Club ofEngland, the Skye and Clydesdale Club, and the Skye Terrier Club ofScotland. The Scottish Club's description is as follows:—
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HEAD—Long, with powerful jaws and incisive teeth closing level, or upper just fitting over under.Skull: wide at front of brow, narrowing between the ears, and tapering gradually towards the muzzle, with little falling in between or behind the eyes.Eyes: hazel, medium size, close set.Muzzle: always black. EARS (PRICK OR PENDANT)—Whenprick, not large, erect at outer edges, and slanting towards each other at inner, from peak to skull. Whenpendant, larger, hanging straight, lying flat, and close at front. BODY—Pre-eminently long and low. Shoulders broad, chest deep, ribs well sprung and oval shaped, giving a flattish appearance to the sides. Hind-quarters and flank full and well developed. Back level and slightly declining from the top of the hip joint to the shoulders. The neck long and gently crested. TAIL—Whenhanging, the upper half perpendicular, the under half thrown backward in a curve. Whenraised, a prolongation of the incline of the back, and not rising higher nor curling up. LEGS—Short, straight, and muscular. No dew claws, the feet large and pointing forward. COAT (DOUBLE)—Anunder, short, close, soft, and woolly. Anover, long, averaging 5-1/2 inches, hard, straight, flat, and free from crimp or curl. Hair on head, shorter, softer, and veiling the forehead and eyes; on the ears, overhanging inside, falling down and mingling with the side locks, not heavily, but surrounding the ear like a fringe, and allowing its shape to appear. Tail also gracefully feathered. COLOUR (ANY VARIETY)—Dark or light blue or grey, or fawn with black points. Shade of head and legs approximating that of body.
1. AVERAGE MEASUREMENTS: DOG—Height at shoulder, 9 inches. Length, back of skull to root of tail, 22-1/2 inches; muzzle to back of skull, 8-1/2 inches; root of tail to tip joint, 9 inches. Total length, 40 inches. BITCH—Half an inch lower, and 2-1/2 inches shorter than dog, all points proportional; thus, body, 21 inches; head, 8 inches; and tail, 8-1/2 inches. Total, 37-1/2 inches.
2. AVERAGE WEIGHT: DOG—18 lb.; bitch, 16 lb. No dog should be over 20 lb., nor under 16 lb.; and no bitch should be over 18 lb., nor under 14 lb.
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Whereas the Scottish Club limits the approved length of coat to 5-1/2 inches, the English Club gives a maximum of 9 inches. This is a fairly good allowance, but many of the breed carry a much longer coat than this. It is not uncommon, indeed, to find a Skye with a covering of 12 inches in length, which, even allowing for the round of the body, causes the hair to reach and often to trail upon the ground.
The Clydesdale may be described as an anomaly. He stands as it were upon a pedestal of his own; and unlike other Scotch terriers he is classified as non-sporting. Perhaps his marvellously fine and silky coat precludes him from the rough work of hunting after vermin, though it is certain his game-like instincts would naturally lead him to do so. Of all the Scottish dogs he is perhaps the smallest; his weight seldom exceeding 18 lb. He is thus described by the Skye Terrier Club of Scotland:—
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GENERAL APPEARANCE—A long, low, level dog, with heavily fringed erect ears, and a long coat like the finest silk or spun glass, which hangs quite straight and evenly down each side, from a parting extending from the nose to the root of the tail. HEAD—Fairly long, skull flat and very narrow between the ears, gradually widening towards the eyes and tapering very slightly to the nose, which must be black. The jaws strong and the teeth level. EYES—Medium in size, dark in colour, not prominent, but having a sharp, terrier-like expression, eyelids black. EARS—Small, set very high on the top of the head, carried perfectly erect, and covered with long silky hair, hanging in a heavy fringe down the sides of the head. BODY—Long, deep in chest, well ribbed up, the back being perfectly level. TAIL—Perfectly straight, carried almost level with the back, and heavily feathered. LEGS—As short and straight as possible, well set under the body, and entirely covered with silky hair. Feet round and cat-like. COAT—As long and straight as possible, free from all trace of curl or waviness, very glossy and silky in texture, with an entire absence of undercoat. COLOUR—A level, bright steel blue, extending from the back of the head to the root of the tail, and on no account intermingled with any fawn, light or dark hairs. The head, legs, and feet should be a clear, bright, golden tan, free from grey, sooty, or dark hairs. The tail should be very dark blue or black.
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The Clydesdale Terrier is rare, at any rate as regards the show bench; there are never more than two or three at most exhibited south of the Tweed, even when classes are provided at the big shows and championships offered, thus indicating that the breed is not a popular one; and amongst those kennels who do show there exists at the present time but one dog who can lay claim to the title of champion; this unique specimen is the property of Sir Claud Alexander, Bart., of Ballochmyle, and is known under the name of Wee Wattie. There are of course several fanciers in Scotland, among whom may be mentioned Mr. G. Shaw, of Glasgow, who is the owner of several fine examples of the breed, including beautiful San Toy and the equally beautiful Mozart.
As with the Skye Terrier, it seems a matter of difficulty to produce a perfect Clydesdale, and until the breed is taken up with more energy it is improbable that first class dogs will make an appearance in the show ring. A perfect Clydesdale should figure as one of the most elegant of the terrier breed; his lovely silken coat, the golden brown hue of his face fringe, paws and legs, his well pricked and feathery ear, and his generally smart appearance should combine to form a picture exciting general admiration.
The most devout lover of this charming and beautiful terrier would fail if he were to attempt to claim for him the distinction of descent from antiquity. Bradford, and not Babylon, was his earliest home, and he must be candidly acknowledged to be a very modern manufactured variety of the dog. Yet it is important to remember that it was in Yorkshire that he was made—Yorkshire, where live the cleverest breeders of dogs that the world has known.
One can roughly reconstitute the process. What the Yorkshiremen desired to make for themselves was a pigmy, prick-eared terrier with a long, silky, silvery grey and tan coat. They already possessed the foundation in the old English Black and Tan wire-haired Terrier. To lengthen the coat of this working breed they might very well have had recourse to a cross with the prick-eared Skye, and to eliminate the wiry texture of the hair a further cross with the Maltese dog would impart softness and silkiness without reducing the length. Again, a cross with the Clydesdale, which was then assuming a fixed type, would bring the variety yet nearer to the ideal, and a return to the black and tan would tend to conserve the desired colour. In all probability the Dandie Dinmont had some share in the process. Evidence of origin is often to be found more distinctly in puppies than in the mature dog, and it is to be noted that the puppies of both the Dandie and the Yorkshire are born with decided black and tan colouring.
The original broken-haired Yorkshire Terrier of thirty years ago was often called a Scottish Terrier, or even a Skye, and there are many persons who still confound him with the Clydesdale, whom he somewhat closely resembles. At the present time he is classified as a toy dog and exhibited almost solely as such. It is to be regretted that until very lately the terrier character was being gradually bred out of him, and that the perkiness, the exuberance and gameness which once distinguished him as the companion of the Yorkshire operative, was in danger of being sacrificed to the desire for diminutive size and inordinate length of coat.
Perhaps it would be an error to blame the breeders of Yorkshire Terriers for this departure from the original type as it appeared, say, about 1870. It is necessary to take into consideration the probability that what is now called the old-fashioned working variety was never regarded by the Yorkshiremen who made him as a complete and finished achievement. It was possibly their idea at the very beginning to produce just such a diminutive dog as is now to be seen in its perfection at exhibitions, glorying in its flowing tresses of steel blue silk and ruddy gold; and one must give them full credit for the patience and care with which during the past forty years they have been steadily working to the fixed design of producing a dwarfed breed which should excel all other breeds in the length and silkiness of its robe. The extreme of cultivation in this particular quality was reached some years ago by Mrs. Troughear, whose little dog Conqueror, weighing 5-1/2 lb., had a beautiful enveloping mantle of the uniform length of four-and-twenty inches.
Doubtless all successful breeders and exhibitors of the Yorkshire Terrier have their little secrets and their peculiar methods of inducing the growth of hair. They regulate the diet with extreme particularity, keeping the dog lean rather than fat, and giving him nothing that they would not themselves eat. Bread, mixed with green vegetables, a little meat and gravy, or fresh fish, varied with milk puddings and Spratt's "Toy Pet" biscuits, should be the staple food. Bones ought not to be given, as the act of gnawing them is apt to mar the beard and moustache. For the same reason it is well when possible to serve the food from the fingers. But many owners use a sort of mask or hood of elastic material which they tie over the dog's head at meal-times to hold back the long face-fall and whiskers, that would otherwise be smeared and sullied. Similarly as a protection for the coat, when there is any skin irritation and an inclination to scratch, linen or cotton stockings are worn upon the hind feet.
Many exhibitors pretend that they use no dressing, or very little, and this only occasionally, for the jackets of their Yorkshire Terriers; but it is quite certain that continuous use of grease of some sort is not only advisable but even necessary. Opinions differ as to which is the best cosmetic, but Hairmero, the dressing prepared for the purpose by Miss D. Wilmer, of Yoxford, Suffolk, could not easily be improved upon for this or any other long-coated breed.
For the full display of their beauty, Yorkshire Terriers depend very much upon careful grooming. It is only by grooming that the silvery cascade of hair down the dog's sides and the beautiful tan face-fall that flows like a rain of gold from his head can be kept perfectly straight and free from curl or wrinkle; and no grease or pomade, even if their use were officially permitted, could impart to the coat the glistening sheen that is given by the dexterous application of the brush. The gentle art of grooming is not to be taught by theory. Practice is the best teacher. But the novice may learn much by observing the deft methods employed by an expert exhibitor.
Mr. Peter Eden, of Manchester, is generally credited with being the actual inventor of the Yorkshire Terrier. He was certainly one of the earliest breeders and owners, and his celebrated Albert was only one of the many admirable specimens with which he convinced the public of the charms of this variety of dog. He may have given the breed its first impulse, but Mrs. M. A. Foster, of Bradford, was for many years the head and centre of all that pertained to the Yorkshire Terrier, and it was undoubtedly she who raised the variety to its highest point of perfection. Her dogs were invariably good in type. She never exhibited a bad one, and her Huddersfield Ben, Toy Smart, Bright, Sandy, Ted, Bradford Hero, Bradford Marie, and Bradford Queen—the last being a bitch weighing only 24 oz.—are remembered for their uniform excellence. Of more recent examples that have approached perfection may be mentioned Mrs. Walton's Ashton King, Queen, and Bright, and her Mont Thabor Duchess. Mr. Mitchell's Westbrook Fred has deservedly won many honours, and Mr. Firmstone's Grand Duke and Mynd Damaris, and Mrs. Sinclair's Mascus Superbus, stand high in the estimation of expert judges of the breed. Perhaps the most beautiful bitch ever shown was Waveless, the property of Mrs. R. Marshall, the owner of another admirable bitch in Little Picture. Mrs. W. Shaw's Ch. Sneinton Amethyst is also an admirable specimen.
The standard of points laid down by the Yorkshire Terrier Club is as follows:—
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GENERAL APPEARANCE—That of a long-coated pet dog, the coat hanging quite straight and evenly down each side, a parting extending from the nose to the end of the tail. The animal should be very compact and neat, his carriage being very sprightly; bearing an air of importance. Although the frame is hidden beneath a mantle of hair, the general outline should be such as to suggest the existence of a vigorous and well-proportioned body. HEAD—Should be rather small and flat, not too prominent or round in the skull; rather broad at the muzzle, with a perfectly black nose; the hair on the muzzle very long, which should be a rich, deep tan, not sooty or grey. Under the chin, long hair, about the same colour as on the crown of the head, which should be a bright, golden tan, and not on any account intermingled with dark or sooty hairs. Hairs on the sides of the head should be very long, of a few shades deeper tan than that on the top of the head, especially about the ear-roots. EYES—Medium in size, dark in colour, having a sharp, intelligent expression, and placed so as to look directly forward. They should not be prominent. The edges of the eyelids should be dark. EARS—Small, V-shaped, and carried semi-erect, covered with short hair; colour to be a deep rich tan. MOUTH—Good even mouth; teeth as sound as possible. A dog having lost a tooth or two, through accident or otherwise, is not to disqualify, providing the jaws are even. BODY—Very compact, with a good loin, and level on the top of the back. COAT—The hair, as long and as straight as possible (not wavy), should be glossy, like silk (not woolly), extending from the back of the head to the root of the tail; colour, a bright steel blue, and on no account intermingled with fawn, light or dark hairs. All tan should be darker at the roots than at the middle of the hairs, shading off to a still lighter tan at the tips. LEGS—Quite straight, should be of a bright golden tan, well covered with hair, a few shades lighter at the end than at the roots. FEET—As round as possible; toe-nails black. TAIL—Cut to medium length; with plenty of hair, darker blue than the rest of the body, especially at the end of the tail, which is carried slightly higher than the level of the back. WEIGHT—Divided into two classes; under 5 lb. and over 5 lb. to 12 lb.
Long before the Pomeranian dog was common in Great Britain, this breed was to be met with in many parts of Europe, especially in Germany; and he was known under different names, according to his size and the locality in which he flourished. The title of Pomeranian is not admitted by the Germans at all, who claim this as one of their national breeds, and give it the general name of the German Spitz.
At Athens, in the Street of Tombs, there is a representation of a little Spitz leaping up to the daughter of a family as she is taking leave of them, which bears the date equivalent to 56 B.C., and in the British Museum there is an ancient bronze jar of Greek workmanship, upon which is engraved a group of winged horses at whose feet there is a small dog of undoubted Pomeranian type. The date is the second century, B.C.
It is now generally accepted that, wherever our Pomeranian originated, he is a Northern or Arctic breed. Evidence goes to show that his native land in prehistoric times was the land of the Samoyedes, in the north of Siberia, along the shores of the Arctic Ocean. The Samoyede dog is being gradually introduced into England, and good specimens can be frequently seen at the principal shows. The similarity between our large white Pomeranian and the Samoyede is too great to be accidental. And we are drawn to the conclusion that in prehistoric times a migration of the Samoyedes was made from their native land into Pomerania, the most eastern province of Prussia bordering on the Baltic Sea, and that these people took with them their dogs, which were the progenitors of the present race of Pomeranian or Spitz.
But in any case the Pomeranian dog, so called, has been a native of various parts of Europe from very early times. His advent into England has been of comparatively recent date, at least in any great numbers, so far as can be ascertained, since no ancient records exist on this question. Gainsborough, however, painted the famous actress, Mrs. Robinson, with a large white Pomeranian sitting by her side.
In Rees'Encyclopedia, published in 1816, a good picture of a white Pomeranian is given with a fairly truthful description. In this work he is said to be "larger than the common sheep dog." Rees gives his name asCanis Pomeranius, from Linnaeus, andChien Loup, from Buffon. From these examples, therefore, we may infer that the large Pomeranian, or Wolf Spitz, was already known in England towards the end of the eighteenth century at least. There are, however, no systematic registers of Pomeranians prior to the year 1870.
Even ten years later than this last date, so little was the breed appreciated that a well-known writer on dogs began an article on the Pomeranian with the words "The Pomeranian is admittedly one of the least interesting dogs in existence, and consequently his supporters are few and far between."
The founders of the Kennel Club held their first dog show in 1870, and in that year only three Pomeranians were exhibited. For the next twenty years little or no permanent increase occurred in the numbers of Pomeranians entered at the chief dog show in England. The largest entry took place in 1881, when there were fifteen; but in 1890 there was not a single Pomeranian shown. From this time, however, the numbers rapidly increased. Commencing in 1891 with fourteen, increasing in 1901 to sixty, it culminated in 1905 with the record number of one hundred and twenty-five. Such a rapid advance between the years 1890 and 1905 is unprecedented in the history of dog shows, although it is right to add that this extraordinarily rapid rise into popularity has since been equalled in the case of the now fashionable Pekinese.
This tendency to advancement in public favour was contemporaneous with the formation of the Pomeranian Club of England, which was founded in 1891, and through its fostering care the Pomeranian has reached a height of popularity far in advance of that attained by any other breed of toy dog. One of the first acts of the club was to draw up a standard of points as follows:—
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APPEARANCE—The Pomeranian should be a compact, short coupled dog, well knit in frame. He should exhibit great intelligence in his expression, and activity and buoyancy in his deportment. HEAD AND NOSE—Should be foxy in outline or wedge-shaped, the skull being slightly flat, large in proportion to the muzzle, which should finish rather fine and free from lippiness. The teeth should be level, and should on no account be undershot. The hair on the head and face should be smooth and short-coated. The nose should be black in white, orange and sable dogs; but in other colours may be self, but never parti-colour or white. EARS—Should be small, not set too far apart, nor too low down, but carried perfectly erect like those of a fox, and, like the head, should be covered with short, soft hair. EYES—Should be medium in size, not full, nor set too wide apart, bright and dark in colour, showing great intelligence; in white, shaded sable, or orange dogs the rims round the eyes should be black. NECK AND BODY—The neck should be rather short, well set in. The back must be short and the body compact, being well ribbed up and the barrel well rounded. The chest must be fairly deep and not too wide, but in proportion to the size of the dog. LEGS—The fore-legs must be well feathered, perfectly straight, of medium length, and not such as would be termed "leggy" or "low" on leg, but in due proportion in length and strength to a well-balanced frame. Must be fine in bone and free in action. The hind-legs and thighs must be well feathered, neither contracted nor wide behind; the feet small and compact in shape. Shoulders should be clean, and well laid back. TAIL—The tail is one of the characteristics of the breed, and should be turned over the back and carried flat and straight, being profusely covered with long, harsh, spreading hair. COAT—There should be two coats, an undercoat and an overcoat; the one a soft fluffy undercoat, the other a long, perfectly straight coat, harsh in texture, covering the whole of the body, being very abundant round the neck and fore part of the shoulders and chest where it should form a frill of profuse standing off straight hair, extending over the shoulders. The hind-quarters should be clad with long hair or feathering, from the top of the rump to the hock. COLOUR—All whole colours are admissible, but they should be free from white or shadings, and the whites must be quite free from lemon or any other colour. A few white hairs in any of the self colours shall not necessarily disqualify. At present the whole coloured dogs are:—White, black, brown (light or dark), blue (as pale as possible), orange (which should be as deep and even in colour as possible), beaver, or cream. Dogs, other than white, with white foot or feet, leg or legs, are decidedly objectionable and should be discouraged, and cannot compete as whole coloured specimens. In parti-coloured dogs the colours should be evenly distributed on the body in patches; a dog with white or tan feet or chest would not be a parti-colour. Shaded sables should be shaded throughout with three or more colours, the hairs to be as "uniformly shaded" as possible, with no patches of self colour. In mixed classes where whole coloured and parti-coloured Pomeranians compete together, the preference should, if in other points they are equal, be given to the whole coloured specimens. Where classification is not by colours the following is recommended for adoption by show committees:—1. Not exceeding 7 lb. (Pomeranian Miniatures). 2. Exceeding 7 lb. (Pomeranians). 3. Pomeranians and Pomeranian Miniatures mixed.
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The early type of a Pomeranian was that of a dog varying from 10 lb. or 12 lb. weight up to 20 lb. weight, or even more, and some few of about 12 lb. and over are still to be met with; but the tendency among present-day breeders is to get them as small as possible, so that diminutive specimens weighing less than 5 lb. are now quite common, and always fetch higher prices than the heavier ones. The dividing weight, as arranged some ten years ago by the Pomeranian Club, is 8 lb., and the Kennel Club has recently divided the breed into two classes of Pomeranians and Pomeranians Miniature.
As a rule the white specimens adhere more nearly to the primitive type, and are generally over 8 lb. in weight, but through the exertions of many breeders, several are now to be seen under this limit.
The principal breeders of this colour in England to-day are MissHamilton of Rozelle, Miss Chell, Miss Lee-Roberts, Mrs. Pope, and Mrs.Goodall-Copestake. The first two whites to become full champions underKennel Club rules were Rob of Rozelle and Konig of Rozelle, bothbelonging to Miss Hamilton of Rozelle.
More black Pomeranians have been bred in England than of any other colour, and during the last fifteen years the number of good specimens that have appeared at our great exhibitions has been legion. There do not seem to be so many really good ones to-day as heretofore; this is explained, perhaps, by the fact that other colours are now receiving more and more attention from breeders. A typical small black of to-day is Billie Tee, the property of Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Mappin. He scales only 5-1/2 lb., and is therefore, as to size and weight as well as shape, style, and smartness of action, a good type of a toy Pomeranian. He was bred by Mrs. Cates, and is the winner of over fifty prizes and many specials. To enumerate all the first-class blacks during the last thirty years would be impossible, but those which stand out first and foremost have been Black Boy, King Pippin, Kaffir Boy, Bayswater Swell, Kensington King, Marland King, Black Prince, Hatcham Nip, Walkley Queenie, Viva, Gateacre Zulu, Glympton King Edward, and Billie Tee.
The brown variety has for a long time been an especial favourite with the public, and many good ones have been bred during the last ten years. There are many different shades of browns, varying from a dark chocolate to a light beaver, but in all cases they should be whole-coloured.
An admirable example of the brown Pomeranians is the incomparable Ch.Tina. This beautiful little lady was bred by Mrs. Addis from BayswaterSwell ex Kitsey, and scaled a little under 5 lb. She won over everyPomeranian that competed against her, besides having been many timesplaced over all other dogs of any breed in open competition.
The shaded sables are among the prettiest of all the various colours which Pomeranians may assume. They must be shaded throughout with three or more colours, as uniformly as possible, with no patches of self-colour. They are becoming very popular, and good specimens are much sought after at high prices. Mrs. Hall-Walker has been constant in her devotion to this variety for several years, and she possesses a very fine team in Champions Dainty Boy, Dainty Belle, Bibury Belle, and in Gateacre Sable Sue. Mrs. Vale Nicolas also has recently been most successful with shaded sables. Ch. Nanky Po, over 8 lb., and Champions Sable Mite and Atom bear witness to this statement. Her lovely Mite is a typical example of a small Pomeranian of this colour. He was bred by Mr. Hirst, by Little Nipper ex Laurel Fluffie, and scales only 4-1/4 lb. Mention should also be made of Miss Ives' Dragon Fly, Mrs. Boutcher's Lady Wolfino, Miss Bland's Marland Topaz, Mr. Walter Winans' Morning Light, and Mr. Fowler's May Duchess.
The blues, or smoke-coloured Pomeranians, have likewise their admirers, and among those who have taken up these as a speciality may be mentioned Miss Ives, Mrs. Parker, Mrs. Loy, and Miss Ruby Cooke.
Another colour which has attained of late years increasing popularity in England is orange. These should be self-coloured throughout, and light shadings, though not disqualifying, should be discouraged. The principal breeder of the orange Pomeranian to-day is Mr. W. Brown, of Raleigh, Essex, who has probably more specimens in his kennels than any other breeder of this colour. Tiny Boy, The Boy, and Orange Boy are his best, and all three are approved sires. Mrs. Hall-Walker is an admirer of this colour, and her Gateacre Philander, Lupino, and Orange Girl are great prize-winners. Miss Hamilton of Rozelle has for many years bred "oranges," and has given to the Pomeranian Club, of which she is President, two challenge cups for Pomeranians of this colour. Mrs. Birch also is a lover of this hue, and possesses such good dogs as Rufus Rusticus and Cheriwinkle.
There is still another variety which bears the name of parti-coloured. As the name implies, these dogs must be of more than one colour, and the colours should be evenly distributed on the body in patches; for example, a black dog with a white foot or leg or chest would not be a parti-colour. As a matter of fact, there have been bred in England very few parti-coloured Pomeranians; they seem to be freaks which are rarely produced. It does not follow that by mating a black dog to a white bitch, orvice versa, a parti-coloured will be necessarily obtained; on the contrary, it is more likely that the litter will consist of some whole-coloured blacks, and some whole-coloured whites. Miss Hamilton's Mafeking of Rozelle, and Mrs. Vale Nicolas's Shelton Novelty, are the two most prominent specimens at the present time, although Mrs. Harcourt-Clare's Magpie and Mr. Temple's Leyswood Tom Tit were perhaps better known some time ago.
Among toy dogs this particular breed has enjoyed an unprecedented popularity; the growth in the public favour among all classes has been gradual and permanent during the last fifteen years, and there are no signs that it is losing its hold on the love and affection of a large section of the English people. His handsome appearance, his activity, and hardihood, his devotedness to his owner, his usefulness as a housedog, and his many other admirable qualities will always make the Pomeranian a favourite both in the cottage and in the palace.