=Minor Operations=
Docking--Setoning--Enemas--Fomentations--Blistering--Tumours
and Warts.
APPENDIX 443
White West Highland Terrier
=Club Standard of Points.=
INDEX 447
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
PAGE
HEAD OF BLOODHOUND CHAMPION SULTAN _Frontispiece_
POINTERS ON PARTRIDGES 5
POINTER CHAMPION FASKALLY BRAG 7
POINTER CHAMPION CORONATION 11
POINTER BITCH BARTON BEAUTY 13
POINTER BITCH BARTON BLANCHE 15
A BRACE OF ENGLISH SETTERS AT REPOSE (PRIDE and SALLY) 19
ENGLISH SETTER ROMNEY ROCK 21
IRISH SETTER DOG 25
IRISH SETTER CHAMPION FLORIZEL 27
MR CARTWRIGHT'S FLAT-COATED RETRIEVER CHAMPION COLWYN CLYTIE 43
TYPICAL FLAT-COATED RETRIEVER 45
FLAT-COATED RETRIEVER DANEHURST ROCKET 49
FLAT-COATED RETRIEVER BUSY MARQUIS 51
TYPICAL FLAT-COATED RETRIEVER DOG 53
CURLY-COATED RETRIEVER DOG 57
CLUMBER SPANIEL DOG BOBS OF SALOP 73
MR NEWINGTON'S SUSSEX SPANIEL DOG ROSEHILL ROCK 77
TYPICAL COCKER SPANIEL 85
IRISH WATER SPANIEL PAT O'BRIEN 89
MR WALTER WINANS' PACK OF HOUNDS AND MASTER 115
ENEMIES AT PEACE--FOXHOUND NAMELESS AND TAME DOG FOX 117
LECTURER--A MEMBER OF THE CRICKHOWELL HARRIERS 123
DEERHOUND CHAMPION ST RONAN'S RHYME 131
DEERHOUND DOG CHAMPION SELWOOD MORVEN 133
A QUARTET OF TYPICAL BLOODHOUNDS 143
GREYHOUND BITCH LADY GOLIGHTLY 159
FAWN GREYHOUND DEAN BADEN POWELL 161
A TRIO OF GREYHOUNDS, DUKE O' RINGMER, LADY GOLIGHTLY, GLORY
O' RINGMER 163
GREYHOUND SUSSEX BELLE 165
TYPICAL WHIPPET DOG DANDY COON 169
BORZOIS PADIHAM NORDIA 175
BORZOIS DOG 177
A GROUP OF LEYSWOOD BEAGLES 183
POCKET BEAGLE CHEERFUL OF RODNANCE 185
DACHSHUND CHAMPION SNAKES PRINCE 195
A BRACE OF TYPICAL DACHSHUNDS 197
DACHSHUND DOG AND BITCH 199
RED DACHSHUND VICTORIA REGINA 201
MR PROCTOR'S BASSET-HOUND BITCH QUEEN OF THE GEISHA 209
A BRACE OF TYPICAL SMOOTH-COATED BASSET-HOUNDS 211
SMOOTH-COATED BASSET-HOUND BITCH AND HER PUPPIES 213
SMOOTH BASSET-HOUND DOG CHAMPION LOUIS LE BEAU.
A veritable pillar of the Stud Book 215
TYPICAL SMOOTH-COATED BASSET BITCH 217
A GROUP OF CHAMPION SMOOTH-COATED BASSETS 219
TYPICAL ROUGH BASSET BITCH 221
ROUGH-COATED BASSET-HOUND DOG CHAMPION PURITAN 223
TYPICAL ROUGH-COATED BASSET DOG 225
MR SCOTT'S SMOOTH FOX TERRIER MILLGATE JOE 241
CHAMPION SOUTH CAVE LEGER 243
SMOOTH FOX TERRIER DUKE OF DONCASTER 245
SMOOTH FOX TERRIER CHAMPION CYMRO QUEEN 249
MISS LEWIS'S WIRE-HAIRED FOX TERRIER CHAMPION DONINGTON VENTURE 251
MR SCOTT'S SMOOTH FOX TERRIER MILLGATE BANDIT 253
SMOOTH FOX TERRIER DOG CHAMPION DUKEDOM 257
SMOOTH FOX TERRIER DOG DARLEY DALE 259
WIRE-HAIRED FOX TERRIER DOG REMUS OF GAYWOOD 261
MR SCOTT'S WIRE-HAIRED FOX TERRIER MILLGATE LEADER 263
TYPICAL PRICK-EARED SKYE TERRIER DOG 271
BEDLINGTON TERRIER DOG 275
SCOTTISH TERRIER DOG CHAMPION HYNDMAN THISTLE 279
A TRIO OF SCOTTISH TERRIERS 281
GROUP OF SCOTTISH TERRIERS 285
IRISH TERRIER BLACKBROOK BANKER 289
AIREDALE TERRIER DOG BARKEREND MASTERPIECE 291
AIREDALE TERRIER DOG CROMPTON MARVEL 295
AIREDALE TERRIER DOG BARKEREND VICTORIA 299
BRACE OF WHITE WEST HIGHLAND TERRIERS 305
WELSH TERRIER 309
DANDIE-DINMONT TERRIER DOG THISTLE GROVE BEN 311
AFGHAN GREYHOUND 335
THE CELEBRATED KEEPER'S NIGHT-DOG THORNEYWOOD TERROR,
said to be the most perfectly trained Night Dog ever bred 339
SECTION A
CHAPTER I
POINTERS
CHAPTER II
SETTERS
ENGLISH--IRISH--GORDON
CHAPTER III
INTERNATIONAL GUNDOG LEAGUE
CHAPTER IV
RETRIEVERS
FLAT-COATED--CURLY-COATED--LABRADOR
CHAPTER V
SPANIELS
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DIFFERENT VARIETIES--CLUMBER--SUSSEX
--FIELD--COCKER--IRISH WATER--ENGLISH SPRINGERS
SPORTING DOGS
CHAPTER I
=The Pointer=
Most authorities are in agreement that the English Pointer has been
derived from a cross of the old Spanish Pointer and Southern Hound, or
with the former and a Foxhound.
The old Spanish Pointer was a heavy, loose-made dog, had a large head,
short and smooth coat, thin, loose ears and a thin tail.
In colour he was generally black, black and white, liver and white, red
and white, dark brown, liver, etc. The breed, it is said, was first
introduced into this country by a Portuguese merchant, living and
shooting in Norfolk.
According to accounts, the Spanish Pointers had a remarkable degree of
scenting power, never missing their game.
In Germany there are two varieties of Pointers--the Rough-and the
Smooth-coated. Like the old Spanish Pointer, these dogs are slow, but
sure workers: they are heavily built, and frequently liver, or liver
and white.
The chief drawback to the Spanish Pointer was his slowness, and
indifferent temper. The French Pointer was probably superior, and may
have had considerable influence towards making the many good qualities
possessed by the English Pointer of to-day. A medium-sized dog is the
most useful, the heavy being too slow and the light weights too fast,
especially for aged shooters.
The Pointer may be described as fairly hardy; generally of good
constitution, and when bred from working parents, puppies usually
respond readily to the breaker's tuition.
A second-, or third-season dog, is preferable to a first-season one,
so that, when purchasing, this should be borne in mind. Another matter
worthy of attention, and that is, never to purchase a Pointer without
having him for a week or two's trial on your own shoot.
The colour of a Pointer is more a matter for individual taste, though
there is no doubt that one should choose such as can be the most
readily discerned in the distance. Lemon and white, black and white,
and liver and white ticked, especially the last-named, are the most
general colours. Liver, and red and white are frequently seen, though
the former is not so readily recognisable on ploughed land, etc.
[Illustration:
[_Photo by Horner._
POINTERS ON PARTRIDGES (Property of Mr F. R. HORNER).]
[Illustration: POINTER CHAMPION FASKALLY BRAG (Property of Mr H.
SAWTELL).]
In action, these dogs ought to move with beauty and freedom, unobserved
in any other breed. The movements alone ought to be sufficient to
create admiration in the mind of the sportsman.
_Head._--Should be of good size, wide in the dome, and wider between
the eyes, with a long, broad, square nose and broad, well-dilated
nostrils, giving the head a somewhat square conformation.
In _colour_, nose ought to be black, but in lemon and white dogs,
flesh-coloured. Cartilages of ears, long and thin, covered by soft
hair, and carried close to cheeks.
_Eyes._--Of medium size.
Twenty-four per cent. of points are allowed for skull, nose, eyes,
ears, lips, and six for the neck, which ought to be long, arched, and
free from loose skin or dewlap. Long oblique shoulders and long arms
are essentials of beauty in the Pointer. Forearms long, having plenty
of bone and muscle. Pasterns of medium length, feet round (like those
of the cat), and the soles hard. A good deal of attention is paid to
the legs and feet, by Pointer judges. Some prefer the hare-foot. The
elbow must stand well off the brisket and be low placed. Dog must not
be "out" at elbow. Viewed from the front, the chest of the Pointer,
nevertheless, ought not to be broad, otherwise the beautiful elastic
step is interfered with. The contour of the chest is round and deep.
Back ribs must be deep, and flanks broad and thick, so as to give
strength in these regions.
_Back and Hind-quarters._--The back should be of good length but
strongly built, and the loins broad and deep. First and second thighs
well covered with muscle; hocks strong and good; stifles broad.
Too much importance cannot be attached to the stern of the Pointer, and
judges are keen on quality in this region. First of all, it must be
strong at its "set on," and gradually taper to a fine point.
If the tail is as thick at the end as it is at its "set on," or coarse
in other respects, it indicates inferior breeding. Should be carried on
a line with the back.
_Faults._--Any approach to curl in tail, coarse coat, soft feet,
short back ribs, wide chest, too heavy in head and facial expression,
short on legs, under-or over-sized, presence of flews or big cheeks,
undershot; too much of Hound character, bad temper, disobedience, bad
constitution, etc.
[Illustration: POINTER CHAMPION CORONATION (Property of Mr H.
SAWTELL).]
[Illustration: POINTER BITCH BARTON BEAUTY (Property of Sir HUMPHRY DE
TRAFFORD, Bart.).]
[Illustration: POINTER BITCH BARTON BLANCHE (Property of Sir HUMPHRY DE
TRAFFORD, Bart.).]
VALUE OF POINTS
Skull 10
Ears 5
Nose 10
Neck 5
-- 30
Shoulders, chest, back and thighs, 30
Colour and coat, 10
Stern and general quality, 10
Legs 6
Feet 6
Elbow 4
Hocks 2
Stifles 2
-- 20
----
Total 100
CHAPTER II
=The English Setter=
Most authorities, or those who have made diligent inquiries into
the history--if such it can be called--or origin, of the English
Setter, are agreed that it has been derived from the Spaniel--Setting
Spaniel--and Laverack, in his work on the Setter, says,--
"I am of the opinion that all Setters have more or less originally
sprung from our various strains of Spaniels, and I believe most
breeders of any note agree that the Setter is nothing more than a
Setting Spaniel. How the Setter attained his sufficiency of point is
difficult to account for, and I leave the question to wiser heads than
mine to determine. The Setter is said and acknowledged by authorities
of long standing, to be of greater antiquity than the Pointer. If this
be true--and I believe it is--the Setter cannot at first have been
crossed with the Pointer to render him what he is."
If the foregoing views be accepted, it follows that our lovely Setter
is but an improved Spaniel.
[Illustration: A BRACE OF ENGLISH SETTERS AT REPOSE (PRIDE and SALLY,
Mr STANHOPE LOVELL).]
[Illustration: AN ENGLISH SETTER (ROMNEY ROCK).]
The Laverack Setters--a strain preserved by the late Mr Laverack--has
always played an important part in the more recent history of the
Setter. The Llewellin Setter--a strain bred by Mr Llewellin--(a
Laverack cross) stands out as being one of the best strains ever
produced, both on the show bench and in the field.
A high-class English Setter should have a rich, glossy coat, and every
movement should be one of elegance, dash, and beauty.
A high degree of intelligence and great power of physical endurance are
a _sine qua non_.
Field trials have done more towards perfecting the working qualities of
the Setter than could have been attained by any other means.
The breeding of stock from dogs coming out top at these trials affords
the surest means of attaining the highest degree of working capacity.
The points of the English Setter are as follows:--
_Coat._--To be soft, silky, and free from curl. There ought to be an
abundance of soft feather on fore and hind legs.
_Colour._--Not a great deal of importance is attached to this. The
chief colours are:--Liver and white, lemon and white, black, black
and white, red or yellow, orange Belton, black and white ticked, with
splashes of black, or bluish tint--blue Belton, black, white and tan
markings, &c. Black and white ticked are commonest.
_Skull._--Long and narrow, with a well-developed occipital bone. Muzzle
square, and lips full at their angles.
_Ears and Eyes._--Ears set on low, thin and soft, carried close to the
cheeks, and covered by silky hair about a couple of inches in length.
Eyes of medium size, either brown or hazel.
_Neck._--Slightly arched and covered by somewhat loose skin.
_Back and Quarters._--Arched, and loins wide and strong. Hocks, strong.
_Tail._--Should be carried in a straight line with the body, and
the feather upon it to consist of straight, silky hairs, shortening
towards the point. A beautiful flag is a great adornment to the Setter,
especially when at work.
_Fore-limbs._--Shoulders set well back. Forearms straight and strong,
of medium length, and with a good fringe at the back. Pasterns short
and nearly vertical. Feet well feathered below and cat-like.
_Weight._--Dogs from 50 to 60 lbs. Bitches, 45 to 55 lbs. _Club._--The
English Setter.
_Faults._--Curly coat, snipy head, bad carriage of stern, too light in
bone, too short or too long in leg, out at elbows, too heavy in head,
bad symmetry, disobedience, bad scenting power, indifferent at work,
etc., etc.
The Irish Setter
The origin of these dogs, as in many other breeds, is enshrouded in
mystery. The theory that they have been derived from Red Spaniels,
crossed with the Bloodhound, is accepted by some breeders, the traces
of Hound blood being observable in their method of working (scenting
their game), so much objected to, by many sportsmen.
[Illustration: IRISH SETTER DOG.]
In Ireland these Setters have been, and still are, greatly used for
snipe shooting, being hardy, fast, and very keen-nosed--their ability
to bear fatigue, and cold, being unequalled by any other variety of
Setter.
It has been said that the finest and oldest strain of Irish Setters
have a slight tinge of black on the tips of the ears and muzzle;
others, again, regard the presence of black hairs as a sign of impurity
of blood, agreeing that these dogs ought to be a very deep, rich red--a
dark or blood red being preferred. White hairs ought not to be present
anywhere, excepting on the forehead and chest, though many object to
white in the situation last named.
The _Coat_ should be close, of strong growth, and neither coarse nor
silky in texture. Feather of a golden tinge, and of moderate amount.
_Ears._--To be long, set low on the head, and have a medium degree of
feathering.
_Eyes._--A deep hazel or brown, and the nose dark or mahogany flesh. A
black nose should disqualify.
_Neck._--Of fair length, slightly arched, and body proportionately
long; the chest deep, and ribs well sprung.
_Forelegs._--Straight, not too much feathered, and the feet small,
firm, and close, with well-arched toes.
_Strong Loins_, powerful thighs and hocks, and a horizontal carriage of
the tail (not cocked) are excellences in this region.
Taken as a whole, the Irish Setter is built more after the type of a
racer. Moreover, has a little wider skull than the English variety.
[Illustration: IRISH SETTER CHAMPION FLORIZEL (Property of Mrs
HAMILTON).]
The Black-and-tan Setter (Gordon Setter)
This famous breed of Setters can be traced back for a hundred years to
the castle of the Duke of Gordon, but whether this nobleman laid the
foundation stone of the present breed of Black-and-tan Setter, becomes
a matter of speculation.
It is not the least improbable that these Setters have been derived by
crossing the English Setter with a Black-and-tan Collie, as certain
Gordons exhibit more than a trace of the Collie element.
During the last few years the Black-and-tan Setter classes at the
Kennel Club Shows in London have been very badly filled, and unless
breeding this variety of dog becomes more popular, in England at least,
it will soon deteriorate.
A well-broken Gordon is a most useful dog in the field, though
certainly his luck at field trials has not been anything like that of
the Englishman.
In colour he should be a glossy raven black, with rich mahogany tan
markings, pencilling of the toes being allowable.
On the inside of the fore-limbs, tan ought to show nearly up to the
elbows, and up to the hocks, on the inner sides of the hind ones.
There should be tan on the lips, cheeks, undersides of the ears; spots
over eyes, on front of the chest, on the vent, and at the root of tail
or flag.
_Eyes._--To be of medium size and deep brown.
_Ears._--The ears of the Gordon are longer than those of the Irish or
English, are set on low and lie close to head.
_Head._--There ought to be good evidence of "stop," rendering the
occiput well-defined.
From eye to occiput, head should measure nearly 6 inches.
The old type of Gordon was much too clumsy in the head.
_Neck._--Long, clean, and racey.
_Shoulders and Chest._--Shoulders of good slope and chest deep. Ribs to
be well sprung.
_Fore-limbs and Feet._--To be of moderate length; strong in the
forearms, and elbows well in. Feet arched and cat-like.
A _strong back, loin_, and well-bent stifles are qualifications of the
Gordon.
_Stern._--The tail carried as nearly in the same line as the body. Many
Gordons have defective carriage of the caudal appendage.
The so-called "tea-pot" tail is the worst fault, and destroys a dog's
chance of winning in the show ring.
Gordon Setter puppies are not difficult to rear, though good specimens
are difficult to produce; still more so to purchase, when grown up, and
thoroughly broken.
In America this variety of Setter is much thought of, and in that
country a great deal has been done towards the improvement of the
breed, where the value of points is as follows:--
Head, muzzle and nose 15
Shoulders and chest 15
Back, loins, thighs and stifles 15
Stern and flag 8
Fore-limbs 15
Colour and markings 8
Symmetry and quality 8
Neck 5
Eyes, ears and lips 5
Texture of coat and feather 6
----
100
[Illustration]
CHAPTER III
INTERNATIONAL GUNDOG LEAGUE
_Pointer and Setter Society_
CONSTITUTIONAL RULES
1. That the object of the Society be to promote the Breeding of pure
Pointers and Setters, and to develop and bring to perfection their
natural qualities. In order to carry out these purposes, an Autumn
Trial--on grouse, if practicable--shall be annually held within the
United Kingdom; and also Spring Trials on partridges shall be held (if
possible), either on the Continent, or in the United Kingdom.
2. That the Society shall consist of a President, Vice-Presidents,
a Central Committee, and an unlimited number of members, and that
there may also be appointed triennially a Vice-President and Honorary
Secretary for each separate Country or Colony. That these officers,
after election, be empowered to call Sub-committees of their
fellow-countrymen (being also members of the Pointer and Setter
Society), to advise and report to the Central Committee.
3. That one-third of the Central Committee (exclusive of the officers)
shall be withdrawn by lot each year, at the Annual General Meeting
for the first two years, and afterwards by rotation, and members
shall be elected to fill their vacancies; the retiring members to be
eligible for re-election. The President, Vice-Presidents, and Honorary
Secretaries shall be _ex-officio_ members of the Central Committee.
4. That the entire control and management of the Society shall be
vested in the Central Committee (of which three shall form a quorum),
who shall have power to make bye-laws and decide upon all matters in
dispute not provided for by the Rules of the Society; and further
that any member of the Central Committee, if unable to be present at
a Central Committee Meeting, shall be permitted (upon application for
same) to vote by proxy, duly signed, upon any resolution appearing upon
the agenda paper, except as provided in Rule 8.
5. That each Candidate for admission shall be proposed and seconded
by members of the Society. The Candidate's name, rank, residence
and profession or occupation, if any, shall be sent to the Central
Secretary a fortnight before the election of Candidates at the Central
Committee Meeting; and that each member of the Central Committee be
advised, at least seven days beforehand, of the proposed election of a
new member of the Society.
6. That the election of members shall be vested solely in the Central
Committee, and be made by ballot, two black balls to exclude.
7. That for the present no entrance fee shall be charged, and that
the annual subscription shall be two guineas, payable 1st January in
advance; and that any member whose payments shall continue in arrear
for six months shall (due notice of such arrear having previously been
given in writing by the Central Secretary) have his name struck off the
list, and shall cease to be a member of the Society. Any member joining
the Society after the 31st of August in any year shall not be liable
for an annual subscription for the current year. Life membership may be
acquired upon payment in a lump sum of twenty guineas.
8. Any member of the Society who shall be proved to the satisfaction
of the Central Committee to have in any way misconducted himself in
connection with Dogs, Dog Shows, or Trials, or to have acted in any way
which would make it undesirable that he should continue to be a member,
shall be requested to retire from the Society; and if a resolution to
that effect shall be carried by three-fourths of the Central Committee
(present and voting), duly summoned or warned to the consideration of
the case, the member so requested to retire shall henceforth cease to
be a member of the Society.
9. That subscriptions and donations, after payment of all liabilities,
shall be applied in such a manner as the Central Committee may
determine, for prizes at Trials or Workers' Classes, at not more than
one Dog Show each year, or otherwise; and all balance shall be invested
for the use of the Society, in such a manner as the Central Committee
shall direct.
10. That Central Committee Meetings may be held at each Trial Meeting
of the Society, or at such other times and places as the Central
Committee may determine, notice thereof having been duly sent to each
member of the Central Committee.
11. That the Annual General Meeting of the Society be held in May or
June in London, and that a Special General Meeting may be called at any
time, and at such place as may be agreed to by the Central Committee,
on the requisition of six members.
12. At every meeting the President, or one of the Vice-Presidents,
shall be chairman, or, failing these, a member of the Central
Committee; such chairman to have a casting vote at all meetings. And,
further, the minutes of the preceding meeting shall be read, approved,
confirmed, and signed by the chairman at the commencement of the next
subsequent meeting.
13. Any member may withdraw from the Society on giving notice in
writing to one of the Honorary Secretaries, or to the Central
Secretary, provided always that such member shall be liable for his
subscription to the Society for the current year in which he gives such
notice.
14. That the Central Secretary shall enter the name and address of each
member of the Society in a Book kept for that purpose.
A. E. SANSOM,
_Secretary_,
12 and 13 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden,
London, W.C.
INTERNATIONAL GUNDOG LEAGUE
_Pointer and Setter Society_
RULES FOR THE TRIAL MEETINGS
1. In Single Stakes the competing dogs shall be drawn into pairs by
lot, dogs belonging to the same owner being guarded from each other as
long as possible. The Judges having seen each pair run as drawn, if
possible, will at the end of the first round give to the Committee the
names of those dogs which they consider have a chance of being placed.
The Committee will then proceed to draw these dogs again, taking care
that dogs which have met in the first round do not run together in the
second. At the end of the second round the Judges will call up at their
own discretion, any dogs they require further, and run them as they
choose. If any dog would, by the withdrawal of his antagonist before
running, be left untried, the Judge may order him to run with any dog
similarly circumstanced in that round, or with the dog that has the
bye. The dog that has drawn a bye, if not called for previously by the
Judges, shall run as one of the first pair in the next round.
2. In Brace Stakes, the two dogs running together must belong to the
same owner, and the order of running in the first round shall be
decided by lot. No dog shall be allowed to form part of more than one
brace at the same meeting, and only one man at a time shall work any
brace.
3. In all Stakes the Judges will, except in cases of undoubted lack of
merit, try each pair in the first round for at least fifteen minutes,
and in Single Stakes the first and second prize dogs must have run
together, likewise the second and third. In the Brace Stake, all
prize-winning braces must have been down twice.
4. The Judges are requested not to award a Prize to any dog unless they
are satisfied that he will back of his own accord.
5. The Judges will, in making their awards, give full consideration
to the manner in which the ground is quartered and beaten, and are
requested not to award a Prize to the dog of any owner or handler who
does not beat his ground, and work exactly as he would do were he
actually out shooting.
6. The Judges will avoid, if possible, holding a dog so long on his
point, for the purpose of securing a back, as to cause the birds to
run: but if the pointing dog be so held on a point by order of the
Judge, he shall not incur any penalty for misbehaviour in reference to
that particular point.
7. The Judges shall not decide the merit of a dog's running from the
number of times he points game, backs, etc., but from the style and
quality of his performance as a whole. Dogs are required to maintain a
fast and killing range, wide or narrow, as the necessity of the case
demands; to quarter the ground with judgment and regularity; to leave
no birds behind them; and to be obedient, cheerful, and easily handled.
8. The Judges are requested and empowered by the Committee to first
caution, and upon repetition of the offence, turn out of the Stake any
breakers not beating the ground to their satisfaction; not keeping
together or out-walking their opponents; unduly whistling or shouting,
or behaving in such a manner as, in the opinion of the Judges, is
detrimental to the chances of success of their opponents. Any breaker
or owner who feels that the behaviour of his opponent is unsettling his
dog, may request the interference of the Judges.
9. A gun must have been fired over all aged dogs as well as puppies
before they can be awarded either a Prize or a Certificate of Merit.
10. Certificates of Merit will be awarded with a view to the
establishment of Workers' Classes at the Dog Shows, and as a guide to
purchasers of dogs which, though not in the list of Prize Winners,
give promise in their work of being valuable sporting dogs. In a Brace
Stake this honour may be conferred on one dog without reference to the
behaviour of his companion.
11. The Judges are empowered to withhold a Prize when, in their
opinion, no merit is shown, and to exclude from competition bitches on
heat, or any animals they may consider unfit to compete, and the entry
fees of such dogs will be forfeited.
12. After the first round the Judges may order a flag to be hoisted
at the end of each individual contest to indicate which of the two
competitors has shown the greater merit in that particular trial.
The hoisting of the "colour" of a dog whose performance on that one
occasion has been the more meritorious will not necessarily imply that
his opponent is debarred from winning in the Stake. When a striking
evenness of merit is shown, both flags will be hoisted simultaneously;
and, conversely, when there is a total lack of good work, no flags will
be displayed.
13. In the event of the weather being considered by the Committee
unsuitable for holding trials, it shall be in their power to postpone
the meeting from day to day until the Saturday following the first day
of the trials, on which day either the stakes not already decided shall
be abandoned and their entry fees returned, or a fresh draw for them
shall take place, at the discretion of the Committee.
14. If, from unforeseen circumstances, the Committee deem it advisable
to alter the date of the meeting after the closing of the entries, this
may be done by sending formal notice to all competitors that they may
recover their entry fees by exercising the option of cancelling their
entries within four days from the date of such notice. All entries,
however, about which no such application is made, within those four
days will stand good for the meeting at its altered date.
The Committee also reserve to themselves the right to abandon the
meeting at any time, on returning the entry monies to the competitors.
15. If any of the advertised Judges be prevented from fulfilling their
engagement for either the whole or part of the Meeting, the Committee
shall appoint any other person to judge, or shall make any other
arrangement that to them seems desirable.
16. The Committee have the power--if they think fit--to refuse any
entries for the Society's Trials, and if they consider that any
persons by their conduct or otherwise, are undesirable visitants at
the Society's Trials, they shall exclude such persons from the Trials,
without being obliged to assign any reason for their action.
The disqualifications of any other recognised Trial Society--British,
Continental or otherwise, shall be upheld by this Society.
17. An objection to a dog may be lodged with the Secretary at any time
within seven days of the last day of any meeting, upon the objector
depositing £5 with the Secretary, which shall be forfeited if the
Committee deem such objection frivolous. All objections must be made in
writing.
18. Upon any case arising not provided for in the above rules, the
members of the Committee present shall decide, and their decision shall
be final.
CHAPTER IV
=Retrievers=
(_a_) FLAT-COATED
There is good evidence to show that the Retriever is what may be termed
a "made" breed, and that his present state of perfection is the outcome
of careful selection during the last fifty years or thereabout, the
latter thirty years of this time having been devoted by enthusiastic
sportsmen to raise the standard of the Retriever to the highest
standard of excellence, and no one did more in this respect than the
lamented late President of the Kennel Club, S. E. Shirley, Esq.,
Ettington Park, Stratford-on-Avon.
Most of Mr Shirley's exhibits were an ornament to the show bench,
and not only were they ornamental, but equally useful in the field,
this gentleman being a keen sportsman and one of the most successful
breeders and exhibitors of Flat-coats in the annals of this or any
other time.
The Retriever is gradually coming more and more into favour, and
will continue to do so when his usefulness becomes better known. It
is a variety of dog that stands little chance of becoming spoiled by
interbreeding, as in the case of so many Spaniels.
[Illustration: MR CARTWRIGHT'S FLAT-COATED RETRIEVER CHAMPION COLWYN
CLYTIE.]
[Illustration: TYPICAL FLAT-COATED RETRIEVER.]
To the sportsman, the Retriever can claim advantages over the Pointer,
Setter and Spaniel, but unless very thoroughly handled during his
training, he is not of much service. A perfectly broken Retriever--more
especially if rich in show-bench points--should readily bring sixty or
seventy guineas at least, and cheap at that price.
_Coat._--Should be perfectly flat--not wavy as formerly--of an intense
raven blackness,[1] glossy, and the hair of good length and dense, more
especially over the tops of the shoulders and along the back, but the
contour ought not to be interfered with.
White hair upon any part of the body, head, tail, or extremities, is
not desirable, and should, in the author's opinion, tell against the
animal. We are aware that the presence of a few white hairs upon the
chest is not regarded as being of much importance. Still, there is no
gainsaying that to be perfect in all points, the Retriever must not
have such.
_Head._--Ought to possess the highest degree of intelligence. The
occipital dome to be wide, of medium height, becoming much narrower as
the nose is approached; the latter to be black.
_Ears._--Small, carried close to cheeks, and thin cartilage covered
with soft hair, yet free from feather at the margins.
Many Retrievers are very faulty here, a touch of the Spaniel element
sometimes being in evidence.
_Eyes._--To be of a deep hazel. Any tendency towards the so-called
"snipy" nose is a defect.
_Chest._--Deep, but not wide, and well covered with soft, black hair.
_Neck._--Somewhat short, but thick.
_Back and Loin._--A long, strong back and loin, slightly depressed
about midway, with a beautiful rise towards the hind-quarters. These
latter should be well muscled and covered by the same flatness of coat.
_Limbs._--Shoulders, strong and oblique, and forearm big-boned and
muscular; of medium length; pasterns short and strong; feet of
proportionate size.
From the hinder face of the fore-limb there should be a sparing amount
of feather, not of sufficiency to interfere with the dog when swimming.
When at rest the tail is carried down, but under excitement straight
out, though slightly below the level of the back. Any tendency to
curling of it, is very faulty.
[Illustration: FLAT-COATED RETRIEVER DANEHURST ROCKET.]
[Illustration: FLAT-COATED RETRIEVER BUSY MARQUIS (Property of Mr E. H.
BLAGG).]
[Illustration: FLAT-COATED RETRIEVER DOG.]
Many capital working Retrievers carry their tails very badly,
indicative of inferior breeding. What is equally important--no matter
whether it be the Flat-, or Curly-coated variety--in a Retriever, is
that of being good-tempered, obedient, persevering, quick to find, to
remain at heel until given the word of command, and to have a very
tender mouth.
If a dog is too headstrong, he will never make a good Retriever,
running out directly a shot is fired. Must respond with alacrity to his
master's word of command, in short, perfect obedience.
An "unstable" Retriever is not a useful dog; in fact, an annoyance.
The chief faults of a Flat-coated Retriever are--too Setter-like in
appearance, wavy coat, short coat, Spaniel-like ears, rusty tint, white
hair, bad temper, disobedience, too long on the leg, too short on the
leg, too much of the Newfoundland element, etc., etc.
(_b_) THE CURLY-COATED
Of the two varieties, the Curly-coated can, we think, lay claim to have
been the first established. In almost every particular, save that of
coat, the Curly Retriever corresponds to the description given under
the heading of (_a_)--the Flat-coat. Weight about 80 lbs. Particular
attention is paid by judges to the coat. The dog must be covered all
over with small tight curls, the tail to be the same. Any tendency
towards slackness of curl or an open coat necessarily handicaps the
dog in the show ring. If black, should be free from any rusty tint, or
from white. Face clean, neck long, and chest deep.
Liver Curly-coated specimens are nothing like so frequently met with as
the black. Should be of an intense liver, free from white hairs and a
nose of corresponding colour.
The Curly-coated Retriever Club has done much towards encouraging
breeding typical specimens. Although very useful, we fancy that the
Flat-coats are in more demand, probably because really A1 Curly-coats
are not so readily obtainable at a moderate price, and an indifferent
one, has not as good an appearance as an indifferent specimen of the
Flat-coats.
At the recent Kennel Club Shows in London, etc., the proportion of
Flat-coats to Curly was as three to one--the best evidence as to which
is the most popular variety.
Labradors
At the Kennel Club Show there are classes for this variety of
Retriever, and, in our opinion, the Labrador will, in course of
time, become very popular amongst sportsmen, as they are excellent
retrievers, when properly broken. They are wavy-coated dogs, either
black, fawn, or yellow in colour, and, what is remarkable, these
coloured dogs often appear in a litter belonging to a black sire and
dam.
[Illustration: CURLY-COATED RETRIEVER DOG.]
White specimens have been produced, and it seems likely enough that a
race of white Retrievers will, in course of time, become established,
though, from a sportsman's view, they will not be as serviceable as
their black or darker-coloured brethren.
The author remembers several fawn-coloured Labradors on an estate in
Scotland, and the gamekeeper spoke most highly of the breed for work,
though, constitutionally, somewhat delicate.
CONSTITUTIONAL RULES OF THE RETRIEVER SOCIETY
1. That the object of the Society be to promote the breeding of pure
Retrievers, and to develop and bring to perfection their natural
qualities. In order to carry out these purposes, a working trial, if
practicable, shall be annually held.
2. That the Society shall consist of a President, Vice-Presidents, a
Committee, and an unlimited number of members.
3. That one-third of the Committee (exclusive of officers) shall be
withdrawn by lot each year, at the Annual General Meeting for the first
two years, and afterwards by rotation, and members shall be elected
to fill their vacancies; the retiring members to be eligible for
re-election. The President, Vice-Presidents, and Honorary Secretaries
shall be _ex-officio_ members of the Committee, and shall be elected
annually.
4. That the entire control and management of the Society shall be
vested in the Committee (of which three shall form a quorum), who shall
have power to make bye-laws, and decide upon all matters in dispute not
provided for by the rules of the Society; and, further, that any member
of the Committee, if unable to be present at a Committee Meeting, shall
be permitted (upon application for same) to vote by proxy, duly signed,
upon any resolution appearing upon the agenda paper, except as provided
in Rule 8.
5. That each candidate for admission shall be proposed and seconded
by members of the Society. The candidate's name, rank, residence, and
profession or occupation, if any, shall be sent to the Secretary a
fortnight before the election of candidates at the Committee Meeting;
and that each member of the Committee be advised, at least seven days
beforehand, of the proposed election of a new member of the Society.
6. That the election of members shall be vested solely in the
Committee, and be made by ballot, two black balls to exclude.
7. That for the present no entrance fee shall be charged, and that
the annual subscription shall be one guinea, payable 1st January in
advance; and that any member whose payments shall continue in arrear
for six months shall (due notice of such arrear having previously been
given in writing by the Secretary) have his name struck off the list,
and shall cease to be a member of the Society. Any member joining the
Society after the 31st October in any year shall not be liable for
an annual subscription for the current year. Life membership may be
acquired upon payment in a lump sum of ten guineas.
8. Any member of the Society who shall be proved to the satisfaction
of the Committee to have in any way misconducted himself in connection
with Dogs, Dog Shows, or Trials, or to have acted in any way which
would make it undesirable that he should continue to be a member, shall
be requested to retire from the Society; and if a resolution to that
effect shall be carried by three-fourths of the Committee (present and
voting), duly summoned or warned to the consideration of the case, the
member so requested to retire shall henceforth cease to be a member of
the Society.
9. That subscriptions and donations, after payment of all liabilities,
shall be applied in such a manner as the Committee shall determine,
for prizes at Trials or Workers' Classes at Dog Shows, or otherwise;
and all balance shall be invested for the use of the Society, in such
manner as the Committee shall direct.
10. That Committee Meetings may be held at each Trial Meeting of
the Society, or at such other times and places as the Committee may
determine, notice thereof having been duly sent to each member of the
Committee.
11. That the Annual General Meeting of the Society be held in May or
June, in London, and that a Special General Meeting may be called at
any time, at such place as may be agreed to by the Committee, on the
requisition of six members.
12. At every meeting the President, or one of the Vice-Presidents,
shall be chairman, or failing these, a member of the Committee, such
chairman to have a casting vote at all meetings. And, further, the
minutes of the preceding meeting shall be read, approved, confirmed,
and signed by the Chairman at the commencement of the next subsequent
meeting.
13. Any member may withdraw from the Society on giving notice in
writing to the Secretary, provided always that such member shall be
liable for his subscription to the Society for the current year in
which he gives such notice.
14. That the Secretary shall enter the name and address of each member
of the Society in a book kept for that purpose.
A. E. SANSOM,
_Secretary_,
12 and 13 Henrietta Street, Covent Garden.
RULES ADOPTED AT THE RETRIEVER SOCIETY
(_Subject to Alteration_)
1. Before the Trials a number will be drawn by lot for each competing
dog, and the dogs will be tried by batches accordingly during the first
round. The handler of the dog must shoot with ammunition supplied by
the Committee, and he will not be allowed to carry in his hand anything
besides his gun. After all the competing dogs have been tried, the
Judges will call up, at their own discretion, any dogs they require
further, and try them again. No dog can win a prize which has not been
subjected to both tests of "walking up" and "driving."
2. All aged dogs will be expected to retrieve fur as well as feather,
if ordered to do so, but no handler must send his dog after any game
until bidden by a Judge to do so. The Judges have power to order any
handler to set his dog to retrieve game not shot by him personally.
3. The principal points considered by the Judges are sagacity,
steadiness, nose, dash, perseverance, obedience, and retrieving. This
last should be done quickly, with a tender and dry mouth, and right up
to the hand.
4. Any dog not present to be tried in its turn, the Committee reserve
the right of disqualifying at the expiration of fifteen minutes.
5. The Judges are empowered to turn out of the Stake the dog of any
person who does not obey them or who wilfully interferes with another
competitor or his dog, and to withhold a prize when, in their opinion,
no merit is shown; and to exclude from competition bitches on heat, or
any animals they may consider unfit to compete. The entry fees of all
such dogs will be forfeited.
6. Certificates of merit will be awarded with a view to the
establishment of Workers' Classes at the Dog Shows, and as a guide to
purchasers of dogs which, though not in the list of prize-winners, give
promise in their work of being valuable Sporting Dogs.
7. An objection to a dog may be lodged with the Secretary at any time
within seven days of a meeting, upon the objector depositing with the
Secretary the sum of £2, which shall be forfeited if the Committee deem
such objection frivolous. All objections must be made in writing.
8. The Committee have the power, if they think fit, to refuse any
entries for the Society's Trials, without assigning any reason for
their action.
9. In the event of the weather being considered by the Committee
unsuitable for holding the Trials, it shall be in their power to
postpone the Meeting from day to day until the Saturday following the
first day of the Trials, on which day the Stakes not already decided
shall be abandoned and their entry fees returned.
10. The Committee reserve to themselves the right to abandon
the Meeting at any time, on returning their entry monies to the
competitors, and if, from unforeseen circumstances, they deem it
advisable to alter the date of the meeting, after the closing of the
entries, this may be done by sending formal notice to all competitors
that they may recover their entry fees by exercising the option of
cancelling their entries within four days from the date of such notice.
All entries, however, about which no such application is made within
those four days, will stand good for the Meeting at its altered date.
11. If an advertised Judge be prevented from filling his engagement for
either the whole or part of the Meeting, the Committee shall appoint
any other person to judge, or shall make any other arrangements that to
them seem desirable.
12. Upon any case arising not provided for in the above Rules, the
Members of the Committee present shall decide, and their decision shall
be final.
CHAPTER V
=Spaniels=
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE DIFFERENT VARIETIES
[Illustration]
Regarding the word "Spaniel" as a generic title, and the different
varieties (Toys excepted) as "species" belonging to this genera,
the author purposes taking a brief survey of certain features
characteristic of Spaniels, leaving distinctive features for discussion
under the various titles of classification as adopted by the Kennel
Club. Judging from the literature at our disposal upon the subject, it
is at once evident that the Spaniel of to-day--no matter how changed by
selection--is of very ancient lineage, having existed as the Springing
Spaniel and Cocking, for upwards of 600 years, and his uses were then,
as they are--or rather ought to be--now: to range well within gunshot,
chase neither fur nor feather; never give tongue; find quickly, and
retrieve tenderly on either land, or water.
All these excellences are revealed in many of the beautiful old
coloured sporting prints, now so highly priced and prized, and
so difficult to obtain, though when obtained are a joy for ever,
gladdening the hearts of lovers of the old forms of such sport.
It is, we believe, universally accepted that the Spaniel originally
came from Spain, but during what period, there is no reliable data
to go upon. The departure, from what we may conveniently speak of as
the normal type of Spaniel, is most marked in that of the Irish Water
Spaniel, more especially in those coming from the north of Ireland.
Adhering to our original intention of general comparison, the author
will first of all consider--
_Temperament._--Most Spaniels are of a quick, inoffensive disposition,
a sour temper being oftener the results of bad training than any
inherent vice.
As with all other breeds, quarrels frequently arise over canine love
affairs, etc. Few, we think, can speak of the Spaniel as a quarrelsome
dog.
The sportsman's Spaniel--which is not commonly the show-bench
animal--is of hardy constitution, taking the water in the coldest of
weather, doing his eight or ten hours' work in a day, and roughing it
in the matter of food and kennelling.
The progeny of the working dog are not any more trouble to rear than
those of a rough-and-tumble Terrier.
The "soft" constitution of so many black and Sussex Spaniels is due to
that foolish system (in breeding) having been carried beyond all sense
of reason.
All are water-loving dogs, and, when properly trained, retrieve their
game tenderly.
_Coat._--Either flat, wavy, or curly, a flat coat being typical of the
up-to-date Spaniel. Many of the older type have a strong tendency to
show a "top-knot," and even now and again (Water Spaniels excepted), in
a litter of well-bred ones there is a reversion towards this type. All
have an abundance of feather on both fore and hind limbs, Irish Water
breed excepted.
_Colour_
Irish Water Spaniel Liver.
English Water Spaniel Liver and white, black
and white, black, or
black, white, and tan.
The Clumber Spaniel White, with red, lemon,
or orange patches.
The Sussex Spaniel Golden liver.
Field Spaniels(?) Black or tri-coloured,
also liver and white,
or tan.
Cocker Spaniels Black, black, white and
tan, liver, roan, liver
and white, black and
white, red and white,
etc., etc.
English Springers Variously coloured.
Welsh Springers Do. do.
Liver, liver and white, black, and black and white, are by far the most
frequent colours of the Spaniel. Tan markings are very common in Welsh
Springers.
The Irish Water and the Clumber Spaniel are really the only two
varieties free from the introduction of blood from other varieties of
the breed.
Except in rare instances, the show-bench Sussex contains a lot of Field
Spaniel blood, the result of crossing a typical Sussex Spaniel with a
black bitch, over twenty years since, and its perpetuation until the
present day.
_Head and Ears._--They all agree in the anatomical outlines of their
skulls, the greatest breadth being in the head of the Clumber.
Heavy facial expressions are characteristic of the pure Sussex, the
half-bred, or Jacobs' strain of Sussex, and the Jacobs' strain of Black
Spaniels. Many Cockers also show it.
Long ears, not only long in the cartilage, but heavily
feathered--excepting the Northern Irish Water--are very characteristic
of Spaniels, but this large amount of hair in this region can hardly
be a recommendation for work, knowing that it is very liable to become
entangled in brambles, etc.
The occipital dome is well marked, and in some there is evidence of
"stop," as in Toys. Muzzles generally broad; nose broad, and cheeks
full.
_Fore-limbs._--With the exception previously alluded to, Spaniels all
agree in having a short arm and short forearm, largely augmented in the
Spaniels of to-day (excepting Clumbers, etc.) through the introduction
of Sussex blood.
From a sportman's point of view, this has been a detrimental influence,
short legs greatly interfering with retrieving of hares, etc., although
there may be what can be described as compensatory advantages, such as
getting under the low runs of brushwood, etc.
The older type of Field Spaniel was vastly superior for work to many of
the lethargical, long-bodied, low-legged, semi-intelligent specimens on
the show benches at the present time.
_Body._--Mostly of medium length, with well-sprung ribs, strong back
and loins.
Tail carried on a level with the back. In all, the feet are full, and
toes prominent, well feathered in the interspaces.
Length of body has always been a marked feature of the Sussex, and
"massiveness" characteristic of body, head and limbs in the Clumber.
From the foregoing outlines, it must be allowed that conformity of type
throughout the whole of the Spaniels is general.
The points, etc., of the different varieties are as follows:--
The Clumber
Very early on, these Spaniels were bred at Clumber House, the seat
of the Duke of Newcastle, one William Mansell having had the care of
them under the Duke for a great number of years, and much was done to
improve the beauty and utility of this handsome variety of Spaniel.
It is, in the author's opinion, the one variety of Spaniel that has
suffered the least in the way of introducing the blood of other
species. To attempt to cross the Clumber, with the object of making
some improvement, is defeating the first principles of the Clumber
exhibitor, purity of breed being the aim of his affection.
On the other hand, the introduction of Clumber blood into other strains
of Spaniels, for working purposes at least, is rather beneficial than
otherwise, and it is a cross frequently employed.
At one time the Duke of Portland had a very fine kennel of Clumbers,
and when these dogs appeared at the Palace or other Kennel Club Shows,
they simply swept the boards.
Mr Holmes of Lancaster had also a strong team, though I did not like
the appearance of his Clumbers anything akin to those shown by the Duke.
Probably the handsomest--we will not say the most typical--Clumber
that ever adorned the show bench was Mr Parkinson's Champion "Trusty,"
though, for some unknown reason, this exhibitor quietly dropped from
the show ring, and "Trusty" sank into insignificance.
My dog, Champion "Psycho," was one of the most typical Clumbers going
the rounds, and deserved a much more successful career than he had.
He was about as sweet-tempered a dog as it was possible to have, and
formed a most devoted attachment to my mother, under whose care he
chiefly was.
At one time the classes for Clumber Spaniels were well filled, though
in recent years they have declined considerably.
Lately His Most Gracious Majesty the King, and the Duchess of
Newcastle, have shown Clumbers, and this alone should give a fresh
impetus towards the popularity of the breed. At anyrate, we hope it
will have this effect.
When carefully broken, Clumbers make excellent workers, and can stand a
lot of heavy work.
[Illustration: CLUMBER SPANIEL DOG (BOBS OF SALOP).]
A typical Clumber must be long, low and heavy. The author does not
like a Clumber to be so short on the leg that the belly nearly sweeps
the ground, and considers extreme lowness ought not to be encouraged.
The Americans bred their Clumbers for use more than show bench,
consequently kept up a good useful sort. Of course, any tendency to
legginess is fatal to type.
_Weight_, about 55 lbs.; bitches a trifle less, and big in bone.
The _Head_ of a Clumber is very characteristic. It must be "massive"
in every sense of the word, or wide in all proportions, and the nose
broad, full and flesh-coloured--a Dudley nose.
_Ears._--Long, carried close to head and "set on" low with feathering
on front edge, not elsewhere.
_Eyes._--Deeply set in orbits, and rather large.[2]
_Coat._--Soft, silky, shining, straight, dense, and feather long and
profuse.
For colour markings, we prefer orange ears, with an evenly marked head
and ticked legs. Orange is a common marking. Less marking on the body
the better.
Powerful loins; a long and straight back, and a nicely rounded
croup are essentials of beauty. A deep chest, well-rounded ribs, and
powerfully-built fore-quarters are equally important.
A good Clumber must have staying power, and if he has not a
well-developed muscular system, he cannot have this requisite.
_Neck._--To be of medium length and stoutly built.
The head, body and hind-quarters constitute fifty per cent. of the
total value of points, and the neck and shoulders fifteen per cent.,
hence the significance of being well done up in these regions.
Stout arms and forearms, with an abundance of feather, are necessary.
A good deal of brushing and combing, together with washing before
showing, are needful to make the Clumber look fit. His heavy appearance
can be increased by keeping him a bit above average condition.
One should be able to purchase a good pup--one likely to make a
winner--for, say, ten guineas.
_Club._--Clumber Spaniel.
=The Sussex Spaniel=
This is a very old variety of Spaniel, said to have originated in the
county of Sussex, in the locality of Rosehill.
[Illustration: MR NEWINGTON'S SUSSEX SPANIEL DOG ROSEHILL ROCK.]
Five-and-twenty years ago, typical specimens of the Rosehill strain
were scarce, and since that time not a great deal has been done towards
maintaining the purity of breed.
Very few Spaniels shown in the Sussex classes can claim purity of
breeding, the introduction of black blood by mating Champion Bachelor
to Negress, being the cause of this. Jacobs Bachelor was by Buckingham
ex Peggie and own brother to Rover III.--though very different types of
Spaniels.
The author was personally acquainted with these and many other old
Sussex Spaniels.
I always took Buckingham to be a very typical Sussex and Rover III. was
much of the same stamp as his sire; whereas Bachelor was more akin to
the Dam Peggie--of course much her superior, though quite unlike his
brother, Rover III.
At one time the judges would not look at Champion Bachelor, Messrs
Willet then preferring Rover III.
Later on the order was reversed, and we believe--though cannot be
certain--at the London Kennel Club Show. Champion Lawyer--at one
time in my possession--was a heavily built type of Sussex. The Rev.
Mr Shields, Mr Fuller, and Mr Newington, all had some of the pure
Rosehills, and I also bought a good bitch from Mr Henry Hawkins by
Rover III. ex Duchess. The last time that old Buckingham ever appeared
on the show bench--and then not for competition--was at the Royal
Lancashire Agricultural Society's Show, held at Preston about 1880.
Although the litter out of which I bought Countess was an exceptionally
good one--and Countess very typical--Messrs Willet would not award them
prizes, owing, they said, to the faintest evidence of tan markings,
observed with difficulty.
The typical colour for the Sussex is a light golden liver, and this
Bachelor certainly was, Rover being darker.
Poor old Bachelor had a violent death through fighting with a kennel
companion--a Gordon Setter.
Champion Rover III. was withdrawn from the show ring for some reason.
Even in those days animated discussion went on in the Press as to what
was and what was not typical of the Sussex. There is no gainsaying one
fact, and that is that the Sussex of twenty years ago existed in a
different state of purity to what he does in the present day.
In casually looking over recent entries at the Kennel Club Show of
Sussex Spaniels, it is questionable whether there is a single animal so
entered that can justly claim the title of Sussex.
When Mr Jacobs had old Champion Bachelor in his possession, he had not
more than one Sussex bitch to mate him with, to my recollection. There
can be no doubt that the great improvement--for the show bench--of the
modern Spaniels began when Jacobs crossed Bachelor with old Negress,
a black Field Spaniel bitch. It destroyed the purity of the Sussex,
but if it had not been indulged in, there would, in all probability,
have been no class for the breed now. Blacks, livers, and liver and
tan, all used to come in the same litter out of Negress, who certainly
constituted the nucleus of a fortune to her owner.
The points of the Sussex are as follows:--
_Colour._--Deep golden liver.
_Coat._--Flat, and slightly wavy, but absolutely free from any tendency
to curl. Soft and abundant.
_Weight._--About 40 lbs.
_Head._--Heavy, though smaller and lighter than that of the Clumber.
_Eyes._--Rather deeply set, giving the dog a very thoughtful expression.
_Ears._--These should be long and well clothed with long, silky hair.
Above, the ears ought to be rather narrow, but broad below, set on low
down, and carried close to sides of head.
_Nose._--Broad and liver-coloured, open nostrils.
_Neck._--Short and strong, and the back long, strong, and level.
_Shoulders and Chest._--A fairly deep chest, oblique shoulders, and
well-sprung ribs are necessary.
Flat-sidedness, and "tucked up under" are decidedly faulty.
_Fore-limbs._--Must be short on the leg. Arms and forearms short but
well boned. Crooked fore-limbs are objectionable; turned out at elbows
equally bad. There should be an abundance of feather springing from the
backs of the fore-limbs, and down to the hocks, in the hind ones.
For the show bench the more feather the better.
Feet also well feathered, round and strong. The chief faults of the
Sussex are: white hairs on any portion, tan markings, curly coat, too
leggy, light in body, snipy head, short ears, want of feather, bad
constitution, and Bloodhound expression on face.
=Field Spaniels=
To attempt to define the term "Field Spaniel" so as to be free from
objection, would be, indeed, a difficult problem.
Unquestionably it is a very ambiguous term, and capable of wide
interpretation. The mere fact of the Kennel Club and other shows having
a class or classes for Field Spaniels, does not satisfy (though it
simplifies classification) the mind of the thoughtful observer.
Anything from a half-bred Clumber, or Irish Water Spaniel may
constitute a Field Spaniel, and rightly so, in the eyes of a sportsman.
That such dogs would win--say at a Kennel Club Show--could not be
entertained for a moment. It is the cross-bred Sussex that generally
comes out top, and the longer and lower and more Sussex-like in
character, the better the chances of success on the show bench. These
are the author's views, though they may not coincide with those of
others.
Some twenty-five years ago the "modern" Field Spaniel was as yet
unknown. Jacobs' Champion Kaffir and Royle's Champion Zulu, and my
dog Negro (by Kaffir ex Negress) were all black Field Spaniels of the
Sussex type.
Zulu, with his Bloodhound-like eyes, had a remarkable show career, so
had Kaffir, but they were not Field Spaniels from a sportsman's point
of view, more especially Zulu. I had the two best pups[A]--one whole
black and the other liver and tan--though, unfortunately for me, they
both died from distemper before they were three months old. The black
puppy I remember in particular. He was a facsimile of his dad, old
Champion Bachelor, and had he lived, might have proved to be a little
gold mine. Like his brother, nothing would ever have persuaded me that
he was a "Field Spaniel," accepting that term as did the sportsman of
days gone by.
My black Spaniel, Negro, though a big winner, was about as stupid a
sportsman's dog or companion as ever saw daylight. The author's opinion
is that a Field Spaniel should have a fair length of leg, be of good
size, have short, thick ears, and not much feather on them, or yet
on the legs. Should be stoutly built, have a good tight jacket, be
big-boned, have nice full eyes, well-rounded ribs, and, above all,
quick hearing and a sound constitution. Colour unimportant, but black
and white, black, or black, white and tan, or liver and white, for
preference. Weight 40 to 50 lbs. There is no doubt that in course of
time the Field Spaniel Trials will do much towards building up a proper
type of field dog. A flat coat, of silky texture, and very glossy:
long, heavily-feathered ears, short, strong, straight, cull-feathered
fore-limbs, long body, and well-sprung ribs, long, graceful neck, and a
long, moderately-wide head, with level carriage of the tail, are points
of the Show Field Spaniel. Black (no white) or particolours (also
liver) are preferred.
=The Cocker Spaniel=
This is a pretty type of small Spaniel, and one that has been in
existence from a very early date.
Modern Cockers have been bred in all sorts of ways, though lately it
has become a fairly general rule to breed only Cocker with Cocker, not
necessarily of the same colour. A typical Cocker should weigh between
20 and 25 lbs., and be of smart, active appearance.
[Illustration: TYPICAL COCKER SPANIEL.]
Probably two of the most successful black Cocker Spaniels ever adorning
the show bench were Obo and Miss Obo. My (formerly Mr Easton's)
Champion Bess was a very typical variety Cocker.
The American clubs' standard for Cockers is not quite the same as the
English, the weight there being from 18 to 28 lbs.
_Head._--Ought to be of medium length, and the muzzle square cut off,
tapering from the eye, though there must be no appearance of the
so-called "snipy" head.
There is a marked "stop," and from it there is a groove running up the
skull, gradually fading away.
_Ears._--Set on low, covered with long, silky, straight or wavy hairs,
and reaching at least to the tip of nose.
_Coat._--To be free from any sign of curl, plentiful, straight, or wavy
and silky. Body of medium length, with well-sprung ribs, fairly deep
chest, and full in the flanks. Many Cockers are very defective here,
being what is called "tucked up."
Short fore-legs, strong, straight, well feathered, and well-placed,
good-sized, feet. The tail should be carried on a level with back when
dog is at ease, but lower under excitement.
_Colour._--Unimportant; regularity and beauty of markings (if any)
being qualifications.
_Clubs._--The English Cocker Spaniel; the American Cocker Spaniel.
_Prices._--Very typical puppies can be bought for three or four guineas
shortly after weaning.
_Faults._--Top-knot, out at elbows, light in bone, too leggy, and, from
a sportsman's view, too short on leg. In whole-coloured specimens white
is objectionable; shallow flanks, high carriage of tail, deafness, and
bad constitution. Narrowness of chest, flat-sidedness, and a narrow
flank constitutes faulty conformation.
=The Irish Water Spaniel=
There are said to be two distinct types of Irish Water Spaniels, one
coming from the South and the other from the North of Ireland. The
former is usually pure liver-coloured, with long and well-feathered
ears, whereas the latter has short ears, and the liver colour mixed
with considerable white.
One of the most characteristic features of the Irish Water Spaniel
is his "top-knot," consisting of a crown of hair from the occiput
to between the eyes, leaving the temples free. These Spaniels, to a
sportsman of but slender means, in particular, cannot be over-valued.
They are, so to speak, born to water, and in their element when
retrieving wild-duck in the depth of winter, requiring very little
tuition.
[Illustration: IRISH WATER SPANIEL PAT O'BRIEN (Property of MAJOR
BIRKBECK).]
A famous dog of this variety, and one that had a wonderful show-bench
career, was Mr Skidmore's Larry Doolan. The writer remembers this dog
very well, as he was shown from north to south, east to west.
In _Colour_, these Irishmen should be a dark liver, free from any white
hairs, unless it be a very small patch on the breast, or toes. A boiled
liver (sandy) colour is objectionable.
_Nose._--Large, of the same colour, and the _Eyes_ a deep amber.
_Skull._--High in the occipital dome, and of good width. A good
top-knot essential.
_Ears._--Set on low, having long cartilage (15 to 20 inches), and well
feathered, the hair in this region being wavy and profuse.
Hair on tail short, and straight, blending the curls, towards its
set-on, with those on the stern. Tail, whip-like.
_Neck._--Long and well set up, blending below with strong shoulders.
A deep chest, strong back and loins, are necessary for the working
capacity of the breed.
_Coat._--Very important. To consist of tight, crisp curls all over
body, and limbs. Fifteen per cent. of points go to the coat.
_Height_ (shoulder measurement).--Not more than 24 inches, or less than
20 inches.
_General Appearances._--To win, the Irish Water Spaniel must look
proportionate all over, be active, have a tight curly coat and a good
top-knot, carry the head well up, be keen in facial expression, have a
cat-like tail, and look as though he would be ready to dive at the word
of command--in fact a workman from top-knot to tail.
_Faults._--Total absence of top-knot, a fully feathered tail and much
white hair will disqualify. An open woolly coat, light in colour,
cording of hair, Setter feathering on legs, and a moustache, are
objectionable, and should tell heavily against an Irishman in the
show-ring.
_Weight._--55 to 65 lbs.
_Club._--The Irish Water Spaniel Society.
=The English Water Spaniel=
Bewick gives an excellent figure of a large Water Spaniel. It is
generally liver-coloured and white, with the hair on the body in little
curls. The dog is of medium size, strong, active and intelligent, and
used by the water-fowl shooter.
In the _Gentleman's Recreation_ and in the _Sportman's Cabinet_, this
variety of dog is also described.
In the writer's opinion, there are plenty of these dogs to be seen
about at the present time. They are larger than the Field Spaniel, and
stronger built altogether, looking as though they had both the blood
of Retriever and Irish Water Spaniel in them.
The English Water Spaniel Club looks after the interests of this breed,
and the Kennel Club provides a class for them.
A narrow head, small eyes, large nose, straight neck, strong back,
rather narrow, deep chest, long strong legs, large feet, a six-inch
dock, with a coat of ringlets or curls (no top-knot), and good general
appearance, are the chief points.
Black, liver, liver and white, black and white, black and liver, are
the accepted colours, but pied is most admired.
In addition to this breed of Spaniel, the Kennel Club also provides
classes for English Springers and Welsh Springers.
[Illustration]
CHAPTER VI
INTERNATIONAL GUNDOG LEAGUE
_The Sporting Spaniel Society_
CONSTITUTIONAL RULES
1. The name of the Society shall be "The Sporting Spaniel Society," its
objects being to encourage the working qualities of Spaniels in every
possible way, the breeding of them upon working lines, and the judging
of them at shows from a working standpoint. All varieties of Sporting
Spaniels, English and Irish Water, Norfolk, Clumber, Sussex, Black
Springer, and Cocker Spaniels, and any other varieties of Spaniels used
with the gun, shall be fostered and encouraged by this Society. It
shall, if possible, hold a series of working Trials.
2. The Society shall consist of an unlimited number of members, whose
names and addresses shall be kept by the Secretary in a book, which
book shall be kept open to the inspection of members at reasonable
times. Any respectable person favourable to the objects of the Society
is eligible for admission as a member. Each candidate for admission
must be proposed by one member and seconded by another member. The
election of members shall be vested solely in the Committee and shall
be by ballot, three members to form a quorum, and two black balls to
exclude.
3. The annual subscription for each member shall be one guinea, payable
on 1st January in each year. Anyone failing to pay his subscription by
31st January shall have notice given him by the Secretary, and if his
subscription be still unpaid on 31st March, his rights of membership
shall cease until he has paid his subscription. By non-payment of his
subscription, a member renders himself liable to be struck off the list
of members. No new member shall be entitled to enjoy the privileges of
members until he has paid his subscription. This rule will be strictly
enforced. Life membership may be acquired upon payment in a lump sum
of ten guineas. The payment of the first subscription of any member
elected after the 30th June in any year will cover the period up to the
31st December next after the following 31st December.
4. The affairs of the Society shall be conducted by a President,
Vice-President and a Committee consisting of twelve members. All
officers of the Society shall be honorary, and no member may make the
Society a means of private speculation, or trade in any way whatever,
and if found to have done so, he is liable to expulsion.
5. That the property and management of the Society be vested in the
Committee jointly, which shall have power to call meetings of the
Society, to make necessary bye-laws, to arbitrate in disputed matters,
to refuse the admission of any person deemed objectionable, and to
expel any member guilty of dishonourable conduct; after such expulsion,
the member so expelled to have no claim whatever against the Society,
or to be entitled to recover any portion of his subscription. Any
member of this Society, who has been declared by the Kennel Club
Committee incapable of competing for, or winning a prize at a Show
under Kennel Club Rules for any period shall cease to be a member of
the Society. The Committee shall also have power to deal with any
question not provided for by the Rules. The Committee shall decide upon
the value and nature of the prizes to be offered during the year.
6. Meetings of the Society shall be held as occasion shall require for
the transaction of business. A meeting may be specially convened by the
Secretary on receipt of a written requisition signed by not less than
six members, stating the time, place, and object of such meeting, to
be lodged with the Secretary at least a fortnight previous to the date
fixed for such meeting to take place. An Annual General Meeting of
the Society shall be held in London, if possible in May or June, and
at the said meeting the whole of the Committee in office shall retire,
the retiring members being eligible for re-election. Any member not
being able to attend this meeting, and wishing to vote at the election
of officers, can do so by proxy. But the proxy paper, properly filled
up, must be lodged with the Secretary at least forty-eight hours
before the meeting, and no person can be nominated a proxy unless he
be a member of the Society. The Committee shall have power to appoint
sub-committees for any special object. The Committee and officers shall
stand elected from one Annual General Meeting to another.
7. All the Officers shall be annually elected at the Annual General
Meeting, and their duties shall be purely honorary.
8. The minutes of the last Meeting shall be read at the commencement
of, and be approved and confirmed by the next subsequent similar
Meeting. The Chairman shall have a casting vote in addition to his
own. Notice of a General Meeting shall be sent to each member at
least seven days previous to the date fixed for such Meeting to take
place, and with the notice shall be stated a list of the business to
be transacted, and copies of all proposed resolutions shall accompany
the notice. The Honorary Solicitor to be _ex officio_ member of the
Committee.
9. All authorised expenses incurred by the Officers on behalf of
the Society shall be defrayed out of the funds of the Society. The
Society's Rules, and its Prize Lists, together with the names of its
Committee and Officers, and a List of the members and their addresses
shall be printed and supplied to each member. The accounts shall be
presented at the Annual Meeting duly audited by two auditors appointed
at the Annual Meeting.
10. Any member can withdraw from the Society on giving notice to the
Secretary (such member to have no claim whatever on the Society),
provided always that such member shall be liable for his subscription
for the current year in which he gives such notice.
THE SPORTING SPANIEL SOCIETY
_Regulations_ (_subject to Alteration_)
1. In Single Stakes for Spaniels, the order of running shall be decided
at the Draw. At the end of the first round the Judges will call up,
at their own discretion, any dogs they require further, and run them
as they choose. The Judges will, except in a case of undoubted lack
of merit, try each Spaniel for at least fifteen minutes in the first
round, but they can carry on the trial of two dogs simultaneously, not
ordering down together two dogs worked by the same person or belonging
to the same owner. All shooting will be done by guns appointed by the
Committee.
2. In Brace and Team Stakes the order of running in the first round
shall be decided by lot, and the dogs composing a brace or team must
belong to the same owner. No dog shall form part of more than one brace
or team at the same Meeting, and only one man at a time shall work any
brace or team.
3. In all Stakes the Spaniels shall be regularly shot over in the
customary sporting manner, and may be worked up and down wind, and on
feather and fur.
4. In all Stakes the principal points to be considered by the Judges
are scenting power, keenness, perseverance, obedience, freedom
from chase, dropping to shot, style, method of beating and working
to the gun--whether in cover, hedgerow, or the open. In Single
Stakes, besides, the Spaniels are expected to retrieve at command
as required--tenderly, quickly and right up to the hand; and any
additional excellence, such as dropping to hand and shot, standing
to their game and flushing it at command, etc., will be taken into
account; while in Brace or Team Stakes they are expected to beat their
ground harmoniously together. In all Stakes with puppies under twelve
months old, the retrieving of fur shall be optional.
5. Any dog not present to run in its turn, the Committee reserve the
right of disqualifying at the expiration of fifteen minutes.
6. The Judges are empowered to first caution, and, upon repetition
of the offence, turn out of the Stake the dog of any person who does
not beat the ground to their satisfaction; to withhold a prize when,
in their opinion, no merit is shown; and to exclude from competition
bitches on heat, or any animals they may think unfit to compete. The
entry fees of all such dogs will be forfeited.
7. An objection to a dog may be lodged with the Secretary at any time
within seven days of a Meeting, upon the objector depositing with the
Secretary the sum of £2, which shall be forfeited if the Committee deem
such objection frivolous. All objections must be made in writing.
8. The Committee have the power, if they think fit, to refuse any
entries for the Society's Trials without assigning any reason for their
action.
9. In the event of the weather being considered by the Judges
unsuitable for holding the Trials, it shall be in their power to
postpone the Meeting from day to day until the Saturday following the
first day of the Trials, on which day the Stakes not already decided
shall be abandoned and their entry fees returned.
10. The Committee reserve to themselves the right to abandon
the Meeting at any time, on returning their entry monies to the
competitors, and if, from unforeseen circumstances, they deem it
advisable to alter the date of the Meeting after the closing of the
entries, this may be done by sending formal notice to all competitors,
who may exercise the option of cancelling their entries within four
days from the date of such notice, in which event their entry fees will
be returned to them. All entries, however, in regard to which no such
option is exercised, will stand good for the Meeting at its altered
date.
11. If an advertised Judge be unable to fulfil his engagement for the
whole or part of the Meeting, the Committee shall appoint any other
person to judge, or shall make any other arrangements that to them seem
desirable.
12. The decisions of the Committee present shall, in all matters
arising at the Meetings, be final and conclusive, and shall bind all
parties.
CHAPTER VII
=Training Spaniels=
(_being an Extract from "Land and Water"_)
"Most people are contented if a dog will work within gunshot and push
out the game for him to kill. Almost any mongrel with the necessary
practice and experience will do this, but I assume that the sportsman
takes a pride in his dogs, likes to have good-looking and well-bred
ones, and if he wishes to shoot in comfort and in good form when he
uses Spaniels, it is quite as necessary to have them well-trained as
any other breed of sporting dog. I will therefore give such directions
as experience has taught me are useful. I know no dog that more repays
the trouble of breaking yourself (that is, if you have the requisite
knowledge and patience) than the Spaniel, who, from natural love and
affection he has for his master more than any other dog, should be
more ready to work for him than anyone else. The Spaniel's natural
love of and ardour in hunting require a firm hand over him until he
is matured. There is an old saying that 'A Spaniel is no good until he
is nearly worn out.' There is a great deal of truth in this, and the
Spaniel's enthusiasm must be largely reduced before he can get down
to cool, earnest work. I recollect an old bitch, that belonged to a
Devonshire sportsman, that was so cunning that she used to catch as
much game as he shot. When the old man died, I bought the bitch, as she
had a great reputation; but she was far too much of a pot-hunter for
me. I could have backed her against a moderate gun any day.
"Spaniels get very knowing in working to the gun after a few months,
and it is astonishing what efforts they will make to manœuvre the
game out to the shooter. I have seen numberless instances of this,
particularly in hedgerow shooting, when I have frequently seen a clever
old dog, on winding game, not make a rush at it, which would have had
the effect of sending it out on the other side, but pop through the
fence and push it out to you. This, as I have said, is only acquired
by experience; and a young, vigorous Spaniel will sometimes push up
the game, irrespective of lending any aid to the gun. A really good
Spaniel, even when he is busy questing and bustling about, should
always have an eye to the gun, and to work to it instead of for himself
and his own gratification and amusement. You cannot well begin too
early to train young Spaniels to get their noses down and to hunt
close; to work thoroughly every bit of ground and every hole and corner
that can possibly shelter a head of game. This is what the Spaniel
is required to do when he is grown up; and in order to inculcate
this habit in him, and to discourage him in what he is so prone to
do--namely, go ahead--you should begin by flinging small bits of meat
or boiled liver into small patches of turnips in a garden, or small
patches of thick bushes, or any kind of covert that will cause him to
seek for it with his nose, and not with his eye. By no means enter
your young Spaniels to rabbits if you can avoid it; they take to them
naturally when they get the chance, and there is no fear of their not
having the opportunity soon enough. Enter them to winged game, by all
means, and for this purpose get an old cock partridge, cut one wing,
and put him into a small patch of thick covert.
"Never take young Spaniels into large or thick coverts where they can
get away from under your eye. Confine your working ground to small bits
of covert, patches of turnips, bushes, bits of gorse--any thing, in
fact, where you will be likely to have thorough control over them, and
where they are in reach of an attendant; whom you should always have
with you to turn them to your whistle. I have found it a first-rate
plan to take them out on the sides of rivers and ponds, where there are
lots of moorhens, and plenty of sedge and rushes; let them hunt in
the rushes till they are tired, and a morning's work of this kind will
do them more good than anything I know of. They soon become fond of the
work; it teaches them to work close, and they are perfectly under the
control of yourself and assistant.
"Teach them early to drop to hand and shot, and spare no pains about
it; this is a part of a Spaniel's education which is generally
neglected. I know many men who, instead of making them drop to shot,
make them come to heel, using the words 'come around,' or 'heel.' It
answers every purpose; and as it brings every dog to you, and he has
to work right away from you again when he gets the signal, it has its
advantages in keeping them under control; but, on the whole, I prefer
the dropping to shot and wing instantly. It is difficult to make a
Spaniel drop to fur; and if you can keep him from chasing, merely
putting up hares and rabbits, but not following them after they are
started, rest satisfied that little more is necessary or desirable.
"I once saw an interesting thing of this kind. I was shooting with a
gentleman near Southampton, in one of his coverts, to a team of small
Clumbers; we were both standing in a ride, and saw a charming little
bitch feathering near us towards the ride. Just as she got to it, out
popped a rabbit and scuttled down the ride, followed out of the covert
by the bitch; but as soon as she cleared the wood and was in the ride,
close on to the rabbit, which she had not seen till then, down she
dropped entirely of her own accord. She had not seen either of us,
neither did we know that we were each observing this pretty bit of work
until we compared notes a few minutes after, and agreed that we had
never seen anything better. It is rather difficult to describe, but to
me it was worth all the afternoon's shooting, and it made an impression
at the time which is as fresh as ever now. She was, I need scarcely
say, thoroughly broken.
"If it is desired to make young Spaniels take water, and they show any
disinclination to it, the best plan is to take them to a stream which
you can wade through. Walk through to the other side, and they will
probably follow you at once; if they do not, walk straight away from
the opposite side and go out of sight; they will come, after making
a little fuss about it. If you have not a suitable shallow stream,
but are obliged to make use of a deep river for your purpose, get an
attendant, whom they do not know, to hold your puppies while you go
round by a bridge out of their sight, and come down opposite to them,
and follow the instructions I have given above. Remember many young
dogs have, at first, a great fear of getting out of their depth all at
once, but will freely dabble into a shallow stream; so that it is best
to lead them on by degrees. Once having got off their legs, and finding
that it is an easy matter to swim, there will be no further trouble.
Always choose warm weather for this teaching. There is, however, no
better plan of teaching them to take to the water than letting them
hunt moorhens. As to whether Spaniels should be taught to retrieve or
not, will depend upon what your requirements are, the number you use,
and so on.
"If you own but one dog, by all means take all the trouble you can to
perfect him in this business; and for this purpose you should choose
your whelp from a strain that retrieves naturally.
"If you work three or four Spaniels together, unless they are
thoroughly broken, they all want to retrieve, and it is often the
cause of much trouble. Nothing looks worse than to see several dogs
all tugging at one bird, except, perhaps, the bird itself afterwards.
If your dogs are sufficiently broken and under command, and will drop
to shot or come to heel, and you can direct either one of them to find
the wounded game, while the others remain down or at heel, you can let
them take it in turn which shall be allowed the pleasure and honour of
recovering the wounded; but how rarely one sees Spaniels so well under
command as this. In the case of a team of Spaniels, I think it better
that they should not be allowed to retrieve, and this duty is better
confined to a regular retriever.
"It is a good plan with young Spaniels to walk round a covert towards
evening, when pheasants are out at feed in the stubbles, having an
attendant with you to prevent them getting into covert, and walk in
a zigzag way about the stubbles; you can generally give them plenty
of practice in this way, and enter them well to the scent of winged
game. If your puppies do not readily return to your whistle, but show
a disposition to go on, turn your back upon them and go the other way,
which will generally have the desired effect--and a rate or a crack of
the whip from your attendant will greatly aid it. If a puppy is too
fast, put up a fore-leg in his collar, or tie a strap tightly round one
hind-leg just above the hock; but neither of these must remain long
without changing, or you will produce swelling and inflammation. Apart
from the pleasure and satisfaction there is in shooting to dogs of your
own breaking, there is this advantage that they learn to understand
your ways, and to know thoroughly your every look and motion, while you
at the same time perfectly understand them.
"In selecting young Spaniels to break, if you do not breed your own, be
most particular in getting them from a good working strain, of a sort
that a friend of mine designates as 'savage for work.'
"To work Spaniels in thick, large woods, you should always go with them
to work them, or send someone they are accustomed to work with, or they
will become wild or slack."
[Illustration]
SECTION B
=Hounds=
CHAPTER VIII
FOXHOUNDS
HARRIERS
OTTERHOUNDS
DEERHOUNDS
CHAPTER VIII
=The Foxhound=
At no period of English history has fox-hunting, with Horse and Hound,
been more vigorously pursued than it is during the twentieth century.
Scattered from north to south, east to west, are approximately some two
hundred packs of these magnificent specimens of the canine race.
Judging from the excellent sport enjoyed by the majority of hunts
during this last season, one has no need to be sceptical as to the
progress and continuance of this grand and manly form of sport. Looking
back on the times when such great followers of the chase as Peter
Beckford and Mr Apperley ("Nimrod"), one is apt to think that through
lapse of time, agricultural depression, and inroads made into the
country through commercial industry, fox-hunting might well-nigh have
become a sport of the past, but, happily, this is not so.
Given good weather and a favourable season, there is as good sport to
be obtained with Horse and Hound as in the days of Beckford. The modern
Foxhound, has, by selection, been derived from the old Southern Hound,
a dog that had longer ears, was heavier built, and slower.
This Hound was supposed to have been used by the Ancient Britons for
hunting the larger game present at that time.
The number of Hounds constituting a pack varies, and if the pack is a
very large one, the dogs and bitches are hunted alternately.
As to which is the best for hunting, opinions vary.
From twelve to twenty-five couples may be taken as the average number
working at one time.
The following is a description of the Foxhound, taken from the
_Foxhound Stud Book_:--
Head, of full size, but by no means heavy.
Brow pronounced but not high or sharp.
There must be good length and breadth, sufficient to give in the dog
Hound a girth in front of the ears of fully 16 inches. The nose should
be long (4½ inches) and wide, with dilated nostrils.
Ears set on low and lying close to the cheek.
The neck must be long and clean, without the slightest throatiness.
It should taper nicely from the shoulders to the head, and the upper
outline should be slightly convex.
The shoulders ought to be long and well clothed with muscle without
being heavy, especially at the points. They must be well sloped, and
the arm must be long and muscular, but free from fat and lumbar.
[Illustration: MR WALTER WINANS' PACK OF HOUNDS AND MASTER.]
[Illustration: ENEMIES AT PEACE--FOXHOUND NAMELESS AND TAME DOG FOX
(Property of Mr WALTER WINANS).]
The chest should girth over 30 inches in a 24-inch Hound, and back
ribs to be deep. The back and the loin both ought to be very muscular,
running into each other without any contraction (waist) or nipping
between them.
The couples must be wide even to raggedness, and there should be the
slightest arch in the loin, so as to be scarcely perceptible.
The hind-quarters, or propellers, are required to be very strong, and
as endurance is of even more consequence than speed, straight stifles
are preferred to those much bent, as in the Greyhound.
Elbows set quite straight, neither turned in nor out, are a _sine
qua non_. They must be well let down by means of the long true arm
previously mentioned.
Every Master of Foxhounds insists on legs as straight as an arrow and
very strong; size of bone at knees and stifles being specially regarded
as important.
Not much attention is paid to colour and coat, so long as of good Hound
colour, and the latter short, dense, hard and glossy. Typical Hound
colours are: black, white and tan (tricolour), black and white and the
various "pies," compounded of white and the colours of the hare and
badger, or yellow and tan.
In some old strains the "blue mottle" of the Southern Hound is still
preserved. The stern is gently arched, coming gaily over the back and
slightly fringed with hair below. It should taper to a point. The
symmetry of the Foxhound is considerable, and what is called "quality"
is highly regarded by all Hound judges. Dogs ought to weigh 70 to 80
lbs. and bitches from 60 to 70 lbs.
As to height, this varies in accordance with the country over which the
Hounds have to hunt. From 22 up to 26 inches, but between these heights
is general.
It is a very old custom to crop the young Hounds' ears with scissors,
the operation being known as "rounding". It is done with the object of
preventing the ears from becoming lacerated by briars, etc.
Recently there has been a good deal of discussion as to the necessity
for a continuance of this practice, many asserting that it is not
necessary, and constitutes cruelty.
As to the cruelty, there can be no two opinions.
The Kennel Club put their veto on the cropping of Bull-terriers,
Black-and-tan Terriers, Boarhounds, etc., and there is little doubt
that in course of time small ears will be the result. The old type of
Foxhound had very much bigger ears than the modern one.
All things considered, the author is of opinion that the time has
arrived for total abolition of this cruel operation.
The following is a list of some of the principal packs of Foxhounds in
_England_
Albrighton.
Atherston.
Badsworth.
Beaufort, Duke of.
Berkley, Old West.
Bicester.
Blackmore Vale.
Blankney.
Braham Moor.
Burton.
Cambridgeshire.
Cornwall, North.
Do., East.
Cotswold.
Do., North.
Devon, East.
Do., Mid.
Do., South.
Oxford, South.
Quorn.
Shropshire, South.
Staffordshire, North and South.
Worcester.
Taunton Vale.
Zetland.
Warwick, North.
Do.
Dorset.
Essex.
Fitzhardinge, Lord.
Fitzwilliam, Earl.
Flint and Denbigh.
Grafton.
Kent, East.
Do., West.
Ledbury.
Meynell.
Oakley.
Rutland, Duke of.
Sussex.
Tredegar, Lord.
York and Ainsty.
Whaddon Chase.
Yarborough, Earl of.
_Some Packs in Scotland_
Buccleuch, Duke of.
Lanark and Renfrew.
Fife.
Eglinton.
_Some Packs in Ireland_
Meath.
Wexford.
King's County.
Louth.
Waterford.
Tipperary.
Galway County.
Carberry.
Carlow.
=Harriers=
Although there are packs of Harriers in various parts of the country,
they are of a very limited number, hare-hunting with Hounds being a
very inferior sport to that of fox-hunting. Moreover, hares are not as
plentiful as in the days of our forefathers, in a large measure arising
through diminished agricultural industry and commercial relations.
That good sport is still to be had with Harriers we do not for a moment
dispute, but it is not general.
Formerly "dwarf" foxhounds were used for hare-hunting, though proved
not to be equal to the typical Harrier for this purpose.
Harriers vary in their height according to the nature of the country
they have to work in.
[Illustration: LECTURER--A MEMBER OF THE CRICKHOWELL HARRIERS.]
From 16 to 20 inches is the general height, sometimes a trifle more, or
less.
Unless very carefully trained, Harriers will hunt rabbits, and then
they are with difficulty broken of this vice.
The most useful colour is black, white and tan (tricolour), but hare,
red, tan, badger and yellow pies are frequent.
Throughout, the Harrier should be symmetrical, have a large nose,
dilated nostrils, ears low set on and lying close to the cheeks, and
the neck long and strong. A short neck is a defective one.
There must be no loose skin, such as dewlap, etc., in this region.
Elbows well let down and carried in the same line as body.
_Loins._--Broad; and back straight, strong, and wide.
_Back ribs._--Deep.
_Chest._--Deep, but not wide.
_Fore-limbs._--Straight as a line, well rounded and of good bone and
substance. Feet must be hard and compact.
Strong hind-quarters, and a gay carriage of tail are typical of a
well-built Harrier.
_Coat._--Dense, smooth (not coarse), and glossy.
Twenty couples were considered by the late Peter Beckford as
constituting a full pack of Harriers, though there is no fixed number
for this purpose.
Our illustration represents one of the Crickhowell Harriers, and for
the picture I am indebted to Mr Stanhope Lovell of Crickhowell.[3]
=The Otterhound=
Otter-hunting is a very ancient sport, otter dogs being used during the
reign of King John.
The Hounds in those days had not the beauty of the present-day
Otterhound, as very different types of dogs were then used, _e.g._, a
cross-bred Terrier, Foxhounds, etc.
One of the best packs of Otterhounds in this country are those
belonging to the Dumfriesshire otter-hunt, the River Tweed affording
the pack excellent hunting ground. It is an old-established pack, and
has always given, we believe, the best of sport.
Looking at a typical specimen of this breed, one is not slow to
recognise a "workman all over."
To a casual observer he has the appearance of a rough-coated--if such
there can be--Bloodhound.
These dogs weigh from about 65 to 80 or 90 lbs., and the bitch Hounds
10 or 15 lbs. less, and of different colours, but grizzle (black and
grey), and tan is the most general.
_Colour._--Fawn, yellow, blue and white and black-and-tan are
frequently seen. The last-named colour should not be encouraged in
these Hounds.
White markings are common.
His coat should be dense, of a wiry texture, shaggy in appearance, and
of a water-resisting nature.
When judging these dogs, particular attention is paid to the coat.
A soft coat is decidedly objectionable, so is one that is thin.
_Height._--About 25 inches.
_Eyes._--Deeply sunk, thoughtful, showing the "haw" plainly.
_Ears._--Long and sweeping, hanging closely to the cheeks.
_Skull._--The peak is less prominent than that of the Bloodhound and
the head shorter, but the flews large and loose. Like the ears, it
is covered by shaggy hair, softer than that on the body. Beneath the
lower jaw there is a moustache. Large teeth and powerful jaws are
indispensable in an encounter with an otter.
Of Foxhound-like conformation, the frame is of stouter build altogether.
_Neck._--Thick, of medium length, ending in very powerful shoulders
and arms, and the chest must be deep, running and swimming demanding
a sound heart and lungs. Dewlap loose. A strong back and loins, the
latter slightly arched, an additional qualification of the breed.
Should be shorter in the leg than a Foxhound, but have big-boned,
muscular limbs, with large feet, close, and horny below.
These Hounds hunt both by scent and by sight, their scenting-power
being developed to a remarkable degree.
The music of Otterhounds is rich, deep and mellow.
=The Deerhound=
[Illustration]
Regarding the origin of the Scottish Deerhound there is very little
reliable information, though there can be no questioning the fact that
it is a variety of dog indigenous to the Highlands, and bred specially
for the purpose of hunting the deer.
About forty-five years since there were not many of these Hounds in
England, and even in their native land at, or about, this period, they
were by no means common.
Although powerful and swift dogs, they are only used to a very limited
extent, and breeders of these Hounds keep them more for companionship,
and exhibition purposes.
They make excellent watch-dogs, and are exceedingly hardy.
The following description is that issued by the Deerhound Club:--
_Head._--The head should be broadest at the ears, tapering slightly to
the eyes, with the muzzle tapering more decidedly to the nose.
The muzzle to be pointed, but the teeth and lips level.
The head ought to be long, the skull flat, rather than round, with a
very slight rise over the eyes, but with nothing approaching a "stop."
The skull should be coated with moderately long hair, which is softer
than the rest of the coat.
The nose to be black (although in some blue fawns the colour is blue)
and slightly aquiline.
In the lighter coloured dogs a black muzzle is preferred. There should
be a good moustache of rather silky hair and a fair beard.
_Ears._--These to be set on "high," and in repose folded back like
those of the Greyhound, though raised above the head during excitement
without losing the fold, and, in some cases, semi-erect.
A "prick" ear is bad.
A big, thick ear hanging flat to the head, or heavily coated with long
hair, is one of the worst faults. The ear should be soft, glossy and
like a mouse's coat to the touch, and the smaller it is, the better. It
should have no long coat or long fringe, but there is often a silky,
silvery coat on the body of the ear and the tip.
Whatever the general colour, the ears ought to be black, or dark
coloured.
_Neck and Shoulders._--The neck should be long--that is, of the length
that befits the Greyhound character of the dog.
An overlong neck is neither necessary nor desirable, for the dog is
not required to stoop to his work like a Greyhound, and it must be
remembered that the mane, which every good specimen should have,
detracts from the apparent length of the neck.
Moreover, a Deerhound requires a very strong neck to hold a stag.
The nape of the neck must be very prominent where the head is set on,
and the throat clean cut at the angle, and prominent.
Shoulders to be of good slope and blades well back. Loaded and straight
shoulders are faulty ones.
_Stern._--To be tolerably long, tapering and reaching to within 1½
inches of the ground, and about the same distance below hocks.
When the Hound is at rest, tail ought to be quite straight down, or
curved.
[Illustration: DEERHOUND CHAMPION ST RONAN'S RHYME (Property of Mr
HARRY RAWSON).]
[Illustration: DEERHOUND DOG CHAMPION SELWOOD MORVEN (Property of Mr
HARRY RAWSON).]
During excitement, curved, and in no case lifted out of the line of the
back.
It should be well covered with hair on the inside, thick and woolly,
underside longer, and a slight fringe near tip not objectionable. A
curl or ring tail very faulty.
_Eyes._--These should be dark; generally they are dark brown or hazel.
A very light eye is not liked. The eye is moderately full, with a soft
look during repose, but a keen, far-away expression when the Hound is
roused. Rims of eyelids ought to be black.
_Body._--The body and general formation is that of a Greyhound, of
larger size and bone.
Chest deep, rather than broad, but not too narrow, and flat-sided. The
loin well arched, and drooping to the tail. A straight back is not
desirable, this formation being unsuitable for uphill work, and very
unsightly.
_Legs and Feet._--The legs to be broad and flat, with good broad
forearms and elbows.
Straight fore-limbs, and close compact feet.
The hind-quarters to be drooping, and as broad and powerful as
possible, the hips being set wide apart.
The hind-legs to be well bent at the stifle, with great length from
hips to hocks, and the latter broad and flat.
Cow-hocks, weak pasterns, straight stifles, and splay feet are the
worst of faults.
_Coat._--The hair on the body, neck, and quarters should be hard and
wiry, and about 3 or 4 inches in length, and that on the head, breast,
and belly much softer. There ought to be a slight hairy fringe on the
inside of the fore and hind legs, but nothing approaching the feather
of a Collie.
The Deerhound ought to be a shaggy dog, but not overcoated. A woolly
coat is a bad one.
Some good strains have a mixture of silky coat with the hard, and this
is preferable to a woolly coat. The proper Deerhound coat is thick,
close-lying, ragged, and harsh or crisp to the feel.
_Colour._--More a matter for individual fancy.
A dark blue-grey most preferred, and after this, darker and lighter
grey, or brindles, the darkest being preferred.
Yellow, sandy-red, or red-fawn, with black points (_i.e._, ears and
muzzle), are equally esteemed, more so because two of the oldest
strains--the M'Neil and Chesthill Menzies--are of these colours.
White is condemned by all the old authorities, but a white chest
and white toes, occurring as they do in a great many of the darkest
coloured dogs, are not so much objected to, though less the better, as
the Deerhound is a self-coloured dog.
A white blaze on the head, or a white collar, should entirely
_disqualify_.
A white tip on tail occurs in most strains.
_Height of Dogs._--From 28 to 30 inches.
_Height of Bitches._--From 26 inches upwards.
A big bitch is better for breeding and keeping up size. Ought not to
exceed the height of the dog under any circumstances.
_Weight._--Dogs, 85 to 105 lbs. Bitches, 65 to 80 lbs.
Mr Rawson, of Joppa, kindly supplied me with photographs.
THE TOTAL POINTS REQUIRED FOR A DEERHOUND
_Character_--
Length and shape of head 10
Ears 6
Beard and eyebrows 3
Eyes 5
Coat 7
Neck 5
Tail 4
Nails 2
Teeth 5
--47
_Body_--
Height at shoulder 10
Substance and girth 9
Length and symmetry of body 9
--28
_Limbs_--
Loins and hocks 10
Fore-limbs 8
Feet 7
--25
Total 100
SECTION C
=Hounds=
CHAPTER IX
BLOODHOUNDS
IRISH WOLFHOUNDS
GREYHOUNDS
WHIPPETS
CHAPTER IX
=The Bloodhound=
For several centuries at least, the Bloodhound has existed as a
distinct variety of the canine race. According to Jesse, the earliest
mention of Bloodhounds was during the reign of Henry III., and that
the breed originated from the Talbot, brought over by William the
Conqueror, and very similar to a breed from St Hubert's Abbey and
Ardennes, which, according to the old legends, was imported by St
Hubert, from the south of Gaul, about the sixth century.
The Talbot was the popular Hound from the twelfth to the sixteenth
century, becoming extinct about the end of the last century.
"The Southern Hound, another very old breed, showing many
characteristics of the Bloodhound, is difficult to find now in his pure
state, although many old packs of Harriers have descended chiefly from
Southern Hounds. The best authorities agree that the St Hubert, Talbot,
and Bloodhound are all closely allied."
The foregoing is an extract from the _Century_, by E. Brough.
These Hounds were used by Henry VIII. in the wars in France; by the
Spaniards in Mexico, and by Queen Elizabeth against the Irish.
One of the most remarkable features of the Bloodhound is found in his
abilities to track the footsteps of strangers, but in towns and cities
he is quite useless for this purpose.
Within recent years, these Hounds have frequently been employed with
the object of tracking a criminal, and in some instances, we believe,
with very satisfactory results.
In appearance the Bloodhound has a very stately bearing, and usually of
a kindly disposition.
On the hunt their music is deep and bell-like.
Although generally of good constitution, Bloodhound puppies are very
troublesome to rear, distemper being the scourge to which most of them
succumb.
For the photograph of the beautiful quartet, the author is indebted to
Mrs Chapman of Thrapston, and to this lady, and Mr Fall for the lovely
picture of the head of Champion Sultan.
The points of the Bloodhound are as follows:--
1. _Head._--This is characteristic.
The skin covering the forehead and cheeks is heavily wrinkled, the more
so the better. Reference to the picture showing the head of Sultan
shows the remarkable expression in this region.
[Illustration: A QUARTET OF TYPICAL BLOODHOUNDS (the Property of Mrs
CHAPMAN, Thrapston).]
The occipital dome is high but not wide, and very round. At the top it
forms a peak.
The nasal surface, _i.e._, from eyes to nose, is very long, so that
from peak to nose it may measure as much as a foot. The brows are
prominent; the flews very long--sometimes a couple of inches--and the
nostrils large and well dilated.
_Eyes._--Small, hazel in colour, deeply sunk, and should show a great
deal of "haw," _i.e._, the _membrana nictitans_, or third eyelid. These
features are very characteristic of the Bloodhound.
Long ears, thin, soft to the feel, set on low down, hanging close to
cheeks, and meeting, when pulled together, over the nose.
The facial expression ought to appear quick and penetrating.
2. _Legs and Feet._--There must be plenty of bone and muscle here;
strong knees; straight and round well-formed, cat-like feet.
3. _Chest and Shoulders._--Width and fair depth are desirable, the
shoulder being very strong, the arm also strong.
4. _Neck._--A long neck is essential, and the dewlap should be well
developed.
5. _Ribs, Back and Loin._--Well-sprung ribs, with a wide back, of
moderate length, and strong loins.
6. _Hind-quarters and Limbs._--There should not be much more than skin,
bone, and muscle in these regions. The hocks are strong and coarse.
Must not be cow-hocked.
7. _Tail._--Gay carriage as in other Hounds. At rest tail is down.
8. _Coat and Colour._--Black-and-tan. The black hair is generally
blended with the tan, and this ought to be of a deep red. Some Hounds
are tan-coloured only. Lion colour uncommon, but coveted. The body coat
short and hard, but on the ears, and head, fine and soft.
_Height._--For dogs, about 2 ft. 3 in.; bitches, 2 ft. (measured at
shoulder).
_Club._--Bloodhound Breeders' Association, particulars of this being
given.
THE ASSOCIATION OF BLOODHOUND BREEDERS
(_Founded 1897_)
OBJECTS OF THE ASSOCIATION
1. To foster the interests of the breed generally.
2. To establish a Fund by means of a subscription of 10 per cent.
of all money prizes that each member may have won and received, as
provided by the Rules.
3. To approach Show Committees with the view of obtaining extended
Classification in the Bloodhound Classes.
4. To promote Stakes in connection with the progeny of Stud Dogs.
5. To promote Stakes in connection with the progeny of Brood Bitches.
6. To offer prizes for competition at Shows in addition to those
offered by Show Committees.
7. To do everything possible to promote, by trials or otherwise, the
training of Bloodhounds to hunt man.
RULES AND REGULATIONS
_Members_
1. The Association shall consist of an unlimited number of Honorary
Members and Members, who shall be persons interested in the promotion
of the breeding and training of Bloodhounds, whose names and addresses
shall be entered in a register to be kept by the Secretary.
_Honorary Members_
2. The Committee shall have power to elect as Honorary Members any
persons whose election may be considered beneficial to the interest of
the Association. Honorary Members to be exempt from paying the Annual
Subscription, and shall not participate in any benefits to be derived
from the Association, nor take any part in its management.
_Mode of Election_
3. Each Candidate for Membership shall be proposed by one Member and
seconded by another, and the election shall be vested absolutely in the
Committee.
_Subscription_
4. The Annual Subscription shall be One Guinea, payable on the 1st of
January.
_Members' Prize Fund_
5. Each member shall, during the continuance of his membership,
contribute to a fund, to be known as The Members' Prize Fund, 10 per
cent. of all money prizes received by him (except out of the Fund)
during each year, and won for Bloodhounds at Shows and Trials held
under Kennel Club Rules.
6. The Fund shall be closed on the 31st December in each year, and the
amount received shall be offered for competition amongst the Members
during the year following in such manner as the Committee may deem fit.
7. No Member shall be entitled to compete for prizes offered out of a
Fund subscribed for whilst he shall not have been a Member, except as
provided by Rule 8.
8. No Member shall be entitled to compete for prizes offered out of the
Fund subscribed during the year during which he shall have been elected
a Member, unless he shall have, within one month of his election, paid
to the Association 10 per cent. of all money prizes previously received
by him during that year for Bloodhounds at Shows and Trials held under
Kennel Club Rules.
_Members in Arrear_
9. No Member shall be allowed to vote or compete for Association
Prizes, or in any way whatsoever enjoy any of the privileges of
Membership, whilst his current subscription and any other debts due by
him to the Association are outstanding, and for which application has
been made.
10. The Committee shall have power to erase the name from the list of
Members of any Member whose subscription remains unpaid on 31st day of
March.
_Executive_
11. The affairs of the Association shall be conducted by a Chairman,
a Committee of five, a Treasurer and a Secretary. All officers of the
Association shall be Honorary, and no Member shall be allowed to make
the Association a means of private speculation or trade, or to derive
money profit through it. The Chairman, Treasurer, and Hon. Secretary
shall be _ex-officio_ Members of the Committee.
12. The Executive shall be elected annually, as provided by Rule
22:--_Chairman_, Mr EDWIN BROUGH; _Committee_, Mr WALTER EVANS, Mr H.
C. HODSON, Mr ARTHUR O. MUDIE, Mr W. K. TAUNTON, Mr J. SIDNEY TURNER;
_Hon. Secretary_, Mr EDGAR FARMAN.
_Annual General Meeting_
13. An Annual General Meeting shall be held in January, for the purpose
of electing the officers of the Association for the ensuing year.
_Powers of the Committee_
14. The management of the Association shall be wholly vested in
the Committee, which shall have the power to call meetings of the
Association, to make necessary bye-laws and rescind the same, arbitrate
in disputed matters, the absolute power of the election of Members, and
the right to refuse the admission of or remove from the Association
any person deemed objectionable. The Committee shall also have the
sole power to deal with the funds and property of the Association in
its absolute discretion, also to deal with any question or matter not
provided for by these Rules, and also elect persons to fill up any
vacancy occurring in its numbers. Such elections to be confirmed at the
next Committee Meeting, and such persons shall continue in office until
the next Annual General Meeting. The Committee shall decide upon the
value and nature of the prizes to be offered at the various Shows and
Trials.
_Meetings_
15. There shall be a meeting of the Committee as often as deemed
necessary--three shall form a quorum. There shall be Meetings of
the Members of the Association--five actually present shall form a
quorum--in London or elsewhere, as often as the Committee may deem
necessary.
_Minutes and Votes_
16. The minutes of the proceedings of all Meetings shall be kept,
and the minutes of the last preceding Meeting shall be read at the
commencement of the next subsequent Meeting, and be approved and
confirmed by vote. Each Member shall have one vote, and the Chairman
shall have a casting vote.
_Shows and Trials_
17. The Association shall, if possible, promote and hold such Shows
and Trials as the Committee may deem expedient, and either in or
without connection with any other Exhibition, as the Committee may
direct.
_Disbursements_
18. All expenses incurred by the Secretary, Treasurer, or other Member
of the Committee, or by any Member for or on behalf of the Association,
on the authority of the Committee, shall be defrayed out of the funds
of the Association.
_Report and Audit_
19. An Annual Report, with a statement of the financial position of the
Association, shall be drafted by the Retiring Committee, and presented
at the Annual General Meeting.
_Withdrawal from Membership_
20. It shall be competent for any Honorary Member or Member to withdraw
from the Association on giving notice of his intention in writing to
the Secretary, but any Member leaving the Association shall remain
liable for all subscriptions not already paid, including that due
for the current year, and shall not be entitled to receive back any
money he may have paid to or on account of the Association during his
Membership, or have any claim against the Association, except under
Rule 18.
_Expulsion_
21. Any Member violating the Rules and Regulations of the Association
for the time being in force, shall be liable to be expelled by the
Committee; and any Member of the Association who shall be proved to the
satisfaction of the Committee to have in any way misconducted himself
in connection with Dogs, Dog Shows, or Trials, or to have in any way
acted in opposition to the fundamental rules and principles upon which
the Association has been established, or in any other manner which
would make it undesirable, in the opinion of the Committee, that he
should continue to be a Member, shall be requested to retire from the
Association, and if a resolution to that effect shall be carried by
a majority of the Committee, the Member so requested to retire shall
thenceforth cease to be a Member of the Association, as if he had
resigned in the usual course, and shall not be entitled to have any
part of his Annual Subscription for the current year returned to him,
and shall remain liable for all arrears of subscriptions unpaid and any
dues owing, but before any such expulsion or request to retire, the
Member shall have an opportunity of being heard in his defence.
_Election of Committee and Officers_
22. The Chairman, Treasurer, Hon. Secretary, and Committee shall be
elected annually. Their election shall take place at the Annual General
Meeting, and be by ballot. Only Members of the Association shall be
eligible to hold office. Nominations shall be sent in to the Secretary,
seven days prior to the Meeting, of gentlemen whom it may be deemed
desirable to elect; and Members of the retiring Committee shall be
eligible for re-election without nomination.
A Member shall not give more than one vote for any one candidate, and
must vote for the full number of vacancies.
_Notices_
23. Notices of the convening of any Meetings may be inserted in the
_Kennel Gazette_, _Field_, _Stock-Keeper_, _Our Dogs_, _Kennel News_,
or such other similar publication of which due notice is given to the
Members, and that shall thenceforth be deemed full and sufficient
without notice in writing.
_Service of Notices_
24. A notice may be served by the Association upon any Member, either
personally or by sending it through the post in a prepaid letter
addressed to such Member at his registered place of address.
25. Any notices, if served by post, shall be deemed to have been served
at the latest within twelve hours after the same shall have been
posted, and in proving such service it shall be sufficient to prove
that the letter containing the notice was properly addressed and put
into a post-office letter box.
26. As regards those Members of the Association who have no registered
address in the United Kingdom, a notice posted up in the office or
residence of the Secretary for the time being shall be deemed to be
well served on them at the expiration of twelve hours after it is so
posted up.
=Irish Wolfhounds=
The present breed of Irish Wolfhounds appears to be the outcome of
crossing the Deerhound with the Boarhound, though several centuries ago
this variety of dog was said to be in existence, and employed, as its
name indicates, for hunting the wolves in this and his own country.
The extermination of wolves in these countries would naturally account
for the decadence of the Hounds hunting them.
Be this as it may, the present type of Hound is a fast and powerful
dog, and, we should judge, would prove to be quite equal to his earlier
representatives.
In colour these Hounds are red, brindle, fawn, grey, black, white,
etc., and have a rough, hard coat on body, head and limbs, the hair
under the jaw and over the eyes, being long, and wiry in texture.
_Weight_, _height_ (proportionate), and powerful build are essentials,
and should be one of the principal aims of the breeder.
Dogs ought not to be less than 31 inches, and bitches 28 inches. In
weight, the former ought to scale 120 lbs. and bitches about 100 lbs.
_Head._--Must be long, of medium width above the eyes, and the muzzle
long and pointed.
_Ears._--Small.
_Neck._--Ought to be well curved, long, and deep.
A deep chest, wide brisket, and long, strong back and loins, together
with a long curved tail, having an abundance of hair upon it, are
qualifications for a typical specimen.
_Fore-limbs._--Strong, big-boned forearms, straight and carried
straight, ending in large round feet and strong claws, are essentials
of beauty in these regions.
_Hind-quarters._--To be clothed with well-developed muscles--weakness
in this respect being a fault--having a long second thigh, and hocks
low placed.
In many respects the Irish Wolfhound resembles the Russian Wolfhound,
our own Deerhound and Greyhound, though it is a more massive animal
than any of these, but like these Hounds, built upon racing lines,
though of the heavy-weight class.