THIBET DOG. 



another, and taking advantage of collateral circnmstances, sucli as lojality, climate, 

 or diet, those ^vho have interested themselves in the eultm-c of this useful animal 

 have obtained the varied forms which are so familiar to us. In general character, 

 the groups into which domesticated Dogs naturally fall are tolerably similar, but 

 the individual characters of Dogs are so varied, and so full of interest, that they 

 would meet with scanty justice in ten times the space that can be afforded to them 

 ill tliese pages. It has l)ecn thought better, therefore, to occujn- the space by 

 figures and descri])tions of the chief varieties of the domesticated Dog, rather than 

 to fill the pages with anecdotes of indivitluals. Several varieties of the Dog will 

 be described in the following pages, and ilhistrated with tigures which, in almost 

 every instance, are portraits of well-known animals. 



.. One of the most magnificent examples of the domesticated Dog is the Thibet 

 Dog, an animal which, to his native owners, is as useful as he is handsome, but 

 seems to entertain an inviiK il)le anti])athy to strangei-s of all kinds, and especially 

 towards the face of a white man. These enormous Dogs arc employed by the 

 inhabitants of Tiiibet loi- tlie ])urpose of guarding their houses ami their flocks, 

 for which avocation their great size and strength render them peculiarly tit. It 

 often happens that the male inhabitants of a Thibctian village leave their homes 

 for a time, and journey as far as Calcutta, for the j)urpose of selling their 

 merchandise of borax, musk, and other articles of commerce. While thus engaged, 

 they leave their Dogs at home, as guardians to the women and children, trusting 

 to the watchfulness of their four-footed allies for the safety of their wives and 

 families. 



The courage of these huge Dogs is not so great as their size and strength 

 would seem to indicate, for excepting on their own special territories, they are 

 little to be feared, and can be held at bay by a quiet, determined demeanour. 

 Several of these handsome animals have been brought to England. Their colour 

 is generally a deep black, with a slight clouding on the sides, and a patch of tawny 

 over each eye. The hanging lips of the Thibet Dog give it a very curious aspect, 

 which is heightened by the generally loose mode in which the skin seems to hang 

 on the body. 



It is hardly possible to conceive an animal which is more entirely formed for 

 speed and endurance than a well-bred Gueyhoind. Its long slemler legs, with 

 their whi[)cord-like muscles, denote extreme length of stride and ra})idity of 

 movement ; its deep, broad chest, affording plenty of space for the play of large 

 lungs, shows that it is caj)al)le of long-continued exertion ; while its shaiply 

 pointed nose, snake-like neck, and slender, tapering tail, are so foiTued as to 

 afford the least possible resistance to the air, through which the creature passes 

 with such exceeding s])eed. 



