WHAT CONSTITUTES A GOOD DOG. 205 



WHAT CONSTITUTES A GOOD DOG. 



R. BURGES says : However much critics may dif- 

 |M for upon minor points, there can be no doubt of 

 "" their all agreeing that the essential points of a good 

 W^ dog are 7iose, staunchness, pace, endurance, intelli- 

 gence and high breeding These must be brought up to 

 the highest degree of perfection, and are each of such pri- 

 mar}^ importance that the absence of either will at once 

 stamp the dog as an inferior animal. It is impossible, pro- 

 vided these qualities exist in a proportionate and well-bal- 

 anced degree, that any animal can he too largely endowed 

 with them; but this perfect combination is a thing of rare 

 attainment, and hence it is that so many fall short of the 

 standard of excellence. A brief consideration of each point 

 will soon satisfy us of the truth of this assertion, and show" 

 how great are the requirements of a perfect animal. 



NOSE. 



By nose we mean that keen and sensitive Condition of 

 the olfactory nerves which enables the dog to snuif "the 

 tainted gale," and follow the unseen trail of the skulk- 

 ing Grouse or Cock to the very spot where it lies hid. To 

 do this under favorable conditions of wind and ground 

 is an easy task, and one that an ordinary animal can 

 accomplish; but when these conditions are not present, 

 and the ground and wind bear a faint and baffling scent, 

 and acuteness of perceptive faculty is required, belonging- 

 only to the superior dog. To deserve such a high reputa- 

 tion a dog must be able to catch the faintest taint while 

 going at full speed up or across the wind, to detect at once 

 the presence of a close-lying bevy or a single bird, and to 



