THE OLD ENGLISH SHEEP DOG. 



517 



than at the shoulder. The head should be somewhat 

 pointed, but nothing like that of the Collie in either length 

 or narrowness; the ears should be small, set on fairly high, 

 and easily raised. There are two varieties of coats, the 

 single and double, which perhaps might be better denned 

 as the short and the very heavy ones. Fashion, or the 

 weight of authority, undoubtedly has gone for the very 

 profuse double coat, although it is admitted that the other 

 type is equally characteristic of the old breed. The heav- 



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OLD ENGLISH SHEEP DOG SIR CAVENDISH 



ily coated legs, clear down to the feet, and the densely 

 coated face, are also the "correct type," but although the 

 authorities have so decreed, I must dissent most strongly 

 from the desirability of either characteristic. The densely 

 coated legs can not but collect mud, snow, and slush, and 

 seriously impede the dog in his work. Any shepherd will 

 tell you that the same holds good with sheep; that those 

 with heavily wooled legs clear down to their feet tire much 

 more quickly than the cleaner-legged ones. The useless 

 hair of the face can only collect the ice and snow of a 

 winter storm to distract the dog's vision. 



The absence of tail is the special characteristic of this 



