592 THE AMERICAN BOOK OF THE DOG. 



3. Intelligence and speed in bringing a boat to shore. The boat must, of 

 course, be adrift, and the painter have a piece of white wood attached to keep 

 it afloat, mark its position, and facilitate the dog's work. 



4. To carry a rope from shore to a boat with a stranger, not the master, 

 in it. 



5. Swimming races, to show speed and power against stream or tide. 



6. Diving. A common flag basket, with a stone in the bottom of it to 

 sink it, answers well, as it is white enough to be seen and soft enough to the 

 dog's mouth. 



Water trials in this country for dogs, properly managed, 

 would become extremely interesting, and would be an 

 incentive to the lovers of Newfoundland and other species 

 of dogs to breed and train them for this purpose. 



It would be well to add one of these noble animals to 

 each of our life-saving stations, as, properly trained, they 

 would doubtless be the means of saving many human lives. 

 He would not only be ready to save persons from drown- 

 ing, but would be of great assistance in other ways, as his 

 keenness of sight and scent is surprising and his curiosity 

 unlimited. 



Newfoundland dogs are not active on land, owing to 

 their carrying what dog men term lumber, which makes 

 them rather slow and logy; therefore they are unfit to 

 follow a horse going at any great rate of speed. 



The following is the recognized standard for judging 

 Newfoundland dogs, as formulated by Stonehenge in k ' The 

 Dogs of the British Islands: " 



Symmetry and general appearance. The dog should 

 impress the eye with strength and great activity. He 

 should move freely on his legs, with the body swinging 

 loosely between them, so that a slight roll in gait should 

 not be objectionable; but, at the same time, a weak or hol- 

 low back, slackness of the loins, or cow-hocks should be 

 decided faults. 



Head. Should be broad and massive, flat on the skull, 

 the occipital bone well developed; there should be no 

 decided stop, and the muzzle should be short, clean-cut, and 

 rather square in shape, and covered with short, fine hair. 



Goat. Should be flat and dense, of a coarsish texture 



