THE SCOTCH DEERHOUND 125 



getting unusually large stock ; showing that, if an animal has size in 

 its breeding, it is just as likely to transmit size as one of its larger 

 relations, thus giving encouragement to the plan, advocated by me, 

 of not always selecting the largest and coarsest specimens of a strain 

 in the hope of getting size merely because they are big, a system 

 which simply perpetuates coarseness and clumsiness, very often 

 unaccompanied by what is the chief aim. But if you breed from 

 the smaller specimens of a large strain which possess character and 

 quality, you will be nearly sure to get the latter, and very probably 

 the size: 'a giant's dwarf may beget a giant.' Dr. Hemming's 

 Linda, whose portrait was given in the First Edition of this work, 

 was a splendid bitch, but her portrait was a mere caricature, and 

 must have been taken in the last stage of decrepitude and decay. 



It has been a matter of remark how much superior in late years 

 the bitches have been to the dogs. For one good dog we can count 

 three or four good bitches. Amongst the latter Dr. Haddon's 

 Maida must not be forgotten. She was a grand bitch, with a fine 

 coat, and would doubtless have been the greatest prize winner of 

 her sex, had she not been killed in transit to the Alexandra Palace 

 Show before she had got to her best. Mr. Parkes's Teeldar and 

 Leona were also of the highest class, and several others I might 

 mention. Indeed, a long string of first-class ones could be given, 

 beside which an equal number of the dogs contemporary with them 

 would make a poor show. 



The great fault of the show Deerhound of to-day is the want of 

 length and Greyhound form, the coarse, thick muzzles, heavy ears, 

 woolly coats, and want of quality, arising from breeding for size 

 alone. A dog standing 3oin. at the shoulder, girthing 33in. to 

 34in., and with a loin of not less than 24in. round, should be the 

 highest standard aimed at. The rest of our efforts should be 

 directed to getting the highest combination of strength and speed 

 with the greatest amount of character, aiming at improving the 

 length to such a degree that the dog should, with all his size, have 

 a long, low frame, rather than a tall, stilty one. 



As companionable animals, Deerhounds cannot be excelled. 

 Their chief drawback is their eagerness, when young, to chase any 

 running object. If, however, they are taken out constantly, or 

 reared amongst animals in the country, they soon become easily 

 restrainable and capital followers. They are not quarrelsome, but 

 when they get three or four years old will not stand any nonsense 

 from other dogs. They are of a gentle and affectionate disposition, 

 strong in personal attachment, and may safely be let run about the 

 premises without any fear of their biting any lawful comer. They 

 are delicate dogs to rear, and should never be shown as puppies 

 unless they have had distemper. 



The great difference in size between dogs and bitches of this 



