THE FOX-TERRIER 437 



dark hazel. In addition to the eyes being deeply set, it might also be 

 suggested that they be not too widely apart, and of an almond shape. 

 A dog with eyes such as the combination suggested above could 

 give would undoubtedly possess a great deal of that expressiveness 

 somewhat difficult to define, but which it is the aim of every Fox- 

 terrier breeder to produce. 



Lastly, as to the mouth. A level mouth should be a sine qua 

 non, and an undershot dog, or one that is much overshot, should 

 be disqualified. The term undershot, it may be explained for the 

 novice's benefit, is applied to dogs whose lower jaw projects beyond 

 the upper one ; and overshot when the reverse obtains. White 

 teeth should be found, and young dogs at any rate should be 

 penalised for not possessing them. 



Neck should be clean and muscular, without throatiness, of fair length, and 

 gradually widening to the shoulders. 



Shoulders should be fine at the points, long, and sloping. The chest deep, 

 and not broad. 



Back should be short, straight, and strong, with no appearance of slackness 

 behind the shoulders ; the loin broad, powerful, and very slightly arched. The 

 dog should be well ribbed up with deep back ribs and should not be flat-sided. 



Hindquarters should be strong and muscular, quite free from droop or 

 crouch ; the thighs long and powerful ; hocks near the ground, the dog standing 

 well up on them like a Foxhound, without much bend in the stifles. 



Stern should be set on rather high, and carried gaily ; but not over the back, 

 or curled. It should be of good strength, anything approaching a pipe-stopper 

 tail being especially objectionable. 



A "pipe-stopper tail" is as inelegant as it must be to the 

 majority obscure. Nowadays it is the fashion to allow a much 

 longer stern than was the case years ago, and it is an improvement, 

 providing the set-on be accurate, as it gives the dog, a far smarter 

 appearance. 



Legs, viewed in any direction, must be straight, showing little or no appearance 

 of ankle in front. They should be large in bone throughout, the elbows working 

 freely just clear of the side. Both fore and hind legs should be carried straight 

 forward in travelling, the stifles not turning outwards. The feet should be round, 

 compact, and not too large ; the toes moderately arched, and turned neither in 

 nor out. There should be no dew-claws behind. 



" The legs, viewed in any direction, must be straight, showing 

 little or no appearance of ankle in front." From the context the 

 fore legs are evidently here referred to. Though the writer is not of 

 those who think that the average Fox-terriers of to-day are one 

 whit behind the old-time Kennel Terriers as regards pluck, yet he 

 is of those who think that by breeding the former so long upon the 

 leg much of their utility has been sacrificed. It is quite impossible 

 for a big, long-legged dog to negotiate small drains, and plenty of 

 instances have occurred where such an animal has been " stuck up " 

 in an attempt to do so. 



