CHAPTER V. 



iPASTORAL DOGS, AND THOSE USED FOR THE PUIV 

 POSES OF DRAUGHT. 



THE ENGLISH SHEEP-DOG. — THE COLLET. — THE GERMAN SHEEP-DOG.-» 

 POMERAJ^IAN OR SPITZ DOG. — THE NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR 

 DOGS. — THE ESQUIMAUX DOG. — THE GREENLAND DOG. 



THE ENGLISH SHEEP-DOG. 



There are so many different breeds of the English Sheep-dog that 

 it is diflScult to describe him. He has a sharp muzzle, medium- 

 sized head, with small and piercing eyes ; a well- shaped body, 

 formed after the model of a strong low greyhound, bat clothed in 

 thick and somewhat woolly hair, which is particularly strong about 

 the neck and bosom. The tail is naturally long and bushy, but, as 

 it has almost invariably been cut off until of late years, its varia- 

 tions can hardly be known. Under the old excise laws the shep- 

 herd's dog was only exempt from tax when without a tail, and for 

 this reason it was always removed ; from which at last it happened 

 that many puppies of the breed were born without any tails, and 

 to this day some particular breeds are tailless. In almost all sheep- 

 dogs there is a double dew-claw on each hind leg, and very often 

 without any hony attichment. The legs and feet are strong and 

 well formed, an 1 stan 1 road-work well, and the untirin:: nature of 

 the dog is v^ry remarkable. The color varies greatly, but most are 

 grey, or black, or brown, with more or less white. 



Such is the trie ol I En jlish sheep-dog, but a great proportion 



of those in actual use are crossed with the various sporting dogs, 



such as the setter, wkich is very con.mon, or the pointer, or even 



the hound ; and hence ^c so oaeu find the sheep-dog as good in 



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