132 The Fox Terrier. 



their classes accordingly, having divisions for fox terrier 

 dogs over i81b. weight, for bitches over i61b. in weight, 

 and others for animals below these stipulations. I need 

 scarcely say that this arrangement was not satisfactory, and 

 though it was continued till 1885, the weight classification 

 finally lapsed, and has not since been restored. It may be 

 instructive to note that in 1876, the year before divisions 

 by weight were arranged, there were 72 entries in the dog 

 class, a number which has not been equalled since. 



Some fox terriers look bigger than they actually are and 

 weigh accordingly, and vice versa is likewise frequently the 

 case. A fox terrier dog iglb. in weight in show bench trim 

 is really not over-sized, and often enough dogs heavier than 

 this have become champions and no fault found with them. 

 As a rule exhibitors are chary about sending their dogs to 

 scale when they are about iglb. weight or more. 



However, I cannot do better than give prominence here to 

 Mr. Doyle's valued opinion " on the progress made by fox 

 terriers of late years, and some comparisons between the 

 prize winners of an earlier generation and those of to-day." 

 He says : " For twenty years I have bred somewhat exten- 

 sively, judged not unfrequently, and observed pretty 

 attentively and regularly. If, therefore, I cannot make 

 something like an accurate estimate of the results which 

 have been reached during that period, it is not for lack of 

 opportunity. 



" To begin with, I feel pretty sure that I shall have every 

 competent critic of the breed with me as to the great general 

 improvement of the breed as a whole. Whether our best dogs 

 are better or worse than they were is a question to which I 

 will come later on. It is only certain that passably good 

 ones are far more numerous. Every large breeder is to-day 



