184 The Fox Terrier. 



It is no more than human nature that there is difference 

 of opinion as to the merits or otherwise of a terrier. That 

 which may be considered an almost fatal fault by one 

 person, by another may be thought of little detriment. 

 Some judges men, too, who bear a deservedly high 

 reputation as such will put a terrier out of the prize 

 list if it be even a trifle crooked on his fore legs or 

 slightly heavy at the shoulders ; whilst another dog, 

 narrow behind and weak in loins to my idea a far more 

 serious failing is considered pretty well all right so long 

 as its fore legs are set on as straight as rulers. As a fact, 

 there are judges who have recently gone to extremes 

 in awarding honours to these so-called " narrow-fronted " 

 terriers. Such have been produced at a sacrifice of 

 power and strength. Most of these very narrow-chested 

 dogs move stiffly, are too flat in the ribs, they are de- 

 ficient in breathing and heart room, and can never be 

 able to do a week's hard work in the country, either 

 with hounds or round about the badger earths or rabbit 

 burrows. 



A sine qua non with some persons appears to be a long 

 lean head, perhaps not quite so long and lean a one as 

 that engraved near the end of this volume, still a head and 

 jaw long enough, figuratively writing, to " reach to the 

 bottom of a pint pot." There is danger, too, in an 

 exaggeration in this direction, for, ninety-nine times out 

 of a hundred, the longest and narrowest heads, greyhound- 

 like in shape, are found on that stamp of terrier fittest for 

 coursing matches. 



I fancy, whatever has been said to the contrary, that 

 three people could not be got who, acting thoroughly in 

 independence of each other, would judge alike a class of a 



