JAPANESE SPANIEL 



Japanese Spaniel. — The importation into this country 

 of numbers of these engaging and attractive Httle dogs a 

 few years ago was hailed with enthusiasm by the majority 

 of those who are interested in the fortunes of the toy 

 varieties. As a result, the Japanese spaniel has been largely 

 bred in England, and possibly to its advantage, as the 

 puppies reared here are for the most part less delicate than 

 those which were imported. At the same time, the showy 

 little Jap is not a dog of robust constitution, and he is 

 somewhat liable to fits, as indeed are all toy spaniels after 

 they attain a certain age. Perhaps the chief reason for 

 regret that he has appeared amongst us in such large 

 numbers is that some breeders, inspired by an insane 

 thirst for what they term " improvement/' have been silly 

 enough to perpetuate a cross of Japanese and the English 

 varieties, to the detriment of both, as differences exist be- 

 tween them, and very undesirable traces of the cross have 

 developed in subsequent generations. 



The head of the Japanese spaniel is large, broad, and 

 rounder in front than at the back ; the muzzle short, wide, 

 and broad at the nose, which is black, excepting in the 

 case of the red and white specimens, when it is sometimes 

 of a dark liver shade. The eyes are not so full as those 

 of the English varieties of toy spaniel, and darker in 

 colour ; whilst the ears, which are set up wide apart on 

 the corners of the head, are small, V-shaped, and carried 

 with the tips pointing forward. The neck is short and 

 thick, the chest wide, and the body short, square-looking, 

 and compact ; whilst the fore-legs, which must be straight, 

 appear to be shorter than they really are because of the 

 wealth of feather they carry, as do the feet. The coat is 

 profuse and flat, covering all the parts of the body, but 

 on the head and muzzle it is short ; and the tail, which 

 is curled over the back, is very heavily feathered. The 

 recognised colours are black and white, and red and white, 

 the former being the more common and the better liked ; 

 and the average weight is about 7 lbs. 



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