CHAPTER XLVIII 



THE OLD ENGLISH SHEEPDOG 



HOMELY and rugged he may be, but for all that 

 I must confess that there is something peculiarly 

 fascinating to me about an Old English Sheepdog. 

 In the first place I like a dog that serves some 

 useful purpose in the world, and is not bred merely 

 for his pretty appearance. Secondly, it will not be 

 denied that deep intelligence adds materially to one's 

 interest in the subject. This quaint, old-fashioned 

 creature is nothing if not intelligent ; otherwise he 

 would be useless in the pursuit of his calling. In 

 more modest guise he is the favourite drover's tyke 

 of the Midlands. At any important market you will 

 see many of them in charge of herds of cattle, and 

 shepherds, too, have a great predilection for them. 

 Even then he is a taking creature with his shrewd 

 brain and faithful eyes. When dressed up for a 

 show in his best coat he is quite imposing, a genera 

 favourite with the public. Selection and careful 

 breeding and rearing have produced a much larger 

 animal than I knew as a" boy, with more profuse 

 jacket. Probably he would find the latter somewhat 

 inconvenient in a heavy clay field on a dirty day. 



BooTc of the Dog. 225 



