26 THE OLD ENGLISH SHEEP DOG 



to confound mere grossness of bulk with well-developed 

 muscular magnitude. And magnitude, be it noted, is 

 synonymous with greatness. 



In the matter of mere shapeless bulk I side entirely 

 with those who wish to stamp out the large, long-backed, 

 slack-loined bob-tail, whose only claim to distinction is his 

 exceptional height. Indeed, I am responsible for the 

 recent addition to the Club's description, which now 

 concludes with the pregnant sentence : " Type, character, 

 and symmetry are of the greatest importance, and on no 

 account to be sacrificed to size alone." And I should 

 unhesitatingly award the palm to a little dog of twenty- 

 three inches against his rival of twenty-five, if the latter's 

 additional height had been obtained at the expense of 

 characteristic type, in which the smaller animal excelled. 



But I close the question as I opened it, with the 

 aphorism that a good big one will beat a good little one. 

 And again I italicise the adjective. 



In the fascinating quest for a perfect bob-tail of the 

 correct type there are a few simple lessons which it 

 behoves the beginner to master. 



First, let him learn by heart the Club's description 

 and the scale of points, until he has thoroughly grasped 

 their relative values. 



Secondly, let him never miss an opportunity of apply- 

 ing them, by handling a bob-tail from head to stern, 

 whether in coat or out of it, and mentally recording the 

 result. 



