DOGS OF CHINA AND JAPAN 



breeding, but become guard-dogs for the owner's kennel, 

 which often among the breeders of the palace contains as 

 many as twenty dogs. The eunuchs also use them to a certain 

 extent for dog-fighting. 



The ears should be placed well behind the middle axis of 

 the forehead, not too high on the skull, and should be well 

 feathered (not turned outwards in front), giving the appearance 

 of a rake (" pah-tzu "), nor yet projecting at the side (" chaio- 

 tzu," or horn-ear). Other bad points occasionally found in 

 China are sesamum-seed ear (" chih-ma-erh-t'ou," or prick- 

 ear), or the ear sharp-pointed and pushed forward. 



The mouth and cheeks may be somewhat round and dump- 

 ling-like, not under-shot as to the lower-jaw (" Ti kai tien," 

 " earth covers the heaven "). The lower jaw and chin should 

 be well developed, not frog-like (" ha-mah tsui "). There 

 should not be projection of the upper and lower lips and gums 

 (" to cherh "). The best mouths, of course, are those. in which 

 the lower part of the face is in the same plane as the front 

 of the ear (" tao ch'ieh tsui "). 



The Chinese liken the eyes of their best specimens to the 

 " Loong Ching Yii " (" dragon-eye fish "), or gold-fish. They 

 should be very large, lustrous, and prominent, with the iris 

 broad and of old-gold colour (" bi chi yen-erh," water-chestnut 

 eyes). If showing rather more white they are called " leopard 

 eyes." 



Ideal body development next in importance to that of the 

 head requires a well-defined waist, slightly concave (sycee- 

 like) back, a short, compact and sturdy body, front legs shorter 

 than the hind legs, with the object of producing a rolling 

 gait, which should, however, be steady and free. This gait 

 is compared to the movement of the plentifully finned gold- 

 fish. The fore-legs should be short, not straight and stick- 

 like (" chih pang t'ui ") ; the hind legs should not be bent and 

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