48 



THE NEW BOOK OF THE DOG. 



and compact, with the toes well split up, 

 and the knuckles prominent. 



The most desirable weight for a Bulldog 

 is about 50 lbs. 



The coat should be fine in texture, short, 

 close, and smooth, silky when stroked from 

 the head towards the tail owing to its 

 closeness, but not wiry when stroked in 

 the reverse direction. 



The colour should be whole or smut, 

 the latter being a whole colour with a 

 black mask or muzzle, It should be 

 brilliant and pure of its sort. The colours 

 in order of merit are, first, whole colours 

 and smuts, viz. brindles, reds, white, with 



MR. JAMES DUNCAN'S CH. MAHOMET 



(BORN 1901) BY KHALIFA LADY DOROTHY 



Photograph by II'. P. Dmuio. F.Z.S. 



their varieties, as whole fawns, fallows, 

 etc., and, secondly, pied and mixed colours. 

 Opinions differ considerably on the colour 

 question ; one judge will set back a fawn 

 and put forward a pied dog, whilst others 

 will do the reverse. Occasionally one comes 

 across specimens having a black-and-tan 

 colour, which, although not mentioned in 

 the recognised standard as being debarred, 

 do not as a rule figure in the prize list. 

 Some of the best specimens which the writer 

 has seen have been black-and-tans, and a 

 few years ago on his awarding a first prize 

 to a bitch of this colour, a long but non- 

 conclusive argument was held in the canine 

 press. Granted that the colour is objection- 

 able, a dog which scores in all other properties 



should not be put down for this point alone, 

 seeing that in the dog-fighting days there 

 were many specimens of this colour. 



In action the Bulldog should have a 

 peculiarly heavy and constrained gait, a 

 rolling, or " slouching " movement, appear- 

 ing to walk with short, quick steps on the 

 tip of his toes, his hindfeet not being lifted 

 high but appearing to skim the ground, 

 and running with the right shoulder rather 

 advanced, similar to the manner of a horse 

 when cantering. 



The foregoing minute description of the 

 various show points of a Bulldog indicates 

 that he should have the appearance of a 

 thick-set Ayrshire or Highland bull. In 

 stature he should be low to the ground, 

 broad and compact, the body being carried 

 between and not on the forelegs. He 

 should stand over a great deal of ground, 

 and have the appearance of immense power. 

 The height of the foreleg should not exceed 

 the distance from the elbow to the centre of 

 the back, between the shoulder blades. 



Considerable importance is attached to 

 the freedom and activity displayed by the 

 animal in its movements. Deformed joints, 

 or weakness, are very objectionable. The 

 head should be strikingly massive and 

 carried low, the face short, the muzzle very 

 broad, blunt, and inclined upwards. The 

 body should be short and well-knit, the 

 limbs, stout and muscular. The hind- 

 quarters should be very high and strong, 

 but rather lightly made in comparison 

 with the heavily-made fore-parts. 



As an indication of the relative value 

 of the points mentioned in the foregoing 

 description the following standard of points 

 is inserted : — 



Month 



Chop 



Width and squareness 

 of jaw 



Projection and up- 

 ward turn of lower 

 jaw . 



Size and condition of 

 of teeth 



Breadth . 

 Depth . 



Complete covering of 

 front teeth 



—5 



