l82 



THE NEW BOOK OF THE DOG. 



Naturally, the dogs have to be trained 

 to the work, for which purpose the best 

 wolves are taken alive and sent to the 

 kennels, where the young dogs are taught 

 to pin him in such a manner that he cannot 

 turn and use his teeth. I know of no 



MRS. E. L. BORMANS CH. KIEFF BY FEDIA" 

 Photogmph by T. Fall. 



reason why the Borzoi should not be used 

 for coursing in this country. I have owned 

 several that have been excellent at hares 

 and rabbits. 



One of the first examples of the breed 

 exhibited in England was owned by Messrs. 

 Hill and Ashton, of Sheffield, about 1880, 

 at which time good specimens were imported 

 by the Rev. J. C. Macdona and Lady 

 Emily Peel, whose Sandringham and Czar 

 excited general admiration. It was then 

 known as the Siberian Wolfhound. Some 

 years later the Duchess of Newcastle ob- 

 tained several fine dogs, and from this stock 

 Her Grace founded the kennel which has 

 since become so famous. Later still, Queen 

 Alexandra received from the Czar a gift 

 of a leash of these stately hounds, one of 

 them being Alex, who quickly achieved 

 honours as a champion. 



The breed has become as fashionable 



in the United States as in Great Britain, 

 and some excellent specimens are to be 

 seen at the annual shows at Madison 

 Square Gardens. 



To take the -points of the breed in de- 

 tail, the description of the perfect Borzoi 

 is as follows : — 



1. Head. — This 

 should be long and 

 lean. It is, how- 

 ever, not only es- 

 sential for the head 

 to be long, but it 

 must also be what 

 is termed " well 

 balanced," and the 

 length, from the tip 

 of the nose to the 

 eyes, must be the 

 same as from the 

 eyes to the occiput. 

 A dog may have a 

 long head, but the 

 length may be all 

 in front of the eyes. 

 The heads of this 

 breed have greatly 

 improved the last 

 few years ; fewer 

 " apple-headed " 

 specimens, and 

 more of the de- 

 sired triangular 

 heads being seen. 

 The skull should be flat and narrow, the stop 

 not perceptible, the muzzle long and tapering. 

 Too much stress cannot be laid on the im- 

 portance of the head being well filled up 

 before the eyes. The head, from forehead to 

 nose, should be so fine that the direction of the 

 bones and principal veins can be seen clearly, 

 and in profile should appear rather Roman nosed. 

 Bitches should be even narrower in head than 

 dogs. A perfect head is shown on p. 185. 



2. Eyes. — These should be dark, expressive, 

 almond shaped, and not too far apart. 



3. Ears. — Like those of a Greyhound, small, 

 thin, and placed well back on the head, with the 

 tips, when thrown back, almost touching behind 

 the occiput. It is not a fault if the dog can 

 raise his ears erect when excited or looking 

 after game, although some English judges dislike 

 this frequent characteristic. 



4. Neck. — The head should be carried some- 

 what low. witli the neck continuing the line of the 

 back. 



5. Shoulders. — Clean and sloping well back, 

 i.e. the shoulder blades should almost touch 

 one another. 



