158 WATCH DOGS, IKJUSE DOGS, AND TOY DOGS. 



TOY TERRIERS. 



These are of the various breeds described under the head of 

 the terrier, but of smaller size than the average, and with great 

 attention paid to their colour and shape. The smooth English 

 terrier, not exceeding 7 lbs. in weight, is much prized ; and when 

 he can be obtained of 3 1 or 4 lbs. weight, with perfect S3'mraetry, 

 and a good rich black and tan colour without a white hair, he is 

 certainly a very perfect little dog. The black lines ("pencil- 

 ling ") of the toes, and the richness of the tan on the cheeks and 

 legs, are points much insisted on. Most of the toy terriers 

 now sold are either crossed with the Italian greyhound or the 

 King Charles spaniel. If the former, the shape is preserved, 

 and there is the greatest possible difficulty in distinguishing this 

 cross from the pure English terrier ; indeed, I am much inclined 

 to believe that all our best modern toy terriers are thus bred. 

 They have the beautiful long sharp nose, the narrow forehead, 

 and the small sharp eye, which characterises the pure breed ; but 

 they are seldom good at vermin, though some which I have 

 known to be half Italian have been bold enough to attack a good 

 strong rat as well as most dogs. Many of these half-bred Italians 

 are used for rabbit-coursing, in which there is a limit to weight, 

 but it is chiefly for toy purposes that long prices are obtained 

 for them. When the cross with the spaniel has been resorted to, 

 the forehead is high, the nose short, and the eye large, full, and 

 often weeping, while the general form is not so symmetrical and 



