498 The Dog Book 



drop from top of loins to root of tail; both sides of backbone well supplied 

 with muscle. 



Belly. — Slightly drawn up. 



Body. — Long, strong and flexible; ribs well sprung and round. Length 

 from top of shoulder to root of tail should not be more than twice the dog's 

 height, but preferably one or two inches less. 



Fore legs. — Straight and short, with immense muscular development 

 and bone; set wide apart, the chest coming well down between them. 

 Bandy legs are objectionable. The hair on the fore legs and feet of a blue 

 dog should be tan, varying according to the body colour from a rich tan to 

 a pale fawn; of a mustard dog they are of a shade darker than its head, 

 which is creamy white. In both colours there is a nice feather, about two 

 inches long, rather lighter in colour than the hair on the fore part of the 

 leg. 



Hind legs. — ^A little longer than the fore ones, and are set rather wide 

 apart, but not spread out in an unnatural manner. Thighs well developed, 

 the hair of the same colour and texture as the fore legs, but having no 

 feather nor dew claws. 



Feet. — Fore feet well formed and not flat, with very strong brown or 

 dark coloured claws. Flat feet are objectionable. The hair on the fore 

 feet of a blue dog should be tan, varying according to the body colour from 

 a rich tan to pale fawn. Of a mustard dog, they are of a shade darker 

 than its head, which is creamy white. Hind feet much smaller; the whole 

 claws should be dark, but the claws vary in shade according to the colour 

 of the dog's body. 



Tail. — Rather short, say from eight to ten inches and covered with 

 wiry hair of darker colour than that of the body. The hair on the under 

 side being lighter in colour and not so wiry, with a nice feather two inches 

 long, getting shorter as it nears the tip; rather thick at the root, getting 

 thicker for about four inches, then tapering off to a point. It should not be 

 curved or twisted but should come up with a regular curve like a scimitar, 

 the tip when excited being in a perpendicular line with the root of the tail. 

 It should be set on neither too high nor too low. When not excited it is 

 carried gaily a little above the level of the body. 



Coat. — ^Two inches long, that from skull to root of tail a mixture of 

 hardish and soft hair, which gives a sort of crisp feel to the hand. The 

 hard hair should not be wiry; the coat is what is termed pily or pencilled. 



