The Boston Terrier 529 



them in a position similar to what they were in when they were outvoted 

 at the recent change. 



It is somewhat singular that just as we had concluded the foregoing 

 paragraph the mail brought us a letter from one of the sound members 

 of the Boston Terrier Club, a gentleman for whom we entertain the highest 

 opinion, not only for his knowledge of the breed, his prominent connection 

 with it as an exhibitor, but the excellence of his judgment. He writes 

 as follows: "Upon the horizon of the Boston terrier world the cloud no larger 

 than a man's hand has appeared and surely it is increasing in size. More 

 and more clearly are we beginning to feel the pressure of the popular demand 

 for a smaller Boston terrier. The judges in the ring, the show classifications, 

 the very standard itself are each and all gradually yielding to the demand. 

 Can it be possible that at no distant day the market value of a specimen may 

 be inversely in proportion to its size ? Let us trust not, and yet we are 

 beginning to hear of abnormally small specimens selling for fabulous prices. 



"This matter of size is in my opinion the pitfall which awaits the 

 Boston terrier unless there is a change in the direction of our progress. 

 Surely we ought to keep the division wide enough between the dog as we 

 have known him for ten years or more, and the tiny, shivering, bloodless 

 creatures we occasionally come across in other toys. Great reduction in 

 size means injudicious inbreeding, with the loss of intelligence, loss of 

 stamina, loss of reproductive powers which follow that course; in fine, the 

 loss of all that we most value in the breed.'* 



This question of size seems to be the burning one at the present time, 

 but it is a matter in the hands of the club members, and if the majority are 

 breeders for the market and the purchasers want small dogs the reduction 

 will not stop where it is at present. If the majority as it now exists insist 

 upon no further reduction in the future it will be perfectly feasible for legis- 

 lation to that effect to be enacted by the club whereby the weight scale can 

 only be altered by such a large majority, say three-fourths of the members, 

 and only after due notice of such proposed change. Then the heav)^weight 

 members should get up special prizes sufficient to induce breeding for a 

 larger dog. Club specials can also be withheld from shows giving classes 

 for dogs outside of the limits of weight laid down by the club. 



In view of the close competition which has existed in this breed and 

 the continual changes in placing the dogs to suit the individual judgment 

 of the adjudicators we will devote the space which we have usually filled 



