y{[\ PREFACE. 



representing the best specimens as they exist at tlie present 

 time. In selecting these, only one thing has been kept in 

 view — viz., choosing those that seemed the very best, irre- 

 spective of every other consideration. Most of them have 

 never appeared in any book on the dog before, but have 

 been culled from the leading journals devoted to canine 

 interests in Great Britain and America, such as the " Ca- 

 nine World," from which the colored plate and several 

 others are borrowed ; the " English Stock-keeper," and in 

 America the "American Kennel Gazette," which has 

 furnished the illustrations of the pointer " Bracket," the 

 mastiff " Beaufort," etc., the artist of this periodical being 

 Mr. G. Muss-Arnolt. 



The sources of the cuts in the text are acknowledged 

 by the way. 



While the author has endeavored to produce a book 

 founded on experience, with a thoroughly sound and scien- 

 tific basis, in every way up to date and on a somewhat new 

 plan, he realizes that there is much yet to learn about the 

 dog, and will receive with gratitude suggestions from any 

 one who has true and accurate observations to communi- 

 cate. 



This, like every work and every man, has no doubt its 

 shortcomings, but the kind way in which much that the 

 author has written for various journals devoted to dogs 

 has been received, and also his Httle book, " How to keep 

 a Dog in the City" (WilHam K. Jenkins, :N'ew York, 

 and the Editor of the "Canadian Kennel Gazette," To- 

 ronto, publishers), leads him to hope for a generous re- 

 ception of this work by the veterinary profession, breeders 

 of dogs, and the public in general. 



