62 THE DOG IN HEALTH. 



left out of the account. But, turning to general principles, 

 How shall the end be attained as regards physical form so 

 that an animal may be built up that shall, provided he has 

 the nose and the brains, be able to put these to the most 

 effective use ? 



Setter and pointer form will be first considered. It 

 is to be remembered that these dogs must traverse all 

 sorts of surface, pass through water often very cold, over 

 snow and ice, crush through thorny and brambly vegeta- 

 tion, and all this at a very considerable speed. Such a 

 form, combining grace and utility, experience proves is 

 built up on the following principles, most of which have 

 been alluded to before : 



Head. — A longish skull, getting its capacity rather by 

 length and depth than width, and suiting thus the dog's 

 general form, more especially that of his long and not 

 very mde but deep muzzle ; eyes mild, bright, and of 

 medium fullness, thus suggesting intelligence and docility ; 

 ears long, low-placed, feathered, and so adapted to his 

 general character as well as protective to eyes and inner 

 ears ; muzzle long, deep, and fairly wide ; square-cut at 

 end, indicating that the jaws are even, mth a large nose 

 and widely open nostrils. Such a muzzle provides for a 

 large distribution of the olfactory nerve, and such a nose 

 readily admits air. 



Neck. — Clean, graceful, and long enough to admit of 

 the dog's catching the foot-scent or reaching the ground 

 without stooping. 



Shoulders^ hack^ loin^ quarters, legs, and feet of the 

 kind adapted for speed and endurance. The back need 

 not have all the muscular development, the loin so much 



