The Great Dane. 179 



thing, was shaken like a rat, and would soon have 

 ceased to live, excepting in memory, had not three 

 strong, stout men choked off the immense German 

 dog. 



This was about the time he was being introduced 

 to this country, or may be, rather, re-introduced, for 

 I am one who believes that a hundred years ago there 

 was in Ireland a Great Dane, not a wolfhound proper, 

 but an actual Great Dane, just as he is known to-day. 

 Hence the confusion that has arisen between the two 

 varieties. From old paintings and old writings there 

 is no difficulty in making out this dog to be as old as 

 any of the race of canines that we possess, but as he 

 is brought forward here as a British dog, his history 

 before he became such would be out of place. 



Amongst our earliest specimens of the race, Satan, 

 already named, must take a leading place, though 

 his temper was so bad. He was a heavily made, 

 dark coloured dog, with a strong head and jaw, that 

 would not be at all suitable for the present admirers 

 of the variety. However, his owner, Mr. F. Adcock, 

 was an enthusiast, and by his patronage of the dog, 

 and his subsequent establishment of a Great Dane 

 Club, did more than any other man to bring the 

 strain permanently before the British public. 



It was not, however, until 1884, that special 

 classes were provided for them at Birmingham ; 



N 2 



