304 Modern Dogs. 



an idea is quite as fallacious as is the belief at one 

 time common with us, that our diminutive toys were 

 made so by potions of gin given at stated periods. 

 Elsewhere I have alluded to a similar system which 

 was said to be carried out with the Maltese dogs. 



There appears to be a little difference of opinion 

 here as to what size a Japanese spaniel ought to 

 be, and I consider that a specimen 61b. weight or so 

 is quite small enough for anything. When smaller 

 dogs are produced they are delicate and sickly, 

 uncertain breeders, and for these reasons are not 

 desirable, and those judges who would give a 

 prize to a very diminutive specimen, which, so far as 

 locomotion is concerned, is as a dwarf at a penny 

 show compared with a full-grown man, are certainly 

 not going the right way towards perpetuating the 

 breed in this country. Still, where one of the most 

 diminutive creatures is as perfect and active as the 

 larger specimens, the latter must on the occasion 

 take, as it were, a back seat. 



On the subject of size, Mr. C. F. Grindrod, of 

 Malvern, wrote to a weekly paper not long ago : 



" Japanese spaniels are of almost any size from 

 even under 4lb. weight to over 2olb. Specimens 

 are fairly healthy from 61b. or ylb., but usually much 

 more so from 81b. to I2lb. Where, however, the 

 weight is reduced to 4lb., of which we have had 



