206 The Fox Terrier. 



The above description is by no means satisfactory, 

 especially so far as allowance for coat is concerned. The 

 points for an actually distinguishing characteristic are far 

 too few, a correct coat is worth 20 points, and an abso- 

 lutely soft one should be a disqualification. But there 

 are some people who cunningly override this by changing 

 the name of our wire-haired fox terrier and dubbing 

 him a " rough-coated " fox terrier, which is certainly 

 more ingenious than ingenuous. Personally, I would 

 far rather own a white terrier with a "' spotted " or 

 " cherry-coloured " nose, and a hard close coat, than I 

 would one with a black nose and a soft coat. When 

 this list of points was first issued, no disqualification was 

 suggested in case the dog was "overshot" or " pig- 

 jawed/' to which I drew attention at the time, and it is 

 pleasant to find that this suggestion of mine was adopted. 

 However, it is to be supposed that descriptions of dogs, 

 like the animals themselves, can never be perfect to all 

 alike, and one honest judge's opinion is ' pretty much as 

 good as another honest judge's — if the public can only be 

 brought to believe so. 



It is no more than human nature that there is difference 

 of opinion as to the merits or otherwise of a terrier. That 

 which may be considered an almost fatal fault by one 

 person, by another may be thought of little detriment. 

 Some judges— men, too, who bear a deservedly high 

 reputation as such — will put a terrier out of the prize 

 list if it be even a trifle crooked on his fore legs or 

 slightly heavy at the shoulders ; whilst another dog, 

 narrow behind and weak in loins — to my idea a far more 

 serious failing — is considered pretty well all right so long 

 as its fore legs are set on as straight as rulers. As a fact, 



