THE CHOICE OF BREEDS 35 



French toy bulldogs, was arrived at. The English type 

 is now known as the Miniature Bulldog. 



Japanese spaniels are quite one of the dernier s cris 

 of fashion.* With them I include Eekingese, as although 

 the latter are hardier dogs altogether, and easier to 

 manage, they are also Eastern, so making things even. 

 Japs are pretty little dogs, of average intelligence and 

 affection, if not quite equal in these respects to the 

 first two breeds discussed. Up to the present " dis- 

 temper " has been their chief scourge, and keeping 

 them in numbers seems to be an invariable invitation 

 for a visit from some pest, to the contagion of all which 

 they seem peculiarly susceptible. Griffon breeders say 

 that if a Griffon feels ill it dies, and this is in some 

 measure applicable to Japs also. There is no reason 

 why it should be so, for in their native country they 

 are hardy enough, and the cause is traceable to in- 

 breeding, occasioned by the difficulties put in the way of 

 their importation both by the Japanese authorities and 

 our own, and resorted to with the idea of keeping them 

 small ; the delicacy caused by the hardships of the 

 voyage, which they stood very badly ; to the pioneers 

 of the race over here, and the rush for small sires, often 

 too much used, and over shown. If breeders would 

 buy young, unrelated puppies, feed them on meat, 

 bring them up healthily, and so found fresh strains, this 



* Japanese Spaniels. The five rules of Japanese spaniel 

 beauty, according to the Delhi Morning Post, are these : 

 (i) The butterfly head ; (2) the sacred V ; (3) the bump 

 of knowledge ; (4) vulture feet ; (5) the chrysanthemum 

 tail. To attain the " butterfly head " and the " sacred V," 

 a Jap must own a broad skull with a white V-shape up it 

 (the body of the butterfly), the small, black, V-shaped ears 

 forming the butterfly's wings. The " bump of knowledge " 

 is a small, round, black spot between the ears. The hair 

 on the " vulture feet " feathers to a point in front, but 

 must not widen the slender foot, and to the eye of faith 

 the beautiful, silky, plumed tail, tightly curled over the 

 back, presents the semblance of the national flower, the 

 chrysanthemum. 



