THE CHOICE OF BREEDS 39 



as little as possible), restrained from scratching by 

 having little wash-leather socks kept upon its hind 

 feet, and dieted with every attention directed towards 

 the prevention of any skin disorder. No dog can 

 carry a heavy coat unless well nourished, and the old 

 idea that farinaceous foods sufficed for this is ex- 

 ploded. To avoid anaemia, keep the blood pure and 

 rich, and give strength, a Yorkie must have the 

 nourishment of meat. Withal, it is a merry little soul, 

 and if its coat can be to some extent sacrificed, a good 

 companion, fond of outdoor life, very barky and lively, 

 and tolerably affectionate ; but a really lovely show 

 Yorkie is not a being for every day. The breed does 

 not suffer much from " distemper," and, strange to say, 

 in spite of generations of coddling and fussing, and 

 breeding for smallness and coat, is a decidedly healthy 

 one. The white Yorkshires, a new variety some folk 

 have tried to push, is, I think, in no way especially 

 desirable the Maltese can do all that is necessary in 

 that line ; while the attempt to make " silver " York- 

 shires popular, too, simply means that bad-coloured 

 dogs without any tan (paleness of tan is the stumbling- 

 block in many a Yorkshire's career), are classed by 

 themselves and offered prizes. 



Toy pugs are, I think, invariably fascinating to those 

 who have a liking for pug kind ; they are big pugs in 

 little, and everyone knows the points of a pug. My 

 own toy fawn pugs loved their comforts too much to be 

 perfect dogs for companioning a person of active out- 

 door habits, but they were sweet-tempered, gentle 

 ihings, and, as such, to be commended. Pugs as a 

 race seem strangely apt to skin trouble, and the toys 

 are no exception. I have not seen many really good 

 and very small fawn toys, but there are some, and 

 where a pug is to be bought, a toy is really most de- 

 sirable. They make good house dogs, and are seldom 

 or never noisy, while those of a comparatively active 

 strain, bred to plenty of outdoor fun, and not indulged 

 in the greediness which, alas ! is generally a feature 



