recognise his sterling qualities, although the practice of cropping 

 the ears, continued until 1895, kept him from winning his proper 

 place in popular regard. However desirable this form of mutilation 

 may have been in the fighting era, the suffering involved was 

 afterwards wholly unnecessary, and the decision of the Kennel Club 

 to put an end to it was one of the wisest things this body has ever 

 done. The belief of the pessimists that the bull terrier had received 

 his death blow has not been justified by results. At first, it is true, 

 the natural ear was an eyesore, much detracting from the smartness 

 of appearance, but the new generation, having become accustomed 

 to the present style, sees little of which to complain, and contents 

 itself with the dog as he is. 



Not only are classes at shows well filled, but the ordinary 

 man, who never dreams of exhibiting, is coming to see that if he 

 would have an ideal guard and faithful companion, not too large 

 for the house, and yet with sufficient weight and pluck to tackle a 

 burglar, he could not well do better than buy a bull terrier. The 

 old dogs were of all sorts, sizes, colours and types, little uniformity 

 being observable, but now we have a shapely animal, with an air of 

 breeding and class. Note the power and symmetry of his body, 

 a combination of agility and gracefulness. He is as clean built as 

 a bit of sculpture. The small eye may be a stumbling block at 

 first, but even this, on examination, becomes a fitting complement 

 to the shape of the head, and we would not have it otherwise. 



