POINTS OF THE BULL-DOG. 91 



The upper jaw is, as above stated, considerably shorter than the lower, and both should 

 display unmistakable signs of strength. 



The lips, termed "chop" by the initiated, should be very loose and heavy, and of considerable 

 circumference. 



The nose, which must lay well back, in fact be as retrousse as it is possible to imagine, 

 must be broad, large, moist, and perfectly black a parti or flesh coloured nose (technically-called 

 "Dudley") being in the opinion of many good judges an absolute disqualification in competition. 



The eyes should be large, but not too full or goggle, soft, round, and dark in colour, set as 

 far apart as possible, and at right angles to an imaginary line drawn the centre of the skull an 

 oblique or " Chinaman's " eye is a decided blemish. 



The stop, or indentation between the eyes, should be both wide and deep, extending up the 

 skull in a deep furrow for a considerable distance (when this formation is present the skull is 

 said to be " broken up "), and if this feature is absent it gives the dog's head an appearance 

 of roundness which is highly undesirable, and he is termed " apple-headed " in consequence. 



The ears should be small, and " rose " shaped i.e., laying back so that the inside burr 

 is visible. They are set on wide apart at the corners of the skull ; if set on too much at the 

 top the skull is narrow, and if too low down the sides the head is rounded, and therefore it 

 is most desirable that the ears should be set on well at the corners of the skull. The thinner 

 they are, too, the better. According to the Bull-dog Club a tulip (prick) and button ear are 

 admissible, but no judge could, if in his senses, pass a dog with a tulip ear ; and, for our own 

 part, a button ear would go greatly against a dog. 



The cheek bumps at the base of the jaws should be clearly defined in a three-year-old 

 dog ; but as this feature is only to be satisfactorily obtained by age and maturity, though it 

 should always be present to a certain extent, too much importance should not be attached 

 to this point in a very young dog. 



The neck must be muscular, slightly curved, and provided with a heavy double dewlap. 



The shoulders sloping and strong, firmly set on, and very muscular. 



The chest must be as wide and deep as possible, so as to give (in conjunction with the 

 rounded fore-ribs) plenty of space for the heart and lungs to act in. 



The fore legs, which are much shorter than the hind, should be very powerful and 

 straight, though the large amount of muscle on the outside is liable to convey the impression 

 that the dog is bow-legged, which he should not be.- They should be turned out at the 

 shoulders, so that the body can swing between them when in motion. 



The fore feet should be straight at the pasterns, large, moderately round, with the 

 toes well split up, arched, and rather splayed out. 



The body should be very deep at the chest and must be of considerable girth, with 

 round ribs, and has the appearance of being on an incline, which arises from the fore-legs 

 being shorter than the hinder, and also from the peculiar formation of the back, which, in 

 addition to being extremely short, rises from the shoulders to the loins and then slopes down 

 to the stern, thus producing the "roach" or "wheel" back which is essentially present in a 

 good Bull-dog. 



The loins are powerful, well arched, and tucked up : a " cobby " body is undesirable in 

 this breed. 



The stern or tail, which must be set on low, must be short and very fine. A break 

 or knot near the base is approved of, as it renders getting his tail up impossible, and a ring, 

 or a crooked tail, is sought after by many breeders. 



