2g6 THE BOOK OF THE DOG. 



Head and ears ... ... ... ... ... ... ... u 



Neck ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 



Shoulders and chest ... ... ... ... ... ... 15 



Back and loin ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 



Hind-quarters ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 



Stern ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 



Legs and feet ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 20 



Coat ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 



Symmetry and character ... ... ... ... ... ... 15 



100 



" Disqualifying points. White, cherry, or spotted to a considerable extent with either of 

 these colours. Mouth much undershot or much overshot. Ears rose, prick or tulip." 



Having thus given the views of two thoroughly practical breeders on the subject of Fox- 

 terriers, we should ourselves like to say a few words on two subjects which are often debated 

 by supporters of the breed. The first relates to the coat, and the second to the size of the 

 dog. In the course of the many controversies which have arisen from time to time concerning 

 Fox-terriers, it has been pretty obvious that the supporters of the hard weather-resisting kind 

 of coat have out-argued those who adhere to a silky jacket. The former have, in our opinion, 

 quite successfully contended that a fine soft coat is perfectly useless in the case of a dog who, 

 like the Fox-terrier, is supposed to be essentially a vermin destroyer, as a hard day in wet 

 brushwood, or exposure to any sort of cold, would be more likely to knock up a soft-coated 

 dog than it could one who was clothed in a harder jacket. 



In the matter of size, however, we fear that opinions never will become reconciled. Almost 

 all who have taken prominent parts in the discussion appear to have agreed that a dog who 

 is too large to go to earth is practically useless as a Fox-terrier, but, unfortunately, the very 

 gentlemen who argue thus have found themselves unable to agree upon the precise size which 

 renders a dog unqualified for his work. At present, at shows, where classes are divided by 

 size, the usual division is for dogs of iSlbs. and upwards, dogs of under iSlbs., bitches of 

 17 Ibs. and upwards, and bitches under 17 Ibs. This arrangement might surely be expected to 

 meet the views of both parties, but hitherto it has failed to do so, apparently on the grounds 

 that the more given, the more is expected. Certain authorities argue that a dog of 20 Ibs. or 

 upwards in weight, who is narrow in chest, can go to earth more easily than a wide-chested 

 dog of 1 8 Ibs. or less. The truth of this few will question, but still, in our opinion, it fails to 

 affect the point at issue very materially. Unquestionably a Fox-terrier should be able to go 

 to earth, and it is only common sense to see that a breed of small dogs are more likely to, 

 as a race, go to earth with ease and comfort, than a family of giants. There may be several 

 individual exceptions to this rule, but as a rule it must hold good, and therefore we do not 

 see why a premium should be given to the producers of a type of dog which is likely to be 

 useless in the field for the purposes for which it is required. 



Though our own opinion is that the most desirable weight for a Fox-terrier dog should 

 be a maximum 17 Ibs., and for a bitch i61bs., there are, as we have said before, many 

 authorities who differ from us in this respect ; but we fancy most practical men will be found 

 to take our side in this matter. 



Mr. J. H. Murchison, writing to the Live Stock 'Journal on the 1st of August, 1879, 

 says : 



