3 1 8 THE BOOK OF THE DOG. 



points for a loin loaded with fat, or hind-quarters flabby from want of work. In character 

 these dogs are very stubborn and headstrong, not standing the whip ; from this cause, probably, 

 arises the doubts which have been suggested as to their gameness, as, if corrected, they 

 frequently lose temper and refuse to work, but when in sympathy with their master and 

 once excited they will hesitate at nothing. 



" I add the numerical value of the points of the Dachshund : 



Skull and eyes ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 1$ 



Ears ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 



Nose and muzzle ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 



Body throat, neck, shoulder, chest, loins, hind-quarters ... ... ... 25 



Stern ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 



Legs and feet ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 15 



Colour ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 5 



Skin and coat ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 10 



100 



" As to the use of points there is something to be said. First, they enable any one who 

 has a dog to form some idea as to its worth ; and secondly, when a judge has settled most of 

 the dogs in the ring, either as not worthy of notice, or though not, on account of some great 

 defect, fit for the prize, yet good enough for a commended or highly commended, he finds often 

 he has three or four, or it may be half a dozen, dogs left in ; it is then most satisfactory to 

 compare the points of each specimen numerically, not necessarily in writing, to arrive at 

 a right decision." 



Mr. Enoch Hutton takes a widely different view of the case, as will be seen from the 

 following description, kindly forwarded by him : 



" Very much has been written in the public papers notably The Live Stock Journal about 

 the Dachshund, but not much to the purpose. It seemed to me that many persons who 

 possessed a specimen (however moderate) of this interesting breed, although they had never 

 bred a single one of the race, must needs ' rush into print,' without being able to help 

 themselves, and give to the world their notion as to what an orthodox Dachshund should be ; 

 and their particular dog was held up as the correct model, which they advised all breeders to 

 copy and aim at reproducing. Nor did it stop here : several persons who never even owned 

 a specimen tried their hand at laying down the law of perfection in points, for the use and 

 direction of breeders and judges. 



" There were some few articles of relevant and reliable matter, emanating from the pens of 

 one or two foreign writers of some experience a few grains of wheat in bushels of chaff- 

 but most of the articles were more calculated to mislead than to enlighten the reader. 



"One of the pioneers of Dachshund lore in England was Mr. John Fisher, who has had 

 much experience as a breeder and as a judge. Mr. Fisher's unrivalled old dog Feldmann 

 was also the pioneer of his race on the show-bench in this country, in the days when even 

 the judges had to be educated and enlightened as to the breed and utility of such an animal. 

 I have myself heard a judge of some repute in the canine show-ring give it as his opinion 

 that old Feldmann was 'not/ting bttt a bad-bred bandy-legged Beagle!' 



" Now as to what a real Dachshund should or should not be like. He should be a 

 hound in all hound-like points, the peculiarities of the breed only excepted i. e., he must 



