328 THE BOOK OF THE DOG. 



possesses a good flew, and a fair amount of jowl. His neck is extremely muscular, and should 

 stand well out from the chest. The legs, which are one of the most important parts of a 

 Dachshund, should come down from the chest, which is broad and massive, slope well towards 

 one another till the ankle-joints nearly touch one another, the chest dropping down to the 

 ankles. The fore-feet should, an inch from the chest, turn away from one another, and spread 

 well out.' On no account should the joints at the ankles have a forward bend, as it is 

 unsightly, and shows a tendency to weakness. 



" The stern is not carried over the back ; this is a sure sign of the Terrier type. It is 

 carried straight, with perhaps four inches elevation. 



"A good hound should measure from 8 to 10 inches in height, and from 36 to 38 inches 

 in length. The skin should be loose all over the body, so that on grasping the hound you 

 find you have a handful of skin. The hair should be hard, short, and glossy. 



" Colour is an essential matter to the Dachshund. I myself care little whether it be red, 

 black-and-tan, or chocolate-and-tan, but I will have a good colour. I do not care for white 

 about the hound, for he is far better without it ; but I would not disqualify him for having it 

 were he otherwise good. 



" In red dogs, and other than red, I much prefer red noses and eyes the colour of their 

 coats, as I think it gives them a much more pleasing look. 



" One sometimes sees a mottled species like a Collie with a wall eye. It looks very funny, 

 but in my opinion it gets this from some other stock, not the hound." 



Having thus given our readers the opinions of three leading English breeders upon the 

 subject of Dachshunds, we will, before we attempt to sum up their ideas, give a list of points 

 drawn up by some German breeders, which have been forwarded to us. This description 

 was published at the time of the Hanover dog show, held in that city in 1879, and was much 

 commented on when it first appeared. It is as follows : 



The principal qualities are 



1. General appearance, low and very long structure, overhanging and well-developed chest, 

 legs very short, the fore-legs turned inwards at the knees, with the feet considerably bent out. 

 The whole appearance is weasel-like ; the tail is not much crooked, and is carried either 

 straight or a little sloping. Hair close, short, and smooth ; expression intelligent, attentive, 

 and lively. Weight not over 10 kilos. 



2. Head long and pointed towards the nose ; forehead broad and flat ; nose narrow ; the 

 lips hang over a little, and form a sort of fold in the corner of the mouth. 



3. Ears of medium length, tolerably broad and round at the ends, placed high up and at 

 the back of the head, so that the space between eye and ear appears considerably larger 

 than with other hunting dogs ; they are smooth and close, and droop with any shaking of the 

 head. 



4. Eyes not too large, round and clear, rather protruding, and very sharp in expression. 



5. Neck long, flexible, broad, and strong. 



6. Back very long, and broad in the hind parts. 



7. Breast broad, ribs deep and very long, and back part of body higher than the front. 



8. Tail of medium length, strong at the root, and gradually running to a short point, 

 almost straight, occasionally with a small curve. 



9. Fore parts much stronger than the hind, muscular shoulders, which are short ; fore- 

 quarter very short and strong, bending outwards, the knee inwards, and the feet again outwards. 



