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CHAPTER LXIV. 



THE GERMAN MASTIFF. 



THE variety of which we now propose to treat has lately made a considerable advance in 

 public estimation in this country, though under other names, as the designation which heads 

 this chapter has only of late years been awarded it. However, as will be seen later on, the 

 Great Dane was familiar to some early writers, and the kindred varieties of Ulmer Hound 

 and Boarhound have both been patronised by British lovers of the dog. Lately, however, 

 Herr Gustav Lang, of Stuttgart, who is one of the first German authorities on the breed, 

 wrote to us the letter which we publish below, and informed us that the various German 

 breeders had determined to classify the Boarhound, Ulmer Dog, and Great Dane, as one 

 variety, which they proposed to term the German Mastiff. The wisdom of this change is 

 very apparent, as the distinctions between these various breeds was, if any, of so slight a 

 nature that mischief was being done by any attempts to disassociate them from each other. In 

 fact, it was almost impossible to do so, as they were so generally bred together that, even 

 assuming that the breeds had originally been distinct, the slight differences of type which had 

 once existed had been completely obliterated by the commixture of blood. 



The letter of Herr Gustav Lang to which we have referred is as follows : 



" As one of the judges, I had the honour to see you at the exhibition in Hanover, and I 

 take the liberty of sending you a few lines bearing upon the dispute about the Irish Wolf- 

 hound, which forms a pendant to our modern Deutscher Dogge or German Mastiff. The breed 

 was formerly called Great Dane, Boarhound, or Ulmer dog, without any one being able at any 

 of the German exhibitions to define the difference between these three races, because they are 

 not distinct races which have been bred according to special ' points,' and formerly these dogs 

 were not larger than they are to-day, the assumed size of 36 inches only being given in 

 untrustworthy pictures. We have now agreed to abolish these various names, calling the breed 

 German Mastiffs. 



" The name ' Boarhound ' is not known in Germany. In boar-hunting every possible large 

 'mongrel' was used. According to old paintings rough coats were preferred because they were 

 less liable to injury than the smooth. 



" It is greatly to be desired that a class should be established at German exhibitions for 

 German Mastiffs, preferably near to the English Mastiffs." 



Herr Gustav Lang's remarks upon the absurd statements of this dog's height should 

 be carefully observed, as such an expression of opinion from such a high authority should 

 convince all but the most sceptical that thirty-six inches is an all but impossible height 

 for a dog to attain to. Specimens might appear of abnormal and phenomenal proportions, 

 but dogs of a yard high will always be exceptions and not the rule, and readers should 

 therefore proceed to disabuse their minds of the idea that they are likely to see a German 

 Mastiff who stands thirty-six inches at the shoulder. Moreover, it cannot be alleged that early 

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