486 THE BOOK CF THE DOG. 



recognised by German authorities as a representative German Mastiff of the "Tiger" colour, 

 and was kindly forwarded to us by Herr Gustav Lang for publication. 



The following remarks appeared in the Live Stock Journal with reference to the tiger- 

 coloured German Mastiff, and may be read with interest, as Flora is referred to in them. 



Some years ago this species of dog was very rarely met with, nor was there any demand 

 for it, probably because it was supposed by many to have become extinct. It is therefore 

 the more surprising that the collection of these handsome dogs at Elberfeld was so fine. They 

 were much admired by the English visitors. The prize of honour was given to Nero, belonging 

 to Mr. Fassbender. This beautiful animal was immediately bought by Mr. Wuster, jun., as a 

 mate for Flora, already in his possession. Nero is large and elegantly shaped, while Flora is 

 strong and beautiful. 



Having already given the ideas of Sydenham Edwards and of Herr Gustav Lang, we will 

 now lay before our readers a description of the German Mastiff from the pen of Herr JL von 

 Schmiedeberg, editor of Der Hund, and a German sportsman of position. 



"At the late Hanoverian dog show it was proved a fact that considerable progress has 

 been made in the breeding of this class of dogs. Some years ago we still had the Ulmer 

 Doggen, Hatzriiden Danische Doggen (Danish Mastiffs), &c., but it has been impossible to settle 

 with any clearness whether these were separate races. The fabulous race of Hatzruden has 

 often been mentioned. It is said that these have really been in existence, and are now 

 produced fresh again, whilst following old pictures and Scripture. These dogs, which were 

 almost only used for boar-hunting, were mostly rough-haired, and of a high and strong stature, 

 and by no means animals of a decided pure class. The Parade Doggen, mostly owned and 

 much thought of by the nobility in those days, can be as nearly as possible compared with the 

 English and German Mastiff, but, with few exceptions, they would not now be suitable for 

 shows, in consequence of not belonging to a distinct race. 



" The Ulmer Doggen received their name in consequence of the very large Tiger Doggen 

 having become so scarce. They are easily to be distinguished from the Dalmatiner (Dalmatian), 

 which do not belong to the class of Mastiffs (Doggen) at all ; the difference in these is, indeed, 

 very considerable. The large Tiger Doggen in shows ought really to have a separate class, 

 together with the German Mastiff or Deutsche Dogge. The latter denomination for these large 

 and elegantly-built Doggen has soon been adopted everywhere, in contrast to the heavy English 

 Mastiff, and the characteristic points of the breed are the following : 



" Figure high, elegant ; head rather long ; nose of medium length, thick not pointed ; lower 

 jawbone to project only a little ; point of nose, large, black (except with Tiger Doggen, where 

 the same may be of flesh-colour, or spotted) ; lip trifling overhanging ; ears placed high and 

 pointed ; eyes brown, not too light (except with Tiger Doggen, which often have glassy eyes) ; 

 earnest and sharp look ; neck pretty long and strong, without dewlap ; chest broad and deep ; 

 back long and straight ; toes closed ; nails strong and long ; thigh-bone muscular ; knees deep, 

 almost like a Greyhound ; tail not too long, hardly to reach the hocks, and to be almost in a 

 straight line with the back, never to be curly ; the coat of the whole body, and particularly 

 the tail, to be short and smooth ; back-claws are allowed on the hind-feet if they are firm 

 and not loose ; colour bright black, wavy, yellow, blue, if possible without any marks, or, if 

 striped, usually with glassy eyes. 



" The best food for these Mastiffs is, without doubt, milk, soups of any kind, particularly 

 of oatmeal, and, as an addition, raw, sound horseflesh, which latter the dogs of course prefer 



