THE GERMAN MASTIFF. 487 



to everything, but must only be apportioned moderately. We need not mention that they 

 must always have a good supply of fresh water. The colour of the German dog is quite a 

 matter of taste, but those of one colour without any white marks are mostly preferred. The 

 coat of the blue ones is frequently very soft and fine. The Tiger Doggen, sometimes with one 

 or two glassy eyes, seem justly to come into fashion again. Several good specimens are still 

 to be met with in Hamburg, and only last year there were still some to be seen at Ulm, as 

 well as at Stuttgard. The foxy-coloured dogs are those which are least thought of." 



This description of Herr von Schmiedeberg is by far the fullest and most detailed which 

 we have seen, and we must heartily thank him for it. At the same time, we have it from other 

 German authorities that, in their opinion, dew-claws on the hind legs are objected to most strongly, 

 as being indication of a St. Bernard cross somewhere. It will be observed that Herr von Schmiede- 

 berg lays great stress on the sort of dew-claws which he allows, and as these may appear in 

 any breed, and do not in the least resemble the claws which are a sine qua non in St. Bernards, 

 it may be fairly taken that both parties are at one with reference to this point. 



With reference to the German Mastiff as it at present exists in this country, we can conclude 

 as we commenced, by safely affirming that it is making rapid strides in popular favour, and 

 lately many leading shows have offered prizes for the breed. English committees have, however, 

 been slow to acknowledge the name of German Mastiff, and consequently confusion has arisen, 

 which, until the donors of the prizes have the good sense to follow the example of our 

 German friends, will always re-occur. A class for Boarhounds at present seems anomalous 

 when no such breed exists upon the Continent ; and German breeders naturally ft el the slight 

 which is put upon them, and rarely send their dogs over for competition against imported 

 specimens. Nor have they hitherto received much encouragement to do so, for when His Serene 

 Highness Prince Albert Solms of Braunfels entered his Hanoverian winner at the Alexandra 

 Palace show in 1879, the grand dog was defeated by a far inferior specimen, simply through an 

 error of judgment, but one which must have been extremely mortifying to his owner. The 

 best specimens of the breed at present in this country are, to the best of our opinion, Lady 

 Bismarck, the property of Mr. Charles Goas of Manchester, and Imperium and Libertas, who 

 were imported direct from Herr Gustav Lang by Mr. James Davis, of Weymouth Street, 

 London, as a present for his wife, to whom they still belong. Libertas, the female, though by 

 far the better specimen, has never been exhibited ; but Imperium, who has only been shown 

 three times, has taken first prizes for his fair owner at Dublin and the Crystal Palace in 1880, 

 and second at the Alexandra Palace in 1881. Lord Charles Kerr also owns what would be a 

 good specimen, in Csesar, but that the dog has dew-claws, which naturally are objected to in 

 many quarters for the reasons given above ; and, in addition, a portion of his tail has been 

 removed, which also tells against him in competition with unmutilated specimens of the breed. 



As Herr R. von Schmiedeberg has so thoroughly gone into the description of the points 

 of the German Mastiff, any further allusion to them is unnecessary, and we therefore adopt 

 his standard without reserve beyond the dew-claws, which we think objectionable, as evidences 

 of impure blood. As a breed the German Mastiff is affectionate and docile, though some 

 specimens are headstrong, as Sydenham Edwards observed, and inclined to attack other dogs 

 and animals. Still, with so much in the way of appearance to recommend it, we trust that this 

 grand variety of dog will go on as it promises to do, and yearly find increased favour amongst 

 British pliilo-kuons. 



