4 The Sporting Dog 



tions at which solemn criticism is often hurled 

 are more to the eye than to the deed. The ratio 

 of weight to power, the blood-pump, the energy 

 and the hunting zeal — these are what tell; and 

 to these ends American sportsmen have chosen 

 their dogs. 



Bred their dogs, one might say, but the phrase 

 would be only a half-truth. The British — Ire- 

 land and Scotland are one with England in dogs 

 — are better breeders than we. They are far 

 and away the best in the world. Horses, cat- 

 tle, sheep, chickens, pigeons — what you will, the 

 British breed better than others if they take it 

 up at all. 



Not that they know any science of breeding 

 concealed from the rest of the world. They love 

 the land and they love outdoor sport. With this 

 penchant for the land and its sports they have the 

 British — not less British than Yankee — gift of 

 shrewd common sense, and an insistence on 

 good form and approved standards which is more 

 British than Yankee. It is only justice to be- 

 lieve that if they had our land and our game, 

 and had undertaken to breed dogs to suit both, 

 they would have produced the typical American 

 qualities and at the same time have achieved 

 more of uniformity and breediness. 



Americans are clear as to what they ask a dog 

 to do, but neglectful of any ten commandments 



