154 THE DOGS OF THE BEITISH ISLANDS. 



lower thigh (tibia and fibula). The consequence is that the paws of the fore-feet 

 appear large and broad, and the hind-leg (from hock to heel) rather high and 

 straight. These peculiar proportions become unfavourable when carried to excess ; 

 but even then they are not so bad as the contrary (too long forearms being out 

 at the shoulders and joining at the knees, and too long under-thighs being bent too 

 much in the stifle and hocks). The disadvantage of the short lever in the hind 

 legs must be compensated by powerful arched loins. The dachshund runs pretty 

 fast on level ground ; he must even be able to jump and to climb, which will often 

 save his life in steep passages underground, where an unwieldy dog is quite 

 helpless. 



A good dachshund should be built long and low, but never to such an extent 

 as to become unwieldy. The whole outline must be most elegant, something like a 

 weasel ; head and neck carried neither quite horizontally nor straight upright. 



The two dachshunds, Fritz and Dina, are pretty good representations of 

 the breed respecting their bodies ; and I was very glad to find them not cor- 

 responding much to the hound-type scheme of points proposed in the Field 

 of Jan. 13. But there is something very strange in their heads, particularly in 

 the foremost dog : there the skull is far too much vaulted, the ears are set on too 

 low, and not at all of a dachshund-like shape and carriage. The jaw should be 

 larger and stronger, and the tail somewhat shorter. Heads of this kind are the 

 mistaken qualities (missverstandne Schonheit) in dachshunds, and more fit for house 

 pets and for dogs used in hunting above ground than for an earth dog. 



If I had to fix the value of the points, I should rank them thus : 



Value. 



Head 15 



Ears, eyes, teeth 10 



Neck 10 



35 



Yalue. 



Body 10 



Fore legs 15 



Hind legs 10 



35 

 Grand Total 100. 



Value. 



Stern 10 



Coat 10 



Size, symmetry, quality 10 



30 



Many particulars will have to remain open to conclusion till we have had a 

 show for dachshunds only (e.g., extension or division of the class, white ground 

 colour, carriage of stern, and so on). 



Where opinions differ among our fanciers, I have always added the arguments 

 for my assertions. Perhaps my description of the dog has become too minute by 

 these additions ; but I hope it has not thereby been rendered unintelligible. I 

 know very well that there are few dogs to be found that will agree in all respects 

 with the particulars I have mentioned in describing the points. But nobody who 

 is acquainted with the endless variety of animal forms will expect to find all well- 

 bred dachshunds having exactly the same proportions. No dog is perfect, and 

 those particulars are taken from the best head, best neck, best leg, &c., which were 

 to be found among a number of regularly-built dogs, in order to find out the arche- 

 type of the breed, which is rarely, if ever, reached in a single specimen. 



