274 



THE NEW BOOK OF THE DOG. 



well founded. Many a dog which is used 

 to hunt or find game as well as to retrieve 

 it, will often kill a wounded bird or rabbit 

 rather than allow it to escape. This may 

 not be the perfection or ne plus ultra of re- 

 trieving pure and simple, and would cer- 

 tainly be out of place in a high-class covert 

 shoot ; but, although many of my readers 

 may think me a rank heretic, I have often 



WATER DOG. 



From "The Sportsman's Cabinet" (1803). By P. Reinagle, R.A. 



on a rough shoot where game is scarce and 

 takes a lot of work to find, considered such 

 conduct a proof of common-sense and 

 sagacity in my dog, and felt thankful that 

 I had a companion who could use his brains 

 as well as his mouth. I believe that this 

 charge of hard-mouthedness is not a just 

 one, and I have seen many Irish Water 

 Spaniels who, under normal circumstances, 

 were just as tender-mouthed as the most 

 fashionable of black Retrievers, and I have 

 seen not a few of the latter dogs with as 

 hard mouths as could be found anywhere. 

 Besides his virtues in the field, the Irish 

 Water Spaniel has the reputation I be- 

 lieve a very well-founded one of being the 

 best of pals. 



Most of my readers are, I presume, well 

 acquainted with the personal appearance of 

 this quaint-looking dog ; but, as all may 



not be so familiar with the points regarded 

 as essential in a show dog, I will briefly 

 go through those which are of most im- 

 portance : 



i. Colour. The colour should always be a rich 

 dark liver or puce without any white at all. Any 

 white except the slightest of "shirt fronts " should 

 disqualify. The nose of course should conform 

 to the coat in colour, and be dark brown. 



2. Head . T he head 

 should have a capacious 

 skull, fairly but not ex- 

 cessively domed, with plenty 

 of brain room. It should 

 be surmounted with a regu- 

 lar topknot of curly hair, 

 a most important and dis- 

 tinctive point. This topknot 

 should never be square cut 

 or like a poodle's wig, but 

 should grow down to a well 

 denned point between the 

 eyes. 



3. Eyes. The eyes should 

 be small, dark, and set ob- 

 liquely, like a Chinaman's. 



4. Ears. The ears should 

 be long, strong in leather, 

 low set, heavily ringleted, 

 and from 18 to 24 inches 

 long, according to size. 



5. Muzzle and Jaw. The 

 muzzle and jaw should be 

 long and strong. There 

 should be a decided "stop," 



but not so pronounced as to .make the brows or 

 forehead prominent. 



6. Neck. The neck should be fairly long and 

 very muscular. 



7. Shoulders. The shoulders should be sloping. 

 Most Irish Water Spaniels have bad, straight 

 shoulders, but I think it is a defect and should be 

 bred out. 



8. Chest. The chest is deep, and usually 

 rather narrow, but should not be so narrow as 

 to constrict the heart and lungs. 



9. Back and Loins. The back and loins strong 

 and arched. 



10. Forelegs. The forelegs straight and well 

 boned. Heavily feathered or ringleted all over. 



11. Hind Legs. The hind legs with hocks set 

 very low, stifles rather straight, feathered all over, 

 except inside from the hocks down, which part 

 should be covered with short hair (a most dis- 

 tinctive point). 



12. Feet. The feet large and rather spreading 

 as is proper for a water dog, well clothed with 

 hair. 



13. Stern. The stern covered with the shortest 



