THE BLACK-AND-TAN TERRIER. 



327 



opinion, inasmuch as a rather heavy ear, if 

 carried pretty erect, was the best material 

 to work upon, and from which to produce 

 the long, fine, and upright, or " pricked " 

 effect which was looked upon as being the 

 correct thing in a cropped dog ; hence it 

 followed that no care was taken to select 

 breeding stock likely to produce the small, 

 semi-erect, well-carried, and thin ears re- 

 quired to-day, consequently when the edict 

 forbidding the use of scissors came 

 into force there were very few small- 

 eared dogs to be found. It has taken 

 at least ten or a dozen years to eradi- 

 cate the mischief, and even yet the 

 cure is not complete, although the 

 difficulty has, to a great extent, been 

 overcome, for the majority of the ex- 

 hibits at the principal shows are as 

 nearly correct as may reasonably be 

 expected. Still, prejudice will pre- 

 vail, and it would be futile to indulge 

 the hope of any immediate prospect 

 of greater partiality being shown to 

 the breed by those who are unde- 

 cided as to what variety is most 

 suitable to start with in the exhi- 

 bition world. 



Another factor which has had a 

 bad effect is the belief, which has be- 

 come much too prevalent, that a great deal 

 of " faking " has been practised in the past, 

 and that it has been so cleverly performed as 

 to deceive the most observant judge, whereby 

 a very artificial standard of quality has 

 been obtained. Worse still, it is thought to 

 be almost impossible to win the best prizes 

 even now without adopting unfair means 

 in the preparation of these dogs for show ; 

 and this notwithstanding the stringency 

 of the Kennel Club regulations now in force. 

 As a matter of fact, this prejudice is quite 

 unreasonable ; no dogs are more easily 

 kept in proper condition ; besides, their 

 dark colour does not show dirt, hence 

 washing becomes almost unnecessary, a 

 very great consideration where dogs are 

 kept as companions or guards, but more 

 so in the case of those who travel long 

 distances for exhibition at shows. 



The breed is gaining ground in Scotland 



owing to the enterprise of the club which 

 exists and fosters it north of the Tweed, but 

 the original Black-and-tan Terrier Club, 

 which has its headquarters and holds all 

 its annual "meetings in London, does not 

 appear to exert itself much in the direction 

 which would place it in a position of greater 

 influence, and bring sufficient funds into 

 its exchequer, from which more shows 

 could be supported, and the prosperity of 



MISS 

 Photoe 



L. M. HIGNETT'S LOSTOCK LODESTAR. 



*aph by Hignett and Son, Lostock. 



the breed ensured. This is in some measure 

 probably to be accounted for by the fact 

 that most of the members who can attend 

 the meetings are principally interested in the 

 Toy variety (which are separately dealt 

 with in another chapter) ; at all events, 

 it has only been on very rare occasions 

 during the last two years that the club 

 has granted special prizes, much less 

 guaranteed classes, at any shows, for 

 Black-and-tan terriers proper. 



The standard of points by which the 

 breed should be judged as laid down by the 

 club is as follows : 



1. General Appearance. A terrier calculated to 

 take his own part in the rat pit, and not of the 

 Whippet type. 



2. Head. The head should be long, flat, and 

 narrow, level and wedge-shaped, without showing 

 cheek muscles ; well filled up under the eyes, with 

 tapering, tightly-lipped jaws and level teeth. 



