30 



OUR DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



CocKicR Spaxikl 



dignified, a frank, open glance, penetrating but 

 inspiring confidence — such are the gener- 

 ally recognized qualities of this race, and 

 by them they have won both esteem and 

 admiration. The early dogs of this species 

 came of a crossing between the English 

 mastiff and the Irish hound aird were then 

 large and sax'age. At the beginning of the 

 sixteenth century they were imported to 

 Germany for hunting the wild boar, and 

 when that sport ceased, or fell off in popu- 

 larity, the breeding and taming of the race 

 for pleasure dogs and watchdogs continued, 

 and they then received the names of Ulm 

 dogs and Danish dogs. These two names, 

 which are still frequently met with, are now 

 given erroneously. It is possible that the 

 Danish dog has been crossed from time to 

 time with the dog of sf)uth Germany or 

 Wiirttemberg ; but the German dog of our 

 day is a Gcriiiau dog, and the name of 

 Great Dane, given in France, England, and 

 America, is incorrect. 



The variety of color in dogs of this race con- 

 tributes to increasing their friends and admirers. 

 Some are brindled (black lines on a yellow or 

 orange ground), and some are uniformly yellow 

 or mouse color, although these are becoming 

 rare. Others are spotted black and white, or 

 are uniformly black. The ears, being cut at a 

 very early age, give the animal a better appear- 

 ance and save him from injury to their lobes. 

 It is an error to represent these dogs as false. 

 Of course there may be specimens in this race, 

 as in all others, that will not endure being 

 played with, but they are not treacherous. On 

 the contrary, they are good and faithful guard- 

 ians of the house and of children, and though 



Bl.ACKFIEI.l) Sl'-ANIEL 



H \M)s( -Mr F Au fp Ger'm A\ H lnds 



they are strong enough to be recalcitrant, they 

 remain calm and dignified in critical moments, 

 and are always responsive to- the call of their 

 master or mistress. Their tail is their weak 

 ]X)int in two respects. First, the\' often break 

 the end of it in their joy, and the harm is 

 difficult to repair ; and secondly, the modern 

 s\steni of breeding for bench shows requires 

 that the tail of this German dog shall never be 

 raised higher than the level of his back, even 

 in moments of agitation ; and that is a very 

 difficult thing to compass, even in a dog with 



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