482 The Dog Book 



Irish Terrier Club of England and that of this country have the same standard 

 description, and the weight given "as most desirable" is twenty-four pounds 

 for dogs and twenty-two for bitches. We think it would be almost impos- 

 sible to get a first-class show dog of the present day under twenty-four 

 pounds, and that many of them weigh from twenty-six to twenty-seven 

 pounds. We have made the same mistake the fox terrier men did some 

 years ago and gone in for dogs that are over size. We recently placed a bitch 

 that weighed close to twenty-two pounds over quite a number of terriers 

 that had been winning at various shows, and some of the ring side critics 

 wanted to know why we placed such a little thing in first place. When 

 told that she was the only terrier in the whole of the classes that was within 

 two pounds of the club standard weight they could not believe it possible 

 and wanted to know what the standard weight was. We will admit that 

 many of the old-time terriers were also over the suggested weight. Spuds 

 most certainly was and so was Banshee, they weighing twenty-six or twenty- 

 seven pounds. Erin was nearer the right thing than the most of those shown 

 in her time. 



Next to present day size the great difference is in foreface. Mr. 

 Ramsay says we would now call the old dogs "bitchy" in face. That is 

 because the Englishmen have gone in for the wrong sort of forefaces in 

 their dogs, beginning with the days when Meersbrook Bristles and his 

 type swept the judges off their feet and whiskers and an exaggerated face 

 were called for in other varieties of terriers besides the wire-haired fox. 

 There was no loss of "varminty" expression when cropping was stopped, 

 until the sleepy, tired look came in with the "Taneous" head and the 

 fluffy foreface. Our exhibitors have had opportunities of seeing Borthwick 

 Lass, formerly the English champion Winsome Lass, also Borthwick Rascal, 

 formerly Ulidia Rascal. The latter, if cropping made the difference, 

 would be out of it entirely, for his fault is largish ears, yet these two terriers 

 are the two that would probably be picked as showing the Irish lookout, 

 better than any we now have. Neither is in any way exaggerated in fore- 

 face, in fact Lass is quite medium in that regard, and she is more typical 

 than Rascal. The little Raynham Olivette is another of the same kind. 

 Right size, racing outline and keen Irish expression. 



Mr. Ramsay is unfortunate in picking the photograph of Brickbat as 

 representative of the old type. We have seen that photograph, and while 

 Brickbat may have been a good dog his photograph does not show that 



