418 
being gradually bred out of him and that 
the perkiness, the exuberance and game- 
ness which once distinguished him as the 
companion of the Yorkshire operative was 
in danger of being sacrificed to the desire 
for diminutive size and inordinate length of 
coat. One occasionally meets with an old- 
fashioned Yorkshire Terrier who retains the 
earth-dog’s instinct for ratting and can do 
good service in this direction. He may 
be over 15 Ib. in weight, and his coat, 
although of the right colour and texture, 
is hardly longer than that of a Dandie 
Dinmont. The casual observer would not 
recognise him as belonging to the same 
breed as such highly cultured members as 
Westbrook Fred or Sneinton Amethyst. 
Nevertheless he is a genuine Yorkshire 
Terrier, and one is glad to think that 
there is no immediate danger of his be- 
coming extinct. But for the existence of 
such active representatives of the race this 
chapter concerning the breed would have 
been more appropriately placed in the 
section relating to lap dogs and toys. 
Perhaps it would be an error to blame 
the breeders of Yorkshire Terriers for this 
departure from the original type as it 
appeared, say, about 1870. It is necessary 
to take into consideration the probability 
that what is now called the old-fashioned 
working variety was never regarded by the 
Yorkshiremen who made him as a complete 
and finished achievement. It was possibly 
their idea at the very beginning to produce 
just such a diminutive dog as is now to be 
seen in its perfection at exhibitions, glorying 
in its flowing tresses of steel blue silk and 
ruddy gold; and one must give them full 
credit for the patience and care with which 
during the past forty years they have been 
steadily working to the fixed design of 
producing a dwarfed breed which should 
excel all other breeds in the length and 
silkiness of its robe. The extreme of culti- 
vation in this particular quality was reached 
some years ago by Mrs. Troughear, whose 
little dog Conqueror, weighing 54 lb., had a 
beautiful enveloping mantle of the uniform 
length of four-and-twenty inches. 
Usually when the cultivation of particular 
THE NEW BOOK OF THE DOG. 
points in dogs has reached an extreme the 
tendency is wisely checked, and in the case 
of the Yorkshire Terrier’s mantle it is now 
deemed sufficiently long if it simply touches 
the ground instead of abnormally trailing 
like a lady’s court train and impeding the 
wearer’s natural action. It is recognised at 
the same time that the dogs with extremely 
long coats are always the best specimens in 
other respects also ; which is as much as to 
say that length of hair is dependent upon 
a sound and healthy constitution. Indeed, 
no dog that is not kept in the best of physical 
condition can ever be expected to grow a 
good coat. Immunity from skin disease and 
parasites is necessary, and this immunity 
can only be attained by scrupulous atten- 
tion to cleanliness, exercise, and judicious 
housing and feeding. 
Doubtless all successful breeders and ex- 
hibitors of the Yorkshire Terrier have their 
little secrets and their peculiar methods of 
inducing the growth of hair. They regulate 
the diet with extreme particularity, keeping 
the dog lean rather than fat, and giving 
him nothing that they would not themselves. 
eat. Bread, mixed with green vegetables, 
a little meat and gravy, or fresh fish, varied 
with milk puddings and Spratt’s “‘ Toy Pet ” 
biscuits, should be the staple food. Bones 
ought not to be given, as the act of gnawing 
them is apt to mar the beard and moustache. 
For the same reason it is well when possible 
to serve the food from the fingers. But 
many owners use a sort of mask or hood of 
elastic material which they tie over the 
dog’s head at meal-times to hold back the 
long face-fall and whiskers, that would 
otherwise be smeared and sullied. Simi- 
larly as a protection for the coat, when 
there is any skin irritation and an inclin- 
ation to scratch, linen or cotton stockings. 
are worn upon the hind feet. 
Many exhibitors pretend that they use 
no dressing, or very little, and this only 
occasionally, for the jackets of their York- 
shire Terriers; but it is quite certain that 
continuous use of grease of some sort is not 
only advisable but even necessary. Opinions. 
differ as to which is the best cosmetic, but 
the special pomade prepared for the purpose 
