July, 1907 



AMERICAN HOMES AND GARDENS 



279 



It is a pity that Newfoundlands are no longer in favor, as 

 this breed possesses many points of excellence. I remember 

 one fine dog of this kind, owned by my wife's family, that 

 was every bit as intelligent as any St. Bernard that ever drew 

 breath. On wash-days he used to receive the washwoman 

 with barks of exultation, take her gently by the sleeve and 

 conduct her down into the basement up to the tubs, as if to 

 say: "Here you are; now go to work." 



Of the other large breeds it is only necessary to mention 

 the great Danes and mastiffs, both of which are still exten- 

 sively bred but do not seem to be attracting as much attention 

 as formerly. Of the great Danes I can not speak from ex- 

 perience, but once upon a time I owned a mastiff who was as 

 strong as an ox and as obstinate as a mule, and ever since I 

 have had the impression that this breed is decidedly inferior 

 to the St. Bernards. 



Of the medium-sized dogs, probably none are as graceful 

 as English greyhounds, unless it be their Italian cousins. 

 Their speed is said to be equal to that of the fleetest horse, 

 but there appears to be some truth in the statement that these 

 dogs are deficient in attachment to their master and in gen- 

 eral intelligence. In England they are principally used in 

 coursing, and the only chance the hare has of escaping is to 

 turn and turn about. But in this country they are merely 

 regarded as ornamental. 



Deerhounds, on the other hand, which are similar to the 

 greyhound, but much longer and rough-coated, are most af- 

 fectionate and very good watch dogs. These are the dogs 

 of which Sir Walter Scott was so fond that he gave them 

 the run of the study at Abbotsford. 



As his name indicates, the coach dog, or Dalmatian, is 

 principally used in this country to follow a carriage and not 

 as a pointer as is the case in his native land. 



Of the smaller breeds none is so well known as the bull- 

 dog, a canine of English origin that is not in high favor in 

 trampdom. Every hobo is aware of the fact that it is better 

 to give this animal a wide berth, as the bulldog is decidedly 

 dangerous when aroused, and does not give warning of an 

 attack by barking. Instead he flies straight at the throat of 

 the intruder and is exceedingly difficult to dislodge. In fact 

 he will not, as a rule, let go until his victim is partially suf- 

 focated. Endowed with an indomitable courage, he yet 

 rarely assumes the offensive and is seldom ill-tempered. He 

 readily submits to great liberties being taken by those who 

 are familiar with him, but is very rarely molested by strangers 

 because of his morose, forbidding-looking appearance. Those 

 who are best acquainted with him say that the bulldog is 

 kind, faithful and affectionate to his masters, and that no 

 guard is ever more faithful in the discharge of his duty. 



That the bull terrier should possess undaunted courage is 

 not strange when we reflect that the blood of the bulldog 

 flows in his veins; he is also a faithful guardian of persons 

 and property. But, unlike the bulldog, he is neat in appear- 

 ance and of a lively disposition, besides being of a loving 

 and gentle temperament when well trained. As a watch dog 

 he is on a par with the bulldog and the Boston terrier, to 

 whom he is closely related. 



There was a time when French poodles and pugs were very 

 popular, but of late they are seldom encountered. Through- 

 out Europe the poodle is known as one of the most intelli- 

 gent breeds in existence, equally well adapted to become a 

 pet or companion and very smart and vigilant as a guard. 

 He is very affectionate, clever and sagacious, but jealous to a 

 fault. Since he is, moreover, inclined to snap and growl at 

 strangers, his loss of popular favor is not to be wondered at. 



When young, the pug is a very smart, showy and active 



dog, but as he advances in age he becomes a greedy eater 

 and is inclined to get very fat and correspondingly indolent. 

 He is very affectionate and of a placid disposition. His ap- 

 pearance of dignity and ferocity, however, is generally mis- 

 leading, as he is often an arrant coward and therefore unre- 

 liable as a watch dog. 



Cocker spaniels are not so much in vogue now as they 

 used to be and certainly deserve more attention, as they 

 are excellent house dogs, intelligent, alert, affectionate and 

 faithful. 



Elunting dogs should also be more extensively employed 

 in this respect, and can be as easily house-broken as they are 

 trained for the field. The Gordon and Irish setters, though 

 a trifle restless under indoor confinement, soon adapt them- 

 selves to their new surroundings and do well if given enough 

 exercise. The beagle, a miniature hunting hound, that re- 

 sembles a foxhound in color and in many other ways, is not 

 as extensively bred in this country as he should be, for he is 

 highly commended by those who know him best. In Eng- 

 land he is largely used in rabbit hunting, and as this sport is 

 quite common with us, his popularity is assured once he is 

 more widely introduced. The employment of hunting dogs 

 as household companions in no wise interferes with their 

 usefulness in the field, provided discipline is not relaxed. 



"Bob," my fox terrier, has never seen a fox and probably 

 never will. But you should have seen him catch and kill his 

 first rat. The rodent, with "Bob" in full pursuit, sought 

 refuge in a sewer pipe. Here it would have been perfectly 

 safe, but the dog, in his efforts to extricate his head, gave the 

 pipe a violent twist which scared the rat and made it attempt 

 a dash for safety. But before it re,ached the opposite side 

 of the alley "Bob" had it and was shaking it vigorously 

 after the manner of his kind, breaking its spine at the first 

 bite. "Bob" has been taught a great many tricks; he can 

 give his paw, speak, sit up, and jump through a hoop. But, 

 like all the members of his family, he is a restless beast, and 

 is so fond of running away that he can only be kept at the 

 price of continual vigilance. He is, however, an excellent 

 watch dog, and never fails to announce the arrival of 

 strangers. What I have said of him, of course, applies to 

 the whole breed, which is very intelligent, plucky, quick and 

 yet of a dapper appearance. As puppies fox terriers are 

 sometimes inclined to be mischievous and get rid of their 

 superabundant vitality by tearing wearing apparel into 

 shreds, digging holes in rosebeds, etc. But they can soon be 

 made to see the error of their ways when subjected to dis- 

 cipline. 



The Scotch or Aberdeen terriers have a character that is 

 as quaint as their appearance. They are homely dogs, but 

 faithful unto death. "Grayfriars' Bob," whose master died 

 in 1858 and who watched by the grave in Grayfriars' Bury- 

 ing-ground, Edinburgh, until he died himself in 1872, be- 

 longed to this breed. 



The fawn Pomeranian spitz is what young ladies are ac- 

 customed to call "cute," and very popular in England. He 

 is very lively, cheerful and aftectionate, and exceedingly sharp 

 and active as a guarci. 



Among the toy spaniels, so-called, that are also a charm- 

 ing lot, the Blenheim spaniel is a great drawing-room 

 favorite. But, like all toy dogs, he is apt to be somewhat 

 delicate, as he is usually much confined to the house and gets 

 but little exercise. He is generally fairly intelligent, but, 

 like a spoiled child, somewhat inclined to be wayward and 

 troublesome. As he is, however, in most instances kept more 

 for his good looks than any other qualities, that is of no 

 consequence. 



