184 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[March 34, 1887. 



THE MASTIFFS OF THE PRESENT. 



REVIEWING the mastiffs of the present, Ave seem enter- 

 ing upon an era of still greater improvement than that 

 which has been accomplished within the last ten years even. 

 Never before, perhaps, has such great size, combined with 

 mastiff character, been obtained as possessed by some of our 

 larger specimens of the present day— specimens which for 

 size and weight would have surpassed Mr. Lukey's largest 

 examples. 



Reviewing such animals as Victor Hugo. Albert Victor, 

 Maximilian and one or two others of rather less note, I feel 

 justified in saying we need to have very little concern as to 

 the means of' keeping up size for the future; still, every 

 breeder should bear in mind, before, it is too late, that the 

 mere possession of vast size is not everything in the mastiff, 

 and it is to be hoped our English breeders will not "run the 

 muck" (to borrow that forcible if not euphonious expression), 

 which American breeders have done in their appreciation of 

 vast size alone, owing to their ignorance of, and inability to 

 understand true mastiff type, which to some writers or 

 breeders of little experience may seem a sort of mysterious 

 nihility, but which, nevertheless, meant a good deal in the 

 eyes of such judges as Mr. Lukey or Mr. Thompson, and still 

 means much with the experienced mastiff judge and breeder. 



There is still a great amount of ignorance as to true mast iff 

 character, still an ignorant craving for animals standing 33 

 or 34in. at shoulder, utterly regardless as to the proportionate 

 weight and stoutness which should accompany such vast 

 size, and unfortunately there are still too many animals ap- 

 proaching more nearly to the boarhouud than the English 

 mastiff in character. Few people are perhaps aware how 

 much the Euglish mastiff has been increased in height and 

 weight owing to cultivation, aud the introduction of the 

 Great Dane, St. Bernard aud other crosses with large breeds. 

 Goldsmith, writing in 1769, states that at that time "our 

 great breed of mastiffs" were seldom found to be above 24in. 

 at shoulder, and some ofiin. long." In 1800 the mastiff stood 

 from 28 to 30in.: while Richardson, writing about 1850, gives 

 the. height of the mastiff Chicken as SOfi'm. Dr, John Brown, 

 writing in 1858, gives 901bs. as about the weight of the mastiff 

 Rab; and as late as 1865 from 29 to 30in. was above the average 

 height of the breed, and Mr. H. I). Kingdon rightly stated 

 in Webb's book, that "We do not believe in "the .purity of 

 masflffs over 30in. " Setting aside Mr. Lukey's Anglo- Alpine 

 mastiff, the heaviest specimens hitherto on record have 

 been Gol. Tempest's Saxon, height 34iu, weight 1891bs.; 

 T. W. Boulton's Nero (St. Bernard and mastiff'). 31in., 

 weight 1851bs.: Vargue's L'Ami (Cuban mastiff), esti- 

 mated at 2001bs.; Webb's Trusty (lineage doubtful), 

 estimated at 1851bs., Lyme Hall mastiff bitch, belong-, 

 ing to Mr. Burgess, tanner, weighed before Manchester 

 journalists, ISTlbs., her full sister weighing 1601bs. These 

 weights will show the unprecedented vast size, of Albert Vic- 

 tor, who is stated to weigh over 2201bs., and bids fair to be- 

 come one of the pillars of our Stud Book; and while he will 

 possess all the advantages of a decided out-cross, breeders 

 must bear in mind it does not follow for any certainty that 

 his stock will be remarkable for size or weight above the 

 average, for it is highly probable that much of his size and 

 development is due to the manner in which he was fed and 

 reared, viz. , at a tan yard, and fed mostly on raw flesh. Be- 

 fore the appearance of Albert Victor, I pointed out in my 

 work, "The History of the Mastiff" (pages 93 to 95). that 

 mastiffs reared at tan yards, where they get plenty of raw 

 flesh, often attain greater size than the average, and the de- 

 velopment of their skull is frequently very powerful, I may 

 point out that Bill George's Tiger, so noted for his fine head, 

 was reared at a tan yard, so was Mr. Burgess's 1871bs. bitch. 

 Victor Hugo is another dug likely to be made considerable 

 use of to obtain size, and for which he will probably be suc- 

 cessful, being very well descended from ancestors possessing 

 plenty of size; he is too long in head, and lias too much of 

 the boarhouud figure to come up to the to naXov of a perfect 

 mastiff, in my opinion; still, his beautiful small ears and 

 many other good points are calculated to make him a useful 

 sire. It is very easy to pick out faults in good specimens, 

 and to grumble at fashion without being able to breed 

 anything worth being mentioned oneself. Still, there 

 are good men breeding mastiffs, both in America 

 and this country; men who are capable of seizing 

 the light offered them, and, while eliminating de- 

 fects, retain the good points: men capable of seeing mere 

 height is a mistake, that it must be accompanied by pro- 

 portionate weight aud mastiff character; that good specimens 

 standing not more than 30 inches, and weighing 1701bs. , are 

 about the ideal standard that should be aimed at. It is to 

 be hoped now breeders have succeeded in restoring the true 

 type of head, that they will devote more consideration to 

 smaller ears, stronger" hind quarters, darker eyes, and 

 blacker ears, leaving the overgrown, unsymmetrieal giant 

 specimens to be drafted. I am glad to see the pug dog type 

 of head, introduced through Mr. Rawlinson's Countess and 

 Crown Prince, has gained the day, and now leads the 

 fashion. Some large dogs are being bred and exhibited in 

 America, where the interest in the breed seems very keen, 

 and some of our best specimens have been imported there, 

 notably Minting and Reine, yet few really good mastiffs 

 have as yet been bred in America; the prize takers being 

 generally imported specimens, Possibly equal improvement 

 may be made in mastiff breeding in both countries, that has 

 been made in this within the last ten years, yet, when we 

 come to retrospect, the magnificent collection of mastiffs 

 which faced the judges at Brighton, Warwick, the Royal 

 Aquarium, and the Crystal Palace, January 1887, we doubt 

 somewhat if much improvement in the best specimens is 

 possible; such typical specimens as Beaufort, Orlando, 

 Montgomery, Hotspur, and Boatswain will furnish us with 

 sires possessing nearly all we can wish in character. 



The most conspicuous faults are still the over-large ear in- 

 troduced bv that grand-headed little dog Sultan through his 

 daughters, "Duchess and Mrs. Rawlinson's Countess, whose 

 short muzzles and heavy wrinkles have been transmitted, 

 along with too much leather in the ear; smaller ears are a 

 point which require the breeder's special attention. Color, 

 both in eyes, ear and muzzle, is another matter. How few 

 specimens at present equal Bamford's Wolf, Old King, 

 Granby, Green's Monarch, or Beau in this respect. In mak- 

 ing a review, it is not necessary to go through the various 

 shows seriatim; my readers should go through the show re- 

 ports for themselves in the back numbers of the Meld. I 

 merely strive to pick out the specimens most worthy of 

 notice, leaving breeders to analyze for themselves, and then, 

 by tracing out the pedigrees of the greatest winners, they 

 may get at the winning blood for themselves. 



The following specimens, given somewhat in order accord- 

 ing to their merit, in my opinion comprise every, or nearly 

 every, specimen worthy of particular mention: 



1. Beaufort, too staring in eye and uusymmetrieal in hind 

 legs, like many specimens in which the dew-claw is devel- 

 oped; in other respects he is a very grand specimen, unques- 

 tionably the best all-round dog now before the public. 2. 

 Victor Hugo, previously mentioned, 3. Hotspur, very good 

 in head, fair in size, aud fairly good all over 4. Montgomery, 

 far too large in ear, and diiigy in color. 5. Albert Victor, 

 previously mentioned. 6. Llewellyn, small in ear, good in 

 muzzle, g r rand in color, short in head; a very perfect speci- 

 men. 7. Maximilian lacks character in head, and is de- 

 fective slightly in one or two other points, yet he has really 

 good blood, and Minting proved his value as a sire. 8. Spar- 

 tacus, full in eye, and lacking mastiff character, expression 

 in head in its fullest sense. He is also light in bone, yet 

 possesses that muscular activity that the old English mastiff 

 had, and has unfortunately lost to a great extent of late 

 years, 9 Boatswain is too throaty and deficient in loin; still 



he has a most characteristic head, a head which those who 

 do not understand type should study, for although short- 

 ness of head is a point — a long muzzle in a mastiff heing al- 

 together wrong and uncharacteristic— there are points as 

 well as shortness which help to 'constitute a typical head. 

 Boatswain has the heavy wrinkled brow causing that lower- 

 ing expression peculiar to the old English mastiff. 10. Charley 

 Wood, sold to go to Rotterdam, 'had all the appearance of 

 growing into a grand specimen. 11. Lionel is about the best 

 brindle male extant, has a good head and nice little ears, 

 but is light in eye. 12. Minting's crooked forelegs will 

 always be against him, and he was also somewhat hollow in 

 the back, but he has great length of body and a superb head. 

 13. Rudolph, a very good mastiff, good in head, but light in 

 color, and his small ears are much spoilt in many people's 

 opinion by being semi-crest. 14. Clement is a fair dog, but 

 only able to win when the cracks are absent. 15. Imperial 

 ( Jhancellor is houndy, showing the cone, and is too long and 

 narrow in head, and too large in ear, still he is a fine-bodied 

 dog, and possesses size. 16. Ilford Chancellor is too throaty, 

 and shows too much wrinkle. 17. Wodan is too large in 

 ears, narrow in loin and at present shows the cone, otherwise 

 has a good head. 18, Pius is a well-bred dog, very fair all 

 round, but terribly out of condition, 19. Brindle Sultan, a 

 good old-fashioned mastiff, but of a bygone type. 20, Last, 

 but not least, Prince of Wales, a good all-round dog, who 

 should have carried off the champion prize at the Royal 

 Aquariam, over the lame King Canute. In latches, Cambrian 

 Princess still holds the premier position; Lady Isabel begins 

 to show signs of age; Lady Clare's large ears spoil her 

 greatly; Reine, gone to America, was a very fine bitch: Hoda 

 is very grand in body, but her head is nothing first rate; 

 Rosa looks like breeding something very good if well mated. 

 Mastiff bitches at the present time are decidedly improved 

 in head within the last few years, and the puppies at the 

 Crystal Palace showed there is no likelihood of any falling 

 off in this respect, while the shortness of body and weak 

 hindquarters, complained of so greatly, would appear more 

 a fault in rearinu' than inherent.— M. Li. IFjwm,, Vli Lnndvti 



The editor of the Fidd adds the following note: "The 

 Americans have not been fortunate in breeding good speci- 

 mens, for the very reason that, as a rale, only second-rate 

 animals were imported by them. Minting, of course, must 

 be excepted, and he has not been there sufficiently long to 

 make his mark. Goldsmith would scarcely be taken as an 

 authority on the size of the mastiff in his day. and we do not 

 believe any mastiff of the present time weighs anything like 

 2201bs." 



INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION IN DOGS. 



VAIL' ABLE and highly bred dogs are more numerous 

 to-day in the United States than ever before. To their 

 rearing and training and the development of their respective 

 attributes is devoted much labor and expense. Celebrated 

 stud dogs are held at enormous prices, and some of the more 

 extensive kennels produce a considerable income annually. 

 Surgical diseases of dogs have never been made a specialty, 

 and probably never will be. At the same time they are 

 very important to owners and breeders, and every surgeon 

 is called upon from time to time to treat them. The princi- 

 ples of surgery as applied to man are similarly applicable 

 to dogs. The' enforcement of absolute rest in certain posi- 

 tions or for a considerable length of time is often impossible, 

 and here is where veterinary surgery meets its greatest ob- 

 stacles. The principles are applicable. The practice is 

 sometimes difficult. 



Intestinal obstruction in dogs is not rare. It is more com- 

 mon in puppies than in adult dogs. It is more common in 

 well bred dogs than in mongrels. In adults it is caused, as 

 a rule, by swallowing bones or foreign bodies, though it may 

 occur from the growth of a tumor or adhesive inflammation, 

 or, rarely, rupture. In young dogs it is invariably a foreign 

 body or twisting or invagination of the gut. 



Dogs whose diet is selected, and consists of little or no 

 meat will, on the sly, eagerly devour what they may acci- 

 dentally find. They are likely to bolt it without tearing the 

 flesh or breaking the bone sufficiently. Ed this way large 

 and jagged bits of bone may pass through the stomach with- 

 out being digested, and may lodge at almost any point in 

 the small intestine. When a bone or other foreign body 

 becomes impacted in the intestinal canal, it naturally blocks 

 the passage of fecal matter or semi-digested food, and, by 

 this accumulation, the gut above the obstructed point is dis- 

 tended and below is collapsed. Congestion of t lie gut fol- 

 lows, and, where no relief is obtained, this congestion runs 

 progressively into inflammation and perhaps gangrene, 

 Death ends the trouble. The symptoms in their natural 

 sequence would be as follows: Localized pain in some spot 

 over the abdominal walls, indicated by palpating or pressing 

 the fingers firmly inward at different points, and noticing 

 whether the animal winces or whines; general pain and ab- 

 dominal distention follows, due to peritonitis and the forma- 

 tion of gases in the gut from the fermentation of the food. 

 This distention can be discovered by percussion, which con- 

 sists in placing one or two fingers flat on the belly and tap- 

 ping them firmly with one or two fingers of the other hand. 

 The resonance will be hollow, or what is termed tympanitic. 



The position that the dog takes at this stage is often char 

 acteristie. It is that'of flexion, viz.: standing on the hind 

 legs and resting the chest and foreparts on the ground, or 

 when lying, curling up as much as possible. These posi- 

 tions tend to relax the abdominal muscles and relieve pain. 

 Concomitant with these physical signs are some constitu- 

 tional symptoms, which are almost diagnostic. Constipa- 

 tion is present, running into obstipation, which latter 

 term signifies inability to pass anything per rectum. The 

 animal is constantly straining, but the passages are merely 

 of mucous and a little blood. At the sanie time vomiting is 

 prese.nl and persistent. The vomited matter consists of con- 

 tents of the stomach at first, then becomes slimy and 

 greenish, and then follow the contents of the upper intes- 

 tines, and finally the vomited matters will become feculoid, 

 or having a distinct excrementitious odor and look. These 

 are the principal symptoms observable to the layman. The 

 surgeon would examine the pulse, temperature, respiration, 

 and find the canine patient in collapse, with a rapid, feeble 

 heart, the temperature subnormal, the respiration shallow 

 and rapid, the extremities cold, the pupils dilated. 



The duration of life after obstruction of the intestine has 

 taken place,depends on the cause, age of dog, general health, 

 etc. Generally they live anywhere from six to ten or twelve 

 days. 



The treatment of this trouble depends greatly on the 

 cause. As this obstruction, if not relieved progresses steadily 

 to a fatal end, the longer the delay the greater the chances 

 of loss of our patient. In cases of young dogs, where invag- 

 ination, hernia or twisting of the gut is suspected, inversion 

 of the animal, holding it hy the hindlegs, may be resorted to 

 with the idea of loosening the coils of intestine. Injections are 

 exceedingly useful and should be given in large quantity so 

 that the fluid will reach as high as possible in the canal. 

 This can be accomplished readily by using a rectal tube, well 

 oiled, which can be passed gently into the gut as far as it 

 will go without encountering marked resistance. A David- 

 son's "syringe attached to this will sdon till the gut. Cathar- 

 tics are contra-indicated and harmful, for they only serve 

 to increase the difficulty. They are often given, however, 

 under the impression that the animal suffers from intes- 

 tinal colic or gastro-intestiiial inflammation. Kneatiing 

 the belly with the doubled up fingers may release an ob- 

 struction. We have lately heard of a case in which a dog 

 after swallowing a piece of rope was enabled to pass it upon 



recovering from the administration of ether, the anesthetic 

 relaxing the bowels sufficiently to allow the substance to 

 find its way to the rectum. 



If the animal is suffering great pain, opium, in the shape 

 of morphine, given hypodermically, should be administered. 

 For collapse and great failure ot powers, give whisky or 

 brandy in the same manner. Has the existence of obstruc- 

 tion been suspected from the first, and the progression of 

 symptoms, as detailed above, confirmed the diagnosis, milder 

 methods or treatment having failed, we see no reason why 

 laparotomy or abdominal section should not be performed 

 In man this operation is now, under the antiseptic precau- 

 tions of modern surgery, devoid of the great dangers form- 

 erly ascribed to it. The obstacles in bringing such an opera- 

 tion to a successful issue in animals would lie the difficulties 

 m the after treatment. Still we think these can be over- 

 come. The animal can be sesved in a canvas bag and so 

 secured as to insure almost absolute quiet for a long enough 

 period to accomplish the healing of the wound. We have 

 verified this in the case of a valuable red Irish setter upon 

 whom we performed tracheotomy for a foreign body in the 

 Windpipe. By securing the dog in a canvas bag previously 

 arranged, suspended like a hammock, and keeping the 

 animal under morphine, he was absolutely quiet for thirty- 

 six hours, when he died of the trouble. 



A dog is much less liable to peritonitis than man. We 

 need not enter into the details of such au operation. Every 

 surgeon is entirely familiar with them. It might, however, 

 be well to say that the hair should be cleanly shaved from 

 the region Avhere the incision is to be made. The food should 

 be entirely fluid for at least four days, and given per rectum. 

 The nourishment should consist bf peptonized milk, beef 

 juice, a certain amount of brandy or whisky and laudanum. 

 Opium may be given either in this shape or by hypodermics 

 of morphine. The position of the dog should be changed 

 for a little while each day in order to guard against what is 

 termed hypostatic congestion, or the settling of the blood to 

 the most dependent portions of the lungs, which is liable to 

 occur where the heart is weak., and the patient remains on 

 the back for some time. 



We were called a few days since to make an autopsy upon 

 the body of the fine prize winning two-year-old mastiff 

 Bismarck, the property of Mr. O, P. Fraleigh of Summer- 

 ville, N. J. The dog had suffered for ten days with almost 

 t he exact train of symptoms described above, passing nothing 

 and vomiting constantly. The heart and lungs were healthy, 

 giving evidence, however, that the dog had died of gradual 

 heart failure and collapsed. 



Upon opening the abdomen, however, the cause of death 

 was instantly manifest. The alimentary canal from the 

 stomach downward to the extent of about nine feet was 

 enormously distended with fecal matter and undigested 

 food. The gut was intensely congested, almost gangrenous. 

 A certain amount of peritonitis was present. At this point, 

 about nine feet from the stomach, a sharp, almost needle- 

 like spicule of bone had perforated the gut and protruded 

 into the abdominal cavity. Below this point the gut was 

 collapsed, empty and normal. The liver was greatly con- 

 gested, black and tarry looking on section. The kidneys 

 were the seat of an acute diffused nephritis. The bladder 

 was distended with decomposed ammoniacal urine. The 

 perforation looked recent. The bone seemed to be part of 

 the vertebra of a sheep, the two transverse processes being 

 broken into sharp points, and the spinous process projecting 

 between, but blunt. The bone was imbedded in what 

 appeared to be fine hay or straw. It is reasonable to sup- 

 pose that the dog, not being accustomed to being fed any 

 meat and finding this bone, had half chewed it and swal- 

 lowed it with the unfortunate result detailed. Had a diag- 

 nosis been made, which we acknowledge is always difficult, 

 his life might have been saved by an operation. The nature 

 of the foreign body, however, in this case, would have made 

 it necessary to have opened the gut itself and to have ex- 

 tracted the bone, this being a much more dangerous opera- 

 tion than simple abdominal section and relief of obstruction 

 by manipulation, MORTON G kinnell, M.D. 



4S East Twenty-Sixth Street, New York. 



PREMIUM LISTS. 



"\^\7E have received premium lists of the Philadelphia, 

 VV Hartford and New York dog shows. Philadelphia 

 offers a gold medal in champion classes and £20, fetO and 

 silver medal in the more important open classes, with £10, $5 

 and silver medal in others and £10 and silver medal in 

 nearly all of the remaining classes. Kennel prizes of $10 are 

 offered for four or more, owned by one exhibitor, of mastiffs , 

 rough-coated St. Bernards, smooth-coated St. Bernards, 

 greyhounds, pointers, English setters. Irish setters, spaniels, 

 beagles and collies, The best pack of foxhounds will re- 

 ceive. $855; there is au entrance fee of £10 for this prize. A 

 number of valuable special prizes are promised. Any breed 

 not classified will receive $10 and silver medal if there are 

 five entries • 



Hartford will give a champion cup for champion classes 

 and £10 and s5 in the more important classes with 60 and 40 

 per cent, in the remainder and all the puppy classes. Kennel 

 prizes of &15 will be given for four or more, owned by one 

 exhibitor, to mastiffs, St. Bernards, pointers, English set- 

 ters, Irish setters, spaniels, deerhounds. fox-terriers, beagles, 

 bull-terriers, collies, and £10 to pugs. 



The Apollo Stakes of the American Fox-Terrier Club will 

 be decided at this show, The value to the winner will be 

 §55 aud a silver cup. The president of the American Fox- 

 Terrier Club also offers s25 for the best exhibit of fox-ter- 

 riers, to consist of not less than a grown dog and bitch and 

 a dog and bitch puppy. The American English Beagle Club 

 offer a silver cup for the best beagle dog aud for the best 

 bitch in the open classes. Other valuable specials are 

 promised. 



New York will give »20 in the more prominent champion 

 classes, aud §20, *10 and silver medal in the open. Some of 

 the other classes have $15 in the champion and $10, $5 and 

 silver medal in the open classes. A few classes have §10 in 

 the champion, and £10, *5 and silver medal in the open 

 classes. Some of the classes have no champion prize, receiv- 

 ing in the open class $10, $5 and silver medal, the remaining 

 classes receiving S10 and silver medal. A silver club medal 

 for the best kennel of four owned by one exhibitor to. mas- 

 tiffs. St. Bernards, pointers, English setters, Irish setters,, 

 black and tan setters, spaniels, fox-terriers, collies; best 

 three deerhounds, greyhounds and pugs; best brace beagles; 

 best pair bulldogs" and bull-terriers. The Eastern Field 

 Trials Club offer a club medal each to dogs and bitches that 

 have been placed at an American field trial for pointers, 

 English setters and Irish setters: also to black and tan set- 

 ters, dog or bitch. The first Produce Stake of the American 

 Fox-Terrier Club will be decided here. The president of the 

 club Avill give £25 for the best exhibit of notless than a grown 

 dog and bitch, and a dog and bitch puppy. Other special 

 prizes for fox-terriers arc: $20 for the best. £25 best dog, £15 

 best team of three and £10 each for best brace; best in cham- 

 pion classes, dog in open class, also bitch: dog puppy, also 

 bitch, and best American bred whelped in 1886. 



The American Mastiff Club offers the club's £150 challenge 

 cup for the best American bred mastiff; the club's £100 chal- 

 lenge cup for best dog owned by a member, and the same for 

 bitch, same conditions. 



The American English Beagle Club offers a silver cup for 

 the best beagle dog in open class and the same for bitch. 

 There will be cash prizes of £50 for the best pointer dog in 

 open class, £25 for best collie in open class, £25 for best four 

 English setters and also for best four collies. 



