In all probability the Dachshund is a manufactured breed—a breed evolved from a large type of hound intermixed with a terrier to suit the special conditions involved in the pursuit and extermination of a quarry that, unchecked, was capable of seriously interfering with the cultivation of the land. He comprises in his small person the characteristics of both hound and terrier—his wonderful powers of scent, his long, pendulous ears, and, for his size, enormous bone, speak of his descent from the hound that hunts by scent. In many respects he favours the Bloodhound, and one may often see Dachshunds which, having been bred from parents carefully selected to accentuate some fancy point, have exhibited the very pronounced "peak" (occipital bone), the protruding haw of the eye, the loose dewlap and the colour markings characteristic of the Bloodhound. His small stature, iron heart, and willingness to enter the earth bespeak the terrier cross.

The Dachshund was first introduced to this country in sufficient numbers to merit notice in the early 'sixties, and, speedily attracting notice by his quaint formation and undoubted sporting instincts, soon became a favourite. At first appearing at shows in the "Foreign Dog" class, he quickly received a recognition of his claims to more favoured treatment, and was promoted by the Kennel Club to a special classification as a sporting dog. Since then his rise has been rapid, and he now is reckoned as one of the numerically largest breeds exhibited. Unfortunately, however, he has been little, if ever, used for sport in the sense that applies in Germany, and this fact, coupled with years of breeding from too small a stock (or stock too nearly related) and the insane striving after the fanciful and exaggerated points demanded by judges at dog shows, many of whom never saw a Dachshund at his legitimate work, has seriously affected his usefulness. He has deteriorated in type, lost grit and sense, too, and is often a parody of the true type of Dachshund that is to be found in his native land.

To the reader who contemplates possessing one or more Dachshunds a word of advice may be offered. Whether you want a dog for sport, for show, or as a companion, endeavour to get a good one—a well-bred one. To arrive at this do not buy from an advertisement on your own knowledge of the breed, but seek out an expert amateur breeder and exhibitor, and get his advice and assistance. If you intend to start a kennel for show purposes, do not buy a high-priced dog at a show, but start with a well-bred bitch, and breed your own puppies, under the guidance of the aforementioned expert. In this way, and by rearing and keeping your puppies till they are of an age to be exhibited, and at the same time carefully noting the awards at the best shows, you will speedily learn which to retain and the right type of dog to keep and breed for, and in future operations you will be able to discard inferior puppies at an earlier age. But it is a great mistake, if you intend to form a kennel for show purposes, to sell or part with your puppies too early. It is notorious with all breeds that puppies change very much as they grow. The best looking in the nest often go wrong later, and the ugly duckling turns out the best of the litter. This is especially true of Dachshunds, and it requires an expert to pick the best puppy of a litter at a month or two old, and even he may be at fault unless the puppy is exceptionally well reared.

To rear Dachshund puppies successfully you must not overload them with fat—give them strengthening food that does not lay on flesh. Lean, raw beef, finely chopped, is an excellent food once or twice a day for the first few months, and, though this comes expensive, it pays in the end. Raw meat is supposed to cause worm troubles, but these pests are also found where meat is not given, and in any case a puppy is fortified with more strength to withstand them if fed on raw meat than otherwise, and a good dosing from time to time will be all that is necessary to keep him well and happy.

Young growing puppies must have their freedom to gambol about, and get their legs strong. Never keep the puppies cooped up in a small kennel run or house. If you have a fair-sized yard, give them the run of that, or even the garden, in spite of what your gardener may say—they may do a little damage to the flowers, but will assuredly do good to themselves. They love to dig in the soft borders: digging is second nature to them, and is of great importance in their development.

If you have not a garden, or if the flowers are too sacred, it is better to place your puppies as early as possible with respectable cottagers, or small farmers, especially the latter, with whom they will have entire freedom to run about, and will not be overfed.

If you intend to show your puppies, you should begin some time in advance to school them to walk on the lead and to stand quiet when ordered to. Much depends on this in the judging ring, where a dog who is unused to being on a lead often spoils his chances of appearing at his best under the (to him) strange experiences of restraint which the lead entails.

During the past five-and-twenty years the names of two particular Dachshunds stand out head and shoulders above those of their competitors: Champions Jackdaw and Pterodactyl. Jackdaw had a wonderful record, having, during a long show career, never been beaten in his class from start to finish, and having won many valuable prizes. He was credited with being the most perfect Dachshund that had ever been seen in England, and probably as good as anything in Germany.

Ch. Jackdaw was a black and tan dog, bred and owned by Mr. Harry Jones, of Ipswich. He was sired by Ch. Charkow, out of Wagtail, and born 20th July, 1886. Through his dam he was descended from a famous bitch, Thusnelda, who was imported by Mr. Mudie in the early 'eighties. She was a winner of high honours in Hanover. The name of Jackdaw figures in all the best pedigrees of to-day.

Ch. Pterodactyl was born in 1888, and bred by Mr. Willink. He was in a measure an outcross from the standard type of the day, and his dam, whose pedigree is in dispute, was thought to have been imported. After passing through one or two hands he was purchased by Mr. Harry Jones, and in his kennel speedily made a great name in the show ring and at the stud, and was eventually sold for a high price to Mr. Sidney Woodiwiss, who at that period had the largest kennel of Dachshunds in England.

"Ptero," as he was called, was a big, light red dog, with wonderful fore-quarters and great muscular development. He also possessed what is called a "punishing jaw" and rather short ears, and looked a thorough "business" dog. He had an almost unbroken series of successes at shows in England, and being taken to Germany (in the days before the quarantine regulations), he took the highest honours in the heavy-weight class, and a special prize for the best Dachshund of all classes. This dog became the favourite sire of his day and the fashionable colour.

The black and tan thereupon went quite out of favour, and this fact, coupled with the reckless amount of inbreeding of red to red that has been going on since Ptero's day, accounts largely for the prevalence of light eyes, pink noses, and bad-coloured coats of the Dachshunds, as a class, to-day.

There are, strictly speaking, three varieties of Dachshund—(a) the short-haired, (b) the long-haired, and (c) the rough-haired.

Of these we most usually find the first-named in England, and they are no doubt the original stock. Of the others, though fairly numerous in Germany, very few are to be seen in this country, and although one or two have been imported the type has never seemed to appeal to exhibitors.

Both the long-haired and rough-haired varieties have no doubt been produced by crosses with other breeds, such as the Spaniel and probably the Irish Terrier, respectively.

In the long-haired variety the hair should be soft and wavy, forming lengthy plumes under the throat, lower parts of the body, and the backs of the legs, and it is longest on the under side of the tail, where it forms a regular flag like that of a Setter or Spaniel. The rough-haired variety shows strongly a terrier cross by his "varmint" expression and short ears.

The Germans also subdivide by colour, and again for show purposes by weight. These subdivisions are dealt with in their proper order in the standard of points, and it is only necessary to say here that all the varieties, colours, and weights are judged by the same standard except in so far as they differ in texture of coat. At the same time the Germans themselves do not regard the dapple Dachshunds as yet so fixed in type as the original coloured dogs, and this exception must also apply to the long and the rough haired varieties.

The following German standard of points embodies a detailed description of the breed:—

* * * * *

GENERAL APPEARANCE AND DISPOSITION—In general appearance the Dachshund is a very long and low dog, with compact and well-muscled body, resting on short, slightly crooked fore-legs. A long head and ears, with bold and defiant carriage and intelligent expression. In disposition the Dachshund is full of spirit, defiant when attacked, aggressive even to foolhardiness when attacking; in play amusing and untiring; by nature wilful and unheeding. HEAD—Long, and appearing conical from above, and from a side view, tapering to the point of the muzzle, wedge-shaped. The skull should be broad rather than narrow, to allow plenty of brain room, slightly arched, and fairly straight, without a stop, but not deep or snipy. EYES—Medium in size, oval, and set obliquely, with very clear, sharp expression and of a dark colour, except in the case of the liver and tan, when the eyes may be yellow; and in the dapple, when the eyes may be light or "wall-eyed." NOSE—Preferably deep black. The flesh-coloured and spotted noses are allowable only in the liver and tan and dapple varieties. EARS—Set on moderately high, or, seen in profile, above the level of the eyes, well back, flat, not folded, pointed, or narrow, hanging close to the cheeks, very mobile, and when at attention carried with the back of the ear upward and outward. NECK—Moderately long, with slightly arched nape, muscular and clean, showing no dewlap, and carried well up and forward. FORE-QUARTERS—His work underground demands strength and compactness, and, therefore, the chest and shoulder regions should be deep, long, and wide. The shoulder blade should be long, and set on very sloping, the upper arm of equal length with, and at right angles to, the shoulder blade, strong-boned and well-muscled, and lying close to ribs, but moving freely. The lower arm is slightly bent inwards, and the feet should be turned slightly outwards, giving an appearance of "crooked" legs approximating to the cabriole of a Chippendale chair. Straight, narrow, short shoulders are always accompanied by straight, short, upper arms, forming an obtuse angle, badly developed brisket and "keel" or chicken breast, and the upper arm being thrown forward by the weight of the body behind causes the legs to knuckle over at the "knees." Broad, sloping shoulders, on the other hand, insure soundness of the fore-legs and feet. LEGS AND FEET—Fore-legs very short and strong in bone, slightly bent inwards; seen in profile, moderately straight and never bending forward or knuckling over. Feet large, round, and strong, with thick pads, compact and well-arched toes, nails strong and black. The dog must stand equally on all parts of the foot. BODY—Should be long and muscular, the chest very oval, rather than very narrow and deep, to allow ample room for heart and lungs, hanging low between front legs, the brisket point should be high and very prominent, the ribs well sprung out towards the loins (not flat-sided). Loins short and strong. The line of back only slightly depressed behind shoulders and only slightly arched over loins. The hind-quarters should not be higher than the shoulders, thus giving a general appearance of levelness. HIND-QUARTERS—The rump round, broad, and powerfully muscled; hip bone not too short, but broad and sloping; the upper arm, or thigh, thick, of good length, and jointed at right angles to the hip bone. The lower leg (or second thigh) is, compared with other animals, short, and is set on at right angles to the upper thigh, and is very firmly muscled. The hind-legs are lighter in bone than the front ones, but very strongly muscled, with well-rounded-out buttocks, and the knee joint well developed. Seen from behind, the legs should be wide apart and straight, and not cowhocked. The dog should not be higher at the quarters than at shoulder. STERN—Set on fairly high, strong at root, and tapering, but not too long. Neither too much curved nor carried too high; well, but not too much, feathered; a bushy tail is better than too little hair. COAT AND SKIN—Hair short and close as possible, glossy and smooth, but resistant to the touch if stroked the wrong way. The skin tough and elastic, but fitting close to the body. COLOUR—One Coloured:—There are several self-colours recognised, including deep red, yellowish red, smutty red. Of these the dark, or cherry, red is preferable, and in this colour light shadings on any part of the body or head are undesirable. "Black" is rare, and is only a sport from black and tan. Two Coloured:—Deep black, brown (liver) or grey, with golden or tan markings (spots) over the eyes at the side of the jaw and lips, inner rim of ears, the breast, inside and back of legs, the feet, and under the tail for about one-third of its length. In the above-mentioned colours white markings are objectionable. The utmost that is allowed being a small spot, or a few hairs, on the chest. Dappled:—A silver grey to almost white foundation colour, with dark, irregular spots (small for preference) of dark grey, brown, tan, or black. The general appearance should be a bright, indefinite coloration, which is considered especially useful in a hunting dog. WEIGHT—Dachshunds in Germany are classified by weight as follows:—Light-weight—Dogs up to 16-1/2 lb., bitches up to 15-1/2 lb. Middle-weight—Dogs up to 22 lb., bitches up to 22 lb. Heavy-weight—Over 22 lb. Toys—Up to 12 lb. The German pound is one-tenth more than the English. The light-weight dog is most used for going to ground.



CHAPTER XXVIII

THE OLD WORKING TERRIER

There can hardly have been a time since the period of the Norman Conquest when the small earth dogs which we now call terriers were not known in these islands and used by sporting men as assistants in the chase, and by husbandmen for the killing of obnoxious vermin. The two little dogs shown in the Bayeux tapestry running with the hounds in advance of King Harold's hawking party were probably meant for terriers. Dame Juliana Berners in the fifteenth century did not neglect to include the "Teroures" in her catalogue of sporting dogs, and a hundred years later Dr. Caius gave pointed recognition to their value in unearthing the fox and drawing the badger.

"Another sorte, there is," wrote the doctor's translator in 1576, "which hunteth the Fox and the Badger or Greye onely, whom we call Terrars, because they (after the manner and custome of ferrets in searching for Connyes) creep into the grounde, and by that meanes make afrayde, nyppe and bite the Foxe and the Badger in such sorte that eyther they teare them in pieces with theyr teeth, beying in the bosome of the earth, or else hayle and pull them perforce out of theyr lurking angles, darke dongeons, and close caues; or at the least through cocened feare drive them out of theire hollow harbours, in so much that they are compelled to prepare speedie flyte, and, being desirous of the next (albeit not the safest) refuge, are otherwise taken and intrapped with snayres and nettes layde over holes to the same purpose. But these be the least in that kynde called Sagax."

The colour, size, and shape of the original terriers are not indicated by the early writers, and art supplies but vague and uncertain evidence. Nicholas Cox, who wrote of sporting dogs in The Gentleman's Recreation (1667), seems to suggest that the type of working terrier was already fixed sufficiently to be divided into two kinds, the one having shaggy coats and straight limbs, the other smooth coats and short bent legs. Yet some years later another authority—Blome—in the same publication was more guarded in his statements as to the terrier type when he wrote: "Everybody that is a fox hunter is of opinion that he hath a good breed, and some will say that the terrier is a peculiar species of itself. I will not say anything to the affirmative or negative of the point."

Searching for evidence on the subject, one finds that perhaps the earliest references to the colours of terriers were made by Daniel in his Field Sports at the end of the eighteenth century, when he described two sorts, the one rough, short-legged, and long-backed, very strong, and "most commonly of a black or yellowish colour, mixed with white"—evidently a hound-marked dog; and another smooth-coated and beautifully formed, with a shorter body and more sprightly appearance, "generally of a reddish brown colour, or black with tanned legs."

Gilpin's portrait of Colonel Thornton's celebrated Pitch, painted in 1790, presents a terrier having a smooth white coat with a black patch at the set-on of the undocked tail, and black markings on the face and ears. The dog's head is badly drawn and small in proportion; but the body and legs and colouring would hardly disgrace the Totteridge Kennels of to-day. Fox-terriers of a noted strain were depicted from life by Reinagle in The Sportsman's Cabinet, published over a hundred years ago; and in the text accompanying the engraving a minute account is given of the peculiarities and working capacities of the terrier. We are told that there were two breeds: the one wire-haired, larger, more powerful, and harder bitten; the other smooth-haired and smaller, with more style. The wire-hairs were white with spots, the smooths were black and tan, the tan apparently predominating over the black. The same writer states that it was customary to take out a brace of terriers with a pack of hounds, a larger and a smaller one, the smaller dog being used in emergency when the earth proved to be too narrow to admit his bigger companion. It is well known that many of the old fox hunters have kept their special breeds of terrier, and the Belvoir, the Grove, and Lord Middleton's are among the packs to which particular terrier strains have been attached.

That even a hundred years ago terriers were bred with care, and that certain strains were held in especial value, is shown by the recorded fact that a litter of seven puppies was sold for twenty-one guineas—a good price even in these days—and that on one occasion so high a sum as twenty guineas was paid for a full-grown dog. At that time there was no definite and well-established breed recognised throughout the islands by a specific name; the embracing title of "Terrier" included all the varieties which have since been carefully differentiated. But very many of the breeds existed in their respective localities awaiting national recognition. Here and there some squire or huntsman nurtured a particular strain and developed a type which he kept pure, and at many a manor-house and farmstead in Devonshire and Cumberland, on many a Highland estate and Irish riverside where there were foxes to be hunted or otters to be killed, terriers of definite strain were religiously cherished. Several of these still survive, and are as respectable in descent and quite as important historically as some of the favoured and fashionable champions of our time. They do not perhaps possess the outward beauty and distinction of type which would justify their being brought into general notice, but as workers they retain all the fire and verve that are required in dogs that are expected to encounter such vicious vermin as the badger and the fox.

Some of the breeds of terriers seen nowadays in every dog show were equally obscure and unknown a few years back. Thirty-seven years ago the now popular Irish Terrier was practically unknown in England, and the Scottish Terrier was only beginning to be recognised as a distinct breed. The Welsh Terrier is quite a new introduction that a dozen or so years ago was seldom seen outside the Principality; and so recently as 1881 the Airedale was merely a local dog known in Yorkshire as the Waterside or the Bingley Terrier. Yet the breeds just mentioned are all of unimpeachable ancestry, and the circumstance that they were formerly bred within limited neighbourhoods is in itself an argument in favour of their purity. We have seen the process of a sudden leap into recognition enacted during the past few years in connection with the white terrier of the Western Highlands—a dog which was familiarly known in Argyllshire centuries ago, yet which has only lately emerged from the heathery hillsides around Poltalloch to become an attraction on the benches at the Crystal Palace and on the lawns of the Botanical Gardens; and the example suggests the possibility that in another decade or so the neglected Sealyham Terrier, the ignored terrier of the Borders, and the almost forgotten Jack Russell strain, may have claimed a due recompense for their long neglect.

There are lovers of the hard-bitten working "earth dogs" who still keep these strains inviolate, and who greatly prefer them to the better-known terriers whose natural activities have been too often atrophied by a system of artificial breeding to show points. Few of these old unregistered breeds would attract the eye of the fancier accustomed to judge a dog parading before him in the show ring. To know their value and to appreciate their sterling good qualities, one needs to watch them at work on badger or when they hit upon the line of an otter. It is then that they display the alertness and the dare-devil courage which have won for the English terriers their name and fame.

An excellent working terrier was the white, rough-haired strain kept by the Rev. John Russell in Devonshire and distributed among privileged sportsmen about Somersetshire and Gloucestershire. The working attributes of these energetic terriers have long been understood, and the smart, plucky little dogs have been constantly coveted by breeders all over the country, but they have never won the popularity they deserve.

Those who have kept both varieties prefer the Russell to the Sealyham Terrier, which is nevertheless an excellent worker. It is on record that one of these, a bitch of only 9 lb. weight, fought and killed, single-handed, a full-grown dog-fox. The Sealyham derives its breed name from the seat of the Edwardes family, near Haverfordwest, in Pembrokeshire, where the strain has been carefully preserved for well over a century. It is a long-bodied, short-legged terrier, with a hard, wiry coat, frequently whole white, but also white with black or brown markings or brown with black. They may be as heavy as 17 lb., but 12 lb. is the average weight. Some years ago the breed seemed to be on the down grade, requiring fresh blood from a well-chosen outcross. One hears very little concerning them nowadays, but it is certain that when in their prime they possessed all the grit, determination, and endurance that are looked for in a good working terrier.

A wire-haired black and tan terrier was once common in Suffolk and Norfolk, where it was much used for rabbiting, but it may now be extinct, or, if not extinct, probably identified with the Welsh Terrier, which it closely resembled in size and colouring. There was also in Shropshire a well-known breed of wire-hair terriers, black and tan, on very short legs, and weighing about 10 lb. or 12 lb., with long punishing heads and extraordinary working powers. So, too, in Lancashire and Cheshire one used to meet with sandy-coloured terriers of no very well authenticated strain, but closely resembling the present breed of Irish Terrier; and Squire Thornton, at his place near Pickering, in Yorkshire, had a breed of wire-hairs tan in colour with a black stripe down the back. Then there is the Cowley strain, kept by the Cowleys of Callipers, near King's Langley. These are white wire-haired dogs marked like the Fox-terrier, and exceedingly game. Possibly the Elterwater Terrier is no longer to be found, but some few of them still existed a dozen years or so ago in the Lake District, where they were used in conjunction with the West Cumberland Otterhounds. They were not easily distinguishable from the better-known Border Terriers of which there are still many strains, ranging from Northumberland, where Mr. T. Robson, of Bellingham, has kept them for many years, to Galloway and Ayrshire and the Lothians, where their coats become longer and less crisp.

There are many more local varieties of the working terrier as, for example, the Roseneath, which is often confused with the Poltalloch, or White West Highlander, to whom it is possibly related. And the Pittenweem, with which the Poltalloch Terriers are now being crossed; while Mrs. Alastair Campbell, of Ardrishaig, has a pack of Cairn Terriers which seem to represent the original type of the improved Scottie. Considering the great number of strains that have been preserved by sporting families and maintained in more or less purity to type, it is easy to understand how a "new" breed may become fashionable, and still claim the honour of long descent. They may not in all cases have the beauty of shape which is desired on the show bench; but it is well to remember that while our show terriers have been bred to the highest perfection we still possess in Great Britain a separate order of "earth dogs" that for pluckily following the fox and the badger into their lairs or bolting an otter from his holt cannot be excelled all the world over.



CHAPTER XXIX

THE WHITE ENGLISH TERRIER

This dog, one would think, ought, by the dignified title which he bears, to be considered a representative national terrier, forming a fourth in the distinctively British quartette whose other members are the Scottish, the Irish, and the Welsh Terriers. Possibly in the early days when Pearson and Roocroft bred him to perfection it was hoped and intended that he should become a breed typical of England. He is still the only terrier who owns the national name, but he has long ago yielded pride of place to the Fox-terrier, and it is the case that the best specimens of his race are bred north of the border, while, instead of being the most popular dog in the land, he is actually one of the most neglected and the most seldom seen. At the Kennel Club Show of 1909 there was not a single specimen of the breed on view, nor was one to be found at the recent shows at Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester, or Islington, nor at the National Terrier Show at Westminster. It is a pity that so smart and beautiful a dog should be suffered to fall into such absolute neglect. One wonders what the reason of it can be. Possibly it is that the belief still prevails that he is of delicate constitution, and is not gifted with a great amount of intelligence or sagacity; there is no doubt, however, that a potent factor in hastening the decline is to be found in the edict against cropping. Neither the White Terrier nor the Manchester Terrier has since been anything like so popular as they both were before April, 1898, when the Kennel Club passed the law that dogs' ears must not be cropped.

Writers on canine history, and Mr. Rawdon Lee among the number, tell us that the English White Terrier is a comparatively new breed, and that there is no evidence to show where he originally sprang from, who produced him, or for what reason he was introduced. His existence as a distinct breed is dated back no longer than forty years. This is about the accepted age of most of our named English terriers. Half a century ago, before the institution of properly organised dog shows drew particular attention to the differentiation of breeds, the generic term "terrier" without distinction was applied to all "earth dogs," and the consideration of colour and size was the only common rule observed in breeding. But it would not be difficult to prove that a white terrier resembling the one now under notice existed in England as a separate variety many generations anterior to the period usually assigned to its recognition.

In the National Portrait Gallery there is a portrait of Mary of Modena, Queen Consort of James II., painted in 1670 by William Wissing, who has introduced at the Queen's side a terrier that is undoubtedly of this type. The dog has slight brown or brindle markings on the back, as many English White Terriers have, and it is to be presumed that it is of the breed from which this variety is descended.

Apart from colour there is not a great difference between the White English Terrier and the Manchester Black and Tan. But although they are of similar shape and partake much of the same general character, yet there is the distinction that in the black and tan the conservation of type is stronger and more noticeable than in the white, in which the correct shape and action are difficult to obtain. It ought naturally to be easier to breed a pure white dog from white parents than to breed correctly marked and well tanned puppies from perfect black and tans; but the efforts of many breeders do not seem to support such a theory in connection with the English Terrier, whose litters frequently show the blemish of a spot of brindle or russet. These spots usually appear behind the ears or on the neck, and are of course a disfigurement on a dog whose coat to be perfect should be of an intense and brilliant white. It appears to be equally difficult to breed one which, while having the desired purity of colour, is also perfect in shape and terrier character. It is to be noted, too, that many otherwise good specimens are deaf—a fault which seriously militates against the dog's possibilities as a companion or as a watch.

Birmingham and Manchester were the localities in which the English Terrier was most popular forty years ago, but it was Mr. Frederick White, of Clapham, who bred all the best of the white variety and who made it popular in the neighbourhood of London. His terriers were of a strain founded by a dog named King Dick, and in 1863 he exhibited a notable team in Laddie, Fly, Teddie, and Nettle. Mr. S. E. Shirley, M. P., was attracted to the breed, and possessed many good examples, as also did the Rev. J. W. Mellor and Mr. J. H. Murchison. Mr. Alfred Benjamin's Silvio was a prominent dog in 1877.

Silvio was bred by Mr. James Roocroft, of Bolton, who owned a large kennel of this variety of terrier, and who joined with his townsman, Joe Walker, and with Bill Pearson in raising the breed to popularity in Lancashire. Bill Pearson was the breeder of Tim, who was considered the best terrier of his time, a dog of 14 lb., with a brilliant white coat, the darkest of eyes, and a perfect black nose.

It is apparent that the Whippet was largely used as a cross with the English Terrier, which may account to a great extent for the decline of terrier character in the breed. Wiser breeders had recourse to the more closely allied Bull-terrier; Mr. Shirley's prize winning Purity was by Tim out of a Bull-terrier bitch, and there is no doubt that whatever stamina remains in the breed has been supported by this cross.

The following is the description laid down by the White English Terrier Club:—

* * * * *

HEAD—Narrow, long and level, almost flat skull, without cheek muscles, wedge-shaped, well filled up under the eyes, tapering to the nose, and not lippy. EYES—Small and black, set fairly close together, and oblong in shape. NOSE—Perfectly black. EARS—Cropped and standing perfectly erect. NECK AND SHOULDERS—The neck should be fairly long and tapering from the shoulders to the head, with sloping shoulders, the neck being free from throatiness, and slightly arched at the occiput. CHEST—Narrow and deep. BODY—Short and curving upwards at the loins, sprung out behind the shoulders, back slightly arched at loins, and falling again at the joining of the tail to the same height as the shoulders. LEGS—Perfectly straight and well under the body, moderate in bone, and of proportionate length. FEET—Feet nicely arched, with toes set well together, and more inclined to be round than hare-footed. TAIL—Moderate length, and set on where the arch of the back ends, thick where it joins the body, tapering to a point, and not carried higher than the back. COAT—Close, hard, short, and glossy. COLOUR—Pure white, coloured marking to disqualify. CONDITION—Flesh and muscles to be hard and firm. WEIGHT—From 12 lb. to 20 lb.



CHAPTER XXX

THE BLACK AND TAN TERRIER

The Black and Tan, or Manchester, Terrier as we know him to-day is a comparatively new variety, and he is not to be confounded with the original terrier with tan and black colouring which was referred to by Dr. Caius in the sixteenth century, and which was at that time used for going to ground and driving out badgers and foxes.

Formerly there was but little regard paid to colour and markings, and there was a considerably greater proportion of tan in the coat than there is at the present day, while the fancy markings, such as pencilled toes, thumb marks, and kissing spots were not cultivated. The general outline of the dog, too, was less graceful and altogether coarser.

During the first half of the nineteenth century the chief accomplishment of this terrier was rat-killing. There are some extraordinary accounts of his adroitness, as well as courage, in destroying these vermin. The feats of a dog called Billy are recorded. He was matched to destroy one hundred large rats in eight minutes and a half. The rats were brought into the ring in bags, and as soon as the number was complete Billy was put over the railing into their midst. In six minutes and thirty-five seconds they were all destroyed. In another match he killed the same number in six minutes and thirteen seconds.

It was a popular terrier in Lancashire, and it was in this county that the refining process in his shape and colouring was practised, and where he came by the name of the Manchester Terrier.

Like the White English Terriers the Black and Tan has fallen on evil days. It is not a popular dog among fanciers, and although many good ones may be seen occasionally about the streets the breed suffers from want of the care and attention that are incidental to the breeding and rearing of dogs intended for competition at shows.

There are many who hold the opinion that one of the chief reasons for the decadence in the popularity of the Black and Tan Terrier, notwithstanding its many claims to favour, is to be found in the loss of that very alert appearance which was a general characteristic before the Kennel Club made it illegal to crop the ears of such as were intended for exhibition. It must be admitted that until very recently there was a considerable amount of truth in the prevalent opinion, inasmuch as a rather heavy ear, if carried erect, was the best material to work upon, and from which to produce the long, fine, and upright, or "pricked" effect which was looked upon as being the correct thing in a cropped dog; hence it followed that no care was taken to select breeding stock likely to produce the small, semi-erect, well-carried, and thin ears required to-day, consequently when the edict forbidding the use of scissors came into force there were very few small-eared dogs to be found. It has taken at least ten or a dozen years to eradicate the mischief, and even yet the cure is not complete.

Another factor which has had a bad effect is the belief, which has become much too prevalent, that a great deal of "faking" has been practised in the past, and that it has been so cleverly performed as to deceive the most observant judge, whereby a very artificial standard of quality has been obtained.

The standard of points by which the breed should be judged is as follows:—

* * * * *

GENERAL APPEARANCE—A terrier calculated to take his own part in the rat pit, and not of the Whippet type. HEAD—The head should be long, flat, and narrow, level and wedge-shaped, without showing cheek muscles; well filled up under the eyes, with tapering, tightly-lipped jaws and level teeth. EYES—The eyes should be very small, sparkling, and bright, set fairly close together and oblong in shape. NOSE—Black. EARS—The correct carriage of ears is a debatable point since cropping has been abolished. Probably in the large breed the drop ear is correct, but for Toys either erect or semi-erect carriage of the ear is most desirable. NECK AND SHOULDERS—The neck should be fairly long and tapering from the shoulders to the head, with sloping shoulders, the neck being free from throatiness and slightly arched at the occiput. CHEST—The chest should be narrow but deep. BODY—The body should be moderately short and curving upwards at the loin; ribs well sprung, back slightly arched at the loin and falling again at the joining of the tail to the same height as the shoulders. FEET—The feet should be more inclined to be cat- than hare-footed. TAIL—The tail should be of moderate length and set on where the arch of the back ends; thick where it joins the body, tapering to a point, and not carried higher than the back. COAT—The coat should be close, smooth, short and glossy. COLOUR—The coat should be jet black and rich mahogany tan, distributed over the body as follows: On the head the muzzle is tanned to the nose, which with the nasal bone is jet black. There is also a bright spot on each cheek and above each eye; the underjaw and throat are tanned, and the hair inside the ears is the same colour; the fore-legs tanned up to the knee, with black lines (pencil marks) up each toe, and a black mark (thumb mark) above the foot; inside the hind-legs tanned, but divided with black at the hock joints; and under the tail also tanned; and so is the vent, but only sufficiently to be easily covered by the tail; also slightly tanned on each side of the chest. Tan outside the hind-legs—commonly called breeching—is a serious defect. In all cases the black should not run into the tan, nor vice versa, but the division between the two colours should be well defined. WEIGHT—For toys not exceeding 7 lb.; for the large breed from 10 to 20 lb. is most desirable.



CHAPTER XXXI

THE BULL-TERRIER

The Bull-terrier is now a gentlemanly and respectably owned dog, wearing an immaculate white coat and a burnished silver collar; he has dealings with aristocracy, and is no longer contemned for keeping bad company. But a generation or two ago he was commonly the associate of rogues and vagabonds, skulking at the heels of such members of society as Mr. William Sikes, whom he accompanied at night on darksome business to keep watch outside while Bill was within, cracking the crib. In those days the dog's ears were closely cropped, not for the sake of embellishment, but as a measure of protection against the fangs of his opponent in the pit when money was laid upon the result of a well-fought fight to the death. For fighting was the acknowledged vocation of his order, and he was bred and trained to the work. He knew something of rats, too, and many of his kind were famed in the land for their prowess in this direction. Jimmy Shaw's Jacko could finish off sixty rats in three minutes, and on one occasion made a record by killing a thousand in a trifle over an hour and a half.

The breed is sufficiently modern to leave no doubt as to its derivation. In the first quarter of the nineteenth century attention was being directed to the improvement of terriers generally, and new types were sought for. They were alert, agile little dogs, excellent for work in the country; but the extravagant Corinthians of the time—the young gamesters who patronised the prize-ring and the cock-pit—desired to have a dog who should do something more than kill rats, or unearth the fox, or bolt the otter: which accomplishments afforded no amusement to the Town. They wanted a dog combining all the dash and gameness of the terrier with the heart and courage and fighting instinct of the Bulldog. Wherefore the terrier and the Bulldog were crossed. A large type of terrier was chosen, and this would be the smooth-coated Black and Tan, or the early English White Terrier; but probably both were used indifferently, and for a considerable period. The result gave the young bucks what they required: a dog that was at once a determined vermin killer and an intrepid fighter, upon whose skill in the pit wagers might with confidence be laid.

The animal, however, was neither a true terrier nor a true Bulldog, but an uncompromising mongrel; albeit he served his immediate purpose, and was highly valued for his pertinacity, if not for his appearance. In 1806 Lord Camelford possessed one for which he had paid the very high price of eighty-four guineas, and which he presented to Belcher, the pugilist. This dog was figured in The Sporting Magazine of the time. He was a short-legged, thick-set, fawn-coloured specimen, with closely amputated ears, a broad blunt muzzle, and a considerable lay-back; and this was the kind of dog which continued for many years to be known as the Bull-and-terrier. He was essentially a man's dog, and was vastly in favour among the undergraduates of Oxford and Cambridge.

Gradually the Bulldog element, at first pronounced, was reduced to something like a fourth degree, and, with the terrier character predominating, the head was sharpened, the limbs were lengthened and straightened until little remained of the Bulldog strain but the dauntless heart and the fearless fighting spirit, together with the frequent reversion to brindle colouring, which was the last outward and visible characteristic to disappear.

Within the remembrance of men not yet old the Bull-terrier was as much marked with fawn, brindle, or even black, as are the Fox-terriers of our own period. But fifty years or so ago white was becoming frequent, and was much admired. A strain of pure white was bred by James Hinks, a well-known dog-dealer of Birmingham, and it is no doubt to Hinks that we are indebted for the elegant Bull-terrier of the type that we know to-day. These Birmingham dogs showed a refinement and grace and an absence of the crook-legs and coloured patches which betrayed that Hinks had been using an out-cross with the English White Terrier, thus getting away further still from the Bulldog.

With the advent of the Hinks strain in 1862 the short-faced dog fell into disrepute, and pure white became the accepted colour. There was a wide latitude in the matter of weight. If all other points were good, a dog might weigh anything between 10 and 38 lbs., but classes were usually divided for those above and those below 16 lb. The type became fixed, and it was ruled that the perfect Bull-terrier "must have a long head, wide between the ears, level jaws, a small black eye, a large black nose, a long neck, straight fore-legs, a small hare foot, a narrow chest, deep brisket, powerful loin, long body, a tail set and carried low, a fine coat, and small ears well hung and dropping forward."

Idstone, who wrote this description in 1872, earnestly insisted that the ears of all dogs should be left uncut and as Nature made them; but for twenty years thereafter the ears of the Bull-terrier continued to be cropped to a thin, erect point. The practice of cropping, it is true, was even then illegal and punishable by law, but, although there were occasional convictions under the Cruelty to Animals Act, the dog owners who admired the alertness and perkiness of the cut ear ignored the risk they ran, and it was not until the Kennel Club took resolute action against the practice that cropping was entirely abandoned.

The president of the Kennel Club, Mr. S. E. Shirley, M. P., had himself been a prominent owner and breeder of the Bull-terrier. His Nelson, bred by Joe Willock, was celebrated as an excellent example of the small-sized terrier, at a time, however, when there were not a great many competitors of the highest quality. His Dick, also, was a remarkably good dog. Earlier specimens which have left their names in the history of the breed were Hinks's Old Dutch, who was, perhaps, even a more perfect terrier than the same breeder's Madman and Puss.

Lancashire and Yorkshire have always been noted for good Bull-terriers, and the best of the breed have usually been produced in the neighbourhoods of Leeds, Bradford, Manchester, Bolton, and Liverpool, while Birmingham also shared in the reputation. At one time Londoners gave careful attention to the breed, stimulated thereto by the encouragement of Mr. Shirley and the success of Alfred George.

Of recent years the Bull-terrier has not been a great favourite, and it has sadly deteriorated in type; but there are signs that the variety is again coming into repute, and within the past two years many admirable specimens—as nearly perfect, perhaps, as many that won honour in former generations—have been brought into prominence. Among dogs, for example, there are Mr. E. T. Pimm's Sweet Lavender, Dr. M. Amsler's MacGregor, Mr. Chris Houlker's His Highness, and Mr. J. Haynes' Bloomsbury Young King. Among bitches there are Mrs. Kipping's Delphinium Wild and Desdemona, Mr. Hornby's Lady Sweetheart, Mr. W. Mayor's Mill Girl, Mr. T. Gannaway's Charlwood Belle, Dr. J. W. Low's Bess of Hardwicke, and Mrs. E. G. Money's Eastbourne Tarqueenia. While these and such as these beautiful and typical terriers are being bred and exhibited there is no cause to fear a further decline in popularity for a variety so eminently engaging.

The club description is as follows:—

* * * * *

GENERAL APPEARANCE—The general appearance of the Bull-terrier is that of a symmetrical animal, the embodiment of agility, grace, elegance, and determination. HEAD—The head should be long, flat, and wide between the ears, tapering to the nose, without cheek muscles. There should be a slight indentation down the face, without a stop between the eyes. The jaws should be long and very powerful, with a large black nose and open nostrils. Eyes small and very black, almond shape preferred. The lips should meet as tightly as possible, without a fold. The teeth should be regular in shape, and should meet exactly; any deviation, such as pigjaw, or being underhung, is a great fault. EARS—The ears, when cropped, should be done scientifically and according to fashion. Cropped dogs cannot win a prize at shows held under Kennel Club rules, if born after March 31st, 1895. When not cropped, it should be a semi-erect ear, but others do not disqualify. NECK—The neck should be long and slightly arched, nicely set into the shoulders tapering to the head without any loose skin, as found in the Bulldog. SHOULDERS—The shoulders should be strong, muscular, and slanting; the chest wide and deep, with ribs well rounded. BACK—The back short and muscular, but not out of proportion to the general contour of the animal. LEGS—The fore-legs should be perfectly straight, with well-developed muscles; not out at shoulder, but set on the racing lines, and very strong at the pastern joints. The hind-legs are long and, in proportion to the fore-legs, muscular, with good strong, straight hocks, well let down near the ground. FEET—The feet more resemble those of a cat than a hare. COLOUR—Should be white. COAT—Short, close, and stiff to the touch, with a fine gloss. TAIL—Short in proportion to the size of the dog, set on very low down, thick where it joins the body, and tapering to a fine point. It should be carried at an angle of about 45 degrees, without curl, and never over the back. HEIGHT AT SHOULDERS—From 12 to 18 inches. WEIGHT—From 15 lb. to 50 lb.



CHAPTER XXXII

THE SMOOTH FOX-TERRIER

To attempt to set forth the origin of the Fox-terrier as we know him to-day would be of no interest to the general reader, and would entail the task of tracing back the several heterogeneous sources from which he sprang. It is a matter of very little moment whether he owes his origin to the white English Terrier or to the Bull-terrier crossed with the Black and Tan, or whether he has a mixture of Beagle blood in his composition, so it will suffice to take him as he emerged from the chaos of mongreldom about the middle of the last century, rescued in the first instance by the desire of huntsmen or masters of well-known packs to produce a terrier somewhat in keeping with their hounds; and, in the second place, to the advent of dog shows. Prior to that time any dog capable, from his size, conformation, and pluck, of going to ground and bolting his fox was a Fox-terrier, were he rough or smooth, black, brown, or white.

The starting-point of the modern Fox-terrier dates from about the 'sixties, and no pedigrees before that are worth considering.

From three dogs then well known—Old Jock, Trap, and Tartar—he claims descent; and, thanks to the Fox-terrier Club and the great care taken in compiling their stud-books, he can be brought down to to-day. Of these three dogs Old Jock was undoubtedly more of a terrier than the others. It is a moot point whether he was bred, as stated in most records of the time, by Captain Percy Williams, master of the Rufford, or by Jack Morgan, huntsman to the Grove; it seems, however, well established that the former owned his sire, also called Jock, and that his dam, Grove Pepper, was the property of Morgan. He first came before the public at the Birmingham show in 1862, where, shown by Mr. Wootton, of Nottingham, he won first prize. He subsequently changed hands several times, till he became the property of Mr. Murchison, in whose hands he died in the early 'seventies. He was exhibited for the last time at the Crystal Palace in 1870, and though then over ten years old won second to the same owner's Trimmer. At his best he was a smart, well-balanced terrier, with perhaps too much daylight under him, and wanting somewhat in jaw power; but he showed far less of the Bull-terrier type than did his contemporary Tartar.

This dog's antecedents were very questionable, and his breeder is given as Mr. Stevenson, of Chester, most of whose dogs were Bull-terriers pure and simple, save that they had drop ears and short sterns, being in this respect unlike old Trap, whose sire is generally supposed to have been a Black and Tan Terrier. This dog came from the Oakley Kennels, and he was supposed to have been bred by a miller at Leicester. However questionable the antecedents of these three terriers may have been, they are undoubtedly the progenitors of our present strain, and from them arose the kennels that we have to-day.

Mention has been made of Mr. Murchison, and to him we owe in a great measure the start in popularity which since the foundation of his large kennel the Fox-terrier has enjoyed. Mr. Murchison's chief opponents in the early 'seventies were Mr. Gibson, of Brockenhurst, with his dogs Tyke and Old Foiler; Mr. Luke Turner, of Leicester, with his Belvoir strain, which later gave us Ch. Brockenhurst Joe, Ch. Olive and her son, Ch. Spice; Mr. Theodore Bassett, Mr. Allison, and, a year or so later, Mr. Frederick Burbidge, the Messrs. Clarke, Mr. Tinne, Mr. Francis Redmond, and Mr. Vicary. About this time a tremendous impetus was given to the breed by the formation, in 1876, of the Fox-terrier Club, which owed its inception to Mr. Harding Cox and a party of enthusiasts seated round his dinner table at 36, Russell Square, among whom were Messrs. Bassett, Burbidge, Doyle, Allison, and Redmond, the last two named being still members of the club. The idea was very warmly welcomed, a committee formed, and a scale of points drawn up which, with but one alteration, is in vogue to-day. Every prominent exhibitor or breeder then, and with few exceptions since, has been a member, and the club is by far the strongest of all specialist clubs.

It will be well to give here the said standard of points.

* * * * *

HEAD AND EARS—The Skull should be flat and moderately narrow, and gradually decreasing in width to the eyes. Not much "stop" should be apparent, but there should be more dip in the profile between the forehead and top jaw than is seen in the case of a Greyhound. The Cheeks must not be full. The Ears should be V-shaped and small, of moderate thickness, and dropping forward close to the cheek, not hanging by the side of the head like a Foxhound's. The Jaw, upper and under, should be strong and muscular; should be of fair punishing strength, but not so in any way to resemble the Greyhound or modern English Terrier. There should not be much falling away below the eyes. This part of the head, should, however, be moderately chiselled out, so as not to go down in a straight line like a wedge. The Nose, towards which the muzzle must gradually taper, should be black. The Eyes should be dark in colour, small, and rather deep set, full of fire, life, and intelligence; as nearly as possible circular in shape. The Teeth should be as nearly as possible level, i.e., the upper teeth on the outside of the lower teeth. NECK—Should be clean and muscular, without throatiness, of fair length, and gradually widening to the shoulders. SHOULDERS AND CHEST—The Shoulders should be long and sloping, well laid back, fine at the points, and clearly cut at the withers. The Chest deep and not broad. BACK AND LOIN—The Back should be short, straight, and strong, with no appearance of slackness. The Loin should be powerful and very slightly arched. The fore ribs should be moderately arched, the back ribs deep; and the dog should be well ribbed up. HIND-QUARTERS—Should be strong and muscular, quite free from droop or crouch; the thighs long and powerful; hocks near the ground, the dog standing well up on them like a Foxhound, and not straight in the stifle. STERN—Should be set on rather high, and carried gaily, but not over the back or curled. It should be of good strength, anything approaching a "pipe-stopper" tail being especially objectionable. LEGS AND FEET—The Legs viewed in any direction must be straight, showing little or no appearance of an ankle in front. They should be strong in bone throughout, short and straight to pastern. Both fore and hind legs should be carried straight forward in travelling, the stifles not turned outwards. The elbows should hang perpendicular to the body, working free of the side. The Feet should be round, compact, and not large. The soles hard and tough. The toes moderately arched, and turned neither in nor out. COAT—Should be straight, flat, smooth, hard, dense, and abundant. The belly and under side of the thighs should not be bare. As regards colour, white should predominate; brindle, red, or liver markings are objectionable. Otherwise this point is of little or no importance. SYMMETRY, SIZE, AND CHARACTER—The dog must present a general gay, lively, and active appearance; bone and strength in a small compass are essentials; but this must not be taken to mean that a Fox-terrier should be cloggy, or in any way coarse—speed and endurance must be looked to as well as power, and the symmetry of the Foxhound taken as a model. The terrier, like the hound, must on no account be leggy, nor must he be too short in the leg. He should stand like a cleverly-made hunter, covering a lot of ground, yet with a short back, as before stated. He will then attain the highest degree of propelling power, together with the greatest length of stride that is compatible with the length of his body. Weight is not a certain criterion of a terrier's fitness for his work—general shape, size and contour are the main points; and if a dog can gallop and stay, and follow his fox up a drain, it matters little what his weight is to a pound or so, though, roughly speaking, it may be said he should not scale over twenty pounds in show condition.

DISQUALIFYING POINTS: NOSE—White, cherry, or spotted to a considerable extent with either of these colours. EARS—prick, tulip, or rose. MOUTH—much overshot or much undershot.

* * * * *

In order to give some idea of the extraordinary way in which the Fox-terrier took the public taste, it will be necessary to hark back and give a resume of the principal kennels and exhibitors to whom this was due. In the year in which the Fox-terrier Club was formed, Mr. Fred Burbidge, at one time captain of the Surrey Eleven, had the principal kennels. He was the pluckiest buyer of his day, and once he fancied a dog nothing stopped him till it was in his kennels. He bought Nimrod, Dorcas, Tweezers, and Nettle, and with them and other discriminating purchases he was very hard to beat on the show-bench. Strange to say, at this time he seemed unable to breed a good dog, and determined to have a clear out and start afresh. A few brood bitches only were retained, and the kennels moved from Champion Hill to Hunton Bridge, in Hertfordshire. From thence in a few years came Bloom, Blossom, Tweezers II., Hunton Baron, Hunton Bridegroom, and a host of others, which spread the fame of the great Hunton strain. When the kennel was dispersed at Mr. Burbidge's untimely death in 1892, the dogs, 130 lots in all, were sold by auction and realised P1,800; Hunton Tartar fetched P135, Justice P84, Bliss P70, and Scramble P65.

Messrs. A. H. and C. Clarke were at this time quietly founding a kennel, which perhaps has left its mark more indelibly on the breed than any before or since. Brockenhurst Rally was a most fortunate purchase from his breeder, Mr. Herbert Peel, and was by Brockenhurst Joe from a Bitters bitch, as from this dog came Roysterer and Ruler, their dam being Jess, an old Turk bitch; and from Rollick by Buff was bred Ruse and Ransome. Roysterer was the sire of Result, by many considered the best Fox-terrier dog of all time; and Result's own daughter Rachel was certainly the best bitch of her day. All these terriers had intense quality and style, due for the most part to inbreeding. Very little new blood was introduced, with an inevitable result; and by degrees the kennel died out.

No history of the Fox-terrier could be complete without mention of Mr. Francis Redmond and his kennel, going back, as it does, to the Murchison and Luke Turner period, and being still to-day the most prominent one in existence. We can date his earlier efforts from his purchase of Deacon Nettle, the dam of Deacon Ruby; Dusty was the dam of Ch. Diamond Dust; Dickon he had from Luke Turner, and in this dog we have one of the foundation-stones of the Fox-terrier stud-book, as he was the sire of Splinter, who in his turn was the sire of Vesuvian.

Mr. Redmond's next great winners were D'Orsay and Dominie, two sterling good terriers, the former of which was the sire of Dame D'Orsay, who, bred to Despoiler, produced Dame Fortune, the mother of Donna Fortuna, whose other parent was Dominie. Donna Fortuna, considered universally the best specimen of a Fox-terrier ever produced, had from the first a brilliant career, for though fearlessly shown on all occasions she never knew defeat. Some took exception to her want of what is called terrier character, and others would have liked her a shade smaller; but we have still to see the Fox-terrier, taken all round, that could beat her.

As an outcross Mr. Redmond purchased Dreadnought, one of the highest class dogs seen for many years, but had very bad luck with him, an accident preventing him from being shown and subsequently causing his early death. We must not forget Duchess of Durham or Dukedom; but to enumerate all Mr. Redmond's winners it would be necessary to take the catalogues of all the important shows held for the past thirty years. To no one do we owe so much; no one has made such a study of the breed, reducing it almost to a science, with the result that even outside his kennels no dog has any chance of permanently holding his own unless he has an ample supply of the blood.

The great opponent of the Totteridge Kennel up to some few years ago was unquestionably Mr. Vicary, of Newton Abbot, who laid the foundation of his kennel with Vesuvian, who was by Splinter, out of Kohinor, and from whom came the long line of winners, Venio-Vesuvienne, Vice-Regal, Valuator, Visto, and Veracity. Fierce war raged round these kennels, each having its admiring and devoted adherents, until one side would not look at anything but a Redmond Terrier to the exclusion of the Vicary type. The Newton Abbot strain was remarkable for beautiful heads and great quality, but was faulty in feet and not absolute as to fronts, each of which properties was a sine qua non amongst the Totteridge dogs. Latter-day breeders have recognised that in the crossing of the two perfection lies, and Mr. Redmond himself has not hesitated to go some way on the same road.



It is fortunate for the breed of Fox-terriers how great a hold the hobby takes, and how enthusiastically its votaries pursue it, otherwise we should not have amongst us men like Mr. J. C. Tinne, whose name is now a household word in the Fox-terrier world, as it has been any time for the past thirty years. Close proximity, in those days, to Mr. Gibson at Brockenhurst made him all the keener, and one of his first terriers was a bitch of that blood by Bitters. With daughters of Old Foiler he did very well—to wit, Pungent, sister to Dorcas, while through Terror we get Banquet, the granddam of Despoiler. He purchased from Mr. Redmond both Deacon Diamond and Daze, each of whom was bred to Spice, and produced respectively Auburn and Brockenhurst Dainty; from the latter pair sprang Lottery and Worry, the granddam of Tom Newcome, to whom we owe Brockenhurst Agnes, Brockenhurst Dame, and Dinah Morris, and consequently Adam Bede and Hester Sorrel.

It has always been Mr. Tinne's principle to aim at producing the best terrier he could, irrespective of the fads of this kennel or that, and his judgment has been amply vindicated, as the prize lists of every large show will testify. And to-day he is the proud possessor of Ch. The Sylph, who has beaten every one of her sex, and is considered by many about the best Fox-terrier ever seen.

No name is better known or more highly respected by dog owners than that of the late Mr. J. A. Doyle, as a writer, breeder, judge, or exhibitor of Fox-terriers. Whilst breeding largely from his own stock, he was ever on the look-out for a likely outcross. He laid great store on terrier character, and was a stickler for good coats; a point much neglected in the present-day dog.

Amongst the smaller kennels is that of Mr. Reeks, now mostly identified with Oxonian and that dog's produce, but he will always be remembered as the breeder of that beautiful terrier, Avon Minstrel. Mr. Arnold Gillett has had a good share of fortune's favours, as the Ridgewood dogs testify; whilst the Messrs. Powell, Castle, Glynn, Dale, and Crosthwaite have all written their names on the pages of Fox-terrier history. Ladies have ever been supporters of the breed, and no one more prominently so than Mrs. Bennett Edwards, who through Duke of Doncaster, a son of Durham, has founded a kennel which at times is almost invincible, and which still shelters such grand terriers as Doncaster, Dominie, Dodger, Dauphine, and many others well known to fame. Mrs. J. H. Brown, too, as the owner of Captain Double, a terrier which has won, and deservedly, more prizes than any Fox-terrier now or in the past, must not be omitted.

Whether the present Fox-terrier is as good, both on the score of utility and appearance, as his predecessors is a question which has many times been asked, and as many times decided in the negative as well as in the affirmative. It would be idle to pretend that a great many of the dogs now seen on the show bench are fitted to do the work Nature intended them for, as irrespective of their make and shape they are so oversized as to preclude the possibility of going to ground in any average sized earth.

This question of size is one that must sooner or later be tackled in some practical way by the Fox-terrier Club, unless we are to see a race of giants in the next few generations. Their own standard gives 20 lb.—a very liberal maximum; but there are dogs several pounds heavier constantly winning prizes at shows, and consequently being bred from, with the result which we see. There are many little dogs, and good ones, to be seen, but as long as the judges favour the big ones these hold no chance, and as it is far easier to produce a good big one than a good little one, breeders are encouraged to use sires who would not be looked at if a hard-and-fast line were drawn over which no dogs should win a prize. There are hundreds of Fox-terriers about quite as capable of doing their work as their ancestors ever were, and there is hardly a large kennel which has not from time to time furnished our leading packs with one or more dogs, and with gratifying results. It is, therefore, a great pity that our leading exhibitors should often be the greatest delinquents in showing dogs which they know in their hearts should be kept at home or drafted altogether, and it is deplorable that some of our oldest judges should by their awards encourage them.

Before concluding this chapter it may not be out of place to say a few words as to the breeding and rearing of Fox terriers.

In the first place, never breed from an animal whose pedigree is not authenticated beyond a shadow of a doubt; and remember that while like may beget like, the inevitable tendency is to throw back to former generations. The man who elects to breed Fox-terriers must have the bumps of patience and hope very strongly developed, as if the tyro imagines that he has only to mate his bitch to one of the known prize-winning dogs of the day in order to produce a champion, he had better try some other breed. Let him fix in his mind the ideal dog, and set to work by patient effort and in the face of many disappointments to produce it. It is not sufficient that, having acquired a bitch good in all points save in head, that he breeds her to the best-headed dog he can find. He must satisfy himself that the head is not a chance one, but is an inherited one, handed down from many generations, good in this particular, and consequently potent to reproduce its like. So in all other points that he wishes to reproduce. In the writer's experience, little bitches with quality are the most successful. Those having masculine characteristics should be avoided, and the best results will be obtained from the first three litters, after which a bitch rarely breeds anything so good. See that your bitch is free from worms before she goes to the dog, then feed her well, and beyond a dose of castor oil some days before she is due to whelp, let Nature take its course. Dose your puppies well for worms at eight weeks old, give them practically as much as they will eat, and unlimited exercise. Avoid the various advertised nostrums, and rely rather on the friendly advice of some fancier or your veterinary surgeon.

Take your hobby seriously, and you will be amply repaid, even if success does not always crown your efforts, as while the breeding of most animals is a fascinating pursuit, that of the Fox-terrier presents many varying delights.



CHAPTER XXXIII

THE WIRE-HAIR FOX-TERRIER

The wire-hair Fox-terrier is, with the exception of its coat, identical with the smooth Fox-terrier—full brother in fact to him. The two varieties are much interbred, and several litters in consequence include representatives of both; and not only this, but it is quite a frequent occurrence to get a smooth puppy from wire-hair parents, although for some generations neither of the parents may have had any smooth cross in their pedigrees.

The North of England and South Wales (to a lesser extent) have ever been the home of the wire-hair, and nearly all the best specimens have come originally from one or the other of those districts. There is no doubt that there was excellent stock in both places, and there is also no doubt that though at times this was used to the best advantage, there was a good deal of carelessness in mating, and a certain amount in recording the parentage of some of the terriers. With regard to this latter point it is said that one gentleman who had quite a large kennel and several stud dogs, but who kept no books, used never to bother about remembering which particular dog he had put to a certain bitch, but generally satisfied himself as to the sire of a puppy when it came in from "walk" by just examining it and saying "Oh, that pup must be by owd Jock or Jim," as the case might be, "'cos he's so loike 'im," and down he would go on the entry form accordingly. However this may be, there is no doubt that the sire would be a wire-hair Fox-terrier, and, although the pedigree therefore may not have been quite right, the terrier was invariably pure bred.

In the early days the smooth was not crossed with the wire to anything like the extent that it was later, and this fact is probably the cause of the salvation of the variety. The wire-hair has had more harm done to him by his being injudiciously crossed with the smooth than probably by anything else.

The greatest care must be exercised in the matter of coat before any such cross is effected. The smooth that is crossed with the wire must have a really hard, and not too full coat, and, as there are very, very few smooths now being shown with anything like a proper coat for a terrier to possess, the very greatest caution is necessary. Some few years back, almost incalculable harm was done to the variety by a considerable amount of crossing into a strain of smooths with terribly soft flannelly coats. Good-looking terriers were produced, and therein lay the danger, but their coats were as bad as bad could be; and, though people were at first too prone to look over this very serious fault, they now seem to have recovered their senses, and thus, although much harm was done, any serious damage has been averted. If a person has a full-coated wire-hair bitch he is too apt to put her to a smooth simply because it is a smooth, whom he thinks will neutralise the length of his bitch's jacket, but this is absolute heresy, and must not be done unless the smooth has the very hardest of hair on him. If it is done, the result is too horrible for words: you get an elongated, smooth, full coat as soft as cotton wool, and sometimes as silkily wavy as a lady's hair. This is not a coat for any terrier to possess, and it is not a wire-hair terrier's coat, which ought to be a hard, crinkly, peculiar-looking broken coat on top, with a dense undercoat underneath, and must never be mistakable for an elongated smooth terrier's coat, which can never at any time be a protection from wind, water, or dirt, and is, in reality, the reverse.

The wire-hair has had a great advertisement, for better or worse, in the extraordinarily prominent way he has been mentioned in connection with "faking" and trimming. Columns have been written on this subject, speeches of inordinate length have been delivered, motions and resolutions have been carried, rules have been promulgated, etc., etc., and the one dog mentioned throughout in connection with all of them has been our poor old, much maligned wire-hair. He has been the scapegoat, the subject of all this brilliancy and eloquence, and were he capable of understanding the language of the human, we may feel sure much amusement would be his.

There are several breeds that are more trimmed than the wire-hair, and that might well be quoted before him in this connection. There is a vast difference between legitimate trimming, and what is called "faking." All dogs with long or wire-hair or rough coats naturally require more attention, and more grooming than those with short smooth coats. For the purposes of health and cleanliness it is absolutely necessary that such animals should be frequently well groomed. There is no necessity, given a wire-hair with a good and proper coat, to use anything but an ordinary close-toothed comb, a good hard brush, and an occasional removal of long old hairs on the head, ears, neck, legs, and belly, with the finger and thumb. The Kennel Club regulations for the preparation of dogs for exhibition are perfectly clear on this subject, and are worded most properly. They say that a dog "shall be disqualified if any part of his coat or hair has been cut, clipped, singed, or rasped down by any substance, or if any of the new or fast coat has been removed by pulling or plucking in any manner," and that "no comb shall be used which has a cutting or rasping edge." There is no law, therefore, against the removal of old coat by finger and thumb, and anyone who keeps long-haired dogs knows that it is essential to the dog's health that there should be none.

It is in fact most necessary in certain cases, at certain times, to pull old coat out in this way. Several terriers with good coats are apt to grow long hair very thickly round the neck and ears, and unless this is removed when it gets old, the neck and ears are liable to become infested with objectionable little slate-coloured nits, which will never be found as long as the coat is kept down when necessary. Bitches in whelp and after whelping, although ordinarily good-coated, seem to go all wrong in their coats unless properly attended to in this way, and here again, if you wish to keep your bitch free from skin trouble, it is a necessity, in those cases which need it, to use finger and thumb.

If the old hair is pulled out only when it is old, there is no difficulty about it, and no hurt whatever is occasioned to the dog, who does not in reality object at all. If, however, new or fast coat is pulled out it not only hurts the dog but it is also a very foolish thing to do, and the person guilty of such a thing fully merits disqualification.

Most of the nonsense that is heard about trimming emanates, of course, from the ignoramus; the knife, he says, is used on them all, a sharp razor is run over their coats, they are singed, they are cut, they are rasped (the latter is the favourite term). Anything like such a sweeping condemnation is quite inaccurate and most unfair. It is impossible to cut a hair without being detected by a good judge, and very few people ever do any such thing, at any rate for some months before the terrier is exhibited, for if they do, they know they are bound to be discovered, and, as a fact, are.

When the soft-coated dogs are clipped they are operated on, say, two or three months before they are wanted, and the hair gets a chance to grow, but even then it is easily discernible, and anyone who, like the writer, has any experience of clipping dogs in order to cure them of that awful disease, follicular mange, knows what a sight the animal is when he grows his coat, and how terribly unnatural he looks.

The wire-hair has never been in better state than he is to-day; he is, generally speaking, far ahead of his predecessors of twenty-five years ago, not only from a show point of view, but also in working qualities. One has only to compare the old portraits of specimens of the variety with dogs of the present day to see this. A good many individual specimens of excellent merit, it is true, there were, but they do not seem to have been immortalised in this way. The portraits of those we do see are mostly representations of awful-looking brutes, as bad in shoulders, and light of bone, as they could be; they appear also to have had very soft coats, somewhat akin to that we see on a Pomeranian nowadays, though it is true this latter fault may have been that of the artist, or probably amplified by him.

Perhaps the strongest kennel of wire-hairs that has existed was that owned a good many years ago by Messrs. Maxwell and Cassell. Several champions were in the kennel at the same time, and they were a sorty lot of nice size, and won prizes all over the country. Jack Frost, Jacks Again, Liffey, Barton Wonder, Barton Marvel, and several other good ones, were inmates of this kennel, the two latter especially being high-class terriers, which at one time were owned by Sir H. de Trafford. Barton Marvel was a very beautiful bitch, and probably the best of those named above, though Barton Wonder was frequently put above her. Sir H. de Trafford had for years a very good kennel of the variety, and at that time was probably the biggest and best buyer.

Mr. Carrick, of Carlisle, was also a prominent owner years ago, and showed some excellent terriers, the best being Carlisle Tack, Trick, and Tyro. The latter was an exceptionally good dog.

Mr. Sam Hill, of Sheffield, had also a strong kennel, always well shown by George Porter, who is now, and has been for some years, in America, where he still follows his old love. Mr. Hill's name will ever be associated with that of his great dog Meersbrook Bristles, who has undoubtedly done the breed a great amount of good. Mr. Mayhew is another old fancier, who nearly always showed a good one. Mr. Mayhew has been in America now for many years. One dog of his, who it is believed became a champion, viz. Brittle, did at one time a big business at stud, perhaps not to the advantage of the breed, for he was possessed of a very bad fault, in that he had what was called a topknot ring, a bunch of soft silky hairs on his forehead, an unfailing sign of a soft coat all over, and a thing which breeders should studiously avoid. This topknot was at one time more prevalent than it is now. Whether it is a coincidence or not one cannot say, but it is a fact that in the writer's experience several terriers possessed of this fault have also blue markings, which again are almost invariably accompanied by a soft coat, and taking these two peculiarities together it would seem that at some time, years ago, a cross with that wonderfully game but exceedingly soft-coated terrier, the Bedlington, may have been resorted to, though if so it would appear that nowadays any effect of it is gradually dying out.

Mr. George Raper is one of the old fanciers who has for many years owned some of the best specimens of the variety, Ch. Go Bang perhaps being the most notable. Go Bang was a beautiful terrier; there was no denying his quality. Mr. Raper sold him to Mr. G. M. Carnochan, of New York, for something like P500, probably the biggest price that has ever been paid for any Fox-terrier. Mr. Hayward Field is another gentleman who has been exhibiting the breed for very many years, and has owned several good terriers. The late Mr. Clear had also at one time a strong kennel, the best of which by a long way was Ch. Jack St. Leger.

Mr. Wharton was a well-known exhibitor and judge some time back. It was he who owned that excellent little terrier Ch. Bushey Broom, who created quite a furore when first exhibited at the Westminster Aquarium.

Mr. Harding Cox was years ago a great supporter of the variety. He exhibited with varying success, and was always much in request as a judge; one knew in entering under him that he wanted firstly a terrier, and further that the terrier had to be sound. Mr. Cox has of course played a big part in the popularisation of the Fox-terrier, for, as all the world knows, he was the instigator of the Fox-terrier Club, it being founded at a meeting held at his house. His love has ever been for the small terrier, and certainly the specimens shown by him, whatever their individual faults, were invariably a sporting, game-looking lot. Mr. Sidney Castle has for many years shown wire-hair Fox-terriers of more than average merit; and thoroughly understands the variety, indeed, perhaps as well as anybody. Messrs. Bartle, Brumby Mutter, G. Welch, and S. Wilson, are all old fanciers who have great experience, have bred and shown excellent specimens.

In mentioning the names of celebrated men and terriers of years gone by, reference must be made to a terrier shown some time ago, which was as good, taken all round, as any that have so far appeared. This was Ch. Quantock Nettle, afterwards purchased by a gentleman in Wales and renamed Lexden Nettle. Of correct size, with marvellous character, an excellent jacket and very takingly marked with badger tan and black on a wonderful head and ears, this bitch swept the board, as they say, and unquestionably rightly so.

No article on the wire-hair Fox-terrier would be complete without mentioning the name of the late Mr. S. E. Shirley, President of the Kennel Club. Mr. Shirley was a successful exhibitor in the early days of the variety, and while his terriers were a good-looking lot, though not up to the show form of to-day, they were invariably hard-bitten, game dogs, kept chiefly for work.

On the question of size nearly all the principal judges of the Fox-terrier are agreed. Their maxim is "a good little one can always beat a good big one." The difficulty arises when the little ones are no good, and the big ones are excellent; it is a somewhat common occurrence, and to anyone who loves a truly formed dog, and who knows what a truly formed dog can do, it is an extremely difficult thing to put the little above the larger. All big dogs with properly placed shoulders and sound formation are better terriers for work of any sort than dogs half their size, short on the leg, but bad in these points. It is in reality impossible to make an inexorable rule about this question of size; each class must be judged on its own merits.



CHAPTER XXXIV

THE AIREDALE TERRIER

There is perhaps no breed of dog that in so short a time has been improved so much as the Airedale. He is now a very beautiful animal, whereas but a few years back, although maybe there were a few fairly nice specimens, by far the greater number were certainly the reverse of this.

In place of the shaggy, soft-coated, ugly-coloured brute with large hound ears and big full eyes, we have now a very handsome creature, possessing all the points that go to make a really first-class terrier of taking colour, symmetrical build, full of character and "go," amply justifying—in looks, at any rate—its existence as a terrier.

Whether it is common sense to call a dog weighing 40 lb. to 50 lb. a terrier is a question that one often hears discussed. The fact remains the dog is a terrier—a sort of glorified edition of what we understand by the word, it is true, but in points, looks, and character, a terrier nevertheless, and it is impossible otherwise to classify him.

People will ask: "How can he be a terrier? Why he is an outrage on the very word, which can only mean a dog to go to ground; and to what animal in the country of his birth can an Airedale go to ground?" Above ground and in water, however, an Airedale can, and does, perform in a very excellent manner everything that any other terrier can do. As a water dog he is, of course, in his element; for work on land requiring a hard, strong, fast and resolute terrier he is, needless to say, of great value; and he is said to be also, when trained—as can easily be imagined when one considers his power of scent, his strength, sagacity, and speed—a most excellent gun-dog. He is, in fact, a general utility dog, for add to the above-mentioned qualities those of probably an incomparable guard and a most excellent companion, faithful and true, and ask yourself what do you want more, and what breed of dog, taken all round, can beat him?

The Airedale is not of ancient origin. He was probably first heard of about the year 1850. He is undoubtedly the product of the Otterhound and the old Black and Tan wire-haired terrier referred to in the chapters on the wire-hair Fox and the Welsh Terriers. When one considers the magnificent nobleness, the great sagacity, courage, and stateliness of the Otterhound, the great gameness, cheek, and pertinacity of the old Black and Tan wire-hair, such a cross must surely produce an animal of excellent type and character.

Yorkshire, more especially that part of it round and about the town of Otley, is responsible for the birth of the Airedale. The inhabitants of the country of broad acres are, and always have been, exceedingly fond of any kind of sport—as, indeed, may also be said of their brothers of the Red Rose—but if in connection with that sport a dog has to be introduced, then indeed are they doubly blessed, for they have no compeers at the game.

Otter-hunting was formerly much indulged in by the people living in the dales of the Aire and the Wharfe, and not only were packs of Otterhounds kept, but many sportsmen maintained on their own account a few hounds for their personal delectation. These hounds were no doubt in some instances a nondescript lot, as, indeed, are several of the packs hunting the otter to-day, but there was unquestionably a good deal of Otterhound blood in them, and some pure bred hounds were also to be found. Yorkshire also has always been the great home of the terrier. Fox-terriers, as we now know them, had at this time hardly been seen. The terrier in existence then was the Black and Tan wire-hair, a hardy game terrier, a great workman on land or in water.

Whether by design or accident is not known, but the fact remains that in or about the year mentioned a cross took place between these same hounds and terriers. It was found that a handier dog was produced for the business for which he was required, and it did not take many years to populate the district with these terrier-hounds, which soon came to be recognised as a distinct breed. The Waterside Terrier was the name first vouchsafed to the new variety. After this they went by the name of Bingley Terriers, and eventually they came to be known under their present appellation.

The specimens of the Airedale which were first produced were not of very handsome appearance, being what would now be called bad in colour, very shaggy coated, and naturally big and ugly in ear. It, of course, took some time to breed the hound out at all satisfactorily; some authorities tell us that for this purpose the common fighting pit Bull-terrier and also the Irish Terrier were used, the latter to a considerable extent; and whether this is correct or not there is no doubt that there would also be many crosses back again into the small Black and Tan Terrier, primarily responsible for his existence.

In about twenty years' time, the breed seems to have settled down and become thoroughly recognised as a variety of the terrier. It was not, however, for some ten years after this that classes were given for the breed at any representative show. In 1883 the committee of the National Show at Birmingham included three classes for Airedales in their schedule, which were fairly well supported; and three years after this recognition was given to the breed in the stud-book of the ruling authority.

From this time on the breed prospered pretty well; several very good terriers were bred, the hound gradually almost disappeared, as also did to a great extent the bad-coloured ones. The best example amongst the early shown dogs was undoubtedly Newbold Test, who had a long and very successful career. This dog excelled in terrier character, and he was sound all over; his advent was opportune—he was just the dog that was wanted, and there is no doubt he did the breed a great amount of good.

A dog called Colne Crack, who was a beautiful little terrier was another of the early shown ones by whom the breed has lost nothing, and two other terriers whose names are much revered by lovers of the breed are Cholmondeley Briar and Briar Test.

Some years ago, when the breed was in the stage referred to above, a club was formed to look after its interests, and there is no doubt that though perhaps phenomenal success did not attend its efforts, it did its best, and forms a valuable link in the chain of popularity of the Airedale. It was at best apparently a sleepy sort of concern, and never seems to have attracted new fanciers. Some dozen or so years ago, however, a club, destined not only to make a great name for itself, but also to do a thousandfold more good to the breed it espouses than ever the old club did, was formed under the name of the South of England Airedale Terrier Club, and a marvellously successful and popular life it has so far lived. The younger club was in no way an antagonist of the older one, and it has ever been careful that it should not be looked upon in any way as such. The old club has, however, been quite overshadowed by the younger, which, whether it wishes it or not, is now looked upon as the leading society in connection with the breed.

At a meeting of the first club—which went by the name of the Airedale Terrier Club—held in Manchester some eighteen or twenty years ago, the following standard of perfection and scale of points was drawn up and adopted:—

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HEAD—Long, with flat skull, but not too broad between the ears, narrowing slightly to the eyes, free from wrinkle; stop hardly visible, and cheeks free from fullness; jaw deep and powerful, well filled up before the eyes; lips light; ears V-shaped with a side carriage, small but not out of proportion to the size of the dog; the nose black; the eyes small and dark in colour, not prominent, and full of terrier expression; the teeth strong and level. The neck should be of moderate length and thickness, gradually widening towards the shoulders and free from throatiness. SHOULDERS AND CHEST—Shoulders long and sloping well into the back, shoulder-blades flat, chest deep, but not broad. BODY—Back short, strong and straight; ribs well sprung. HIND-QUARTERS—Strong and muscular, with no drop; hocks well let down; the tail set on high and carried gaily, but not curled over the back. LEGS AND FEET—Legs perfectly straight, with plenty of bone; feet small and round with good depth of pad. COAT—Hard and wiry, and not so long as to appear ragged; it should also be straight and close, covering the dog well over the body and legs. COLOUR—The head and ears, with the exception of dark markings on each side of the skull, should be tan, the ears being a darker shade than the rest, the legs up to the thigh and elbows being also tan, the body black or dark grizzle. WEIGHT—Dogs 40 lb. to 45 lb., bitches slightly less.

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At the time of the formation of the Southern club the state of the Airedale was critical; possessed of perhaps unequalled natural advantages, lovely dog as he is, he had not made that progress that he should have done. He had not been boomed in any way, and had been crawling when he should have galloped. From the moment the new club was formed, however, the Airedale had a new lease of life. Mr. Holland Buckley and other keen enthusiasts seem to have recognised to a nicety exactly what was required to give a necessary fillip to the breed; they appear also to have founded their club at the right moment, and to have offered such an attractive bill of fare, that not only did everyone in the south who had anything to do with Airedales join at once, but very shortly a host of new fanciers was enrolled, and crowds of people began to take the breed up who had had nothing to do with it, or, indeed, any other sort of dog previously.

Some few years after the foundation of this club, a junior branch of it was started, and this, ably looked after by Mr. R. Lauder McLaren, is almost as big a success in its way as is the parent institution. Other clubs have been started in the north and elsewhere, and altogether the Airedale is very well catered for in this respect, and, if things go on as they are now going, is bound to prosper and become even more extensively owned than he is at present. To Mr. Holland Buckley, Mr. G. H. Elder, Mr. Royston Mills, and Mr. Marshall Lee, the Airedale of the present day owes much.