THE KENNEL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1875, 28 October 1887, Page 26

THE KENNEL.

TERRIERS.

The fox terrier is alike popular both as a sporting and a fancy dog. Ho is not so called as being the offspring of the cross between fox and dog, although such alliances are not unknown. Caius even enumerates three classes of dogs, the products of crosses with wild animals. In one, the sire is a wolf; in the next, a fox ; and in the third, the sire is a bandog and the mother a bear. And this raises the question as to the origin of the dog, which has been generally ascribed to both wolf and fox ; but the geological record points to the existence of a distinct species of wild dog existing concurrently with his cruel and crafty cousins. To return to the fox terrier, who alone of his confreres justifies their common name, " terrars, because they creepe into thegrounde," as Caius hath it. The fox terrier, employ to bolt the fox from his earth when, hotly pursued, he has gained that place of refuge, is a more rough-and-ready customer than the elegant little dogs which find their places in a show ; but the popularity of the breed, with both gentle and simple, may be judged by the fact that, in our typical show, more than 250 entries of fox terriers mere made, far exceeding that of any other class. Indeed, as a companion, the fox terrier is difficult to beat, and his knowing air and confidential manner attract the affection of the most obdurate.

To many it will be a novelty to find that Wales and Ireland both produce a distinct race of terriers, which present, however, no striking points of difference with the wiry Scotch. And of the terriers formerly known as Scotch, a more critical age has established sundry classes which hail from this side of the Border. There is the Bedlington, for instance, which resembles the Dandie much as bis Northumbrian master resembles a Scot; and the Yorkshire terrier, with long silky coat, a favourite companion of the youths and maidens of the earlier years of the present reign, and then often loosely termed a " Skye," It is this kind of small, long-haired dog, whether Yorkshire or Skye, that is fiercely apostrophised by Curtius, in whose days it seems to have been a novelty. " Iseland dogges, curled and rough all over, showing neither face nor body, a heggarly beast, brought out of barharbous borders."

Delightful are the Dandie Dininonts, affectionate, intelligent, and courageous — the Peppers especially ; the Mustard variety seems to want flavour — happy, too, in their association with Sir Walter Scott's finest touches. The Skyes, too, will always claim respect, although fallen out of fashion. The breed, by the way, still exists upon the Island of Skye ; but finer specimens are in the hands of fanciers. Then there are Clydesdale terriers, with the general features of the generic Scotch ; and the inevitable black and tan, sometimes called English, but which seems to belong exclusively to no particular clime or realm. The Schipperkes, familiarly called Skips, are perhaps the latest development of the terrier fancy, and these hail from Belgium : but of their origin no man knows. — " All the Year Round."