FOX TERRIERS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2603, 3 February 1904, Page 50

FOX TERRIERS.

For the information, of "Terrier," Pahiatua, I give the following remarks by Mr Beilby upon the fox terrier, in addition to Ihe club standard as asked for. Mr Beilby Bays: — "It would be strange, indeed, if tho fox terriei of to-day had mot a better appearance than his prototype of 50 years ago, s.-id this without the -log having lost an ounce of courage. No .doubt the fox terrier's value originally was gauged by 3ns ability for the work he was called upon ■to do ; but the value of a good dog now is greatly enhanced for other reasons. But, /whatever his monetary value is, the fox terrier oi. the present time is quite equal iio his ancestor for any task he may be called upon to perform. No animal could Siave held such a prominent position in public favour for such a number of years ■unless he possessed something more than good' looks. The work Jie has befm called upon to perform for many generations past required a terrier small enough to follow a, fox to earth, besides possessing activity, sagacity, pluck, dash and stamina, with a constitution strong enough to battle with the stable or yard life he had to lead. All these !?ood qualities he =till possesses, and, in addition, high intelligence, good msunnei's and aristocratic bearing, combined with beanty of conformation. These attributes tend greatly towards making him the favourite he nov/ is with all claisses. He is an

excellent companion, obedient, faithful, and a first class house guard. For field work, he haj= few equals, his endurance being remarkable, and he can be taught to retrieve on land or in water ; he has an excellent nose, is a deadly foe to all vermin, and can be taught to do almost anything that a dog has been known to do, amd withal is quick at learning. His few faults are impetuosity, excitability and disregard of orders when challenged by a rival to fight, or to discontinue a rough and tumble with any strange cat that happeais to cross his path. This dog's vocation of bolting foxes is a matte? of past history, even in the home of fox hunting — England. His extraordinary value now is entirely due to the increased number of shows and to the class of fanciers in whose hands the best are to be found. The spirit of friendly rivalry runs very high in England, America, and to a certain extent on the Continent, which accounts for the high prices that are frequently paid for first-class specimens. A few years ago throe figures were tho exception ; now they are tho rule. One thousand pounds was actually offered to, and refused by, Mr A. H. Clarke, of Nottingham, for his gramd dog Champion Result. The standard says white should predominate, but does not clearly define tho weight. I do not favour dog? over 181b. but as long as the standard remains as it is big dogs have to be acknowledged.

"There is a tendency a.t the present time to get fox terriers a little oversized, and the craze for abnormal length of head is, I regret to say, far too prevalent. Foxhound boiie is not required in a terrier any more than mastiff bone is in a spgsting dog. Character and quality are wanted, p.md it cannot be obtained where excessive bone, muscle and cloddiness are present. A fox terrier should be a symmetrically formed animal, present a bloodlike. appearance, amd ehould be a gentleman of his race." The following is the club's standard: — Head. — The skull should be flat and moderately narrow ; broader between the ears, and gradually decreasing in width to the eyes. Not nmch. "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 ears should be V shaped, and rather small ; of moderate thickness, and dropping foiward closely to the cheek, not hanging by the side of the head like a foxhound's. The jaw should be strong and muscular, but not too full in the cheek; should be of fair punishing length, but not so as in any way to resemble the greyhound's or modern English terrier's. There should ijot 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 slope like a wedge. The nose, towards which the muzzle must slightly taper, 3hould be black. The eyes should be dark m colour, dark-rimmed, small, and rather deep set; full of fire and; life. The teeth should be level and strong.

Neck. — Clean and muscular, without throatiness, of fair length, and gradually widening to "the shoulders. Shoulders. — Fine at the points, long and sloping. The chest deep, but not broad. Back. — Short, straight, and strong, with no appearance cf slackness behind the shoulders ; the loin bioad, powerful, and very slightly arched. Tho dog should be well ribbed up with, deep back ribs, <md should not be flat-sided. Hindquarters. — 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 foxhoimd, without much bend in the stifles. Tail. — Set on rather high, and carried gaily ; but not over ihe back or curled. It should be of good strength, anything approaching a pipestopper tail being especially objectionable.

Legs, viewed in any direction, must be straight, showing little or no appearance of ankle in front. They should be large in bone throughout, the elbows working freely just clear of the side. Both ifore and hind legs should b& carried straight forward in travelling, the stifles not turning outwaids. The feeji should be round, compact, and not too large; the toss moderately arched, and turned neither m nor out. There should be no dew claws beind. Coat should be smooth, but hard, dense and abundant.

Colour. — White should predominate. Brindle, red or livei markings are objectionable. Otherwise this point is of little or no importance. Symmetry, Size, and Character. — The dog must present a generally gay, lively, and active appearance. Bone and strength in s small compass are essentipls ; but this must not be taken to anean that a fox terrier should be cloggy, oi 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 ; neither must he be too short in the leg. He shou'd stand like a cleveriy-made hunter — covering a lot of ground, yet with a short back, as before stated. He V7ill thus attain the highest degree of piopclling power, toge+her w th 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; ard if a dog can gallop and stay, and follow his fox, it mp.tters little what hus weight is to a pound or .so, though, roughly speaking, it may be said he should not scale over 201b .n show condition.