be cumbered with frozen snow; added to which they are highcouraged and keen. There are, of course, hard-mouthed Labradors as there are hard-mouthed Retrievers. By many otherwise practical writers, however, the dog has been stated to possess this fault in a marked degree. The truth is that he is neither better nor worse than other breeds in respect of mouth. Every dog that shows great dash and quickness is apt to be harder-mouthed than the soft brute that waddles up to his bird and then strolls back at a trot. For perseverance the Labrador cannot be beaten.

With regard to the education of the Labrador, this is simplicity itself, and no special expedients are necessary. Once thoroughly inculcate obedience, and the dog will do the rest himself. A stupid man will invariably have a stupid dog; an extra stupid man might even spoil a Labrador. One of course meets with dogs of every breed used with the gun that "will run in," "will not come to call," or "will not remain at heel." Instinctively one knows that give the man owning such a specimen any other dog, whose spirit and dash were not beaten (or bred) out of it, and the same number of "wills" would crop up.

In height of shoulder the Labrador measures from 21in. to 22in., or a trifle less in the case of bitches; while an average weight would be about 60lb. There are two coats-a dense, hard, and waterresisting outer one, and a soft under one. There must be neither wave nor curl. Unfortunately, illustrations of Labradors fail in rendering accurately the length and texture of coat. To thoroughly appreciate what the coat is like it must be seen and felt. The head is long and the skull flat, with ears set on fairly high. The muzzle is somewhat square; the eyes should be dark (a light eye is supposed to be objectionable, though the writer can never understand why this should be so), set well apart, and small. The neck is strong, and the chest is of medium depth. The fore legs are straight, with compact, roundish feet. The hindquarters are muscular, with the thighs well let down. The tail is otter-like and without fringe, with a straight carriage.

The accompanying illustrations (Figs. 75 and 76) will give a fairly accurate idea of the Labrador. In conclusion, those who favour the breed claim for Labrador dogs that they are quicker in finding, and quicker in retrieving than other breeds, that they possess a keener sense of smell, are more persevering and determined, and less susceptible to the extremes of heat and cold than other Retrievers, and, lastly, that they are very much better tempered.

CHAPTER XXXI

NORTHERN DOGS

MOST of the dogs of the Northern regions resemble the Esquimaux in many respects, all having the pointed muzzle and prick ears, and most of them the same carriage of tail, but none have quite the same wolf-like expression or the peculiar coat. So great, however, is the resemblance in some cases that it is difficult for those without experience to know the difference, and several cases have come under the writer's notice in which Norwegian and Swedish dogs have been offered for sale as Esquimaux, the owners quite believing that they were such. In one instance it was not until the owner of the dog and the gentleman from whom he purchased it saw an Esquimaux and a Norwegian dog side by side that they were convinced they were wrong in describing the dog as one of the former breed.

The Esquimaux is found over a wide geographical range, but although specimens from different parts differ from one another, they all present certain general and prominent features. That these dogs are closely related to the wolf admits of no doubt; in fact, so much are they alike in general appearance that, when seen at a distance, it is difficult to distinguish the one from the other. The chief difference between the two is in the carriage of the tail: in the dog it is carried over the back, which is not the case with the wolf.

There are few handsomer dogs than the Esquimaux, and none of greater utility to their owners than are these dogs in their native parts. Without them life in the Arctic regions would be impossible, the natives being entirely dependent upon them for the means of travelling from one part to another. Long journeys over the ice-bound districts are accomplished in heavily laden sledges drawn by these dogs; they are yoked by means of a single trace, composed of a long thin thong of seal or walrus hide, to the sledge, which is formed of boards lashed together. The trace is passed round the body, over the shoulders, and under the fore legs. A dog of superior intelligence is selected as the leader of the team, and so much depends upon this dog that no pains are spared in

his education. Four Esquimaux will draw 300lb. to 400lb. a distance of thirty miles or more a day on a good track, although a team frequently consists of as many as twelve dogs. The team is guided solely by the use of the whip, which has a lash of several yards long and a handle of about 18in. Considerable proficiency in the use of the whip must be acquired before attempting a journey, otherwise disastrous consequences are likely to result. The driver must be able to hit any one dog in the team, which, as may be supposed, requires considerable practice, and then recover the lash without its getting entangled among the dogs and their traces; this it is very apt to do. These dogs have been known to travel a hundred miles a day without showing undue fatigue. Their food consists of frozen fish, but they are by no means particular, and will devour almost anything that comes in their way. In addition to being hardly worked and half starved, they are too frequently cruelly treated by their owners, it being no uncommon occurrence for them to be beaten about the head with a hammer or any article at hand until they are actually stunned. In an interesting account of some of the superstitions respecting the dog given by the Rev. J. Gardner, he says that, according to Arctic navigators, the dog is looked upon by the Esquimaux as the father of the human family. He further mentions a strange notion prevailing among the Greenlanders that an eclipse is caused by the sun being pursued by his brother the moon. Accordingly, when the phenomenon takes place, the women take the dogs by the ears, believing that as these animals existed before man created, they must have a more certain presentiment of the future than he has, and therefore if they do not cry when their ears are pulled, it is an infallible sign that the world is about to be destroyed. The Esquimaux dog in its natural state does not bark, but utters a how much resembling the wolf. Dogs bred and reared in this country in some cases acquire this characteristic of civilisation.

was

The following are the points which should be aimed at by any one attempting to breed these dogs. The head should be as wolflike as possible, with the same pointed muzzle and, more or less, the oblique eye, which gives the dog a treacherous appearance; ears small, rounded, erect, and pointed forward; neck short, thick, and chest deep; body long; legs well made, without feather; feet round; tail very bushy, and carried curled over the back. The coat is peculiar, being dense and thick and standing out from the body, and is stiff on the outside like bristles, especially so along the back, whilst the undercoat is a soft wool much resembling down, and admirably adapted to keep out the cold and wet. The colour varies considerably, sometimes being pure white, sometimes a silvery grey, as well as black and other colours. The average height is 22in. to 24in., those that are reared where fish is plentiful

making larger dogs than those bred farther away where food is

scarcer.

The great difficulty in obtaining specimens of this breed, more especially bitches, will always be an impediment to those desirous of breeding these dogs in this country. Experience seems to prove that the bitches do not go the normal time with young, but whelp at the expiration of sixty days as a rule. They are capital mothers, but should not be interfered with, as they are sometimes apt to eat their puppies if they are not left alone. The writer, not being aware of this fact, lost in this way one of the first litters he bred; and on another occasion, thinking that no harm would arise in ascertaining how many puppies there were in a litter whelped some days previously, he was unwise enough to count them, and was much disappointed to find, shortly afterwards, that a portion of the litter had mysteriously disappeared. The puppies are no trouble to rear so long as they do not contract distemper, which too often proves fatal, in spite of any amount of care. No special feeding is required, but fish is a favourite food. These dogs live to a good age in this country, Seymos Franklin, the specimen in the Natural History Department of the British Museum, being twelve years old at the time of her death.

Differences of opinion have been expressed as to the temper and disposition of these dogs. In the last Edition of this book Mr. Temple wrote: "I have never owned one, dog or bitch, that when loose would not go for the first living thing it could see, be it dog, pig, chicken, horse, or cow. They are awful fighters, and it is rough on the dog they get hold of." This is so utterly opposed to the experience of the writer and others who have kept and bred these dogs in this country, that one can only conclude that Mr. Temple was singularly unfortunate in the specimens he owned or in his treatment of them. That there are bad-tempered and quarrelsome Esquimaux, as is the case in every other breed of dog, no one will attempt to deny ; and that, when half starved and cruelly treated by their hard task-masters, as is too frequently the case, they should be little better than half-tamed animals can hardly surprise any one. The Esquimaux well cared for and properly treated is, however, a very different animal, and is extremely affectionate and a nice companion. Garry, a pure white dog that won many prizes in former years, is described as being quite tame, following his master closely through the streets without chain or muzzle, and as being very tractable and docile. Mr. Brough, in writing of Myouk, a wellknown dog in his time, said: "Mrs. Brough takes Myouk out frequently, both riding and driving. He is much bolder than when we first had him, and follows perfectly in crowded streets or elsewhere, and is quite as handy and obedient as any dog we have-more so than most. We never have to speak twice to him. He is most affectionate,

and often goes with Mrs. Brough to feed the fowls, and sits there whilst they are feeding all round him without taking any notice of them. If a strange dog threatens him, he neither seems aggressive nor timid, and it never comes to a fight. I take him out to exercise on the sands every morning with about ten couples of Bloodhounds, young and old. He is, I think, more generally admired than any dog we have, although the Bloodhounds, Deerhound, and Chinese get a good share of attention. Myouk is very hardy, and although we have taken him long distances when much younger than now, I never saw

him appear really tired. I think you could hardly get to the bottom of him."

Myouk (Fig. 77), as will be seen by his pedigree, was much inbred to Sir John Franklin, unquestionably one of the best Esquimaux ever exhibited. Sir John Franklin was said to have been one of the dogs brought over in the Pandora by Sir Allen Young, but whether this is really the case is doubtful, although there can be little question that he was not bred in this country. He would follow through the crowded streets of London, and never attempted to interfere with anything; it was, too, a daily occurrence for him to be loose with a dozen or more Esquimaux and the same number of Mastiffs and other dogs, and no trouble ever occurred, and he travelled