CHAPTER XXXVI

THE BULL-TERRIER

FEW breeds of British dogs have passed through more troublous times than the Bull-terrier, whose advancement in public favour has been delayed by unknown circumstances. Indeed, it may almost be said that had not the faithful few who have championed its cause through thick and thin possessed a good deal of the indomitable pluck associated with the variety, it would long since have succumbed. In the first place, it must be remembered that the breed has had to live down a very evil reputation-a relic of those days when rat-pit competitions, dog-fights, and badger-baits were common, and regarded as sport not only by the low and the degraded, but by those, for instance, whose higher education was being cared for by their Alma Mater. What Oxford sporting undergrad. of half a century or so ago had not heard of Luker's Bull-terriers, or Brakespeare's tubbed badger that had to run the gauntlet of every Bull and other Terrier with sufficient pluck to "face the music " and whose owner could rake up the necessary piece of silver for the " entry"? Or, again, what undergrad. of that period having what was then considered as the true sporting tendencies had not heard of the famous exploits of the riverside Bull-terrier Salter's Dan, a big white-and-fawn, that was about as keen as mustard and a terror on rats and such-like vermin provided by the St. Aldate's and other purveyors for the delectation of undergrads. who "fancied their dogs a bit"? Still more degrading and cruel were the dog-fights that took place in many parts of the country between matched Bull-terriers.

Then followed a somewhat better time for the Bull-terriernamely, the dog-show era, when the fallow smut, the brindle, and even the patched dog gradually gave way to the smart, white, active dog that we know to-day. The evolution of the all-white dog with his lengthier head and generally smarter framework we owe to the late Mr. James Hinks, of Birmingham, whose sons still maintain the repute for the breed that their father had gained. The troubles of the Bull-terrier fancier did not, however, end with the dawning of the dog-show era and the necessarily considerable increase in the number of fanciers that followed. Being a fighting dog, the ears of

the Bull-terrier were subjected to cropping-a process of mutilation that was performed at such a period and in such a way as to be alike brutal and inhuman. This process was continued until comparatively recent times (1895), when it received its death-blow from the Kennel Club. Never by any stretch of the imagination to be called a popular dog, the cropping prohibition tended to make it still less in favour for a few years. However, on every hand now there are signs, and unmistakable ones, that the breed has taken a new lease of life. This is evidenced by the greater number of followers and by the real demand for first-class specimens at remunerative prices. This is matter for congratulation, for as a house-dog and companion a really well-trained Bull-terrier takes a lot of beating; while as a personal guard there is no breed anything approaching it in size that can compare with it.

The Bull-terrier is one of the comparatively few varieties about whose origin there is no mystery. He is mainly Bulldog and Terrier, and it is quite easy to see how, given one of the "patched" dogs that found favour with Bull-terrier fanciers in the old days, and crossing it judiciously with the White English Terrier, Mr. James Hinks succeeded in producing the milk-white variety that we know to-day, and that is more popular in America than with us, despite the fact that our cousins on the other side of the Atlantic have also a Boston Terrier that those who have seen it and are well capable of forming an opinion declare is nothing more nor less than the old fighting Bull-terrier with perhaps slight modifications. In speaking of the constituents from which the Bull-terrier was evolved, only the chief ones have been specifically mentioned-Bulldog and Terrier. Yet there can be little doubt that some of the larger specimens, at any rate, show unmistakable Pointer and Dalmatian blood; while others, again, partake of the Greyhound or the Whippet-and even up to the present day "whippety" is a common expression amongst Bull-terrier breeders for specimens showing affinity to the lastnamed varieties.

Badger-baiting was common in London about the beginning of the last century, and led up to such disgraceful scenes by drawing the riff-raff of the town together, that the magistrates exerted their power to put an end to the business. This baiting, or drawing, of the badger was a mere worrying of the poor beast in a confined space, and under conditions essentially unfair to him, with dog after dog, until he was torn and exhausted, and was a totally different thing from hunting the badger in his native stronghold.

It may be noted that these degrading practices followed the suppression of bull-baiting in the ring, and naturally so; for the authorities, in suppressing a practice the public had used as an amusement for centuries, failed to provide opportunities for pleasures of a higher and more rational order, "People mutht be amuthed,”

as the lisping showman in "Hard Times," sapiently observed; and the powers that be in this country have scarcely even yet realised the important fact.

Badger-hunting is quite entitled to be called legitimate sport. It is best conducted at night by the light of the moon, when the object is to bag the badger. Late in the evening the badger, which is of retiring and secluded habits, leaves his home to hunt for provender, and in his absence a sack is placed in the entrance to his earth, the mouth kept open by means of a withy bent into a circular form. The dogs are then sent to scour the country round, with the consequence of alarming the badger, which, seeking safety in his stronghold, finds himself trapped at the entrance, the bag being speedily closed, with the "grey" inside, by the party who have been waiting his return.

Terriers are used in digging out badgers, being sent to earth after them, where the dog, if an adept at his work, keeps on baying the badger, thus intimating the position of the quarry to the diggers, who, with ears to the ground, constantly listen that they may know from the sounds where dog and badger have shifted to. It is no easy task for the dog; for the badger, provident against dangers, constructs his earthworks on scientific principles, and has chamber after chamber into which he can retire as he is fought-first out of one and then another. These earths are often constructed among roots of aged trees, and in rocky ground, which makes it difficult for dog and digger combined to dislodge him; and when in light, sandy soil, the badger, borson, bawsind, grey, or brock-for by all these names is he designated-is said to be able to dig his way into new ground as fast as two men with spades can clear the earth to follow him. There is no better dog for badger-hunting than a Bull-terrier, if well entered.

The Bull-terrier, as a breed, seems to have been established towards the end of the eighteenth century. Taplin says: "Terriers have, by the lower classes, for the purpose of badger-baiting, been bred in-and-in with the Bulldog, which has enlarged them and increased their natural ferocity."

Although descended from the dogs referred to, our modern Bullterrier is much changed for the better, in both appearance and manners. Dog-shows have undoubtedly done much to make the breed respectable, and the well-built, strong, yet active, pure white Terrier, with black eyes and nose, is quite a gentlemanly fellow by comparison with the limping, pied or brindle-and-white, blear-eyed, and face-scarred companions of the Bill Sykes of a past generation.

Mr. W. J. Tredinnick, well known at one time as a breeder of these Terriers, says: "The Bull-terrier, like all other breeds of dogs, has been greatly improved in general appearance, since dog shows have become so general, for now, instead of having a variety of types,

colours, and sizes, some of which were far from prepossessing in appearance, we have one recognised type and colour, which has found favour with many gentlemen who would never think of possessing a specimen of the smut, brindle, or patched varieties. The late James Hinks, Birmingham, will long be remembered as one who did more than any other individual to improve the Bull-terrier, and many of our best specimens bear testimony to that fact, as they date from his strain. There are two strains that breeders go back to for pedigree-one known as that of a celebrity called Madman, and the other Old Victor, both of which passed through the hands of the late Mr. Hinks; but the latter is the fashionable blood of the day."

Although there is a big substratum of truth underlying what Mr. Tredinnick says above, yet the writer is of opinion that classes might very well be provided for "Bull-terriers Other than White," so long as the dogs were typical of the variety. At the present day, however, it is the opinion of the best judges of the variety that if the United Kingdom could be scoured, it would not be possible to find half a dozen Bull-terriers other than white (marked white ones are of course excepted, as there are plenty of those) up to show form.

In reference to colour, it may be observed that the rule to exclude all but white dogs from the prize list has not been absolute. For instance, Young Victor, the son of Old Victor, and the champion dog of his day, had a brindle-marked cheek, and was known as the "patched dog" and the "marked-eyed dog"; and since his time a similarly marked and excellent Bull-terrier, owned by Mr. Battersby, of Durham, and also named Victor, has won many prizes at Northcountry shows. Young Victor, the patched dog, was maliciously poisoned at Hull Show, 1877, where he had taken first prize. Other patched dogs that have received awards might also be mentioned.

The pedigrees of Bull-terriers are a subject of confusion which even a Highland seer might be pardoned for failing to unravel. The pedigree of the champion dog Como (K.S.C.B. 19,314) is given simply to point out how meaningless and misleading it is :

We have Hinks's Dutch (13,813), a bow-legged dog, that was not entered in the Kennel Club Stud Book until he was about six years old, and had won, through his progeny, the prize as best stud dog of his breed, at Aston Show, 1883. The Kennel Club Stud Book gives the age of Dutch as about six years, and his sire as Old Victor. Now, the Old Victor of the Stud Book is No. 2,791, and he died in 1872, six years before Dutch was whelped. The dam of Dutch is, on the same authority, stated to be Hartley's Champion Countess. If this is the bitch entered 6,600 in the Stud Book in Mr. Hartley's name, she was whelped 1874, and is, as given in the table, by Young Gambler out of Old Daisy. Now, there are three bitches named Daisy, all Hinks's property, and bred by him-K.C.S.B. 2,801, 2,802, and 2,803-all whelped in 1866, and out of Old Daisy ; and it is highly improbable that the same Old Daisy had a litter in 1866 and another in 1874. Moreover, Daisy (2,801) is said to be by Turk (2,782), and the date of that dog's birth is stated to be 1866, the same year as that of his daughter Daisy-not impossible, but most improbable. Then Daisy (2,802), whelped 1868, is said to be by Hinks's Madman, and that dog is in the Kennel Club Stud Book 2,740, whelped in 1862, and a 15lb. dog, and he had for his great-granddam Old Daisy.

The names Madman, Victor, Prince, Puss, Daisy, occur very often; and as the pedigrees of Bull-terriers are given in the Kennel Club Stud Book, it is often quite impossible to identify the dogs-and, in fact, instead of the clearness and certainty essential to the value of a pedigree, we have a mass of statements alike confusing and contradictory. For the past ten or twelve years breeders of repute have been more particular, and pedigrees are now fairly well kept.

Maggie May's sire may be Hinks's Prince (2,760), a dog that used to be shown as White Prince, and under that name was disqualified at Northampton, as having been castrated, by the late Mr. John Walker and the late Mr. Edward Sandell, as judges-a decision which was confirmed on reference to the veterinary surgeon. The late Mr. Hugh Dalziel believed the sire of Maggie May to be the same dog, as he well remembered, as representative of The Field, protesting in that paper against the decision of the gentlemen named, because a minute examination made him certain there was no scar, as there must have been had the operation taken place.

Against the late James Hinks (one of the most straightforward of men) undoubtedly lies a just cause for complaint, for to his carelessness is due, to a considerable extent, the confusion that exists regarding pedigrees.

In the descriptive points of the breed as drawn up by the Bull-terrier Club it may be thought that a very wide margin as regards