and usually more." He further describes a Great Dane named Hector, the property of the Duke of Buccleuch, that measured, when eighteen years old, and his legs had given way, 32in. at shoulder, and computed that when in his prime the dog must have measured 32 in. Of writers and students of our own time the most consistent and also the most persistent was Mr. Frank Adcock, whose monster specimens Satan and Proserpina were dubbed by the Fancy "the Devil and his Wife." Mr. Adcock thus eulogises the breed: "Enormous in size, sensitive in nose, of great speed, unyielding in tenacity and courage, and full of intelligence, there is no variety that can so well sustain the part of the dog of the hunter of large game." The latter part stands in need of some slight modification; for however suitable the Great Dane may be for hunting in climates akin to our own, yet in India it has not been found suitable for the plains during the hot season. To judge by records of the past, there seems to be no doubt that the Great Dane is as old a pure breed as any that we now possess. From ancient pictures it will be seen that the Great Dane as we know him now existed hundreds of years ago. He is, moreover, one of the few dogs depicted upon coins. One such coin in particular was recently referred to by Herr Gustave Lang as being in the Museum at Munich, and is said to bear the head of a typical modern Great Dane, with square muzzle, cropped ears, and long, clean neck. This coin belongs to the fifth century B.C. A few years ago the Badminton Magazine published a series of "Old Sporting Prints," several of which contained excellent likenesses of the modern Great Dane. Take, for example, the November number for 1895 (pp. 511 and 513). This illustrates boarhounds from an etching by Antonio Tempesta, copied by him in 1609 from an old tapestry. Again, in the February number for 1896 (p. 264) there is a picture, dated 1640, of five hounds attacking a wild boar. In fact, one black dog in particular almost exactly agrees in conformation with the dogs of our own day. The name Boarhound (by which the Great Dane was formerly known) is said to have originated from the German word Bauer (meaning peasant), as at one time the breed was largely in the hands of such people. Far more likely, however, are they to have been called Boarhounds from the fact that they were actually employed in hunting wild boars, as must have been the case, if we may rely upon numerous old sporting pictures and writings. Occasional Great Danes must have been imported into England long before the breed was known in the show-ring. For instance, the writer knows of an oil painting from life that depicts a most typical fawn Great Dane that was imported about 1812, and said to stand 33in. at the shoulder. The dog has cropped ears, a short coat, and all the points of a Great Dane, but is called at the back of the picture "an Irish Wolfe Dog." Unfortunately, some of the first Great Danes that were exhibited were very bad-tempered, and this helped to give the breed a bad name. Many people fancied them savage and uncontrollable, and quite unsuitable as companions. As a matter of fact, of all the larger breeds the Great Dane is the most suitable as a house dog, especially if he always lives indoors and has to act as guard and companion as well as pet. His smooth, sleek, short coat is so easy to keep clean and free from "doggy" smells. He is, as a rule (if properly trained and not treated as a savage brute), most docile and good-tempered, and easily taught anything; while his courage and determination as a guard are unequalled. From his earliest puppyhood his devotion to his master or his mistress is remarkable, and he will not go trotting off after strangers, as so many puppies of other breeds have the annoying habit of doing at an early age. Great Danes are fairly hardy, but cannot stand damp or draughty kennels. Most of them have good constitutions, and they do not suffer from being in-bred. If kept in the house all day and turned out at night, this breed of dog should have a rug on and plenty of straw during the cold weather, when he will take no harm. Great Danes are often good water dogs, and may be taught to retrieve from the water and even to dive after objects; while as companions for a country walk they are unequalled: even if absolutely harmless and timid, their great size is a terror to tramps and beggars. It is extraordinary how such a huge animal may be kept in quite a small house, curling himself up, as he does, in a corner, and not always being on the fidget like a smaller animal. One often hears remarks from people that they have no room for a Great Dane; but those who have tried know well how little room they really take up. When always kept indoors they become wonderfully gentle, and learn to move about without doing any damage. One that is kept outside and brought in now and then as a treat is generally the cause of disaster. His joy and romps soon bring destruction, in the way of china and ornaments smashed by each wag of his extremely long and powerful tail. Great Danes have very strong sporting instincts, and they may be easily taught to retrieve. Curiously enough, the writer has known them have tender mouths, and many times her dogs have brought rabbits they have caught, quite unhurt; while the same dogs would kill a strange cat with one bite of their strong jaws. She has also noticed that some of them, whilst walking upwind and getting the scent of birds or rabbits in front, will draw on them very like a Pointer. The Great Dane hunts mostly by sight, but he can also use his nose with quite remarkable success in tracking his master or while hunting in covert. When galloping in the open in full view of their quarry, these hounds do not seem to wish to kill immediately; their idea seems rather to be of tiring the animal out. They gallop along, with heads up, without trying to lessen the distance; then, when the right time comes, they dash in and seize hold just at the back of the neck. Should two dogs be after the same animal, one will always wait for the other to catch hold at the same time on the other side; this surely is a relic of their old boar-hunting ancestors. Without doubt Great Danes would prove wonderfully successful if trained for hunting big game. Their courage, great turn of speed, and strength, combined with wonderful intelligence and the ease with which they learn what is required of them, would prove invaluable to any one who had the opportunity of training them properly. At the present time the breed is in a very flourishing condition. The Great Dane Club has over fifty members, with R. Leadbetter, Esq., as President, H. L. Horsfall, Esq., as Vice-President, and R. Hood Wright, Esq., as Hon. Secretary. The entries at shows where a good classification is given are generally very satisfactory, and plenty of first-class home-bred Great Danes are exhibited each year, in spite of the many vicissitudes through which the breed has passed. First, there was the Kennel Club rule against cropping -this induced many fanciers to give up the breed; while later came the quarantine regulations that now practically prevent fresh blood from being obtained from abroad. It is worthy of note that none of the successful show Great Danes of to-day can trace their pedigrees back to the many excellent dogs that were imported several years ago. In fact, one cannot help thinking that in those days judges went more for size than for type, and that gradually the beautiful outline and general alertness that a Great Dane should possess were lost. The writer has often been told that at one time any Great Dane, cow-hocked or bent in front, would win, providing he was of huge size. Now cripples are very few and far between, though it is much to be feared that size has been sacrificed to a great extent, and every effort should be made to regain this point, providing, of course, type can be maintained as well. It is useless to try to breed a show Great Dane from anything except very high-class parents. It seems that in other breeds a bitch, providing she is well bred and is judiciously mated, may breed champions. This is not so with Great Danes, save in a very few exceptional cases. In fact, unless the dam herself were good in show points, it would not be worth troubling to breed from her-that is, if any very high-class |