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of his countenance and deeply sagacious look, which cannot be dissociated from great size, and these were among the good qualities which commended this dog to public favour. The Newfoundland's good qualities, however, do not rest here; he is of a strongly emulative disposition, extremely sensitive to either praise or censure, and should therefore, especially when young, be managed with great care. He is never so well satisfied as when employed for either the pleasure or the advantage of his master, and his strong propensity to fetch and carry develops itself naturally at an early age. As a water dog the Newfoundland has no equal-he delights in it, will almost live in it-and his high courage and great swimming powers might with benefit to mankind be oftener turned to account.

If we continuously breed from prize winners, however grand in appearance, which are uneducated, and have their natural powers undeveloped indeed, checked-we shall soon have lost sterling qualities, and get in return mere good looks. But the two things -fine physical development, with high cultivation of those instincts and natural powers are not incompatible, and should be simultaneously encouraged by dog-show promoters, just as the Kennel Club does for Pointers and Setters by their field trials.

Water trials of Newfoundlands were held at Maidstone Show and at Portsmouth some twenty-five years since; but neither could be pronounced a brilliant success. They were each of them in many respects interesting, and proved that, with more experience, and if well carried out, such competitive trials might become more than interesting-highly useful.

Later the British Kennel Association had a dog show at Aston, near Birmingham, and had water trials in connection with it. Many of the competing dogs exhibited intelligent capacity, but the place was unsuitable and the arrangements were very defective.

Competitive trials will one day perhaps be established as a means of proving to the public, in an interesting way, how best to use the valuable services of the Newfoundland dog in the saving of human life. If so, the following excellent rules, drafted for the conduct of public water trials of dogs at Maidstone, may be of service:

TESTS FOR WATER DOGS

Ist. Courage displayed in jumping into the water from a height to recover an object. The effigy of a man is the most suitable thing.

2nd. The quickness displayed in bringing the object ashore.

3rd. Intelligence and speed in bringing a boat to shore-the boat must, of course, be adrift, and the painter have a piece of white wood attached to keep it afloat, mark its position, and facilitate the dog's work.

4th. To carry a rope from shore to a boat with a stranger, not the master, in it.

5th. Swimming races, to show speed and power against stream or tide.

6th. Diving. A common flag-basket, with a stone in the bottom of it, to sink it, answers well, as it is white enough to be seen, and soft enough to the dog's mouth.

In the early days of the Newfoundland the dog was met with in colours other than black and white-and-black, and not only that, but prizes were awarded to livers and bronzes. To-day the two varieties most sought are the Black and the White-and-black (Figs. 27 and 28). The latter has been immortalised by Landseer in his world-famous picture of "A Distinguished Member of the Humane Society," though it must be confessed that the dog taken as a model would certainly not pass muster in the present day, the coat, to go no further, being of the curly order, instead of flat, as the Club's description requires. The White-and-black has not progressed so rapidly as the Black, except perhaps in the south, where it has made great strides, though neither may be said to be popular in the strictest sense of that term. This, however, is due rather to Fashion's vagaries than to any shortcomings on the part of the variety. The first year of the twentieth century certainly shows an improvement as compared with the declining years of the nineteenth. Coats generally are alike better as to texture and arrangement, and what in the case of the show dog of old had largely to be done by resorting to little tricks has been remedied to a very great extent by the breeder. Eyes, again, are darker in colour, much better placed, and smaller in size than once they were, and as it is the eyes that are largely responsible for the expression so noticeable in the Newfoundland, the improvement in the directions stated are not without their value upon the breed.

Allusion has already been made to size, and the value set upon it so long as it is obtained without the loss of quality. And here, also, the present-day dog scores over those of a decade ago. The improvement shown in the White-and-black dogs continues, as breeders have recognised that if these are to equal in type the best of the Blacks, the finest specimens of both will have to be "worked." The old-time breeder, in his anxiety to obtain a big dog, often only succeeded in producing a long-legged, weak-faced, slab-sided, straight-behind monstrosity, and not a typical Newfoundland. The defects just mentioned must be carefully guarded against when breeding, as also must light eyes and badly carried and twisted tails. Faults of any kind are always easier of perpetuation than they are of eradication.

No really practical purpose is to be served by enumerating the many good dogs that have been produced since the publication of pedigrees. These may be learned by a careful study of the Kennel Club Stud Book. It may, however, be remarked that of the older dogs some of the more renowned, and that have become pillars of the Stud Book, are: Nelson I., Courtier, Thora I. and Thora II., Mrs. Cunliffe Lee's Nep, Leo, Lion, Lady Mayoress, Lord Nelson, Lady-in-Waiting, Merry Maiden, Triumph, Hanlon, etc. And for a strain of Blacks those associated with either Courtier or Nelson

would be difficult to beat. Of the White-and-black, or Landseer variety, as Dr. Gordon Stables named it, Dick, Prince Charlie, Bonnie Swell, Bonnie Maid, Rosebud, His Nibs (Fig. 27), Kettering

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FIG. 28.-MRS. INGLETON'S BLACK NEWFOUNDLAND WOLF OF BADENOCH.

Wonder, are but a few that occur. As an excellent example of the Courtier type of dog Wolf of Badenoch (Fig. 28) may be cited.

The Newfoundland does not call for any special treatment by way of show preparation, except perhaps in the grooming. Novices sometimes err in respect of this latter by parting the hair. This should never take place: the dog should be brushed and combed from head to tail. Though, as stated by Mr. Lort, it is not uncommon

to find a sort of rustiness of hue in many Black Newfoundlands, and these too of the best, yet this must not be confused with the all-brown specimens sometimes occurring in litters. The Newfoundland, like all the giants of the canine race, takes some two years and more to build up its massive frame, and this must be duly borne in mind. Meat should oftener enter into the dietary than is the case with the smaller varieties, though when using this for young puppies, it should be of such a kind that it is readily assimilated. For that reason such meat as well-cooked tripe or paunch will be found the best for the puppies until such times as the permanent teeth commence to be erupted. Exercise for heavy breeds should be of the walking kind, and as soon as the feet are hard enough upon the roads. No puppy should be chained to a kennel. If this takes place while the bones are at all soft, the heavy frame tugging at a chain will soon pull out of shape the most promising of puppies. In selecting a young puppy-say one at six months old, a most useful age to commence with the head properties should be the chief criterion. If there is not abundant promise of a massive head at the age named, it may be taken for granted that such a puppy is not likely to finish well. A Newfoundland should also show early in life promise of plenty of bone; dark eyes, straight forelegs, and a dense flat coat must also be found on a puppy of promise. Tail-carriage in any puppy must not be too seriously regarded until after the period of dentition is complete. Many puppies carry both tails and ears irregularly while teething.

The Newfoundland Club has been established many years and has worked well in the interest of the breed. It has drawn up a description of the breed on the lines given below ::

Symmetry and General Appearance.-The dog should impress the eye with strength and great activity. He should move freely on his legs, with the body swung loosely between them, so that a slight roll in gait should not be objectionable; but at the same time a weak or hollow back, slackness of the loins, or cowhocks should be a decided fault.

Head.-Should be broad and massive, flat on the skull, the occipital bone well developed; there should be no decided stop, and the muzzle should be short, clean cut, rather square in shape, and covered with short fine hair.

Coat. Should be flat and dense, of a coarsish texture and oily nature, and capable of resisting the water. If brushed the wrong way, it should fall back into its place naturally.

Body. Should be well ribbed up, with a broad back. A neck strong, well set on to the shoulders and back, and strong muscular loins.

Fore Legs.-Should be perfectly straight, well covered with muscle, elbows in but well let down, and feathered all down.

Hindquarters and Legs.-Should be very strong; the legs should have great freedom of action, and a little feather. Slackness of loins and cowhock are a great defect; dew-claws are objectionable, and should be removed.

Chest. Should be deep and fairly broad and well covered with hair, but not to such an extent as to form a frill.

Bone-Massive throughout, but not to give a heavy, inactive appearance.

Feet. Should be large and well shaped. Splayed or turned-out feet are objectionable.

Tail.-Should be of moderate length, reaching down a little below the hocks; it should be of fair thickness and well covered with long hair, but not to form a flag. When the dog is standing still and not excited, it should hang downwards, with a slight curve at the end; but when the dog is in motion, it should be carried a trifle up, and when he is excited, straight out, with a slight curve at the end. Tails with a kink in them, or curled over the back, are very objectionable.

Ears. Should be small, set well back, square with the skull, lie close to the head, and covered with short hair, and no fringe.

Eyes.-Should be small, of a dark brown colour, rather deeply set, but not showing any haw, and they should be rather widely apart.

Colour.-Jet black. A slight tinge of bronze, or a splash of white on chest and toes is not objectionable.

Height and Weight.-Size and weight are very desirable so long as symmetry is maintained. A fair average height at the shoulders is 27in. for a dog and 25in. for a bitch, and a fair average weight is respectively: dogs, 140lb. to 150lb. ; bitches, 110lb. to 120lb.

Other than Black.-Should in all respects follow the black except in colour, which may be almost any, so long as it disqualifies for the Black class, but the colours most to be encouraged are black-and-white and bronze. markings to be taken greatly into consideration.

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Dogs that have been entered in Black classes at shows held under Kennel Club Rules, where classes are provided for dogs Other than Black, shall not be qualified to compete in Other than Black classes in future.

Black dogs that have only white toes and white breasts and white tip to tail are to be exhibited in the classes provided for Black.

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100

We may very well mention here a variety of dog that is occasionally met with at shows in this country and that is undoubtedly a combination of the Newfoundland and some other breed, probably the Great Dane. The dog referred to is the Leonberg. Though not very highly thought of in England, yet upon the Continent there is at least one club that fosters the breed. colour it is reddish, and the head is well shown in the illustration

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