DOGS AND ALL ABOUT THEM
a fold. The teeth should be regular in shape, and should meet exactly ; any deviation, such as pigjaw, or being underhung, is a great fault. Ears-The ears, when cropped, should be done scientifically and according to fashion. Cropped dogs cannot win a prize at shows held under Kennel Club rules, if born after March 31st, 1895. When not cropped, it should be a semi-erect ear, but others do not disqualify. NeckThe neck should be long and slightly arched, nicely set into the shoulders tapering to the head without any loose skin, as found in the Bulldog. Shoulders-The shoulders should be strong, muscular, and slanting ; the chest wide and deep, with ribs well rounded. Back-The back short and muscular, but not out of proportion to the general contour of the animal. Legs-The fore-legs should be perfectly straight, with well-developed muscles ; not out at shoulder, but set on the racing lines, and very strong at the pastern joints. The hind-legs are long and, in proportion to the fore-legs, muscular, with good strong, straight hocks, well let down near the ground. Feet-The feet more resemble those of a cat than a hare. Colour-Should be white. Coat-Short, close, and stiff to the touch, with a fine gloss. Tall-Short in proportion to the size of the dog, set on very low down, thick where it joins the body, and tapering to a fine point. It should be carried at an angle of about 45 degrees, without curl, and never over the back. Height at Shoulders-From 12 to 18 inches. Weight-From 15 lb. to 50 lb.
CHAPTER XXXII
THE SMOOTH FOX-TERRIER
To attempt to set forth the origin of the Fox-terrier as we know him to-day would be of no interest to the general reader, and would entail the task of tracing back the several heterogeneous sources from which he sprang. It is a matter of very little moment whether he owes his origin to the white English Terrier or to the Bull-terrier crossed with the Black and Tan, or whether he has a mixture of Beagle blood in his composition, so it will suffice to take him as he emerged from the chaos of mongreldom about the middle of the last century, rescued in the first instance by the desire of huntsmen or masters of well-known packs to produce a terrier somewhat in keeping with their hounds ; and, in the second place, to the advent of dog shows. Prior to that time any dog capable, from his size, conformation, and pluck, of going to ground and bolting his fox was a Fox-terrier, were he rough or smooth, black, brown, or white.
The starting-point of the modern Fox-terrier dates from about the 'sixties, and no pedigrees before that are worth considering.
From three dogs then well known-Old Jock, Trap, and Tartar-he claims descent ; and, thanks to the Fox-terrier Club and the great care taken in compiling their stud-books,
he can be brought down to to-day. Of these three dogs Old Jock was undoubtedly more of a terrier than the others. It is a moot point whether he was bred, as stated in most records
of the time, by Captain Percy Williams, master of the Rufford,
or by Jack Morgan, huntsman to the Grove ; it seems„
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