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diff --git a/18033.txt b/18033.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..05ce613 --- /dev/null +++ b/18033.txt @@ -0,0 +1,4042 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Boston Terrier and All About It, by +Edward Axtell + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + + + + +Title: The Boston Terrier and All About It + A Practical, Scientific, and Up to Date Guide to the Breeding of the American Dog + + +Author: Edward Axtell + + + +Release Date: March 21, 2006 [eBook #18033] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOSTON TERRIER AND ALL ABOUT +IT*** + + +E-text prepared by Barbara Tozier, Bill Tozier, and the Project Gutenberg +Online Distributed Proofreading Team (https://www.pgdp.net/) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 18033-h.htm or 18033-h.zip: + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/8/0/3/18033/18033-h/18033-h.htm) + or + (https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/8/0/3/18033/18033-h.zip) + + + + + +THE BOSTON TERRIER AND ALL ABOUT IT. + +A Practical, Scientific, and Up to Date Guide to the Breeding of +the American Dog + +by + +EDWARD AXTELL + +Proprietor St. Botolph Kennels, Cliftondale, Mass., U.S.A. + +Associate Member +American Kennel Club + +Member of +The Boston Terrier Club +For Twelve Years + +The Boston Terrier Club of New York + + + + + + + +[Illustration: Edward Axtell] + + + +Published by +Dogdom +Battle Creek Mich. +Copyright, 1910, by Dogdom Publishing Co. +Battle Creek, Michigan +Fourth Edition + + + + + +TABLE OF CONTENTS + + +CHAPTER I. + + The Boston Terrier + +CHAPTER II. + + The Boston Terrier Club; Its History; The Order of Business; + Constitution, By-Laws and Official Standard + + The Revised Boston Terrier Standard + +CHAPTER III. + + Kenneling + +CHAPTER IV. + + General Hints On Breeding + +CHAPTER V. + + Rearing Of Puppies + +CHAPTER VI. + + Breeding For Size + +CHAPTER VII. + + Breeding For Good Disposition + +CHAPTER VIII. + + Breeding For a Vigorous Constitution + +CHAPTER IX. + + Breeding For Color and Markings + +CHAPTER X. + + Sales + +CHAPTER XI. + + Boston Terrier Type and the Standard + +CHAPTER XII. + + Picture Taking + +CHAPTER XIII. + + Notes + +CHAPTER XIV. + + Conclusion + +CHAPTER XV. + + Technical Terms Used In Relation To the Boston Terrier, and Their + Meaning + + + + +INDEX TO ILLUSTRATIONS + + +Edward Axtell + +Franz J. Heilborn + +Heilborn's Raffles + +Edward Burnett, a Prominent Early Breeder + +Barnard's Tom + +Hall's Max + +Champion Halloo Prince + +Bixby's Tony Boy + +J. P. Barnard, the Father of the Boston Terrier + +Champion Sonnie Punch + +Rockydale Junior + +Edward Axtell, Jr., and One of His Boston Terriers + +E. S. Pollard, A Large and Successful Breeder + +St. Botolph's Mistress King + +Champion Yankee Doodle Pride + +Champion Dallen's Spider + +Champion Mister Jack + +Champion Caddy Belle + +Prince Lutana + +Champion Fosco + +"Pop" Benson with Bunny II + +Sir Barney Blue + +Champion Lady Dainty + +Champion Todd Boy + +Champion Willowbrook Glory + +Squantum Punch + +Tony Ringmaster + +Goode's Buster + +Champion Whisper + +Champion Druid Vixen + +Champion Remlik Bonnie + +Champion Boylston Reina + +Champion Roxie + +Peter's Little Boy and Ch. Trimont Roman + +Champion Lord Derby + +Gordon Boy, Gretchen, Derby's Buster, Tommy Tucker, Ch. Lord Derby + +Gordon Boy + +Champion Dean's Lady Luana + +Mrs. William Kuback, with Ch. Lady Sensation + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE BOSTON TERRIER. + + +Who and what is this little dog that has forced his way by leaps and +bounds from Boston town to the uttermost parts of this grand country, from +the broad Atlantic to the Golden Gate, and from the Canadian border to the +Gulf of Mexico? Nay, not content with this, but has overrun the imaginary +borders north and south until he is fast becoming as great a favorite on +the other side as here, and who promises in the near future, unless all +signs fail, to cross all oceans, and extend his conquests wherever man is +found that can appreciate beauty and fidelity in man's best friend. What +passports does he present that he should be entitled to the recognition +that he has everywhere accorded him? A dog that has in 35 years or less so +thoroughly established himself in the affections of the great body of the +American people, so that his friends offer no apology whatever in calling +him the American dog, must possess peculiar qualities that endear him to +all classes and conditions of men, and I firmly believe that when all the +fads for which his native city is so well known have died a natural death, +he will be in the early bloom of youth. Yea, in the illimitable future, +when the historian McCauley's New Zealander is lamenting over the ruins of +that marvelous city of London, he will be accompanied by a Boston terrier, +who will doubtless be intelligent enough to share his grief. In reply to +the query as to who and what he is, it will be readily recalled that on +the birth of possibly the greatest poet the world has ever seen it was +stated: + + "The force of nature could no further go, + To make a third, she joined the other two." + +And this applies with equal force to the production of the Boston terrier. +The two old standard breeds of world-wide reputation, the English bulldog +and the bull terrier, had to be joined to make a third which we believe to +be the peer of either, and the superior of both. The dog thus evolved +possesses a type and individuality strictly his own, inherited from both +sides of the house, and is a happy medium between these two grand breeds, +possessing the best qualities of each. To some the name "terrier" would +suggest the formation of the dog on approximate terrier lines, but this is +as completely erroneous as to imagine that the dog should approach in like +proportion to the bull type. When the dog was in its infancy it was +frequently called the Boston bull, and then again the round-headed bull +and terrier, and later, when the Boston Terrier Club was taken under the +wings of the great A.K.C. in 1893, it became officially known as the +Boston terrier. + +There are several features that are characteristic of the dog that tend to +its universal popularity--its attractive shape, style and size, its +winning disposition, and its beautiful color and markings. From the +bulldog he inherits a sweet, charming personality, quiet, restful +demeanor, and an intense love of his master and home. He does not possess +the restless, roving disposition which characterizes so many members of +the terrier tribe, nor will he be found quarreling with other dogs. From +the bull terrier side he inherits a lively mood, the quality of taking +care of himself if attacked by another dog, and of his owner, too, if +necessary, the propensity to be a great destroyer of all kinds of vermin +if properly trained, and an ideal watch dog at night. No wonder he is +popular, he deserves to be. The standard describes him as follows: + +"The general appearance of the Boston terrier is that of a smooth, +short-coated, compactly built dog of medium station. The head should +indicate a high degree of intelligence and should be in proportion to the +dog's size; the body rather short and well knit, the limbs strong and +finely turned, no feature being so prominent that the dog appears badly +proportioned. The dog conveys an impression of determination, strength and +activity, style of a high order and carriage easy and graceful." + +The men composing the Boston Terrier Club, who framed this standard in +1900, were as thoughtful a body as could possibly be gotten together, and +they carefully considered and deliberated over every point at issue, and +in my estimation this standard is as near perfect as any can be. I was an +interested participant in the discussion of the same, having in my mind's +eye as models those two noted dogs owned by that wonderful judge of the +breed, Mr. Alex. Goode, Champion Monte, and his illustrious sire, Buster. +If one takes the pains to analyze the standard he will be impressed by the +perfect co-relation of harmony of all parts of the dog, from the tip of +his broad, even muzzle, to the end of his short screw tail. Nothing +incongruous in its makeup presents itself, but a graceful, symmetrical +style characterizes the dog, and I firmly believe that any change whatever +would be a detriment. + +[Illustration: Franz J. Heilborn] + +[Illustration: Heilborn's Raffles] + +[Illustration: Edward Burnett + +A Prominent Early Breeder] + +It seems to be hardly necessary at this late date to give a history of the +dog, but perhaps for that large number of people who are intensely +interested in him but have not had the chance to have been made acquainted +with his origin, a brief survey may be of service. Although Boston rightly +claims the honor of being the birthplace of the Boston terrier, still I +think the original start of the dog was in England, for the first dog that +was destined to be the ancestor of the modern Boston terrier was a dog +named Judge, a cross between an English bull and bull terrier, imported +from the other side and owned by Mr. R. C. Hooper, and known as Hooper's +Judge. + +On my last visit to England I found that quite a number of dogs have been +bred in this way, viz., a first cross between the bull and terrier, +especially in the neighborhood of Birmingham in the middle of England; but +these dogs are no more like the Boston terrier than an ass is like a +thoroughbred horse. Judge was a dark brindle, with a white stripe in face, +nearly even mouthed, weighing about thirty-two pounds, and approximating +more to the bull than the terrier side. He was mated to a white, stocky +built, three-quarter tail, low stationed bitch, named Gyp (or Kate), owned +by Mr. Edward Burnett of Southboro. Like Judge, she possessed a good, +short, blocky head. It may not be out of place to state here that some few +years ago, on paying a visit to Mr. Burnett at Deerfoot Farm, Southboro, +he told me that in the early days he possessed thirteen white Boston +terrier dogs that used to accompany him in his walks about the farm, and +woe to any kind of vermin or vagrant curs that showed themselves. From +Judge and Gyp descended Well's Eph, a low-stationed, dark brindle dog with +even white markings, weighing twenty-eight pounds. Eph was mated to a +golden brindle, short-headed, twenty pound bitch, having a three-quarter +tail, named Tobin's Kate. From this union came a red brindle dog with a +white blaze on one side of his face, white collar, white chest, and white +feet, weighing twenty-two pounds, and possessing the first screw tail, +named Barnard's Tom. I shall never forget the first visit I made to +Barnard's stable to see him. To my mind he possessed a certain type, style +and quality such as I had never seen before, but which stamped him as the +first real Boston terrier, as the dog is today understood. I was never +tired of going to see him and his brother, Atkinson's Toby. Tom was mated +to a dark brindle bitch, evenly marked, weighing twenty pounds. She had a +good, short, blocky head, and a three-quarter tail, and known as Kelley's +Nell. The result of this mating was a dog destined to make Boston terrier +history, and to my mind the most famous Boston terrier born, judged by +results. He was known as "Mike," commonly called "Barnard's Mike." He was +a rather light brindle and white, even mouthed, short tailed dog, weighing +about twenty-five pounds, very typical, but what impressed me was his +large, full eye, the first I had ever seen, and which we see so often +occurring in his descendants. I owned a grandson of his named "Gus," +48136, who was almost a reproduction of him, with eyes fully as large. +Unfortunately he jumped out of a third-story window in my kennels and +permanently ended his usefulness. Chief among the direct descendants from +Hooper's Judge were the noted stud dogs, Ben Butler, Hall's Max, O'Brien's +Ross, Hook's Punch, Trimount King, McMullen's Boxer, and Ben, Goode's Ned, +and Bixby's Tony Boy. The two dogs that impressed me the most in that +group were Max, a fairly good sized, beautiful dispositioned dog that +could almost talk, belonging to Dr. Hall, then a house doctor at the Eye +and Ear Infirmary, Charles street. He was used, I am told, a great deal in +the stud, and sired a great many more puppies than the doctor ever knew +of. Bixby's Tony Boy was the other. I had a very handsome bitch by him out +of a Torrey's Ned bitch, and liked her so much that I offered Mr. Bixby, I +believe, $700 for Tony, only to be told that a colored gentleman (who +evidently knew a good thing when he saw it) had offered him $200 more. + +Of the line of early bitches of the same breeding may briefly be mentioned +Reynold's Famous, dam of Gilbert's Fun; Kelley's Nell, dam of Ross and +Trimount King; Saunder's Kate, dam of Ben Butler; Nolan's Mollie, dam of +Doctor, Evadne and Nancy. + +Quite a number of other small dogs were subsequently introduced into the +breed, which had now been somewhat inbred. These were largely imported +from the other side, and were similar in type to Hooper's Judge. One of +the most noted was the Jack Reede dog. He was an evenly marked, reddish +brindle and white, rather rough in coat, three-quarter tail, weighing +fourteen pounds. Another very small dog was the Perry dog, imported from +Scotland, bluish and white in color, with a three-quarter straight tail, +and weighing but six pounds. I have always felt very sorry not to have +seen him, as he must have been a curiosity. Still another outside dog, +also imported, and very quarrelsome, white in color, weighing eighteen +pounds, with a good, large skull, and an eye as full as Barnard's Mike, +but straight tail, was Kelley's Brick. Another outside dog (I do not know +where he came from), was O'Brien's Ben. He was a short, cobby, white and +tan brindle color, three-quarter tail, with a short head and even mouth. +It will be observed that practically all these outside dogs were small +sized, and were selected largely on that account. By the continued +inbreeding of the most typical of the sons and daughters of Tom, the +present type of the dog was made permanent. + +[Illustration: Barnard's Tom] + +[Illustration: Hall's Max] + +[Illustration: Champion Halloo Prince] + +[Illustration: Bixby's Tony Boy] + +Perhaps this somewhat restricted review of the breed, going back over +thirty-six or seven years and showing the somewhat mixed ancestry of our +present blue-blooded Boston terrier of today, may afford some explanation +of the diversity of type frequently presented in one litter. I have seen +numbers of litters where the utmost attention has been paid to every +detail with the expectancy of getting crackerjacks, to find that one will +have to wait for the "next time," as the litter in question showed the +bull type, and the terrier also, and very little Boston; but fortunately, +with the mating intelligently attended to, and the putting aside of all +dogs that do not comport to the standard as non-breeders, a type of a dog +will be bred true to our highest ideals. My advice to all breeders is, do +not get discouraged, try, yes, try again, and Boston terriers, that +gladden the eye and fill the pocketbook, will be yours. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +THE BOSTON TERRIER CLUB. + +ITS HISTORY, THE ORDER OF ITS BUSINESS, CONSTITUTION, BY-LAWS, AND +OFFICIAL STANDARD. + + +In 1890 a club was formed in Boston by a comparatively small body of men +who were very much interested in the dog then known as the Round-Headed +Bull and Terrier dog. These men were breeders and lovers of the dog, and +their main object in coming together was not to have a social good time +(although, happily, this generally took place), but to further the +interests of the dog in every legitimate way. The dog had been shown at +the New England Kennel Club show, held in Boston in April, 1888, being +judged by Mr. J. P. Barnard, Jr., ofttimes styled "the father of the +breed," practically two years before the formation of the Club. The year +following the Club applied for admission in the American Kennel Club, and +recognition for their dogs in the Stud Book. The A. K. C. stated that +while perfectly willing to take the Club into its fold, they could not +place the dog in the Stud Book, as he was not an established breed, and +suggesting, that as the dog was not a bull terrier, and as he was then +bred exclusively in Boston, the name of the "Boston Terrier Club." The +year following the A. K. C., after a great deal of persuasion by the loyal +and devoted members of the Club, became convinced of the merits of the +breed, and formally acknowledged the same by admitting the Club to +membership, and giving their dog a place in the official Stud Book. + +The Boston Terrier Club is duly incorporated under the laws of +Massachusetts, has a present membership of from seventy-five to a hundred, +men and women who are devoted to the dog, and willing to do everything for +its advancement. The annual meeting is held on the second Wednesday in +December, at which a number of judges are elected, whose names are +forwarded to the bench show committees of the principal shows, requesting +that one of the number be elected to officiate as judge of the Boston +terriers. Monthly meetings are held which are always exceedingly +interesting and instructive. + +The officers are elected by printed ballots sent to all members of the +Club, who mark and return them. They consist of the president, +vice-president, secretary, and treasurer. The executive committee consists +of the officers (ex officio) and three others. + +The Club gives a specialty show yearly in Boston and is the largest and +greatest of one breed fixtures; the dog being, in fact, one of the largest +supporters of the dog shows in the country. Cups and medals are offered at +most of the bench shows for competition among the members, and at the +Ladies' Kennel Association shows a cup and medal were offered, open to all +exhibitors of Boston terriers. + +In view of the fact that so many Boston Terrier Clubs are starting up all +over the country, and even beyond, the following Order of Business, +Constitution, By-Laws, and Official Standard, can safely be taken as +models: + + +ORDER OF BUSINESS. + + 1. Calling meeting to order. + + 2. Roll call. + + 3. Reading of minutes. + + 4. Reports of officers. + + 5. Reports of standing committees by seniority. + + 6. Reports of special committees. + + 7. Communications. + + 8. Applications for membership. + + 9. Election of members. + + 10. Election of officers. + + 11. Unfinished business. + + 12. New business. + + 13. Welfare of the Club. + + Under this heading is included remarks and debates intended to + promote the interests of the Club and the Boston terrier in + general. + + 14. Adjournment. + + +CONSTITUTION. + + ARTICLE I. + + NAME. + + This Association shall be known as and called the Boston Terrier + Club. + + ARTICLE II. + + OBJECT. + + The object of the Club shall be to promote and encourage the + breeding and improvement of the Boston Terrier Dog, as defined + by its standard. + + ARTICLE III. + + MEMBERSHIP. + + SECTION 1. Applications for membership must be accompanied by + the membership fee and endorsed by two members, and made at + least seven days before action by the Club, to the secretary or + a member of the membership committee, who shall refer it to said + committee for investigation. + + SEC. 2. Any member can resign from the Club by sending his + resignation to the secretary in writing, and upon the acceptance + of such, all his interest in the property of the Club ceases + from the date of such resignation. + + SEC. 3. Any member whose dues shall remain unpaid for one month + after the same becomes due, shall cease to be a member, and + forfeit to the Club all claims and benefits to which he would + have been entitled as a member, provided that the executive + committee may consider his case, and upon sufficient cause + shown, reinstate him to membership upon payment of his dues. + + ARTICLE IV. + + MANAGEMENT. + + SECTION 1. The officers of the Club shall consist of a + president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, and an + executive committee, of which three shall constitute a quorum; + said committee to consist of the above named officers and three + active members chosen by the Club. + + SEC. 2. Any office vacated during the year shall be filled by + the executive committee. + + ARTICLE V. + + SECTION 1. Nomination for officers and judges for the ensuing + year shall be made either by mail or from the floor, at a + meeting to be held in November, at least twenty days prior to + the annual meeting, the call to contain the purpose of the + meeting, after which nominations shall be closed. The secretary + shall mail a ballot containing all regular nominations to each + member in time to be voted at the annual meeting. + + SEC. 2. The officers of the Club shall be chosen by ballot at + the annual meeting and shall hold their respective offices for + one year or until their respective successors are elected. + + SEC. 3. Mail voting shall be allowed on amendments to the + Constitution, By-Laws, Standard and Scale of Points. + + SEC. 4. Each member shall have the right to vote on the election + of officers and judges by mailing the official ballot duly + marked and sealed to the secretary, and enclosed in an envelope, + which envelope shall also contain the name of the member so + voting. + + ARTICLE VI. + + MEETINGS. + + SECTION 1. There shall be meetings of the Club, at which seven + members present and voting shall constitute a quorum, held at + Boston, Mass., at such time and place as the president may + direct, but the annual meeting shall be held on the second + Wednesday in December of each year. + + SPECIAL MEETINGS. + + SEC. 2. A special meeting of the Club shall be called by the + president on the written application of five members in good + standing. + + +BY-LAWS. + + ARTICLE I. + + DUTIES OF OFFICERS. + + SECTION 1. President.--The president shall discharge the usual + duties of his office, preside at all meetings of the Club and of + the executive committee, call special meetings of the Club, or + of the executive committee, and enforce the provisions of the + Constitution and By-Laws of the Club. He may vote on amendments + to the Constitution or alteration of the By-Laws and Standard or + Scale of Points, on the expulsion or suspension of a member, and + on election of officers and judges. But on all other matters he + shall vote only in case of tie and then give the deciding vote. + + SEC. 2. Vice-President.--The vice-president shall discharge all + the duties of the president in the latter's absence. + + SEC. 3. Secretary.--The secretary shall have charge of all + official correspondence, keep copies of all letters sent by him, + and file such as he may receive, and correspond at the request + of the president or executive committee on all matters + appertaining to the object of the Club. He shall keep a roll of + the members of the Club with their addresses. + + He shall be exempt from payment of annual dues. + + SEC. 4. Treasurer.--The treasurer shall collect and receive all + moneys due the Club and keep a correct account of the same. He + shall pay all orders drawn on him by the executive committee out + of the funds of the Club, when countersigned by the president, + and present a report of the condition of affairs in his + department at the request of the executive committee or + president, and at the annual meeting. The treasurer shall + furnish a bond satisfactory to the executive committee. + + SEC. 5. Committees.--The executive committee shall make all + purchases ordered by the Club, audit the accounts of the + treasurer and report the same at the annual election in + December, and transact all business not otherwise provided for. + + It shall have the power to appoint sub-committees for any + special purpose, and to delegate to each sub-committee the + powers and functions of the committee relating thereto. + + The president shall be the chairman of the executive committee. + + SEC. 6. Sub-Committees.--The standing sub-committees shall be a + membership committee of five and a pedigree committee of three. + + The membership committee shall investigate the standing of all + applicants, and report to the Club for action those names it + considers as desirable members. + + The pedigree committee shall investigate the pedigrees of those + dogs offered for registration in the Boston Terrier Stud Book. + + The chairman of the pedigree committee shall have the custody of + the Club stud book, and shall enter in the same the + registrations allowed by the B. T. C. + + ARTICLE II. + + DISCIPLINE. + + The executive committee shall have the power to discipline by + suspension a member found guilty of conduct prejudicial to the + best interests of the Club. All charges against a member must be + made in writing and filed with the executive committee, and no + member shall be suspended without an opportunity to be heard in + his own defense. When the expulsion of a member is considered + advisable, the report of the committee shall be presented to the + Club, whose action shall be final. + + ARTICLE III. + + DUES. + + SECTION 1. The entrance fee shall be five dollars, which must + accompany the application for membership. + + SEC. 2. The annual dues shall be ten dollars, payable upon + notice of election and at each annual meeting thereafter. + + ARTICLE IV. + + JUDGES. + + SECTION 1. There shall be elected by ballot each year at the + annual meeting a corps of not more than fifteen judges, a list + of whose names shall be sent to bench show committees with a + request that the judge of Boston terriers at their approaching + shows be selected from said list. + + SEC. 2. The Club judges may exhibit, but shall not compete at or + be interested directly or indirectly in the show at which they + officiate. + + ARTICLE V. + + AMENDMENTS. + + This Constitution and these By-Laws, and the Standard and Scale + of Points may be amended or altered by a two-thirds vote at any + regular meeting or special meeting called for that purpose. + + Notice of proposed change having been given to all members at + least ten days previous to said meeting. + + +THE REVISED BOSTON TERRIER STANDARD + +The present Boston terrier standard was adopted by the Boston Terrier Club +on October 7, 1914, as a result of a revision recommended by a committee +appointed by the Boston Terrier Club. + +It was felt, in view of the fact that the dog had become established all +over the continent among breeders and fanciers not as familiar with the +ideal of the breed as were the original breeders and friends of the dog +around Boston, that a more explicit, definite standard, one that could be +more easily understood by the great body of the dog's admirers of today, +should be adopted. + +It will be readily observed by a comparison of the old standard, which has +practically been in existence since the formation of the club in 1891, +that no vital point has been really changed. + + + REVISED STANDARD OLD STANDARD. + + Point Values Scale of Points. + + 10 GENERAL APPEARANCE: The 10 GENERAL APPEARANCE AND + general appearance of STYLE: The general + the Boston terrier appearance of the Boston + should be that of a Terrier is that of a + lively, highly smooth, short-coated, + intelligent, smooth compactly-built dog of + coated, short headed, medium station. The head + compactly built, short should indicate a high + tailed, well balanced degree of intelligence and + dog of medium station, should be in proportion to + of brindle color and the dog's size; the body + evenly marked with rather short and + white. The head should well-knit, the limbs + indicate a high degree strong and finely turned, + of intelligence and no feature being so + should be in proportion prominent that the dog + to the size of the dog; appears badly + the body rather short proportioned. The dog + and well knit, the limbs conveys an impression of + strong and neatly determination, strength + turned; tail short and and activity. Style of a + no feature being so high order, and carriage + prominent that the dog easy and graceful. + appears badly + proportioned. The dog + should convey an + impression of + determination, strength + and activity, with style + of a high order; + carriage easy and + graceful. A + proportionate + combination of "Color" + and "Ideal Markings" is + a particularly + distinctive feature of a + representative specimen, + and dogs with a + preponderance of white + on body, or without the + proper proportion of + brindle and white on + head, should possess + sufficient merit + otherwise to counteract + their deficiencies in + these respects. + + The ideal "Boston + Terrier Expression" as + indicating "a high + degree of intelligence," + is also an important + characteristic of the + breed. + + "Color and Markings" and + "Expression" should be + given particular + consideration in + determining the relative + value of "General + Appearance" to other + points. + + + 12 SKULL: Square, flat on 12 SKULL: Broad and flat, + top, free from wrinkles; without prominent cheeks, + cheeks flat; brow abrupt, and forehead free from + stop well defined. wrinkles. + + 2 STOP: Well defined, but + indenture not too deep. + + 5 EYES: Wide apart, large 5 EYES: Wide apart, large and + and round, dark in round, neither sunken nor too + color, expression alert, prominent, and in color dark + but kind and and soft. The outside corner + intelligent; the eyes should be on a line with the + should set square across cheeks as viewed from the + brow and the outside front. + corners should be on a + line with the cheeks as + viewed from the front. + + 12 MUZZLE: Short, square, 12 MUZZLE: Short, square, + wide and deep; free from wide and deep, without + wrinkles; shorter in wrinkles. Nose black and + length than in width and wide, with a well defined + depth, and in proportion straight line between + to skull; width and nostrils. The jaws broad + depth carried out well and square, with short, + to end. Nose black and regular teeth. The chops + wide, with well defined wide and deep, not + line between nostrils. pendulous, completely + The jaws broad and covering the teeth when + square, with short mouth is closed. + regular teeth. The chops + of good depth, but not + pendulous, completely + covering the teeth when + mouth is closed. The + muzzle should not exceed + in approximate length + one-third of length of + skull. + + 2 EARS: Small and thin, 2 EARS: Small and thin, + situated as near corners situated as near corners + of skull as possible. of skull as possible. + + HEAD FAULTS: Skull + "domed" or inclined; + furrowed by a medial + line; skull too long for + breadth, or vice versa; + stop too shallow; brow + and skull too slanting. + Eyes small or sunken; + too prominent; light + color; showing too much + white or haw. Muzzle + wedge shaped or lacking + depth; down faced; too + much cut out below the + eyes; pinched nostrils; + protruding teeth; weak + lower jaw; showing "turn + up." Poorly carried ears + or out of proportion. + + 3 NECK: Of fair length, 5 NECK: Of fair length, + slightly arched and without throatiness and + carrying the head slightly arched. + gracefully; setting + neatly into shoulders. + + NECK FAULTS: Ewe-necked; + throatiness; short and + thick. + + 15 BODY: Deep with good 15 BODY: Deep and broad of + width of chest; chest, well ribbed up. + shoulders sloping; back Back short, not roached. + short; ribs deep and Loins and quarters strong. + well sprung, carried + well back of loins; + loins short and + muscular; rump curving + slightly to set-on of + tail. Flank slightly cut + up. The body should + appear short, but not + chunky. + + BODY FAULTS: Flat sides; + narrow chest; long or + slack loins; roach back; + sway back; too much cut + up in flank. + + 4 ELBOWS: Standing 2 ELBOWS: Standing neither + neither in nor out. in nor out. + + 5 FORELEGS: Set moderately 4 FORELEGS: Wide apart, + wide apart and on a line straight and well + with the points of the muscled. + shoulders; straight in + bone and well muscled; + pasterns short and + strong. + + 5 HINDLEGS: Set true; bent 4 HINDLEGS: Straight, + at stifles; short from quite long from stifle + hocks to feet; hocks to hock (which should + turning neither in nor turn neither in nor + out; thighs strong and out), short and straight + well muscled. from hock to pasterns. + Thighs well muscled. + Hocks not too prominent. + + 5 FEET: Round, small and 2 FEET: Small, nearly + compact, and turned round, and turned + neither in nor out; toes neither in nor out. Toes + well arched. compact and arched. + + LEG AND FEET FAULTS: + Loose shoulders or + elbows; hind legs too + straight at stifles; + hocks too prominent; + long or weak pasterns; + splay feet. + + 5 TAIL: Set-on low; short, 10 TAIL: Set-on low, short, + fine and tapering; fine and tapering, + straight or screw; devoid of fringe or + devoid of fringe or coarse hair, and not + coarse hair, and not carried above the + carried above horizontal. + horizontal. + + TAIL FAULTS: A long or + gaily carried tail; + extremely gnarled or + curled against body. + + (Note: The preferred + tail should not exceed + in length approximately + half the distance from + set-on to hock.) + + 4 COLOR: Brindle with 8 COLOR: Any color, + white markings. brindle, evenly marked + with white, strongly + preferred. + + 10 IDEAL MARKINGS: White 4 MARKINGS: White + muzzle, even white blaze muzzle, blaze on face, + over head, collar, collar, chest and feet. + breast, part or whole of + forelegs and hindlegs + below hocks. + + COLOR AND MARKINGS + FAULTS: All white; + absence of white + markings; preponderance + of white on body; + without the proper + proportion of brindle + and white on head; or + any variations + detracting from the + general appearance. + + 3 COAT: Short, smooth, 3 COAT: Fine in texture, + bright and fine in short, bright and not + texture. too hard. + + COAT FAULTS: Long or + coarse; lacking lustre. + + --- --- + 100 100 + + WEIGHTS: Not exceeding WEIGHT: Lightweight class, + 27 pounds, divided as 12 and not to exceed 17 + follows: pounds; middleweight + Lightweight: Under 17 class, 17 and not to + pounds. exceed 22 pounds; + Middleweight: 17 and not heavyweight class, 22 and + exceeding 22 pounds. not to exceed 28 pounds. + Heavyweight: 22 and not + exceeding 27 pounds. + + DISQUALIFICATIONS: DISQUALIFICATIONS: Docked + Solid black, black and tail and any artificial + tan, liver and mouse means used to deceive the + colors. Docked tail and judge. + any artificial means + used to deceive the + judge. + +[Illustration: J. P. Barnard + +The Father of the Boston Terrier] + +[Illustration: Champion Sonnie Punch] + +[Illustration: Rockydale Junior] + + +AN EARLY STANDARD + + +The following standard adopted when the dog was known as the Round-Headed +Bull and Terrier Dog, will be of interest here. + + Skull--Large, broad and flat. + + Stop--Well defined. + + Ears--Preferably cut, if left on should be small and thin, + situated as near corners of skull as possible; rose ears + preferable. + + Eyes--Wide apart, large, round, dark and soft and not "goggle" + eyed. + + Muzzle--Short, round and deep, without wrinkles, nose should be + black and wide. + + Mouth--Preferably even, teeth should be covered when mouth is + closed. + + Neck--Thick, clean and strong. + + Body--Deep at chest and well ribbed up, making a short backed, + cobby built dog; loins and buttocks strong. + + Legs--Straight and well muscled. + + Feet--Strong, small and moderately round. + + Tail--Short and fine, straight or screw, carried low. + + Color--Any color, except black, mouse or liver; brindle and white, + brindle or whole white are the colors most preferred. + + Coat--Short, fine, bright and hard. + + Symmetry--Of a high order. + + Disqualifications--Hair lip, docked tail and any artificial means + used to deceive the judge. + + Weight--It was voted to divide the different weights into three + classes, as follows: 15 pounds and under, 25 pounds and under, 36 + pounds and under. + + Scale of points: + + Skull 15 + Muzzle 15 + Nose 5 + Eyes 5 + Ears 5 + Neck 5 + Body 10 + Legs and Feet 10 + Tail 10 + Color and Coat 10 + Symmetry 10 + --- + Total 100 + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +KENNELING + + +It goes without saying that any place is not good enough for a dog, +although when one considers the way some dogs are housed in small, dark +outbuildings, or damp, ill-lighted and poorly ventilated cellars, or even +perhaps worse, in old barrels or discarded drygoods boxes in some +out-of-the-way corner, it is not surprising the quality of the puppies +raised in them. + +A great many people who only keep one or two dogs keep them in the kitchen +or living room, and here, of course, conditions are all right, but the +fancier who keeps any considerable number will find that it pays to house +his dogs in a comfortable, roomy, dry building, free from draughts, on +high lands (with a gravel foundation, if possible), that can be flooded +with sunshine and fresh air. Such a kennel can be simple or elaborate in +construction, severely plain or ornamental in its architecture, but it +must possess the above characteristics in order to have its occupants kept +in the pink of condition. Where half a dozen dogs are kept, I think a +kennel about 20 feet long, nine feet wide, with a pitched roof, nine feet +high in the front, and at the back seven feet, with a southern exposure, +with good windows that open top and bottom, and a good tight board floor +will do admirably. This can, of course, be partitioned off in pens to +suit, with convenient runs outside wired at the top to prevent dogs +jumping over. The building should, of course, be well constructed, covered +with good sheathing paper, and either clapboarded or shingled. Such a +building should be cool in summer and warm in winter, and thoroughly +weather proof. If provided with a good "Eureka ventilator" and well +painted, the dogs and their owner will be satisfied. Where a much larger +number of dogs are kept, then a corresponding amount of floor space is a +necessity. I rather like the style of a kennel, say from fifty to a +hundred feet long, twelve to fifteen feet wide, with an open compartment +or shed, about twelve feet long (in which the dogs can take a sun bath or +get the air if the weather is not favorable to go outside. This also makes +an ideal feeding pen), in the middle of the house, without outside runs to +each pen, and each run opening into a large exercising yard, so that all +the dogs may have a good frolic together, of course, under the watchful +eye of the kennel man. + +The large breeders will also require a separate building at some distance +from the main kennels for use as a hospital, a small kennel for his +bitches in season, and some small, portable kennels which can be placed +under adequate shade trees for his litters of puppies during the hot +weather. It would be an excellent plan if good shade trees could be +planted to cover all the runs, but if this is not possible, then it is +advisable to have at the rear of the kennels a clear space covered over +with a roof, say ten or twelve feet wide, for the dogs to have free access +to during the heat of the day. + +Perhaps a description of our own kennels, entirely different in +construction from these, and costing more to build, may be of interest +here. We have two buildings, seventy-five feet apart, built exactly like a +house, with two stories and a high basement or cellar, twenty-five feet +wide and thirty feet long. One of these houses is lined with matched +paneling and divided off on each floor into separate compartments; the +other is only boarded, one thickness of good paper and clapboarded and, of +course, not nearly as warm. This second building has no pens in it. The +basement has a stone wall at the back, but on the east, south and west +sides is boarded to the ground, and has a dry gravel floor. These +buildings are well supplied with windows (the same as a house), and get +the sun all day. In these buildings we have no artificial heat whatever, +and all stock, except small puppies, are kept there. Our pups in the +winter have warm quarters until they are four months old, when they are +placed in the south side of the warmer kennels. All puppies are kept in +the cool basement in the hot weather, and during the summer our bitches in +whelp are kept there also. We have not any separate runs attached to these +buildings, which entails a much closer watch on the dogs, of course, but +each building opens into a very large enclosure with abundant shade trees, +and the dogs can, if let out, have the run of several acres. + +In the fall of the year we have several tons of rowen (second crop hay +with a good deal of clover in it) put in the upper story of the open +kennel, and a smaller amount in the first story, and during the winter a +certain number of young dogs that will not quarrel amongst themselves are +given the run of the building where they burrow into the soft hay and are +as comfortable as can be. Particular care has to be taken that they do not +get any bones or any food to quarrel over, or trouble would ensue right +away. Allow me to say that only dogs brought up together with perfect +dispositions can be allowed to run together. A strange dog must never be +placed with them or his days will be numbered. In the summer, of course, +no dogs are kept in the upper story, as they would suffer from the heat. +Also no bitches in whelp are ever allowed to run together. + +In the other kennel in each pen during the cold weather is a large, tight +box, with hole in side, filled with this soft hay, renewed when necessary, +in which two dogs sleep very comfortably. The windows in each kennel, as +soon as the weather permits, are kept open at the top night and day, and +top and bottom while the dogs are out doors in the daytime, and in this +way the kennels can be kept perfectly sweet and sanitary. Three times +during the year, in spring, midsummer and fall, the kennels are treated +with a thorough fumigation of sulphur. We buy bar sulphur by the barrel of +a wholesale druggist or importer, and use a good quantity (a small dose +does not do much good), keeping the kennel windows and doors tightly +closed for twelve hours, after which the building is thoroughly aired +before the dogs are returned. Of course, this would not be practical +during the winter, nor is it at all necessary. We find that once a week +(except of course, during the cold weather), it is a good plan to give the +woodwork that the dog comes in contact with a good sprinkling with a +watering pot with a solution of permanganate of potassium, using a +tablespoonful of the crystals dissolved in a quart of hot water. It costs +at wholesale fifty cents per pound, and is the best disinfectant I have +ever used. Unless the kennels are kept scrupulously clean the dogs' eyes, +especially the puppies, are liable to become seriously inflamed. The +gravel in the basement we remove to a depth of eight inches twice a year, +putting fresh in its place. Where a large number of dogs are kept it will +be found very convenient to have a cook house, wash room and a small +closet for kennel utensils in close proximity to the kennels. + +By attending to these important essentials, viz., an abundance of pure air +and sunshine, protection from dampness, draughts, and cold, proper +disinfecting, and sufficient protection from the intense heat of summer, +good health, and a reasonable amount of success can be confidently +expected, but disease will surely find an entrance where these +requirements are not met. + +I would like to add that kennels only large enough for white mice, or +perchance piebald rats, can never be successfully used to raise Boston +terriers in. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +GENERAL HINTS ON BREEDING. + + +Having become possessed of suitable kennels to house his stock, the +breeder is confronted with the great question: How and where shall I +obtain my breeding stock? Much depends on a right start and the getting of +the proper kind of dogs for the foundation. Our celebrated Boston poet, +Oliver Wendell Holmes, when asked when a child's education should begin, +promptly replied, "A hundred years before it was born." This contains an +inherent truth that all breeders of choice stock of whatever description +it may be, recognize. To be well born is half the battle, and I think this +applies with particular force to the Boston terrier, for without a good +ancestry of well bred dogs, possessing the best of dispositions, +constitutions and conformity to the standard, he is worse than useless. + +Whether the start is made with one bitch or a dozen, I believe the best +plan to follow is to obtain of a reliable breeder, noted for the general +excellence of his dogs in all desirable characteristics, what he considers +the best stock obtainable for breeding purposes. This does not imply, of +course, that these bitches will be candidates for bench honors, but it +does mean that if mated with suitable sires the production of good, +all-round puppies with a reasonable amount of luck will be the result. It +would be useless to attempt to deal with the subject of breeding in more +than a few of its aspects, for after a period of twenty-five years of +expended and scientific experiments in the breeding exclusively of +Bostons, I shall have to confess that there are many problems still +unsolved. The rules and regulations that govern the production of many +other breeds of dogs seem impotent here, the assumption that "like +produces like" does not seem to hold good frequently in this breed, but +perhaps the elements of uncertainty give an unspeakable charm to the +efforts put forth for the production of the dogs which will be a credit to +the owner's kennel. The old adage that "there is nothing duller than a +_puzzle_ of which the answer is known," can readily be applied here. I +shall endeavor to confine my remarks to the laws observed and the lines +followed for the production of dogs in our kennels, especially in the +attainment of correct color and markings, vigorous constitutions and +desirable dispositions. + +In speaking of the breeding stock I am aware that I am going contrary to +the opinion of many breeders when I state that I believe that the dam +should possess equal or more quality than the sire, that her influence and +characteristics are perpetuated in her posterity to a greater degree than +are those of the sire's, especially that feature of paramount importance, +a beautiful disposition, hence I speak of the maternal side of the house +first. There are two inexorable laws that confront the breeder at the +onset, more rigid than were those of the Medes and Persians, the +non-observance of which will inevitably lead to shipwreck. Better by far +turn one's energies in attempting to square the circle, or produce a +strain of frogs covered with feathers, than attempt to raise Boston +terriers without due attention being given to those physiological laws +which experience has proven correct. The first law is that "Like produces +like," although, as previously stated in the case of this breed, more than +in any other known to the writer, many exceptions present themselves, even +when the utmost care has been exercised, still the maxim holds good in the +main. The second law is that of Heredity, too often paid inadequate +attention to, but which demands constant and unremitting apprehension, as +it modifies the first law in many ways. It may be briefly described as the +biological law by which the general characteristics of living creatures +are repeated in their descendants. Practically every one has noticed its +workings in the human family, how many children bear a stronger +resemblance to their grandparents, uncles, cousins, etc., than to their +parents, and in the lower order of animals, and it seems to me in the +Bostons especially, this tendency to atavism, or throwing back to some +ancestor, in many cases quite remote, is very pronounced, hence the +necessity of a good general knowledge of the pedigree and family history +of the dogs the breeder selects for his foundation stock. A kennel cannot +be built in a day; it takes time, money, perseverance, and a strict +attention to detail to insure success. + +"Breed to the best," is a golden rule, but this applies not only to the +animals themselves, but also in a far greater measure to the good general +qualities possessed by their ancestry. Far more pregnant with good results +would be the mating of two good all-round specimens, lacking to a +considerable extent show points, but the products of two families known +for their general excellence for several generations, than the offspring +would be of two noted prize winners of uncertain ancestry, neither of +which possessed the inherent quality of being able to reproduce +themselves. It will be noted that very few first prize winners had prize +winning sires and dams. The noted stud dogs of the past, "Buster," +"Sullivan's Punch," "Cracksman," "Hickey's Teddy IV." and many others were +not in themselves noted winners, and the same statement may be made of the +dams of many of the prize winning dogs, but they possessed in themselves +and their ancestry that "hall mark" of quality which appeared in a +pronounced form in their offspring. Experience has shown that first class +qualities must exist for several generations in order to render their +perpetuation highly probable. The converse of this is equally true, that +any bad qualities bred for the same length of time are quite as hard to +eliminate. If the dog or bitch possesses weak points, be sure to breed to +dogs coming from families that are noted for their corresponding strong +points. In this case the principle of "give and take" will be adopted. It +used to be the ambition of every breeder (or, at least, most of them), to +produce a winner, rather than the production of a line of dogs of good +uniform type, of good average salable quality, but most have lived long +enough to see that this has not paid as well in money or expected results +as where similar endeavors have been directed towards the production of +good all-round dogs, always striving to advance their dogs to a higher +grade of excellence. In this way in nearly every instance prize winning +dogs have been produced, and there is this peculiarity noticeable in this +breed, that any one, whether he be a breeder of the greatest number, or a +very poor man owning only one or two in his kitchen kennel, possesses an +equal chance of producing the winner of the blue. The breeder of today has +a far easier time than in the early days of the dog when type was not as +pronounced or fixed, and when considerable inbreeding of necessity had to +be resorted to. In almost all parts of the country stud dogs of first +class lineage are obtainable and the general public are educated +sufficiently to understand the good points of the dog. I think the +breeding of this dog appeals to a wider class of people than any other +breed, from the man of wealth who produces the puppies to be given away as +wedding presents or Christmas gifts, down to the lone widow, or the man +incapacitated for hard work, who must do something to keep the wolf from +the door, and who finds in the raising of these charming little pets a +certain source of income and a delightful occupation combined. I do not +think that any one may apprehend that the market will ever be overstocked, +for as the dog becomes known, the desire for possession among all classes +will be correspondingly increased, and as he is strictly an American +product, no importation from Europe can possibly supply winners, or +specially good dogs, as is the case with almost all other breeds. And the +fact is demonstrated that dogs of A 1 quality can be produced on American +soil. + +There are two or three subjects that demand the most careful consideration +at the hands of the breeder, and to which I am afraid in many cases not +particular enough attention is given. I refer in the first place to the +question of inbreeding, an admitted necessity in the early history of the +dog, but in the writer's estimation very harmful and much to be +discouraged at the present time. I will yield to no man in the belief that +the fact is absolutely and scientifically true that close consanguineous +breeding is the most powerful means of determining character and +establishing type, in many instances justifiable as the only correct way +to fix desirable qualities, both physical and mental, but extreme care +must be exercised that both parties to the union must be of good quality +and not share the same defects, and where it is evident that the extra +good qualities on the one side more than outbalance the defects of the +other, and extreme precaution must always be paid to avoid carrying this +system too far. + +In regard to intense inbreeding, as in the case of mating dogs from the +same sire and dam, or the bitch to her sire, or dam to son, I thing it is +highly objectionable and should never under any circumstances be resorted +to; failure will ensue. Far better to let the bitch go by unmated and lose +six months than mate her in this way because a suitable stud dog was not +at the time available. I believe that this inbreeding is productive of +excessive nervousness, weakness in physical form, the impairment of +breeding functions, and the predisposition to disease in its multiform +manifestations. + +[Illustration: Edward Axtell, Jr., + +and One of His Boston Terriers] + +[Illustration: E. S. Pollard, + +A Large and Successful Breeder] + +[Illustration: St. Botolph's Mistress King] + +That eminent authority, Sir John Seabright, the originator of the early +race of bantams, known as the silver and gold spangled Seabrights, also +conducted an exhaustive series of experiments on the inbreeding of dogs +and demonstrated to an absolute certainty that the system was productive +of weakness, diminished growth, and general weediness. His experiments had +a world-wide reputation and the writer, when he first visited his large +estates near London, little dreamed that in after years he would +personally benefit by Sir John's work. I believe the prevailing ideas in +many quarters a number of years ago, as to the general stupidity of the +Boston terrier (and in some isolated cases I believed well founded), arose +from the fact that it was popularly believed he was too much inbred. I +will give just one case of inbreeding in our kennels, tried for +experiment's sake, as a warning. I took the most rugged bitch I possessed +and mated her to her sire, a dog of equal vigor. The result was six +puppies, strong, and as handsome as a picture. When two months old they +were sold to different parties on the Eastern seaboard, from Philadelphia +up to the Canadian line. This was before the West had "caught on" to the +breed. About two months later I had a letter from New York stating that +the pup was growing finely, but that he seemed to be hard of hearing. A +few days after this I received another epistle from Salem that the puppy I +had sent on was believed to be stone deaf. It would be superfluous to add +that the purchase money was returned, and the other four customers were +notified of the condition of the others. It may seem somewhat incredible, +but two out of the four stated that they believed the pups had defective +hearing, and declined to receive their money back, and the other two +stated that before my notification they had never observed that their dogs +were deaf. Here was a case of the entire litter being perfect practically +in every other respect, and yet every one stone deaf, and in my estimation +not worth a sou. As we have never had a case of deafness in our kennels +before or since, we attribute this solely to inbreeding. + +Another important feature, little understood, and frequently much dreaded, +is that of Antecedent Impressions. When a bitch has been served by a dog +not of her own breed it has been proven in extremely rare cases that the +subsequent litters by dogs of her own kind, showed traces (or, at least, +one or more of the litter did) of the dog she was first lined by. The +theory by physiologists is that the life-giving germ, implanted by the +first dog, penetrates the serous coat of the ovary, burrows into its +parenchyma, and seeks out immature ova, not to be ripened and discharged +perhaps for years, and to produce the modifying influence described. Many +breeders are unwise enough to believe that a bitch the victim of +misalliance is practically ruined for breeding purposes and discard her. +While, of course, we believe in the fact of Antecedent Impressions, we +think they are as rare as the proverbial visit of angels. We have given +this subject serious attention and have tried numerous experiments, using +various dogs to ward our bitches, including a pug, spaniel, wire-haired +fox terrier, pointer, and perhaps one other, and we have never seen a +trace of these matings in subsequent litters. One case, for example: In +another part of this book we allude to a dog spoken of by Dr. Mott, in his +"Treatise of the Boston Terrier," named "Muggy Dee." The grandmother of +this charming little dog was bred in our kennels, by name, "St. Botolph's +Bessie." We sold her to a Boston banker, and she matured into a beautiful +dog. Upon coming in season she was unfortunately warded by a spaniel on +the estate, which so disgusted her owner that he gave her to the coachman. +She proved a perfect gold mine to him, as she raised two litters of +elegant ideal Bostons every twelve months for a great number of years, and +never at any time showed any result of the misalliance. + +On the subject of Mental Impressions we need say but little, as the +chances of it ever taking place are so small that we merely give it a +passing notice and say that in all our experience we have never been +troubled with a case. For the benefit of the uninitiated will briefly +state that this consists of the mental impression made on the mind of a +bitch by a dog with whom she has been denied sexual intercourse, affecting +the progeny resulting from the union of another dog with the bitch, +generally in regard to the color, and this strange phenomena, when it does +occur, is apt to mark usually one puppy of each litter. + +A fact not generally known by breeders is that if a bitch is lined by a +second dog at any time during heat, the chances are that a second +conception may take place, resulting in two distinct sets of pups, +half-sister or brother to each other. This fact we have proven. + +There is one other important feature which must be noticed before this +chapter is closed, and that is Predetermining the Sex. Most breeders, of +course, are anxious to have male pups predominate in a litter, and it is a +demonstrated fact that ordinary mating produces from four to ten per cent +more males than females. For a number of years I had always believed it +was impossible to breed so as to attain more than the excess of males +above noted, but several years ago I accepted an invitation from Mr. +Burnett, of Deerfoot Farm, of Southboro (the owner of Kate or Gyp, the +mother of the breed), to spend the day. He was, as will be recalled, one +of the earliest and most enthusiastic breeders of the Boston, and is now a +scientific breeder of choice dairy stock. We had been discussing a number +of problems in regard to raising stock, when he exclaimed: "Mr. Axtell, I +believe I have discovered the problem of sex breeding. If I want heifer +calves, I breed the cow as soon as she comes in season. If a bull calf is +wanted, the cow is served just before going out of season." And said he, +"In nineteen experiments I have only been unsuccessful once, and I think +you might try the same plan with your Bostons." I have since done so, and +although not nearly the same measure of success has attended my +experiments as his, yet by breeding bitches at the close of the heat +rather than at its commencement, the number of males in a litter has +materially increased. Again, I find if a young, vigorous dog is bred to a +similar bitch, females will predominate in the offspring, whereas, if the +same bitch is bred to a much older dog, an excess of males will generally +occur. Occasionally some dogs will be met with that no matter what mated +with, will produce largely males, and some the opposite of this will +nearly always produce females, and some bitches, no matter how bred, do +likewise, but these are exceptions, and not the rule. A kennel man need +never worry about sex, inasmuch as good dogs of either gender will always +be in demand. + +The law of Selection must be carefully attended to to insure the best +results. Choose your best and most typical bitches for breeding, +especially those that approximate rather to the bull type and are rather +long in body and not too narrow in their hind quarters. I do not care if +the dam has a somewhat longer tail than the dog, my experience has been +that a bitch possessing a tight screw tail did not do quite as well in +whelping as one having one a little longer. Do not consider this as +suggesting that the tail is a matter of secondary importance, by no means, +it is of primal import, and too much attention can never be given to the +production of this distinguishing mark of the dog. A Boston without a good +tail is almost as worthless as a check without a signature. + +Be sure at the time of breeding the bitch is free from worms. A great many +are troubled whose owners are totally ignorant of the fact, and this +frequently accounts for non-success. Always remember that worms thrive the +most when the alimentary canal is kept loaded with indigestible or +half-digested food, and that liquid foods are favorable to these pests, +while solids tend to expel them. Freshly powdered areca nut, in +teaspoonful doses, and the same quantity of a mixture of oil of male fern +and olive oil, three parts oil and one part male fern oil, I find are both +excellent vermifuges to give to matured dogs. Give a dose and two days +after repeat, and this, I think, will be found generally effectual. + +Do not, on any account, allow the breeding stock to become too fat. Proper +feeding and exercise, of course, will prevent this. It will be found if +this is not attended to that the organs of generation have lost their +functional activity, and if pups are produced, are, as a rule, small and +lack vigor. My experience with Bostons is that it is very desirable to +breed them as often as they come in season; if allowed to go by it will be +found increasingly harder to get them in whelp. I think a stud dog, to +last for a reasonable number of years, should not be used more frequently +than once a week. I have found it pays best to give the bitch in whelp a +generous feed of raw meat daily. It often effectually prevents the +puppy-eating habit. + +In closing these general hints on breeding, allow me to say there is no +reason whatever, if one has a genuine love for the dog and is thoroughly +in earnest in his attentions to it, why the breeding problem should +possess any great terrors for him. Perhaps, before closing this chapter, +it might be well to write on one or two matters, practically of no special +import, but which may at times be instructive and illuminate some few +incidents that may puzzle the beginner. + +I allude first to that strange phenomena known as "false heat," to which +Bostons, more than any other breed with which the writer is familiar, are +liable, and which consists of the bitch coming "in season" between the two +periods in the year when she legitimately should do so, and after being +warded by the dog, is, of course, not in whelp. The next is somewhat akin +to this, and consists of the fact that the bitch, after being properly +warded by a dog, notwithstanding all the external evidences of being in +whelp, even to the possession of milk in her breasts at the expiration of +the ninth week, is not so, neither has she been. If, in addition to the +above symptoms, and there has been unusual abdominal, uterine, and breast +enlargement, with a discharge of blood for several days and no pups are in +evidence, then in this case it may safely be concluded that the offspring +fell victims to the puppy-eating habit, in which case a close watch must +be kept on the bitch at the next time of whelping, as this is a curable +habit generally. I have had two cases to my knowledge, both of which were +cured I think, largely by giving these two bitches all the raw meat they +could possibly eat while in whelp. One other fact, related somewhat to the +last two, and one that the inexperienced breeder must give intelligent +heed to, is that some bitches go through the entire period of gestation +without presenting a single sign of pregnancy appreciable to the ordinary +observer. Of course, to a dog man the facts of the case would in all +probability be known, but I shall have to confess, after years of extended +experience I myself have been deceived two or three times. Never give up +hope until the last gun is fired. + +I think it will generally be considered a good plan, if the bitch is +expected to whelp in the kennel she has been in the habit of occupying, to +thoroughly clean out and wash with boiling water the box or corner she +will use, to destroy all eggs and worms that may chance to be there. I +also deem it a good plan to rub gently into her coat and over her breasts +precipitated sulphur two or three days before the expected arrival. If the +bitch is suffering from a severe case of constipation at this time, a dose +of castor oil will be of service, otherwise, let her severely alone. A +bitch that is in good health, properly fed, that has free access to good +wholesome drinking water, can safely be left without a cathartic. Another +important fact to be observed in breeding Bostons, is the suitability of +certain stud dogs for particular bitches. It used to be my belief for a +number of years, and I suppose many dog men today entertain the same idea, +that a first class dog in every respect mated with a number of equally +well bred typical bitches would produce on an average a comparatively +uniform type of pups. Nothing could be further from actual results. The +same dog bred, say to four females practically alike in style, size, +conformation, color and markings, and from common ancestry, will give +perchance in one litter two or three crackerjacks, and the other three +will contain only medium pups. This same thing will occur every time the +dogs are bred. This is because the bitch with the choice pups and the dog +"nick," a phrase signifying that some psychological union has taken place, +not understood by man, in which the best points of both dogs are +reproduced in their offspring. Whenever one finds a dog eminently suited +to his bitch, do not make a change, always breed to the same dog. I am +perfectly cognizant of the fact that a great temptation presents itself to +want to breed to a better dog, a noted prize winner probably, expecting, +of course, that inasmuch as the dam did so well with a somewhat inferior +dog, she must of necessity do correspondingly better with an A 1 dog. The +reasoning is perfectly correct, but the result does not correspond. Very +inferior pups to her previous litter by the inferior dog surprise and +disgust the owner. In our kennels we have had numerous examples of this. +One bitch especially, years ago, when bred to "Buster," always gave first +class puppies of uniform type each litter, but the same bitch bred to some +noted prize winner always gave ordinary pups. Another bitch that at the +present time is practically retiring from the puppy raising business from +age, when bred to Hickey's Teddy IV., always had in her litter four +crackerjacks out of the seven or eight she always presented us with; when +bred to any other dog (and we have tried her with several), no matter how +good, never had a first class pup in the litter. Hence I repeat, if a dog +"nicks" with your bitch, resulting in good pups, do not on any account +ever change. Let the marriage last for life. Somewhat closely connected +with this last fact is another equally important, the fact of prepotency +in a stud dog, consisting of the capacity on the part of the dog to +transmit his share of characteristics to his offspring in a far larger +degree than is imparted by the average dog. Those who closely follow the +breed will discover how certain dogs do, and have done in the past, from +"Barnard's Mike" down to certain dogs of the present time, stamp the +hall-mark of excellence on all the pups they sire, in a greater or less +degree. Happy are those owners of dams who are aware of this important +fact and take pains to use in the stud dogs of this character. I have +sometimes wondered how much Barnard's Mike was worth to the breed. It will +be doubtless remembered by horsemen that the great trainer, Hiram +Woodruff, speaking of the importation of the thoroughbred, "Messenger," +one of the founders of the American trotter, in 1788, said that "when +Messenger charged down the gang-plank, in landing from the ship, the value +of not less than one hundred million dollars struck our soil." He would be +a very courageous man who would dare compute the worth of "Mike" or +"Buster" or "Sullivan's Punch," when viewed from the same standpoint. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +REARING OF PUPPIES. + + +Assuming that the bitch has successfully whelped and all goes well, there +is practically nothing to do beyond seeing that the mother is well fed, in +which good meat, and where there is a good sized litter of pups, a liberal +supply of milk and oatmeal gruel, is furnished. In case the mother's +supply of milk is inadequate, then a foster mother must be obtained, or +the pups brought up on a bottle. If a bottle, then a small one, kept +scrupulously clean, with a rubber nipple that fits easily without +compression. The pups must be kept perfectly warm, away from draughts, in +a basket lined with flannel, and fed the first week every hour and a half +day and night, every two hours the second week, and three hours in the +third. I find that good, fresh cow's milk, diluted one-quarter with warm +water, is the nearest approach to their natural food. After three weeks +they can be fed less frequently with a spoon, and can readily be taught to +lap up the milk. Where it is practical, it is always advisable to have two +or more bitches whelp together, and then the pups are provided for if +anything happens. + +In case the bitch should lose her pups, she must be fed sparingly and her +breasts should be gently rubbed with camphorated oil to prevent caking. It +is not uncommon for Boston terrier pups to be born with hare-lips, in +which case it is far better to put them to sleep at once, as they rarely +ever live and are a deformity if they do. Be sure that the puppies' +quarters have abundance of sunshine and fresh air, or they will never +thrive as they should, but will be prone to disease. They are very much +like plants in this respect. When the pups are four weeks old (I used to +commence at five, but so many deaths have occurred in my kennels that of +late I have commenced a week earlier), give them a mild vermifuge for +worms. No matter if they do not show symptoms of harboring these pests, do +it just the same. You will doubtless discover the reason very soon. Only +those who have had experience in handling and breeding puppies are aware +of their danger from worms. I know of nothing more disappointing than to +go to the kennel and find the fine litter of pups that looked so +promising, and on which such high hopes had been placed, with distended +stomachs and the flesh literally wasted away. When this is the case do not +waste a moment, administer the vermifuge. If the intestinal walls have not +yet been perforated by these pests, or too great an inflammation of the +alimentary canal produced, or convulsions occasioned by the impression of +the worms upon the head center of the nervous system have not yet taken +place, the pups, or most of them, can be saved. Hence the need of taking +time by the forelock and getting rid of the worms before they get in their +work. There are all kinds of worm medicines on the market, and I have +tried them all. While some are all right for older pups, many of them have +proven too harsh in their effects and puppies as well as worms have been +destroyed. The following recipe I know will rid the little tots of their +trouble without injuring them: + + Wormseed oil, sixteen drops. + Oil of turpentine, two drops. + Oil of anise, sixteen drops. + Olive oil, three drachms. + Castor oil, four drachms. + +Put into a two-ounce bottle, warm slightly, shake well, and give one-half +teaspoonful, floated on the same quantity of milk. If the worms do not +pass away, repeat the dose the next day. + +To those who would rather administer the dose in the form of a capsule, +then I strongly recommend Spratts' Puppy Capsules, except when the pups +are unusually small. I have just written to the Spratts people, telling +them that their puppy capsules are too large for very small pups of the +Boston terrier breed, and their manager has assured me he will have some +made half the size. I think when the pups are about seven weeks old, when +they are generally weaned, it is good, safe, precautionary measure to give +them another dose of worm medicine, when we use, + + Santonine, four grains. + Wormseed oil, twenty drops. + Oil of turpentine, three drops. + Olive of anise, sixteen drops. + Olive oil, two drachms. + Castor oil, six drachms. + +Warm slightly, shake thoroughly and give one teaspoonful on an empty +stomach, and I think it will be found that the worms will be eliminated. I +have found it also a good plan every little while to give a teaspoonful of +linseed oil to young dogs. For several years I was troubled with the loss +of puppies eight or nine weeks old that had been effectually freed from +worms, that seemed to gradually fade away, as it were, but an autopsy +plainly revealed the cause. The mother, after eating a hearty meal, would +return and vomit what she had eaten on the hay which the puppies would +greedily devour. In so doing they swallowed some of the hay, which +effected a lodgment in the small intestines, not being digested, until +enough was collected to cause a stoppage, and the puppies consequently +died. The cause being removed, we lost no more pups. As infection is +always in lurk in kennels it is, I think, always advisable to give puppies +that have passed the tenth week a dose of vermifuge occasionally until +after the ninth month. When the kennels are kept perfectly free from fleas +and other noxious insects, during the warm weather a thorough good washing +once a week is of great benefit to the growing stock, and I know of no +soap so good to use as the following: + + 1 lb. of Crown Soap (English harness soap). + 1-2 ounce of mild mercurial ointment (commonly called by the + chemists "blue ointment"). + 1 ounce of powdered camphor. + +Mix thoroughly, and take a very small quantity and rub into the coat, +thoroughly rinsing afterwards, followed by careful drying. Every day a +good brushing will be found of great benefit, and when an extra luster is +desired in the coat, as for the show bench, there is nothing that will do +the trick as readily as to give the coat a thorough good dressing with +newly ground yellow corn meal, carefully brushing out all the particles, +which will leave the coat immaculately clean. + +[Illustration: Champion Yankee Doodle Pride] + +[Illustration: Champion Dallen's Spider] + +[Illustration: Champion Mister Jack] + +[Illustration: Champion Caddy Belle] + +In regard to feeding the pups after weaning, it will be found an excellent +plan to feed until ten weeks old four times a day, from that age until six +months old, three times daily, and from that age until maturity, twice +daily. I think a good drink of milk once a day excellent, and where there +are enough fresh table scraps left to feed the pups, nothing better can be +given. Where the number of dogs kept is too numerous to be supplied in +this way, then a good meal of puppy biscuits in the morning, a good meal +of meat (fresh butcher's trimmings, not too fat, bought daily) with +vegetables at noon and at night well cooked oatmeal or rice with milk +makes an excellent safe diet. Good, large bones with some meat on are +always in order, as all dogs crave, and I think ought to have, some meat +raw. Be careful not to over feed, and above all do not give the dogs +sweets. When a puppy is delicate or a shy feeder, an egg beaten up in milk +forms an excellent change, and good fresh beef or lamb minced up will +tempt the most delicate appetite. Give the puppies a chance to get out on +the fresh grass and see what Dr. Green will do for them. Above all see +that they always have free access to pure, cool water. + +I frequently hear numerous complaints of dog's eyes, especially pups that +have been newly weaned, becoming inflamed, and in many cases small ulcers +form. The same thing has occasionally happened in our kennels, and after +trying practically all the eye washes on the market, sometimes without +success, I applied to a friend of mine in the laboratory of the +Massachusetts General Hospital and was advised by him to wash the dog's +eyes two or three times a day with a ten per cent. solution of argyrol, +which has been eminently successful. For slight inflammations a boracic +acid wash, that any chemist will put up, will usually effect a cure. + +The several forms of skin disease which cause so much disquiet to young +stock, preventing rest and hindering growth, are sometimes due to faults +in feeding which upset the work of the assimilative organs, and are to a +great extent preventable. Not so those that are due to the presence of a +parasite that burrows under the skin and produces that condition of the +coat commonly known as mange. A dog may go for some considerable time +unsuspected, but the sooner it is discovered and attended to the better, +as it is highly contagious. The first thing to do is to take an equal +amount of powdered sulphur and lard, make a paste, and rub it thoroughly +into the coat of the dog and let it stay on for two days. Of course, the +dog will lick off all he can, but the internal application will be good +for him. At the end of the second day take the dog and give him a thorough +wash with good castile soap, and after drying rub into his coat thoroughly +(care being taken that none gets into the eyes or ears) crude petroleum. +Let this stay on one day, and without washing take this time enough +benzine and powdered sulphur to make a paste and rub in as before. It will +be found that this has penetrated deeper than the lard and sulphur did and +has doubtless reached the parasites. Repeat this twice, washing in +between, after which give the dog a good dressing of petroleum once a day +for a week, followed by a week's anointing with the benzine, and dollars +to doughnuts, the dog's coat will come out all right. A good dressing to +be applied occasionally afterwards, well rubbed into the skin, is composed +of equal parts of castor, olive and kerosene oils, thoroughly mixed. If +the hair has long been off apply the tincture of cantharides, or the +sulphate of quinine to the bald spots, taking care the dog does not lick +it with his tongue. These two remedies are best used in the form of an +ointment, twice a day. + +In regard to fleas or lice on the young stock, a good wash in not too +strong a solution of any of the standard tar products is usually perfectly +effectual. One other disease, and that the most deadly of all, remains to +be considered, viz., distemper. This is largely contracted at the dog +shows, or being brought into contact with dogs suffering from the disease. +I do not believe it is ever spontaneous, and dogs kept away from infected +stock will be exempt. Well do I remember my first dose of it. I had loaned +a friend of mine a young dog raised by him to show, as he was trying for a +prize for Druid Merk as a stud dog. The dog in question, Merk Jr., came +back from the show rather depressed, and in a few days I had my entire +kennel down with the disease. It was in the spring of the year, cold and +damp, and I succeeded in saving just one of the young dogs and Merk Jr. +After a thorough fumigation with a great quantity of sulphur I managed to +get the kennels disinfected, and did not have an outbreak again for +several years. A bitch sent to be bred where a case of distemper existed, +unknown to me, of course, brought it to my place again, and I had the same +unfortunate experience over again; fortunately this time it was in the +early fall, and weather conditions being auspicious, we lost only about +twenty-five per cent. of young stock. By extreme vigilance, in knowing the +conditions of the kennels where bitches were sent for service, we +succeeded in escaping an attack for several years, when an old bitch that +had had distemper several years previously, brought back the germs in her +coat from a kennel where two young dogs, just home from the Boston show, +were sick with the disease. This was in the spring, the weather was wet +and cold, and a loss of practically fifty per cent. ensued. + +One very interesting and peculiar feature of the last attack was, that +half the dogs sick were given the best medical treatment possible, with a +loss of one-half; the other half were not given any medicine whatever, and +the same proportion died. Of course, all had the best of care, nursing, +and strict attention to diet paid. + +I was very much gratified to observe that in these three attacks we have +never had a dog that had a recurrence of the disease, and what is of far +greater importance, have never had any after ill effect (with one solitary +exception, when a bitch was left with a slight twitching of one leg) in +the shape of the number of ailments that frequently follow, and in all +cases after the disease had run its course the dogs seemed in a short time +as vigorous as ever. This we attribute solely to the strong, vigorous +constitutions the dogs possessed. A breeder who raises many dogs will have +a very difficult feat to accomplish if he aspires to enter the show ring +also. In our case we were convinced at the start that these two would not +go together. When one considers that dogs returning from shows frequently +carry the germs in their coats, and even the crates become affected, and +while not suffering from the disease themselves, will readily convey it to +the occupants of the kennel they come in contact with, also that the +kennel man (unless a separate man has charge of infected stock +exclusively) can readily carry the germs on his hands, person and +clothing, it will instantly be perceived what a risk attends the combined +breeding and showing. I think it pays best in the long run to keep these +two branches of the business separate. The temptation to exhibit will be +very strong, but before doing so, count the cost, especially if much +valuable young stock is in the kennels. + +In regard to the treatment of this much dreaded disease, there are a +number of remedies on the market, one especially that has lately come out, +viz., "Moore's Toxin," which claims to effect a cure, but having never +used it can not give a personal endorsement. Whatever remedy is tried, +remember that good nursing, a suitable diet, and strict hygienic measures +must be given. Feed generously of raw eggs, beaten up in milk, in which a +few drops of good brandy are added, every few hours, and nourishing broths +and gruels may be given for a change. If the eyes are affected then the +boracic acid wash; if the nose is stopped up, then a good steaming from +the kettle. While the dog must have plenty of fresh air, be sure to avoid +draughts. When the lungs and bronchial tubes are affected, then put +flannels wrung out of hot Arabian balsam around neck and chest, and give +suitable doses of cod liver oil. If the disease is principally seated in +the intestines, then give once a day a teaspoonful of castor oil, and the +dog should be fed with arrow root gruel, made with plenty of good milk, +and a very little lean meat (beef, mutton, or chicken), once a day. When +the dog is on the high road to recovery be very careful he does not get +cold, or pneumonia is almost certain to ensue. Do not forget a thorough +fumigation of the kennels, and all utensils, with sulphur. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +BREEDING FOR SIZE. + + +When I joined the Boston Terrier Club in 1895, there were two classes for +weight--the light weight, from 15 to 23 pounds, and the heavy weight, from +23 to 30 pounds, inclusive. This, of course, has been changed since to +three classes--the light weight, 12 and not to exceed 17 pounds; middle +weight class, 17 and not to exceed 22 pounds, and heavy weight, 22 and not +to exceed 28 pounds and a class, for Toys, weighing under twelve pounds, +has been added. The Boston terrier dog was never intended, in the writer's +estimation, to be a dog to be carried in one's pocket, but such an one as +the standard calls for, and which the oldest breeders have persistently +and consistently bred. To my mind the ideal dog is one weighing from 15 +pounds for my lady's parlor, to 20 or 25 pounds for the dog intended as a +man's companion, suitable to tackle any kind of vermin, and to be an ideal +watch dog in the house should any knights of the dark lantern make their +nocturnal calls. + +During the past few years we have had (in common, I suppose, with all +large breeders), a great many orders for first class dogs, typical in +every respect, weighing from 30 to 40 pounds. The constant tendency among +men of wealth today is to move from the city onto country estates, where +they stay the greater part of the year, and in many cases all the time. +They are looking for first class watch dogs that can be kept in the house +or stable, that are thoroughly reliable, that do not bring too much mud in +on their coats, that do not cover the furniture with long hairs, that are +vigorous enough to follow on a horseback ride, and which will not wander +from home. I was in the company of a party of gentlemen the other day who +had bought a number of estates in a town twenty miles from Boston, and the +subject of a suitable breed of dogs for their residences was under +discussion. All the fashionable breeds were gone over, some were objected +to because they barked too much, others because of their propensity to +rush out at teams; some that their coats were too long and they brought a +great deal of mud, etc., in, and still others that their fighting +disposition was too pronounced, but they all agreed that a good-sized, +vigorous, good natured Boston terrier just about filled the bill. Said the +nephew of Senator Henry Cabot Lodge to me last week: "Edward, I want a +Boston big enough to take care of himself if anything happens, and of me +also, if necessary, weighing about 35 pounds." A Boston banker, who has a +large place in the country, would not take two dogs weighing under 35 +pounds. Last week I received a letter from a Mr. W. B. Bogert, of the firm +of Bogert, Maltby & Co., commission grain merchants, Chicago, ordering a +"very heavy weight dog of kindly disposition and good blood. I can get out +here any number of light weight dogs, but I do not like them. Kindly send +me what you think will suit me." These are only a few sample cases, and I +can say that my orders today call for more first class heavy weight dogs +than for any other size. This is, of course, a comparatively new feature, +but all up to date breeders will see the necessity of being able to fill +this class of orders. + +The small sized toys will always be in demand, as they make ideal little +pets, suitable eminently for a city flat or an apartment house, to be +carried by the lady in her carriage, or to accompany her in her walks, and +they make first rate playmates for children. This class is by far the +hardest to breed. For best results mate a bitch weighing about fifteen +pounds, that comes from a numerous litter, to a twelve-pound dog that +comes from small ancestry. Some of the pups are bound to be small. One +important feature in the production of small pups is this: Bitches that +whelp in the fall, the smallest pups are raised from, especially if the +pups are fed a somewhat restricted diet, whereas puppies that are raised +in the spring, that are generously fed, and have vigorous exercise in the +sunshine, attain a far greater size. A great many breeders underfeed their +young stock to stop growth, which I believe to be a very grave mistake. +There is no question whatever it accomplishes the result wished, but at +the expense of stamina and a fine, generous disposition. The pups from +stock advanced in years, or from bitches excessively fat are very apt to +run small, as are also the offspring of inbred parents. One very important +fact in regard to breeding for large sized dogs to be considered is this: +While a great many breeders always select for the production of large pups +large bitches and dogs, yet experience has proven that the majority of big +ones have been the offspring of medium sized dams that were bred to +strong, heavy-boned dogs of substance. I bred a bitch weighing twenty +pounds to a large bull terrier that weighed forty-five pounds for an +experiment, and the pups, five in number, weighed at maturity from +thirty-five to forty pounds, with noses and tails nearly as long as their +sire's, and his color, but were very nice in their disposition, and were +given away for stable dogs. Progressive up-to-date kennel men will see +that they have on hand not only the three classes called for by the +standard, but the fourth class, so to speak, that I have mentioned above, +those weighing anywhere from thirty to forty pounds. Quite a number of +breeders in the past have put in the kennel pail at birth extra large pups +that they thought would mature too large to sell, but they need do so no +longer. This precaution must always be taken where there are one or more +of these large size puppies, viz., to look out that they do not get more +than their proportionate share of the milk, or later the food, as they are +very apt to crowd out the others. + +Remember that the Boston terrier of whatever size will always hold his own +as a companion, a dog that can be talked to and caressed, for between the +dog and his owner will always be found a bond of affection and sympathetic +understanding. + +[Illustration: Prince Lutana] + +[Illustration: Champion Fosco] + +[Illustration: "Pop" Benson with Bunny II] + +[Illustration: Sir Barney Blue] + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +BREEDING FOR GOOD DISPOSITION. + + +This, to my mind, is the most important feature in the breeding of the dog +that demands the most careful attention. If the disposition of the dog is +not all that can be desired, of what avail is superb constitution, an +ideal conformation and beautiful color and markings? Better by far obtain +the most pronounced mongrel that roams the street that shows a loving, +generous nature if he cost his weight in gold, than take as a gift the +most royally bred Boston that could not be depended upon at all times and +under all circumstances to manifest a perfect disposition. + +A short time ago I went to visit a noted pack of English fox hounds. One +beautiful dog especially, took my eye, a strong, vigorous, noble-looking +fellow, and on my asking the kennel man, a quaint old Scotchman, if he +would let the dog out for me to see, he replied: "Why, certainly, Mr. +Axtell, that dog is Dashwood, he is a perfect gentleman," and this is what +all Boston terriers should be. Of course, I am speaking of the well bred, +properly trained, blue blooded dog, not the mongrel that so often +masquerades under his name. Still, as there are black sheep in every +family, a dog showing an ugly, snapping, quarrelsome disposition will +occasionally be met with which, to the shame of the owner, is not +mercifully put out of the way and buried so deep that he can not be +scratched up, but is allowed to perpetuate his or her own kind to the +everlasting detriment of the breed. + +How many a one has come away from a dog show utterly disgusted with +perhaps one of the best looking dogs on the bench, who, after admiring its +attractiveness in every detail, discovers on too near an approach to him +that he possesses a snappy, vicious disposition? + +I am perfectly well aware that due allowance must be made for the +unnatural excitement that surrounds a dog, perhaps for the first time +shown, away from all he knows, and surrounded by strange noises and faces. +Yet I consider it an outrage on the public who give their time and pay +their money, to subject them to any risk of being bitten by any dog, I +care not of what breed it may be. At a recent show in Boston, in company +with three or four gentlemen, I was admiring a very handsome looking +Boston, a candidate for high honors, when his owner called out to me: "Mr. +Axtell, do not go too near him or he will bite your fingers off." I +replied: "You need not advise an old dog man like me; I can tell by the +look of his eye what he would do if given a chance. You have no right +whatever to show such a dog." Since then I went to the kennels where a +noted prize winner is placed at public stud, and he showed such a vicious +disposition and attempt to bite through the bars of his pen that the +attendant had to cover the bars over with a blanket. Such dogs as these +should be given at once a sufficient amount of chloroform and a suitable +burial without mourners. If a man must keep such a brute, then a strong +chain and a secure place where his owner alone can visit him is absolutely +imperative. + +Boston terriers, of all breeds, must possess perfect dispositions if they +are to maintain their present popularity; and yet, how many unscrupulous +breeders and dealers are palming off upon a confiding public dogs which, +instead of being "put away" (I think that is the general term they use) +should be put under so much solid mother earth that no one would suspect +their interment. I know it takes considerable grit and force of character +to cheerfully put to sleep a dog for which perhaps a large sum of money +has been paid, that has developed an uncertain, snappy disposition, yet it +pays so to do; honesty is not alone the best policy, but the only one. In +my experience as a dog man I could give many personal incidents concerning +the sale of vicious dogs, but for space sake one must suffice. + +Last year a Chicago banker sent me an order for a dog similar in style and +disposition to the one I had sold him a few years previously, to go to his +niece, a young lady staying for treatment at a large sanatorium in +southern Massachusetts. I replied that I had not in my kennels a large +enough dog to suit, but that I knew a dealer who possessed a fairly good +reputation who had, and would get him for him if he would run the chances. +This was satisfactory, and I bought the dog. He was guaranteed to me as +all right in every way, but I felt somewhat suspicious, as the price was +very low for a dog of his style. I kept him with me for a week and saw no +outs whatever about him, and practically concluded my suspicions were +unfounded. + +Upon taking the dog personally to the young lady in question, I told her +his history as far as I knew it, and also that while I could give her the +dealer's guarantee of the dog I could not of course, endorse it, but that +if she cared to run the risk she could have the dog on approval as long as +she wished. I said in warning that there was something about his eye that +did not altogether strike my fancy, and that if he showed the least +symptom of being anything but affectionate, to ship him to my kennels in +Cliftondale immediately. As he was a handsome dog, with beautiful color, I +could see she wanted him at once, and the dog seemed to take to her in an +even greater degree. I received a letter from her in a week's time, saying +how perfectly satisfactory the dog was in every way, and what a general +favorite he had become with the lady patients there, several of whom would +like me to get one like him for them. I need not say how pleased I was to +hear this, but what was my surprise to receive a letter the next day +asking me to send at once for the dog, as he had bitten the matron. You +may depend that neither she nor any other of the inmates there would ever +want to see a Boston again, and who would want them to? Of course I lost +my money, but that is not worth mentioning. The sorrow I felt stays by me +today. I sent for the dog and kept him at my kennels for five months, +taking care of him myself and never letting him out of my sight, during +which time he was as gentle as a kitten, until one day a young dog man +came down into the yard, and the dog, for some unaccountable reason, as in +the case of the matron, jumped on him and took hold of his sleeve. The +man, being accustomed to dogs, was fortunately not scared. This explained +the low price of the dog, and it is needless to add, he ornamented my +kennels no longer. I can only state in connection with this that that +dealer has sold very few dogs since. I never purchase a dog now, unless I +know the man from whom I buy. + +How to breed dogs possessing an ideal disposition is the all-important +question, and I give the rules as followed in our kennels with complete +success. Breed only from stock that you know comes from an ancestry noted +for this particular feature. Many dogs are naturally of an affectionate +nature, but have been made snappish by ill treatment, or teasing. This can +be bred out by judicious care, but where a vicious tendency is hereditary, +look out for trouble ahead. Damages for dog bites come high, and he must +be either a very rich man, or a very poor one, that can afford to keep +this kind of stock. + +Use only thoroughly healthy stock; disease is often productive of an +uneven, sullen disposition. See that the bitch especially never shows a +tendency to be cross or snappy. The male dog usually controls the shape, +color and markings, and the dam the constitution and disposition. Hence it +is, if anything, of more importance that the female should be strong in +this feature than the male, although the male, of course, should be first +class also. So well known is this physiological fact that breeders of +standard bred horses, particularly hunters and carriage horses, will never +breed a vicious mare to a quiet stallion, and yet they are generally +willing to risk breeding a quiet mare to a stallion not as good in this +respect. + +The education of the puppies should begin as soon as they can run around. +Very much depends upon a right start. We are admonished to "train up a +child in the way he should go," and this applies with equal force to the +dog. Treat them with the utmost kindness, but with a firm hand. Be sure +they are taught to mind when spoken to, and never fail to correct at once +when necessary. A stitch in time saves many times nine. A habit once +formed is hard to break. Never be harsh with them; never whip; remember +that judicious kindness with firmness is far more effective with dogs, as +with children. Be sure to accustom them to mingle with people and +children, and introduce them as early as possible to the sights of the +street, to go on ahead, and to come at your call. Prevent the pernicious +habit of running and barking at teams, etc., and other dogs. The time to +check these habits as aforesaid is before they become fixed. If, after all +these pains, you see a dog show the slightest disposition to be vicious, +then do not hesitate to send him at once by a humane transit to dog +heaven. By thus continuously breeding a strain of dogs with an +affectionate nature and the elimination of any that show the least +deviation from the same, in a short time kennels can be established whose +dogs will not only be a source of supreme satisfaction to the owner, but +will be the best advertisers of said kennels wherever they go. + +It will readily be admitted by all who have given the matter any +consideration that a dog of an affectionate nature, whose fidelity has +always been constant, and whose devotion to its owner has always under all +circumstances been perfectly sincere and lasting, makes an appeal to +something that is inherent in human nature. The fact of the case is that +the love of such a dog is imbedded in the soul of every normal man and +woman who have red blood in their veins. I think it is instinctive, and +has its foundation in the fact that from the beginning of time he has +ministered to man's necessities, and has accompanied him as his best +friend on man's upward march to civilization and enlightenment. "There may +be races of people who have never known the dog, but I very much question +if, after they have made his acquaintance, they fail to appreciate his +desirable qualities, and to conceive for him both esteem and affection." + +[Illustration: Champion Lady Dainty] + +[Illustration: Champion Todd Boy] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +BREEDING FOR A VIGOROUS CONSTITUTION. + + +I think there never was a time in the history of the breed when this +particular feature needed more thoughtful, systematic and scientific +attention devoted to it than now. For the past few years breeders have +been straining every nerve, and leaving no stone unturned, to produce +small stock, toys, in fact, and everyone realizes, who has given the +question thoughtful consideration, that this line of breeding has been at +the expense of the vigor, and indirectly largely of a beautiful +disposition, of the dog, to say nothing of the financial loss that must +inevitably ensue. + +Said an old Boston terrier man (Mr. Barnard) at a recent show: "Mr. +Axtell, if they keep on breeding at this rate, it won't be long before +they produce a race of black and tans." + +In my estimation it will not be black and tan terriers, but nothing. It +will be productive of a line of bitches that are either barren, or so +small that they can not possibly whelp without the aid of a "Vet." One +does not have to look very far to discover numbers of men who started in +the breeding of the American dog with high hopes and enthusiastic +endeavors to success, who have fallen by the wayside, owing largely to the +fact that proper attention was not paid to the selection of suitable +breeding stock, especially the matrons. Said a man to me last year: "Much +as I love the dog, and crazy as I am to raise some good pups, I have given +up for all time trying to breed Boston terriers. I have lost eight bitches +in succession whelping." We have all of us "been there" and quite a number +of us "many a time." + +In order to obtain strong, vigorous puppies that will live and develop +into dogs that will be noted for vigorous constitutions, we shall simply, +and in language that can be readily understood by the novice as well as +the established breeder, lay down the rules that a quarter of a century +has demonstrated to be the correct ones for the attainment of the same as +used in our kennels. As all puppies that leave our place are sold with the +guarantee of reaching maturity (unless shown, when we take no risks +whatever in regard to distemper, mange, etc.), it will readily be seen +that they must have a first class start, and must of necessity be the +progeny of stock possessing first class vigor and the quality of being +able to transmit the same to their offspring. An ounce of experience is +worth many tons of theory, and it is, then, with pleasure we give the +system pursued by us, feeling certain that the same measure of success +will attend others that will take the necessary pains to attain the same, +and they will be spared the many pitfalls and mistakes that have +necessarily been ours before we acquired our present knowledge. It has +been for a number of years (starting as we did when the breed was in its +infancy, and only the intense love of the dog, coupled with an extensive +leisure, which enabled us to devote a great deal of attention to important +and scientific experiments, have enabled us to arrive where we are), an +uphill road, the breeding problems have had to be solved at the outlay of +brains, patience and considerable money. Unlike any established breed, +there was practically no data to fall back on, no books of instruction to +follow, but if the pioneer work has been arduous the results obtained have +far outbalanced it, and the dog today stands as a monument to all the +faithful, conscientious and determined body of men who would never +acknowledge defeat, but who, in spite of all discouragements from all +quarters, and from many where it should have been least expected, have +pressed forward until they find the object of their unfailing endeavors +the supreme favorite in dogdom the continent over. + +In the first place, in the attainment of vigorous puppies, we state the +bitches selected are of primary importance, in our view, as already +stated, far more so than the sire. For best results we choose a bitch +weighing from fifteen to twenty-five pounds. If they happen to weigh over +this we do not consider it any detriment whatever, rather otherwise. +Always select said matrons from litters that have been large, bred from +strong, vigorous stock, thoroughly matured, and that have been bred by +reliable (we speak advisedly) men for several generations if possible. If +one can, obtain from kennels that while perfectly comfortable, have not +been supplied with artificial heat. There is more in this than appears on +the surface. Dogs that have been coddled and brought up around a stove +rarely have stamina and vitality enough to enable them to live the number +of years they are entitled to, and fall a ready victim to the first +serious trouble, whether distemper, or the many and one ills that beset +their path. Intelligent breeders of all kinds of stock today recognize the +value of fresh air and unlimited sunshine, and if best results are to be +obtained these two things are imperative. + +I was very much interested in the prize herd of Hereford cattle owned by +Mr. Joseph Rowlands, near Worcester, England, and conceded by experts to +be the best in that country, and to learn that for a number of years the +herd (over one hundred in number) have been kept in the open, the cows +being placed in the barn for a few days at calving, and that the prize +winning bull that heads the herd, "Tumbler," is sixteen years old, and +still used, and it is stated by Mr. Rowlands is producing as good stock +today as ever. The significant fact about this herd is, they are and have +been perfectly free from tuberculosis. Another herd of Jerseys (although +not prize winners) are kept near there, under precisely the same +conditions with similar results. A breeder of prize winning Belgian hares +has kept these for a number of years without artificial heat, with the +best of results with freedom from disease, and the attainment of strong, +robust constitutions. When puppies are four months old (in the winter +time) they should be placed in well built kennels, without artificial +heat. (Of course, this does not apply to a colder latitude than +Massachusetts.) + +The reason for choosing bitches that come from dams noted for their large +litters is this: the chances are (if the dog bred to comes from a similar +litter) that they will inherit the propensity to give birth to large +litters themselves, and the pups will necessarily be smaller than when +only one or two pups are born. The bitch that has but that number runs an +awful risk, especially if she has been well fed. The pups will be large +and the dam has great difficulty in whelping. + +If toy bitches are bred, look out for breakers ahead; only a very small +per cent. live to play with their little ones. A toy bitch, bred to a toy +dog, will frequently have but one pup, and that quite a large one in +proportion to the size of parents. When a toy bitch is bred, attend +carefully to these three things. See that the dog used is small in +himself, comes from small stock, and does not possess too large a head. +Secondly, be sure the bitch is kept in rather poor condition, in other +words, not too fat; and thirdly, and this is the most important of all, +see that she has all the natural exercise she can be induced to take. +These conditions strictly and faithfully adhered to may result in success. + +In the next place, the consideration of the dog to be used is in order. +Whether he be a first prize winner or an equally good dog that has never +been shown (and the proportion of the best raised dogs that appear on the +bench is very small) insist on the following rules: + +Be sure that the dog is typical with first class constitution, vigorous, +and possessing an ideal disposition, and what is of the utmost importance, +that he comes from a line of ancestry eminently noted for these +characteristics. Breed to no other, though he were a winner of a thousand +first prizes. I prefer a symmetrical dog weighing from sixteen to twenty +pounds, rather finer in his make-up than the bitch, and possessing the +indefinable quality of style, and evidences in his make-up courage and a +fine, open, generous temperament. Do not breed to a dog that is overworked +in the stud, kept on a board floor chained up in a kennel or barn, and +never given a chance to properly exercise. If you do the chances are that +one of three things will happen: the bitch will not be in whelp (the most +likely result) the pups, or some of them will be born dead, and one runs +an awful risk of the bitch dying, or, if alive at birth, a very small per +cent. only of the pups will live to reach maturity. I think Boston +terriers are particularly susceptible to worms or distemper, and it is +absolutely imperative that they should not be handicapped at the onset. + +One other very important factor is natural exercise for the bitch. Unless +one is willing to take the necessary pains to give her this, give up all +expectation of ever succeeding in raising puppies. + +[Illustration: Champion Willowbrook Glory] + +[Illustration: Squantum Punch] + +[Illustration: Tony Ringmaster] + +Someone asked a noted critic whom he considered the best singer he had +ever heard, and he answered, "Patti." In being asked who came next, he +replied, "Patti;" and on being questioned who was his third choice, gave +the same answer. Were I asked the three most important essentials for the +success of the brood bitch, I should say, "Exercise, exercise, exercise." +By this I do not mean leading with a chain, running behind a horse or +team, but the natural exercise a bitch will take if left to her own +devices. Nature has provided an infallible monitor to direct the dog the +best amount to take, and when to take it. One of the best bitches I ever +possessed was one weighing fourteen pounds by the original Tony Boy (one +of the best little dogs that ever lived) out of a bitch by Torrey's Ned, +by A. Goode's Ned. Her name was Lottie, and she had thirteen litters and +raised over ninety per cent. Those who have read that interesting little +book on the "Boston Terrier," by the late Dr. Mott, will readily recall +the genial Doctor speaking of the first Boston he ever owned, named "Muggy +Dee," and how intelligent he was, and what a number of tricks the Doctor +taught him, will be interested to know that Lottie was his +great-grandmother, and she was equally intelligent. We had several bitches +by the celebrated Mr. Mullen's "Boxer" out of her, (this is going back to +ancient history), one of which, "Brownie," was, to my fancy, the nicest +dog we ever had. She, with the rest of the litter, had the run of several +hundred acres, and many times I did not see them for days together. They +went in and out of the hayloft at pleasure, and spent the greater part of +their time hunting and digging out skunks and woodchucks which were quite +thick in the woods back of us at that time. I remember the first time +Brownie was bred to that king of sires, "Buster," owned by Alex. Goode +(than whom a more loyal Boston terrier man never lived), and I was rather +anxious to see the litter when it arrived, as from the mating I expected +crackerjacks. I had not seen her or her mother for two or three days, but +the time for whelping having arrived, was keeping a close watch on the +stable. About dusk she came in with Lottie, and in a short time gave birth +to four of the most vigorous, perfectly formed little tots I had ever +seen. Each one proved to be good enough to show, although only one was +sold to an exhibitor, Mr. G. Rawson, the rest going into private hands. +"Druid Pero" was shown in New York in 1898, taking first prize and silver +cup for best in his class, but I think his brother, "Caddie," beat him, +his owner, a Boston banker, being offered a number of times ten times the +sum he paid for him. + + * * * * * + +The day after Brownie whelped she and her mother went off for an hour or +so, and they finished digging out Mr. Skunk (which the attention to her +maternal duties necessitated a postponement of), the old dog dragging him +home in triumph. I attribute the success these dogs, in common with the +rest of the bitches in the kennels who had similar advantages, had in +whelping and the rearing of their young to the fact that they always had +unlimited natural exercise. I can enumerate scores of cases similar to +these attended with equally good results, if space permitted. + + * * * * * + +In regard to mating, one service, if properly performed, is usually +enough, if the bitch is ready to take the dog. If a bitch should fail to +be in whelp I should advise the next time she comes in season two or even +three visits to the dog, and where convenient I should suggest a different +dog this time. In case this time these services were unsuccessful, then I +should suggest the course that breeders of thoroughbred horses pursue, +viz., to let the female run with the male for three or four days together. +There are many things connected with breeding that we do not understand, +and frequently going back to nature, as in this case, is productive of +results when all else fails. + +One very important factor in the production of strong, rugged pups that +live, is good feeding. Do not imagine that feeding dog biscuits to the +bitch in whelp will give good results, it will not; she needs meat and +vegetables once a day. Biscuits are all right as a supplementary food, but +that is all. Meat is the natural food for a dog, and it is a wise kennel +man that can improve on nature. Be sure the meat is free from taint, +especially at this time and when the bitch is nursing pups. The gastric +juice of a dog's stomach is a great germicide, but there is a limit. + +Be certain the dogs have a plentiful supply of good, pure water. This is +of far more importance than many people imagine. + +Do not administer drugs of any description to your dogs, except in the +case of a good vermifuge, if they are harboring worms, and a proper dose +of castor oil if constipated. If the dog at any time is sick, consult a +good veterinary accustomed to dogs, not one who has practiced entirely on +horses or cows. If a bitch, at the time of whelping, is much distressed +and can not proceed, get a veterinary and get him quick. When the pups +arrive, if all is well and they are able to nurse, let them severely +alone. If they are very weak they will have to be assisted to suckle--do +not delay attention in this case. Be sure the box the bitch whelped in is +large enough for her to turn around in, and do not use any material in the +nest that the pups can get entangled with. My advice to breeders is, if +the bitch is fully formed and grown to her full proportions, to breed the +first time she comes in season. She will have an easier time whelping than +when she is older. If delicate or immature, delay breeding till the next +time. Do not use a dog in the stud until he is a year and a half old for +best results; they will, of course, sire pups at a year or younger, but +better wait. To those people who live in the city, or where a kennel can +not be established for want of adequate room to give the dogs the +necessary exercise, an excellent plan to follow is one adopted by an +acquaintance of mine, and followed by him for a number of years with a +good measure of success. He owns one or two good stud dogs that he keeps +at his home, and he has put out on different farms, within a radius of ten +miles of Boston, one bitch at each place, and pays the farmer (who is only +too glad to have this source of income at the outlay of so little trouble +and expense) one hundred dollars for each litter of pups the bitch has, +the farmer to deliver the pups when required, usually when three months +old. The farmer brings in the bitch to be bred, and the owner has no +further trouble. The pups, when delivered, are usually in the pink of +condition and are, in a great measure, house broken, and their manners to +a certain extent cultivated. He has no trouble whatever with pups when +ordered, as he simply sends the address of customers and the farmer ships +them. This, to me, is a very uninteresting and somewhat mercenary way of +doing business, as one misses all the charm of breeding and the bringing +up of the little tots, to many of us the most delightful part of the +business. To those breeders who have newly started in, do not get +discouraged if success does not immediately crown your efforts; remember, +if Boston terriers could be raised as easily as other dogs, the prices +would immediately drop to the others' level. + +[Illustration: Goode's Buster] + +[Illustration: Champion Whisper] + +[Illustration: Champion Druid Vixen] + +[Illustration: Champion Remlik Bonnie] + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +BREEDING FOR COLOR AND MARKINGS. + + +Every one who has a Boston terrier for sale knows that a handsome seal or +mahogany brindle with correct markings, with plenty of luster in the coat, +provided all other things are equal, sells more readily at a far higher +price than any other. When one considers the number of points given in the +standard for this particular feature, and the very important factor it +occupies in the sale of the dog, too much attention cannot be given by +breeders for the attainment of this desideratum. I am, of course, +thoroughly in sympathy with the absolute justice that should always +prevail in the show ring in the consideration of the place color and +markings occupy in scoring a candidate for awards. Twelve points are +allowed in the standard for these, and any dog, I care not whether it be +"black, white, gray, or grizzled," that scored thirteen points over the +most perfectly marked dog, should be awarded the prize. But be it ever +remembered that the show ring and the selling of a dog are two separate +and distinct propositions. In the writer's opinion and experience a wide +gulf opens up between a perfect white or black dog comporting absolutely +to the standard, and one of desirable color and markings that is off a +number of points. I have always found a white, black, mouse, or liver +colored dog, I care not how good in every other respect, almost impossible +to get rid of at any decent price. People simply would not take them. +Perhaps my experience has run counter to others. I trust it may have done +so, but candor compels me to make this statement. + +I find that this condition of things is somewhat misleading, especially to +beginners in the breed. They have seen the awards made in the shows (with +absolute justice, as already stated), and have naturally inferred that in +consequence of this, breeding for desirable colors was not of paramount +importance after all. Only a month or two ago an article appeared in a +charming little dog magazine, written evidently by an amateur, on this +question of color and markings. He had visited the Boston Terrier Club +show last November, and speaking of seal brindles, said: "If this color is +so very desirable it seems strange that so few were seen, and that so many +of the leading terriers were black and white, and some white entirely," +then follows his deduction, viz., "the tendency evidently is that color is +immaterial with the best judges, so that a breeder is foolish to waste his +time on side issues which are not material." I can only state in passing +that if he had a number of dogs on hand that were of the colors he +specifies, "black and white, and some white entirely," it would doubtless +"seem strange" to him why they persisted in remaining on his hands as if +he had given each one an extra bath in Le Page's liquid glue. Pitfalls +beset the path of the beginner and this book is written largely to avoid +them. When one reads or hears the statement made that color and markings +are of secondary consideration or even less, take warning. The reader's +pardon will now have to be craved for the apparent egotism evidenced by +the writer in speaking of himself in a way that only indirectly concerns +canine matters, but which has a bearing on this very important question of +color, and partially, at least, explains why this particular feature of +the breeding of the Boston terrier has appealed to him so prominently. My +father was a wholesale merchant in straw goods, and had extensive dye +works and bleacheries where the straw, silk and cotton braids were +colored. As a youngster I used to take great delight in watching the dyers +and bleachers preparing their different colors and shades, etc., and was +anxious to see the results obtained by the different chemical +combinations. When a young man, while studying animal physiology under the +direction of the eminent scientist, Professor Huxley, whose diploma I +value most highly, I made a number of extended scientific experiments in +color breeding in poultry and rabbits, so that when I took up breeding +Boston terriers later in life this feature particularly attracted me. I +was "predisposed," as a physician says of a case where the infection is +certain, hence I offer no apology whatever for the assertion that this +chapter is scientifically correct in the rules laid down for the breeding +to attain desirable shades and markings. + +When we first commenced breeding Bostons in 1885, the prevailing shades +were a rather light golden brindle (often a yellow), and mahogany +brindles, and quite a considerable number had a great deal of white. Then +three shades were debarred, viz., black, mouse and liver, and although +years after the Boston Terrier Club removed this embargo, they still +remain very undesirable colors. + +The rich mahogany brindle next became the fashionable color (and +personally I consider it the most beautiful shade), and Mr. A. Goode with +Champion "Monte" and Mr. Rawson with the beautiful pair, "Druid Merke" and +"Vixen," set the pace and every one followed. A few years later Messrs. +Phelps and Davis (who, with the above mentioned gentlemen, were true +friends of the breed), sold a handsome pair of seal brindles, Chs. +"Commissioner II." and "Topsy," to Mr. Borden of New York, and confirmed, +if not established, the fashion for that color in that city. I think that +all people will agree, from all parts of the country, that New York sets +the style for practically everything, from my lady's headgear to the +pattern of her equipages, and the edict from that city has decreed that +the correct color in Boston terriers is a rich seal brindle, with white +markings, with plenty of luster to it, and all sections of the continent +promptly say amen! + +I have taken the pains to look up a number of orders that we have recently +received, which include (not enumerating those received from the New +England States, or New York), three from Portland, Oregon, one from +California, one from St. Louis, one from Mexico, four from Canada, two +from Chicago, and one from Texas, and with the exception of two who wished +to replace dogs bought of us ten or twelve years previously, they +practically all wanted seal brindles. + +These orders were nearly all from bankers and brokers, men who are +supposed to be en rapport with the dictates of fashion. It goes without +saying that what a public taste demands, every effort will be made to +attain the same, and breeders will strive their utmost to produce this +shade. Many who do not understand scientific matings to obtain these +desirable colors have fallen into a very natural mistake in so doing. In +regard to the mahogany brindles they say, why not breed continuously +together rich mahogany sires and dams, and then we shall always have the +brindles we desire. "Like produces like" is a truism often quoted, but +there are exceptions, and Boston terrier breeding furnishes an important +one. A very few years of breeding this way will give a brown, solid color, +without a particle of brindle, or even worse, a buckskin. If the +foundation stock is a lighter brindle to start, the result will be a mouse +color. The proper course to pursue is to take a golden brindle bitch that +comes from a family noted for that shade, and mate her with a dark +mahogany brindle dog that comes from an ancestry possessed of that color. +The bitch from this mating can be bred to dark mahogany brindles, and the +females from this last mating bred again to dark mahogany males, but now a +change is necessary. The maxim, "twice in and once out," applies here. The +last bred bitches should be bred this time to a golden brindle dog, and +same process repeated, that is, the bitches from this last union and their +daughters can be bred to dark mahogany brindle dogs, when the golden +brindle sire comes in play again. This can be repeated indefinitely. A +rule in color breeding to be observed is this: that the male largely +influences the color of the pups. If darker colors are desired, use a +darker male than the female. If lighter shades are desired, use a lighter +colored male. + +If a tiger brindle is wanted, take a gray brindle bitch and mate to a dark +mahogany dog. Steel and gray brindles are in so little demand and are so +easy to produce that we shall not notice them. + +In regard to seal brindles. A great many breeders who do not understand +proper breeding to obtain them have fallen into the same pit as the +others. In their desire to obtain the dark seal brindles they have mated +very dark dogs to equally dark bitches, which has resulted in a few +generations in producing dogs absolutely black in color, with coats that +look as if they had been steeped in a pail of ink. A visit to any of the +leading shows of late will reveal the fact that quite a number of +candidates for bench honors are not real brindle, except possibly on the +under side of the body, or perchance a slight shading on the legs. A +considerable number are perfectly black, and are called by courtesy black +brindles. As well call the ace of spades by the same name. A serious +feature in connection with this is, that the longer this line of breeding +is persisted in, the harder will be the task to breed away. In fact, in my +estimation it will be as difficult as the elimination of white. One +important fact in connection here is that black color is more pronounced +from white stock than from brindle. I recently went into the kennels of a +man who has started a comparatively short time ago, and who has been most +energetic in his endeavors to produce a line of dark seal brindles, and +who is much perplexed because he has a lot of stock on hand, while first +rate in every other respect, are with coats as black as crows and not +worth ten dollars apiece. He seemed very much surprised when I told him +his mistake, but grateful to be shown a way out of his difficulty. A visit +to another kennel not far from the last revealed the fact that the owner +was advertising and sending largely to the West what he called black +brindles, but as devoid of brindle as a frog is of feathers. His case was +rather amusing, as he honestly believed that because the dog was a Boston +terrier its color of necessity must be a brindle. He reminded me a good +deal of a man who started a dog store in Boston a number of years ago who +advertised in his windows a Boston terrier for sale cheap. Upon stepping +in to see the dog all that presented itself to view was a dog, a cross +between a fox and bull terrier. When the man was told of this, he made +this amusing reply: "The dog was born in Boston, and he is a terrier. Why +is he not a Boston terrier?" Upon telling him that according to his +reasoning if the dog had been born in New York city he would be a New York +terrier he smiled. Fortunately I had "Druid Pero" with me and said: "Here +is a dog bred in my kennels at Cliftondale, Mass., that was a first prize +winner at the last New York show, and yet he is a Boston terrier." After +looking Pero carefully over he exclaimed: "Well, by gosh, they don't look +much like brothers, but I guess some greenhorn will come along who will +give me twenty-five dollars for him," and on inquiring a little later was +told the green gentleman had called and bought the dog. + +How to breed the dogs so that the brindle will not become too dark, with +the bright reddish sheen that sparkles in the sun, is the important +question, and I am surprised at the ignorance displayed by kennel men that +one would naturally suppose would have made the necessary scientific +experiments to obtain this desirable shading. Only a short time ago a +doctor, a friend of mine, told me he had just started a kennel of Bostons, +buying several bitches at a bargain on account of their being black in +color, and that he proposed breeding them to a white dog to get puppies of +a desirable brindle. He seemed quite surprised when told the only shades +he could reasonably expect would be black, white and splashed, all equally +undesirable. + +The system adopted in our kennels some years ago to obtain seal brindles +with correct markings and the desirable luster and reddish sheen to the +coat is as follows: + +We take a rich red, or light mahogany bitch, with perfect markings, that +comes from a family noted for the brilliancy of their color, and without +white in the pedigrees for a number of generations, and mate her always to +a dark seal brindle dog with an ancestry back of him noted for the same +color. The pups from these matings will come practically seventy-five per +cent. medium seal brindles. We now take the females that approximate the +nearest in shade to their mother, and mate them to a dark seal brindle dog +always. The bitches that are the result of this union are always bred to a +dark seal brindle dog. The females that come from the last union are bred +to a medium seal brindle dog, but now comes the time to introduce a +mahogany brindle dog as a sire next time, for if these last bitches were +mated to a seal brindle dog a large per cent. of the pups would come too +dark or even black. This system is used indefinitely and desirable seal +brindles with white markings can thus be always obtained. To the best of +my recollection we have had but one black dog in twenty years. We have +demonstrated, we trust, so that all may understand how golden, mahogany, +and seal brindles are obtained, and how they may be bred for all time +without losing the brindle so essential, and we now pass on to the +consideration of a far harder problem, the obtaining of the rich seal +brindles from all undesirable colors, and we present to all interested in +this important, and practically unknown and misunderstood, problem the +result of a number of years extended and scientific experiments which, we +confess, were disheartening and unproductive for a long time, but which +ultimately resulted in success, the following rules to be observed, known +as "The St. Botolph Color Chart." + +In presenting this we are fully aware that as far as we know this is the +only scientific system evolved up to date, also that there are a number of +breeders of the American dog who maintain that this is an absolute +impossibility, that breeding for color is as absurd as it is impractical, +but we can assure these honest doubters that we have blazed a trail, and +all they now have to do is simply to follow instructions and success will +crown their efforts. + +We will enumerate the following colors in the order of their resistance, +so to speak: + +No. 1. White. This color, theoretically a combination of red, green and +violet will be found the hardest to eliminate, as the shade desired will +have to be worked in, so to speak, and it will take several generations +before a seal brindle with perfect markings that can be depended upon to +always reproduce itself can be obtained. Starting with a white bitch +(always remember that the shades desired must be possessed by the dog), we +breed her always to a golden brindle dog. The bitches (those most +resembling the sire in color being selected) from these two are mated to a +dark mahogany brindle dog, and the females from this last union are mated +to a dark seal brindle dog. It will readily be observed that we have bred +into the white color, golden, mahogany and seal brindle and this admixture +of color will give practically over ninety per cent. of desirable +brindles. Always see that the sires used are perfectly marked, from +ancestry possessing the same correct markings. This is absolutely +imperative, where the stock to be improved is worked upon is white. + +No. 2. Black. This color is the opposite of white, inasmuch as there is an +excess of pigment, which in this case will have to be worked out. Breed +the black bitch to a red brindle dog (with the same conditions regarding +his ancestry). The females from these matings bred always to a dark +mahogany brindle dog. The females from the last matings breed to a medium +seal brindle dog with a very glossy coat, and the result of these last +matings will be good seal brindles. If any bitches should occasionally +come black, breed always to a golden brindle dog. No other shade will do +the trick. + +No. 3. Gray brindle. This is practically a dead color, but easy to work +out. Breed first to a golden brindle dog. The females from this union +breed to a rich mahogany brindle, and the bitches from this last litter +breed to a seal brindle dog. + +No. 4. Buckskin. Breed bitch to golden brindle dog; the females from this +union to a red brindle dog (if unobtainable, use mahogany brindle dog, but +this is not so effective), and the females from last union breed to a seal +brindle dog. + +No. 5. Liver. This is a great deal like the last, but a little harder to +manipulate. Breed first to a golden brindle dog. The females from this +union breed to a seal brindle. The bitches from this union breed to +mahogany brindle dog with black bars running through the coat, and the +females from last mating breed to seal brindles. + +No. 6. Mouse color. Use same process as for gray brindles. + +No. 7. Yellow. A very undesirable shade, but easy to eliminate. Breed to +mahogany brindle dog as dark as can be obtained, and bitches from this +mating breed to a seal brindle dog. + +No. 8. Steel and tiger brindles I class together, as the process is the +same and results are easy. Breed first to a red brindle dog; bitches from +this union to a dark mahogany brindle, and then use seal brindle dog on +bitch from last mating. + +No. 9. Red brindle. No skill is required here. Breed first to mahogany +brindles, and bitches from this union to seal brindles. + +We have now enumerated practically all the less desirable shades, but let +me observe in passing, in the process of color breeding that the law of +atavism, or "throwing back," often asserts itself, and we shall see colors +belonging to a far-off ancestry occasionally presenting themselves in all +these matings. Once in a while a dog will be found that no matter what +color bitches he may be mated with, he will mark a certain number of the +litter with the peculiar color or markings of some remote ancestor. Just a +case apropos of this will suffice. We used in our kennels a dog of perfect +markings, coming from an immediate ancestry of perfectly marked dogs, and +mated him with quite a number of absolutely perfectly marked bitches that +we had bred for a great number of years that had before that had perfectly +marked pups, and every bitch, no matter how bred, had over fifty per cent. +of white headed pups. We saw the pups in other places sired by this dog, +no matter where bred, similarly marked. We found his grandmother was a +white headed dog, and this dog inherited this feature in his blood, and +passed it on to posterity. The minute a stud dog, perfect in himself, is +prepotent to impress upon his offspring a defect in his ancestry, discard +him at once. I have often been amused to see how frequently this law of +atavism is either misunderstood or ignored. Only recently I have seen a +number of letters in a leading dog magazine, in which several people who +apparently ought to know better, were accusing litters of bulldog pups as +being of impure blood because there were one or two black pups amongst +them. They must, of course, have been conversant with the fact that +bulldogs years ago frequently came of that color, and failed to reason +that in consequence of this, pups of that shade are liable once in a while +to occur. It is always a safe rule in color breeding to discard as a stud +a dog, no matter how brilliant his coat may be, who persistently sires +pups whose colors are indistinct and run together, as it were. + +[Illustration: Champion Boylston Reina] + +[Illustration: Champion Roxie] + +[Illustration: Peter's Little Boy and Ch. Trimont Roman] + +[Illustration: Champion Lord Derby] + +Remember, in closing this chapter, that as "eternal vigilance is the price +of liberty," so the eternal admixtures of colors is the price of rich +brindles. If one has the time the works of an Austrian monk named Mendel +are of great interest as bearing somewhat on this subject, and the two +English naturalists, Messrs. Everett and J. G. Millais, whose writings +contain the result of extensive scientific experiments on dogs and game +birds, are of absorbing interest also. + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +SALES. + + +Every person who has bred Bostons for any length of time knows that a good +dog sells himself. I do not imagine there is practically any part of this +great country where a typical dog, of proper color and markings and all +right in every respect, fails to meet a prospective buyer, and yet, of +course, there are certain places where an A 1 dog, like an ideal saddle or +carriage horse meets with a readier sale, at a far greater price than +others. New York city, in particular, and all the larger cities of the +country where there are large accumulations of wealth, offer the best +markets for the greatest numbers of this aristocratic member of the dog +fraternity, and from my own personal knowledge the larger cities of the +countries adjacent to the United States furnish nearly as good a market, +at a somewhat reduced price. Were the quarantines removed in the mother +country, which England no doubt has found absolutely necessary, it would +not surprise me in the least to see an unprecedented demand for the Boston +at very high prices, and I am going to make a prediction that on the +continent of Europe it will not be long before the American dog will +follow the trotting horse, and will work his way eastward, until jealous +China and strange Japan will be as enamoured with him as we are, and his +devotees at the Antipodes will be wondering where he got his little screw +tail, and why that sweet, serene expression on his face, like the "Quaker +Oat smile," never comes off. This to a person who knows not the Boston may +seem extravagant praise, but to all such we simply say: Get one, and then +see if you are not ready to exclaim with the Queen of Sheba, when visiting +King Solomon and being shown his treasures: "Behold, the half was not told +me!" Perhaps the system of sales that has always been followed by us may +be of interest to many engaged in the breeding of the dog, and while we do +not hold a patent on the same, or even suggest its adoption by others, +must confess it has worked with entire satisfaction in our case, and we +have never once failed to receive the purchase money. We must say in +explanation that our customers practically are all bankers and brokers, +and that our dogs have never been sold by advertising or being exhibited +at shows, but by being recommended by one man to another, starting many +years ago by the first sale to a Boston banker, then to several members of +his firm, going from Boston to their correspondents in other cities, until +the orders come in from everywhere. We had three orders from as many +countries in one mail last week. I merely mention this to show how the +demand for the dog has grown. When we commenced to sell dogs we adopted +the following plan, which we conceived to be just and equitable alike to +buyer and seller: When a dog is ordered we send on one which we believe +will fill the bill, accurately describing the dog, stating age, pedigree, +etc., and stating that when the customer is perfectly satisfied with the +dog (as long a trial being given as may be wished) in every respect, a +check will be accepted, and not before. Should the dog at any time prove +unsatisfactory in any way, the purchase money will be cheerfully refunded, +or a dog of equal value will be sent in exchange. In the case of a bitch +that fails to become a good breeder, the same plan, of course, is +followed. In regard to the sale of puppies, we guarantee them (barring +accidents, and the showing of them, when owner assumes risks) to reach +maturity, and in case they do not, refund purchase money, or send on +another puppy of equal value. + +Of course, where the buyer is not known, or personally recommended, then +the seller has to adopt entirely different methods. Still, I see no reason +why an honest man who has a Boston, or any other dog, for sale, or, in +fact, any article of merchandise, should not be willing to send on the +same to any honest buyer. This is on the assumption, of course, that both +parties are honorable men. To the seller I advise the purchase money being +received before the dog is shipped, and express charges guaranteed, if the +buyer is not known or unable to supply absolutely reliable references. +Decline to receive any order where the object sought is to obtain a dog to +use to breed to a bitch, or several, as the case may be, and then be +returned as unsatisfactory. We have had no experience in this line, but +are informed it has frequently been done. If such a customer presents +himself, simply tell him he can inspect the dog or have an expert do so +for him if too far away to come, but that when the deal is closed and the +money paid that under no conditions whatever can the dog be returned. In +regard to the seller shipping the dog to its destination, we will say that +we think he will run practically no risk in so doing. If the dog is all +right in every way it is dollars to doughnuts that he will arrive in +perfect condition. We can say that in over twenty years' shipments of dogs +to all parts of the country and beyond we have never had a dog die en +route, lost, exchanged, or stolen. I think the express companies of this +country, Canada, Mexico, and beyond, are to be highly commended for the +excellent care they take of the dogs committed to their charge, neither do +I think the express charges are ever excessive, when one considers the +value of the dogs carried. + +We will now consider the case of the buyer, assuming, of course, he is +known or capable of presenting suitable references. We always advise him +to deal with kennels or dealers of established reputations. Run no chances +with any other unless you desire to be "trimmed." Pray do not be misled by +glowing advertisements (stating that they have the largest kennels on +earth) in every paper that does not know them. I have investigated quite a +number of these so-called kennels and found they usually consisted of an +old box stall in a cheap stable, or a room over an equally cheap barroom, +and their stock in trade consisted of two or three mutts. + +Be very suspicious of any man who advertises that he has dogs for sale +that can win in fast company for fifty or a hundred dollars, or A 1 +bitches in whelp to noted dogs for the same price. Any man who possesses +these kinds of dogs does not have to advertise their sale. There are +plenty of people here in Boston only too glad to buy this kind of stock at +three or four times this price. + +I attended the last show in Boston with a number of orders in my pocket, +but failed to discover any dogs I picked out possessing the quality +described at anything less than a good stiff price, for Boston terriers +with the "hall mark" of quality have been, are, and, I believe, always +will be, as staple in value as diamonds. + +The number of letters we have received from all over the country, +particularly from the West, complaining of the skin games played upon them +by fake kennels and dealers, would make an angel weep, and make one almost +regret that one ever knew a Boston. If the same ingenuity, skill and +patience employed in the getting up of these fake advertisements had been +devoted to the breeding of the dog, this class of advertising gentry (?) +would have produced something fit to sell. It is stated on the best of +authority that in some cases nothing was shipped for money received. + +In spite of this vast number of unscrupulous breeders and dealers +scattered abroad, I think the chances for reliable kennels was never so +good as now in the history of the breed. Cream will always rise, and right +dealing, whether in dogs or diamonds, will ever meet with their just +returns. Remember that one never forgets being "taken in" in a horse +trade, and when, instead of a horse a dog is involved, I think one never +forgives as well. To that number of persons who, in their daily walks of +life are fairly honest, but who, when it comes to a trade in dogs are apt +to lose that fine sense of justice that should characterize all +transactions, we would say with Shakespeare: "To thine own self be true. +Thou canst not then be false to any man." Yea, we would repeat the command +of a greater than Shakespeare, to whom, I trust, we all pay reverence, +when He lays down for us all the Golden Rule: "Whatsoever ye would that +men would do to you, do ye even so to them." + +To go back to the responsible buyer who is in the market for a good dog, +we say: Send your orders to responsible men, with said dogs to sell, +stating exactly what you want, and the price you desire to pay, agreeing +to send a check just as soon as dogs prove satisfactory, assuming, of +course, express charges. Reputable dealers and breeders are looking for +just such customers. + +To all breeders and dealers who have not an established reputation, would +say: Advertise accurately what you have for sale in first class reliable +papers and magazines. In regard to prices, the following scale, adopted by +us many years ago, and which we have never seen since any reason to +change, is practically as follows: + +For pups from two to three months old, from fifty to seventy-five dollars. +When six months old, from seventy-five to a hundred: From six months to +maturity, from one hundred to two hundred. These prices are, of course, +for the ordinary all-around good dogs. With dogs that approximate +perfection, and which only come in the same proportion as giants and +dwarfs do in the human race (I believe the proportion is one in five +thousand), and the advent of which would surprise the average kennel man +as much as if the President had sent him a special invitation to dine with +him at the White House, the price is problematical, and is negotiated +solely by the demand for such a wonder by a comparatively few buyers. + +I think Boston terriers as a breed occupy the same position amongst dogs +as the hunter and carriage horse does amongst horses. Each are more or +less a luxury. A well matched pair of horses of good all-round action, of +desirable color and perfect manners and suitable age will sell in the +Eastern cities (I am not sufficiently acquainted with the other sections +of the country to know values there) at from eight hundred to two thousand +dollars, but with a pair of carriage horses able to win on the tan bark, +the price will be regulated by the comparatively few people who have +sufficient money to spare to purchase this fashionable luxury, and ten +times the amount paid for the first mentioned pair would be a reasonable +price to pay for the prize winners. I think the winners of the blue in the +Bostons would fetch a relative sum. + +The important factor of the cost of production in the case of the dog +necessarily enters into the selling price. Good Bostons are as hard to +raise as first class hunters, and a correspondingly large sum has to be +obtained to meet expenses, to say nothing of profit, but in the writer's +experience the best dog or horse sells the readiest. Do not be misled by +the remark "that a dog is worth all he will bring." Generally speaking, +this is sound logic, but not always. Many dogs have been sold for very +little by people not cognizant of their value, but this in no way changed +the intrinsic worth of the dog. On the other hand, many dogs have been +disposed of at many times their real value, but this transaction did not +enhance their worth in the slightest degree. A gold dollar is worth one +hundred cents whether changed for fifty cents or five hundred. An article +of intrinsic value never changes. Our advice to all who have dogs for sale +(or any other article, in fact), ask what you know is a good, honest, fair +value, and although you may not sell the dog today, remember that there +are other days to follow. What I am going to add now I know a great many +dealers and breeders will laugh at and declare me a fit subject for an +alienist to work on, but it is fundamentally true just the same, and is +this: Never ask or take for a dog more than you know (not guess) the dog +is worth. This is nothing but ordinary, common everyday justice that every +man has every right to demand of his fellow man, and every man that is a +gentleman will recognize the truth and force of. + +I was reading a novel this summer, and one statement amongst a great many +good ones impressed me. It stated "that all men were divided into two +classes: those that behaved themselves, and those who did not." We all +know that society has divided men into many classes, but I think any +thoughtful man will confess, in the last analysis, that the novelist's +classification was the correct one. I need not apply the moral. + +It will be somewhat of a temptation to resist taking what a party, +liberally supplied with this world's goods, will frequently in their +ignorance offer for a dog that appeals to them, but which the owner knows +perfectly well is not worth the price offered. If he belongs to the class +that behaves themselves he will tell the prospective buyer what the dog is +intrinsically worth, and point out the reasons why he is not worth more. +You may depend that you have not only obtained a customer for life, but +one that will readily advertise your kennels under all circumstances. I +shall have to ask the reader to overlook the apparent egotism of the +statements I am now about to make, but as this book is largely the +outgrowth of the author's own experience, of necessity personal matters +are spoken of. + +A number of years ago I received an order from the Western coast, through +a Boston house, for a good all-round puppy at two hundred dollars. I sent +the puppy on, and much to the surprise of the customer, stated my price +for him would be one hundred instead of two. The pup matured into a very +nice dog, as I expected he would, being a Cracksman pup out of a good +bitch. What has been the result of this treatment? Ever since (and no +later than yesterday), orders for dogs from this gentleman have been +coming right along. + +Another case, and this is only a sample of several from the same city: A +number of years back a New York lady, accompanied by her husband, came to +our kennels to purchase a dog. I had quite a handsome litter of five or +six months old pups by "Merk Jr.," out of Buster stock on the dam's side, +one of which, a perfectly marked seal brindle female, at once took her +fancy, and she said: "We have just come from another large kennel in +Boston where they asked us three hundred dollars for a little female I do +not like nearly as well as this one." Her husband was one of the leading +men of one of the largest trusts in the country, and money was apparently +no object, and when I replied, "Mrs. Keller, that dog you select is not +worth over fifty dollars (the price I afterwards sold her for) and the +best dog in the litter I shall be glad to let you have for seventy-five," +she seemed much surprised. I then, of course, told her that the dogs were +not worth more as their muzzles were not deep enough to be worth a higher +price than I wanted. I recently received a letter from her stating that +her dog was still as active and much loved as ever, and the number of +orders that have come to me through the sale of this dog would surprise +the owners of those kennels who stick their customers with an outrageous +price, and who find to their sorrow that no subsequent orders ever come, +either from the customer or any one else in the vicinity. People have a +way sooner or later (usually sooner) in discovering when they have been +overcharged and act accordingly. + +One other recommendation I wish to make in place here is: "Never try to +fill an order that one has not the dogs to suit." Frankly say so, and +recommend a brother fancier that you know has. One good turn deserves +another and he may have a chance later to reciprocate. This creates a +kindly feeling amongst kennel men, and is productive of good will, and +ofttimes a large increase in business. A few years ago a lady from +Connecticut came to see me to buy a first class dog or a pair, if she +could get suited. I knew that in the past she had paid the highest price +for her Bostons, and she wanted a dog in the neighborhood of two thousand +dollars. I told her at once I had nothing for sale to suit her, but that I +knew a man who owned a dog I considered worth about that sum, and +recommended her strongly to buy him, and sent her to Mr. Keady, who sold +to her "Gordon Boy" for that price. The sequel to this is somewhat amusing +and shows how reciprocity did not take place. I went to see a litter of +pups at Mr. Keady's house soon after, and expected to obtain a somewhat +favorable price on the pup I picked out of the litter on account of the +sale of the dog, and offered the gentleman three hundred dollars for him, +upon which he replied: "Mr. Axtell, do you think that five weeks old pup +is worth that sum?" and upon my replying, "I certainly do," instead of +saying, "All right, take him," he exclaimed: "If that is your opinion, and +I know you always say what you believe, then he is worth that sum to me," +and put him back in the box. He subsequently sold him to Mr. Borden for +over six thousand dollars, the highest price ever obtained for a Boston. + +While writing on the subject of sales, I think it will be in order to +speak of a matter that is a source of anxiety to a great many breeders, +and that is the getting rid of the small bitches that are too small to +breed. We have always found a ready sale for these when properly spayed +for ladies' pets, largely in New York city. They make ideal house dogs, +perhaps more winning and affectionate in their manner than others, never +wandering off, and I believe the license fee is the same as for a male. +Great care must be taken that the operation is thoroughly performed by a +competent veterinary, and it is usually best done when the pup is six +months old. My first experience may be of value and interest. I had a +little "Buster" bitch that I felt assured to my sorrow was to small to +whelp successfully, and being much fancied by a lady doctor in Waterbury, +Conn., advised spaying before being sent. I took her to a veterinary with +a good reputation in Boston, and after the dog had fully recovered from +the operation, sent her to Dr. Conky. What was my surprise to hear that +when nine months old she had come "in season." I sent the ex-President of +the Boston Terrier Club, Dr. Osgood, down and an additional cost of fifty +dollars ensued, whereas the first charge of two dollars would have been +all that was necessary if the operation had been properly done in the +first place. Am glad to say I have seen no failures since. I can conceive +of no reason why there should not be a ready sale for this class of dogs +in all sections of the country, and the disposal of the same will +materially help the income of a great many breeders. + +In conclusion let me state: "Put a price on your dogs that in your best +judgment you know (not guess) to be a fair and equitable one (and if +unable to decide what is right, call in an honorable expert who can) and +take neither more nor less. Always remember that a man can raise horses, +corn, cotton, or dogs (or any other honest product) and be a gentleman, +but the moment he raises 'Cain' he ceases to be one." + +[Illustration: Gordon Boy, Gretchen, Derby's Buster, Tommy Tucker, Ch. +Lord Derby] + +[Illustration: Gordon Boy] + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +BOSTON TERRIER TYPE AND THE STANDARD. + + +The standard adopted by the Boston Terrier Club in 1900 was the result of +earnest, sincere, thoughtful deliberations of as conservative and +conscientious a body of men as could anywhere be gotten together. Nothing +was done in haste, the utmost consideration was given to every detail, and +it was a thoroughly matured, and practically infallible guide to the +general character and type of the breed by men who were genuine lovers of +the dog for its own sake, who were perfectly familiar with the breed from +its start, and who were cognizant of every point and characteristic which +differentiated him from the bulldog on the one side and the bull terrier +on the other, and while admitting the just claims of every other breed, +believed sincerely that the dog evolved under their fostering care was the +peer, if not the superior, of all in the particular sphere for which he +was designed, an all-round house dog and companion. In the writer's +estimation this type of dog, for the particular position in life, so to +speak, he is to occupy, could not in any way be improved, and the mental +qualities that accompany the physical characteristics (which are +particularly specified in the first chapter) are of such inestimable value +that any possible change would be detrimental. It may be observed that it +was the dogs of this type that have led the van everywhere in the days +when he was practically unknown outside of the state in which he +originated. "Monte," "Druid Vixon," "Bonnie," "Revilo Peach," and dogs of +their conformation possessed a type of interesting individuality that +blazed the way east, west, north and south. Does any one imagine that the +so-called terrier type one so often hears of, and which a large number of +people are apparently led today to believe to be "par excellence," the +correct thing, would have been capable of so doing? No one realizes more +fully than the writer the fact that the bully type can be carried too far, +and great harm will inevitably ensue, but the swing of the pendulum to the +exaggerated terrier type will in time, I firmly believe, ring in his death +knell. It is a source of wonderment to me that numbers of men who don the +ermine can distribute prizes to the weedy specimens, shallow in muzzle, +light in bone and substance, long in body, head and tail, who adorn (?) +the shows of the past few years. I am not a prophet, neither the son of +one, but I will hazard my reputation in predicting that before many years +have rolled, a type, approximating that authorized by the Boston Terrier +Club in 1900 will prevail, and the friends of the dog will undoubtedly +believe it to be good enough to last for all time. + +It will readily be recalled that Lord Byron said of the eminent actor, +Sheridan, "that nature broke the die in moulding one such man," and the +same may be affirmed with equal truth of the Boston terrier, and he will +ever remain a type superior to and differ from all other breeds in his +particular sphere. + +It may not be generally known by those who are insisting on a much more +terrier conformation than the standard calls for, that an equally extreme +desire for an exaggerated bull type prevailed a number of years ago +amongst some of the dogs' warmest supporters, whose ideal was that +practically of a miniature bulldog, without the pronounced contour of the +same. I remember when I joined the Club in the early days that some of the +members then were afraid that the dogs were approximating too much to the +terrier side of the house. What their views today would be I leave the +reader to imagine. The plain fact of the case is, the dog should be a +happy medium between the two, the bull and the terrier. Can any +intelligent man find a chance for improvement here? I admit that many +people are so constituted that a change is necessary in practically +everything they are brought into close contact with. But is a change +necessarily an improvement? If some men could change the color of their +eyes or the general contour of their features they would never rest +satisfied until they had so done, but they would speedily find out that +such a change would be very detrimental to their appearance, the harmony +of features and correlation of one part to another would be distorted. I +admit readily that one very important result would be obtained, viz., the +dog of the pronounced terrier type could be bred much more easily. But is +an easy production a desideratum? I certainly think not. To those who +"must be doing something" and who find a certain sense of satisfaction in +tinkering with the standard, we extend our pity, and state that experience +is a hard school, but some people will learn in no other. To those of us +who love the dog as he is, and who believe in "letting well enough alone," +we admit we might as well suggest to improve the majestic proportions of +the old world cathedrals and castles we all love so much to see, or +advocate the lightening up of the shadows on the canvas of the old +masters, or recommend the touching up of the immortal carvings of the +Italian sculptors. We advise the preacher to stick to his text, and the +shoemaker to his last, and to all those who would improve the standard we +say: Hands off! One very important feature in connection with the Standard +is, that while breeders and judges are perfectly willing to have all dogs +that come in the heavyweight class conform practically to it, when the +lightweights and toys are concerned, a somewhat different type is +permitted and the so-called terrier type is allowed, hence we see a +tendency with the smaller dogs to a narrower chest, longer face and tail. +While personally I am in favor of a dog weighing from sixteen to twenty +pounds, or even somewhat heavier, there is absolutely no reason why one +should not have any sized dog one desires, but please observe, do not +breed small dogs at the expense of the type. Let the ten or twelve pound +dog conform to the standard as much as if it weighed twenty. I think an +object lesson will be of inestimable value here. Every one who has visited +the poultry shows of the past few years must have been delighted and +impressed to see the beautiful varieties of bantams. Take the games, for +example, with their magnificent plumage and sprightly bearing. On even a +casual examination it will be discovered that these little fowls are an +exact reproduction of the game fowl in miniature. The same identical +proportions, symmetry and shape. Take the lordly Brahma and the bantam +bearing the same name, and the same exact proportions prevail. And so it +should be with the small Boston terrier. They should possess the same +proportions and symmetry as the larger. Remember always that when the dog +is bred too much away from the bulldog type, a great loss in the loving +disposition of the dog is bound to ensue. Personally, if the type had to +be changed, I would rather lean to the bull type than the terrier. The +following testimony of a Boston banker and director of the Union Pacific +Railroad, to whom I sold two large dogs that were decidedly on the bull +type, may be of interest at this point. Speaking of the first dog he said: +"I have had all kinds of dogs, but I get more genuine pleasure out of my +Boston terrier than all my other dogs combined. When I reach home in the +afternoon I am met at the gate by Prince, and when I sit down to read my +paper or a book the dog is at my feet on the rug, staying there perfectly +still as long as I do. When dinner is announced he goes with me to the +dining room, takes his place by my side, and every little while licks my +hands, and when I go out for my usual walk before retiring the dog is +waiting for me at the door while I put my hat and coat on. He follows me, +never running away or barking, and he sleeps on a mat outside my door at +night, and I never worry about burglars." All this is very simple and +commonplace, but it shows why this type of a dog is liked. In regard to +the differences of opinion that different judges exhibit when passing upon +a dog in the show room, one preferring one type of a dog and the other +another, this, of course, is morally wrong. The standard requirements +should govern, and not individual preferences. We hear a good deal said +nowadays about the cleaning up of the head, and the so-called terrier +finish. That seems to be the thing to do, but does not the standard call +for a compactly built dog, finished in every part of his make-up, and +possessing style and a graceful carriage? This being the case, a dog +should not possess wrinkled, loose skin on head or neck, and the shoulders +should be neat and trim. In a word, in comporting to the standard a dog is +produced that possesses a harmonious whole, "a thing of beauty" and a joy +as long as he lives. In short, the dog should be as far removed from the +bull type as he is from the terrier. If the present judges can not see +their way clear to follow the standard, why, appoint those that will, for +as every fair minded man agrees, the dogs should follow the standard and +not the standard follow the dogs. It is needless to add that I do not +share in the pessimistic view taken by many lovers of the dog who think he +will be permanently injured by the differences of opinion that prevail as +to the type, etc., and the personalities that sometimes mar the showing of +the dog, for I am of the same opinion as was probably felt by the great +fish who had to give up Jonah, "that it is an impossible feat to keep a +good man (or dog) down," and that instead of falling off, as one writer +intimates, he will fall into the good graces of a larger number of people +than has heretofore fallen to the lot of any variety of man's best friend. + + + + +CHAPTER XII. + +PICTURE TAKING. + + +It would seem at the first glance that to write on this subject was only a +waste of time and energy, and yet I know that no one feature of the dog +business is more vital in importance or more fraught with trouble than +this apparently simple process of dog photography. + +The novice will at once exclaim: "What could be more natural than sending +on a picture of a dog I want to sell to the prospective customer? Surely +he can see exactly what he is purchasing!" This may be perfectly true, and +yet again it may not. + +I am not writing of the subject of false pictures on the stud cards of +some unscrupulous breeders, or those pictures taken of dogs whose markings +are faked, only too common in some quarters. The photos look good, of +course, to the buyer, but when the dog arrives, he finds, to his disgust, +that the beautiful markings, in some mysterious manner, got "rubbed off" +while making the journey in the crate. I recently saw a photograph of a +dog sold to a Western customer, by a dealer in an adjoining town to mine, +taken by an artist in photography when the dog was all "chalked up". When +the dog arrived he was as free from nose band as my pocket is frequently +of a dollar bill. Small wonder the buyer remarked with emphasis that the +dealer was a fraud. One can almost forgive his exclamation, which he +surely had not learned at Sunday school, at being taken in, in so mean a +way. + +I am writing more particularly of the art of the photographer in bringing +out the best points of the dog, and effectually hiding the poorer ones. +How many times have we heard the dealer say, in speaking of a dog with +good markings, but off in many other respects: "He will make a good seller +to ship away, as I can get a good looking picture of him." He knows +perfectly well that a clever photographer can so pose the dog as to hide +bad defects. A long muzzle, a long back, or one badly roached, poor tail, +bad legs and feet, can all be minimized by posing the dog on the stand. +The buyer, on receipt of the dog, although thoroughly dissatisfied, will +have to admit that the photo is a genuine one, and, in most cases, is +unable to obtain any redress. + +Another very important side of dog photography is the mania for picture +collecting. Some time ago I saw a signed article in "Dogdom", from a very +charming lady living in a city fifty miles from Boston, asserting she was +about to retire from the Boston terrier game, as it cost her too much to +furnish photos of her dogs to people from all parts of the country, who, +under the guise of wishing to buy dogs, wanted photos and pedigrees of the +same. They usually stated that if they did not purchase the dog, the photo +and pedigree would be promptly returned. This was the last she ever heard +of them, and pictures were rarely if ever, returned. As her photos were +taken by a first class photographer, the cost was considerable, and the +photos were really works of art, which, perhaps, may be one reason why the +recipients could not bear to let them go back. She was a lady of large +wealth, and she had established a kennel of real Bostons, presided over by +an expert kennel-maid, and would have become a genuine help to the breed, +but "pictures" were her undoing. + +Since the American dog has become the most popular breed in the canine +world, many people, who cannot afford to purchase a choice specimen, seem +to rest satisfied when they can obtain a photo, and they have no scruples +apparently in writing to the leading kennels for pictures of their leading +dogs. I have had many instances come under my notice, but, for want of +space, only one typical case can be mentioned. + +A few years ago, on visiting a city a short distance from Boston, I was +accosted by a young man, rather flashily attired, who invited me to call +and see his kennels, assuring me he had some crackerjacks. As I was +unaware of the existence of any number of A-1 Bostons in his neighborhood, +my curiosity was aroused and I went. I found the dogs quartered in a back +room in a very small house. I have never seen such a collection of the +aristocrats of the breed before or since. + +When I found my voice, I managed to exclaim: "Allow me to congratulate +you, my dear sir, I have never seen so many good dogs kenneled in so small +a space before. You are certainly a very lucky man; the food problem never +troubles you; you do not have to dodge the tax collector; no need ever to +call in a vet.; no neighbors can ever complain of being kept awake at +night, and the dogs that are tacked upon the ceiling seem just as content +as those pasted on the walls." + +He then produced his book where the pedigrees of the dogs were neatly +recorded. The trouble is, he is not the only one who owns such a kennel of +thorough-breds. + +It must not be inferred from the above that I am averse to picture taking. +By no means. They are absolutely necessary. But make them "Pen Pictures". +Write a complete description of the dog in question, giving actual weight, +age, conformation, color and markings, condition of health, and +disposition. State the color of the brindle and the extent of the markings +whether full or partial. Do not state that the dog has perfect markings if +it lacks a collar or white feet. If banded only on one side of the muzzle, +say so. If pinched or undershot, say so. If roached in back, poor eyes, +weak in hind quarters or off in tail, say so. In fact, plainly state any +defects. At the same time, if the dog is practically O. K. in all +respects, stylish and trappy, do not hesitate to emphasize the fact, and +if the dog likewise possesses a charming, delightful personality, make the +most of it. Always remember that the perfect Boston terrier dies young! + + + + +CHAPTER XIII. + +NOTES. + + +There are several features of vital import in Boston terrier breeding that +the passing years have disclosed to the writer the imperative need of +attention to. Most of these have been spoken of in this book before, but +they seem to me at the present time to demand being specially emphasized. +Feeding and its relation to skin diseases, I think, naturally heads the +list. + +I have received more letters of inquiry from all parts of the country +asking what to do for skin trouble than for all other ailments combined. I +think our little dog is more susceptible to skin affections than most +dogs, owing to the fact that he is more or less a house pet, and does not +get the chance of as much outdoor exercise, and the access to nature's +remedy--grass, as most breeds. At the same time if fed properly, given +sufficient life in the open, no dog possesses a more beautiful glossy +coat. + +No one factor is more responsible for skin trouble than the indiscriminate +feeding of dog biscuit. These, as previously written, are first rate +supplementary food, but where they are made the "piece de resistance," +look out for breakers ahead. The mere fact of their being available under +all circumstances and in all places contributes largely to their general +use. + +At the new million dollar Angell Memorial Animal Hospital, Boston, Doctors +Daly and Flanigan have conducted a series of scientific experiments on +dogs. I had talked with Dr. Flanigan, and stated my experience was that an +exclusive dog biscuit diet was the cause of skin trouble invariably. + +They selected forty dogs in perfect physical condition, dividing them into +two groups of twenty each. To one was fed exclusively dog biscuits, and +the other a diet of milk in the morning, and at night a feed composed of a +liberal amount of spinach--they had to use the canned article as it was in +winter--boiled with meat scraps and thickened with sound stale bread. + +At the end of a fortnight seventeen of the first group were afflicted more +or less with skin trouble, while the other twenty were in the pink of +condition. To effect a cure, the spinach diet--called by the French "the +broom of the stomach"--was fed, and the coat washed with a weak +sulpho-naphtha solution. No internal medicine was given. In a month's time +the coats of the dogs were normal. Further comment on this is unnecessary. + +Next in importance to spinach I place carrots and cabbage, boiled up with +the meat and rice, oat meal and occasionally corn meal. Don't be afraid to +give a good quantity of the sliced boiled carrots, especially in the +winter season when the dogs cannot obtain grass. + +A short time ago, I went to see a group of trained monkeys and dogs +perform. They both looked in beautiful condition, and on enquiring of the +proprietor as to his methods of feeding, he said it was a very easy +matter, as he had trained both dogs and monkeys to eat raw carrots while +on the road, during which time he had to feed dog biscuits. When at home +in New York he fed a vegetable hash with sound meat and rye bread, using +largely carrots, beets, a very few potatoes and some apples. While on the +road he had no facilities for cooking for his animals so he accustomed +them to eating cut up raw carrots every other day. Previous to this he was +bothered with skin trouble with both dogs and monkeys. + +[Illustration: Champion Dean's Lady Luana] + +[Illustration: Mrs. William Kuback, with Ch. Lady Sensation] + +The food problem at the present time is a very serious one. The high cost +of all sorts of food of every variety should force those breeders who have +been keeping a very inferior stock to make up their minds once and for all +that it takes just as much time and cost to raise "mutts" as it does the +real article. Weed out the inferior stock that never did or will pay for +their keep. Keep half a dozen good ones that will reproduce, if bred +rightly, their quality, if you have not plenty of room for a large number. +To those fanciers who only own two or three, sufficient food is usually +furnished from the scraps left from the table, supplemented, of course, +with dog biscuit. + +Many kennel-men, who have a large number of dogs to feed, obtain daily +from hotels or boarding houses the table scraps, and this makes an ideal +food. We fed quite a large number of dogs for several years in this way +with perfect success. I know of a large pack of foxhounds that are fed +from the same food furnished by a large hotel. Fish heads boiled with +vegetables make a good diet--be sure there are no fish hooks left in them, +and the scraps from the butchers that are not quite fit for human +consumption make ideal food when cooked with rice or vegetables. Be +careful they are not too old, however. When skimmed milk is obtainable at +the right price, with waste stale bread, it makes a well balanced ration +for occasional feeding. A few onions boiled up with the feed are always in +order. + +I think the subject of "Tails" requires more than a passing mention here. +All observers at the recent shows must have noticed the tendency toward a +lengthening in many of the tails of the dogs on the bench. Some dogs have +been awarded high honors which carried "more than the law allows", owing +doubtless to their other excellent qualities. While I personally believe +in a happy medium, never lose sight of the fact that a good short screw +tail has always been, and, I believe, will always remain a leading +characteristic of the American dog. + +In selecting a stud dog be certain his tail is O. K. The bitch can very +well afford to carry a longer one, and usually whelps better on this +account. I know of nothing more discouraging in the Boston terrier game +than to have a litter of choice puppies in every other respect, but off in +tails. + +While writing on the subject of tails, it may not be out of place to note +an interesting fact in connection with this at the earliest history of our +little dog. Mr. John Barnard became the possessor of Tom, afterward known +as Barnard's Tom. This was the first Boston terrier to rejoice in a screw +tail. Mr. Barnard did not know what to make of it, so he took the pup to +old Dr. Saunders, a well known and respected veterinary surgeon of the +day, to have the tail, if possible, put into splints and straightened. I +guess there have been quite a number of pups, descendants of Tom, whose +owners would have been only too glad to have had their straight tails put +in splints, if, thereby, it would have been possible to produce a "screw". + +I think the subject of sufficient importance to again call the attention +of breeders to the necessity of the extreme care in breeding seal +brindles. The demand started some years ago for very dark color has placed +upon the market many dogs devoid of any brindle shading. At the last +Boston Terrier Club specialty show a beautiful little dog, almost perfect +in every other respect, was given the gate on account of being practically +black. + +In my former chapter on Color Breeding, I urged the necessity of using a +red or light mahogany brindle on black stock. If either sex come black, +never use any other color than these to mix in. Enough said! + +One is constantly hearing from all parts of the country of the prevalence +of bitches missing. Where they are bred to over-worked stud dogs no +surprise need be manifested. In case of a "miss" have the bitch bred two +or three times to the dog next time. If she misses then, the next time let +her run with the dog for several days. I have written this before, but it +will bear repetition. + +Do not acquire the habit of getting rid of the matrons of the kennel when +six or seven years old. Many bitches give birth to strong pups when eight +or nine years old. I write, of course, of those in strong, vigorous +condition, that have always had plenty of good outdoor exercise. + +Remember, there is no spot on this broad land where the Boston terrier +does not make himself thoroughly "at home." What more can one wish? + + + + +CHAPTER XIV. + +CONCLUSION. + + +I was sitting by an open fire the other evening, and there passed through +my mind a review of the breed since I saw a great many years ago, when the +world, to me, was young, a handsome little lad leading down Beacon street, +Boston, two dogs, of a different type than I had ever seen before, that +seemed to have stamped upon them an individual personality and style. They +were not bulldogs, neither were they bull terriers; breeds with which I +had been familiar all my life; but appeared to be a happy combination of +both. I need hardly say that one was Barnard's Tom, and the other his +litter brother, Atkinson's Toby. Tom was the one destined to make Boston +terrier history, as he was the sire of Barnard's Mike. + +Mr. J. P. Barnard has rightly been called the "Father of the Boston +terrier," and he still lives, hale and hearty. May his last days be his +best, and full of good cheer! + +I am now rapidly approaching the allotted time for man, but I venture the +assertion that were I to visit any city or even small town of the United +States or Canada, I could see some handsome little lad or lassie leading +one of Barnard's Mike's sons or daughters. Small wonder he is called the +American dog. + +The celebrated Dr. Johnson once remarked that few children live to fulfil +the promise of their youth. Our little aristocrat of the dog world has +more than done so. May his shadow never grow less! + +I feel convinced that I ought to take this opportunity to record my kindly +appreciation of the generous expressions of thanks for my efforts on +behalf of the dog. They have come from all parts of the country, and from +all classes of people. Were it in my power I would gladly reply to each +individual writer. This is impossible. I can only say, "I thank you! May +God bless us, one and all!" + + + + +CHAPTER XV. + +TECHNICAL TERMS USED IN RELATION TO THE BOSTON TERRIER, AND THEIR MEANING. + + + A Crackerjack--A first class, typical dog. + + A Mutt--A worthless specimen. + + A Flyer--A dog capable of winning in any company. + + A Weed--A leggy, thin, attenuated dog, bred so. + + A Fake--A dog whose natural appearance has been interfered with to + hide defects. + + A Dope--A dog afflicted, usually with chorea, that has had cocaine + administered to him to stop the twitching while in the judging + ring. + + A Ringer--A dog shown under a false name, that has previously been + shown under his right name. + + Apple-headed--Skull round, instead of flat on top. + + Broken-up Face--Bulldog face, with deep stop and wrinkle and + receding nose. + + Frog or Down Face--Nose not receding. + + Dish-faced--One whose nasal bone is higher at the nose than at the + stop. + + Butterfly Nose--A spotted nose. + + Dudley Nose--A flesh-colored nose. + + Rose Ear--An ear which the tip turns backward and downward, + disclosing the inside. + + Button Ear--An ear that falls over in front, concealing the + inside. + + Tulip Ear--An upright, or pricked ear. + + Blaze--The white line up the face. + + Cheeky--When the cheek bumps are strongly defined. + + Occiput--The prominent bone at the back or top of the skull, + noticeably prominent in bloodhounds. + + Chops--The pendulous lips of the bulldog. + + Cushion--Fullness in the top lips. + + Dewlap--The pendulous skin under the throat. + + Lippy--The hanging lips of some dogs, who should not possess same, + as in the bull terrier. + + Layback--A receding nose. + + Pig-jawed--The upper jaw protruding over the lower; an + exaggeration of an undershot jaw. + + Overshot--The upper teeth projecting beyond the lower. + + Undershot--The lower incisor teeth projecting beyond the upper, as + in bulldogs. + + Wrinkle--Loose, folding skin over the skull. + + Wall Eye--A blue mottled eye. + + Snipy--Too pointed in muzzle; pinched. + + Stop--The indentation between the skull and the nasal bone near + the eyes. + + Septum--The division between the nostrils. + + Leather--The skin of the ear. + + Expression--The size and placement of the eye determines the + expression of the dog. + + Brisket--That part of the body in front of the chest and below the + neck. + + Chest--That part of the body between the forelegs, sometimes + called the breast, extending from the brisket to the body. + + Cobby--Thick set; low in stature, and short coupled; or well + ribbed up, short and compact. + + Couplings--The space between the tops of the shoulder blades, and + the tops of the hip joints. A dog is accordingly said to be long + or short "in the couplings." + + Deep in Brisket--Deep in chest. + + Elbows--The joint at the top of forearm. + + Elbows Out--Self-explanatory; either congenital, or as a result of + weakness. + + Flat-sided--Flat in ribs; not rounded. + + Forearm--The foreleg between the elbows and pastern. + + Pastern--The lower section of the leg below the knee or hock + respectively. + + Shoulders--The top of the shoulder blades, the point at which a + dog is measured. + + Racy--Slight in build and leggy. + + Roach-back--The arched or wheel formation of loin. + + Pad--The underneath portion of the foot. + + Loins--The part of body between the last rib and hindquarters. + + Long in flank--Long in back of loins. + + Lumber--Unnecessary flesh. + + Cat-foot--A short, round foot, with the knuckles well developed. + + Hare-foot--A long, narrow foot, carried forward. + + Splay-foot--A flat, awkward forefoot, usually turned outward. + + Stifles--The upper joint of hind legs. + + Second Thighs--The muscular development between stifle joint and + hock. + + The Hock--The lowest point of the hind leg. + + Spring--Round, or well sprung ribs; not flat. + + Shelly--Narrow, shelly body. + + Timber--Bone. + + Tucked Up--Tucked up loin, as seen in greyhounds. + + Upright Shoulders--Shoulders that are set in an upright, instead + of an oblique position. + + Leggy--Having the legs too long in proportion to body. + + Stern--Tail. + + Screw Tail--A tail twisted in the form of a screw. + + Kink Tail--A tail with a break or kink in it. + + Even Mouthed--A term used to describe a dog whose jaws are neither + overhung nor underhung. + + Beefy--Big, beefy hind quarters. + + Bully--Where the dog approaches the bulldog too much in + conformation. + + Terrier Type--Where the dog approaches the terrier too much in + conformation. + + Cow-hocked--The hocks turning inward. + + Saddle-back--The opposite of roach-back. + + Lengthy--Possessing length of body. + + Broody--A broody bitch; one whose length of conformation evidences + a likely mother; one who will whelp easily and rear her pups. + + Blood--A blood; a dog whose appearance denotes high breeding. + + Condition--Another name for perfect health, without superfluous + flesh, coat in the best of shape, and spirits lively and cheerful. + + Style--Showy, and of a stylish, gay demeanor. + + Listless--Dull and sluggish. + + Character--A sub-total of all the points which give to the dog the + desired character associated with his particular variety, which + differentiates him from all other breeds. + + Hall-mark--That stamp of quality that distinguishes him from + inferior dogs, as the sterling mark on silver, or the hall-mark on + the same metal in England. + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE BOSTON TERRIER AND ALL ABOUT +IT*** + + +******* This file should be named 18033.txt or 18033.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +https://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/8/0/3/18033 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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