Part 12

THE HOUND (RUSSIAN WOLFHOUND).

OPTIMIST.]

ORIGIN.—The Russians do not seem to have an exact or even a clear idea as to the origin of this breed. It in all probability came from Persia, as it is more like the dog of that nation than it is like the deerhound. It is of the greyhound family, however.

USES.—Attacking wolves and foxes, though it can rarely single-handed kill the former.

* SCALE OF POINTS, ETC.

Value. Head and muzzle 15 Eyes and ears 10 Neck and chest 10 Back and loins 15 Ribs 5 Thighs and hocks 10 Legs and feet 10 Stern 5 Coat 5 General symmetry 15 --- Total 100

HEAD.—Generally very long, and lean throughout; flat, narrow skull; stop hardly perceptible; long snout. Nose black, and frequently Roman. Eyes dark, expressive, oblong. Ears small; thin leather; set on high; tips almost touching when thrown back.

NECK.—Not too short, nor rising straight.

SHOULDERS.—Clean and sloping.

CHEST.—Somewhat narrow, but not hollow.

BACK.—Rather bony, and free from any hollow; well arched in male, but level and broad in female; loins broad and drooping; ribs deep, not so well sprung as in the greyhound, reaching to elbow.

FORE LEGS.—Lean and straight.

HIND LEGS.—Somewhat under body when standing still; not straight; stifles only slightly bent; legs not too far apart; pasterns short.

FEET.—Long toes, closely joined; nails short and strong; feet covered with fur like a hare.

COAT.—Long, soft, silky.

TAIL.—Long and sickle-shaped.

COLOR.—Any color.

HEIGHT AND WEIGHT.—Height for a dog, from 28 to 31 inches at shoulder; bitch, about 2 inches less. The male should be shorter in body than the female. Weight: dog, 75 to 100 pounds; bitch, 60 to 75 pounds.

THE MASTIFF.

ORIGIN.—Its origin is purely conjectural. It certainly is a dog of the British Isles, as at the time of Cæsar it was in existence there.

USES.—A grand, awe-inspiring dog; an excellent guardian, courageous and most companionable.

* SCALE OF POINTS, ETC.

Value. Shape of skull 10 Girth of skull 10 Ears—carriage and size 5 Muzzle—bluntness, breadth, depth, lips, color (each 3 points) 15 Neck 4 Breadth of breast 4 Loins and back 4 Girth of chest 4 Shoulders 4 Length 4 Thighs 3 Stern 3 Legs 3 Feet 2 Size, height, and general appearance of bulk 15 Coat 5 Fawns, dark ears and muzzle, or brindle with dark ears and muzzle 5 --- Total 100

GENERAL CHARACTER.—Large, massive, powerful, symmetrical, and well knit; a combination of grandeur and good nature, courage and docility.

HEAD.—Square when viewed from any point; breadth greatly to be desired, and should be in ratio to length of the whole head and face as 2 to 3.

BODY.—Massive, broad, deep, long, powerfully built; legs wide apart, squarely set; muscles sharply defined; size a great desideratum if combined with quality; height of less importance than substance.

SKULL.—Broad between ears; forehead flat, wrinkled; muscles of temples and cheeks well developed; arch across skull a rounded, flattened curve, and a depression up center of forehead.

FACE OR MUZZLE.—Short, broad under eyes, keeping nearly parallel in width to end of nose; blunt, cut off square, thus forming a right angle with upper line of face, of great depth from point of nose to under jaw; under jaw broad to end. Teeth powerful, wide apart; incisors level, or the lower projecting beyond the upper, but never sufficiently so as to become visible when mouth is closed. Length of muzzle to whole head and face as 1 to 3; circumference of muzzle (between eyes and nose) to that of head (before the ears) as 3 to 5. Ears small, thin, wide apart, set on high, flat, and close to cheeks when in repose. Eyes small, wide apart, divided by at least the space of two eyes; stop well marked, but not too abrupt; color hazel brown, the darker the better, showing no haw. Nose broad, with widely spreading nostrils; flat (not pointed nor turned up). Lips slightly pendulous.