Part 9

HEAD.—Full size, but not heavy; brow pronounced, but not high; of good length, so girth will be 16 inches. Nose long and wide. Ears low set on and lying close to cheeks.

NECK.—Long and clean, without throatiness.

SHOULDERS.—Long, well muscled, sloping, and the true arm long and muscular.

CHEST AND BACK RIBS.—Girth of chest over 30 inches in 24-inch-tall hound; back ribs very deep.

BACK AND LOINS.—Very muscular; couplings wide even to raggedness, with slight arch of loins.

HIND QUARTERS.—Very strong, as great endurance is required; elbows set straight, neither in nor out.

LEGS AND FEET.—Legs as straight as gun-barrels and as strong; large size of bone at ankle all-important; feet round, cat-like, and strong.

COLOR AND COAT.—Color black tan and white, black and white, and various pies of white and the color of the hare and badger; coat dense, short, hard, and glossy.

STERN.—Generally arched, carried gaily over back, fringed with hair, and tapering to a point.

SYMMETRY considerable, and quality should be evident.

THE HOUND (ENGLISH GREYHOUND).

CHAMPION SPINAWAY.]

ORIGIN.—Beyond question the oldest breed of dogs known, as on the pyramids of Egypt, obelisks, and ancient carved columns it is found in bold relief, with the same outlines as shown in the above illustration. In its native state it is quite devoid of courage, so the bitches are bred to bulldogs, and that product, showing most greyhound form and bulldog character, is then bred to a greyhound dog, continuing this same last breeding until in the fifth generation we produce the dog of the present day, which has indomitable courage, wonderful speed and endurance, and is possessed of a desire to kill. The name “greyhound” is a corruption of “gazehound,” signifying that the dog hunts its quarry by sight and not by scent. In England and Italy none but the nobility were formerly allowed to own a greyhound, and the killing of one was then considered a felony.

USES.—Coursing hares and rabbits, and in addition, in our Western States, for killing foxes, coyotes, and wolves, though it is rarely able single-handed to kill the latter, on account of their size and ferocity.

SCALE OF POINTS, ETC.

Value. Head and eyes 10 Neck 10 Chest and fore quarters 20 Loins and back ribs 15 Hind quarters 20 Feet 15 Coat 5 Tail 5 --- Total 100

HEAD.—Long and narrow, fairly large between the ears, well filled out before the eyes, little or no stop, jaws lean, and eyes bright and tolerably full. Ears small and folding down when at rest, but raised when animated. Teeth must be strong, and mouth level.

NECK.—A trifle arched, and sufficiently long to enable the dog to easily pick up a hare when in full stride.

SHOULDERS.—Placed as obliquely as possible.

CHEST.—Fairly deep, and sufficiently wide to give free action to the heart and lungs.

FORE LEGS.—Straight, of good bone, and length from elbow to knee twice that from knee to ground.

FEET.—The cat-foot is considered best.

LOINS.—Strong, but not too broad; back powerful and somewhat arched.

HIND QUARTERS.—Very muscular; stifles strong and well bent; hocks well let down.

TAIL.—Rat-like, fine, long, and somewhat curved, and with little hair on it.

COLOR.—Greyhounds are of any color, parti or solid.

DISPOSITION.—Kind and amiable, rarely otherwise.

WEIGHT.—Dogs, 60 pounds; bitches, 50 pounds.