The herald., 1895-12-29
FASHIONS IN DOGS

The fashions change year by year.
| and with almost the regularity of the
alterations in dress the society woman,
be- she of elderly or youthful age, is
compelled to indulge in the latest fad
in dogs, whether it bs the household
protector or the dainty canine that Is
carried in the arms while shopping, or
that occupies seat of honor beside
his fair mistress while driving. The
new year generally witnesses the
change in this particular direction, and
its recurrence will be no exception to
the rule. Dog shows, held in this and
other cities at different periods of the
year, all help to stimulate the interest
in this direction.
1t would be hard to define what will
really be the popular fad in next years
fashions with regard to dogs, but one
thing is certain - the black-and-tsn
will be practically a nonentity. No
one wants them any more, for the
reason that the breed has deteriorated
on account of too promscuous breed
ing when the demand WAS pronounced
in their direction, only few years ago.
By reason Of this the little animal
has been declared unsafe as a COM
pauion, and especially where children
form portion of its circle Of ad-
mirers.
In direct contrast there is decided
leaning toward return to the pug as
family pet. In fact, the claim is ad-
vanced by the breeders and handlers
of dogs of the toy order that the p ug is
the only safe do for children to play
with, and their temporary retirem ent
from the position of fancy favorites
has had the effect Of squirting breed
ers to securing purer strain Of the an
imal.
The Japanese Spaniel is really the
proper caper for pet in the family
just now, and importers say it is really
They are beautiful little creatures,
with long, silky hair, but they are
nearly ali imported, and the posses
sion of one of them of them means en-
outlay of from $500 to $500 at this
time, the Japanese war having some
what detracted from the dog interest
there and thinned out the supply.
They are great pets with such Ameii-
can women as can afford such luxuries
as $500 dogs, and are commonly called
lad ies' Sleeves" for the reason that
the fashionable women of Japan usual
ly carry them in their flowing sleeves
when promenading. They are capri
cious and stubborn little animals, and
can not be whipped into submission,
but can be coaxed and petted into any
thing.
For big house dogs the Great Dana
(Bsmarck's Dautsche og) has come
iuto great demand. Aside from being a
msgoiicently proportional animal,
there is no dog bred, according to deal.
ers aud importers, that can equal it as
faithful and reliable watch dog. One
of this breed has kept guard over a
big saloon in the seventh ward for
more than year and a half, and no
one has ever presumed during that
time to interfere with the establish
ment during it's closed or open hours
Naturally, Danes come high, and R. T.
Harrison of the New York Pug ken
nels, a prominent importer and breed
er, has a pup of this class only years
old that he holds at $500. In fact, the
usual price Of these dogs ranges from
$500 to $500, according to age and size.
Schuppert's little black dogs that are
born without tails have been some
what of fad, but it is not a strong
one, aud is rapidly dying out. One dog
that will come high, but is likely to be-
come popular, especially with the fair
sex, is the Java dog, somewhat on the
style of the Japanese animal. Mr.. Har-
rison has several on the way to this
country, and describes them as being
long. coated little pets that will only
weigh three or four pounds when fully
grown. Chow elbows, Chinese dogs,
looked a short time ago like coming
into vogue, but they are too much of
the Spitz disposition to become popu-
lar, and they have retrogaded so much,
principally for this reason, that they
would now hardly bring what it costs
to feed them on their journey here.
The ordinary animals that have be-
come SO popular by familiarity with
them will, of course, hold their accus-
toned positions in the circle that do
not look for continual change. But
bench shows have decreed, or have
been construed to decree, that there
shall be canine aristocracy, the rule
of which, however, shall only exist so
long as the tickle fancy of it's creators
ordain.-New York Commercial Adver-
tiser.