The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-12-25
Appeals Made to senators.
ENGLISH FASHION IN DOGS.
Foreign Breeds That in Turn Sup
planted Native Pets.
From the Spectator.


Fashion is largely responsible for the
change, but, be the causes what they may,
the old English favorites, the companions
of generations of English country gentle
men at home and in the field, and the play
fellows of generations of English children,
Don and Sancho, Pan and Tray. the sol
emn pointer, the long-eared glossy-coated
setter, the Clumber and Sussex spaniel,
and even the domestic pug. are being dis
placed by a host of foreign favorites,
some beautiful, some strange, some gro
tesque, and all originally employed for 9TH
er uses than those for which this country
provides scope. When DR.. Caius wrote his
treatise on English Dogges" for Gesner,
the old scholar and physician by natural
impulse classified them according TO the
services they rendered. All were usetui,
many Indispensable, and only one breed,
the toy spaniel was without occupation,
and censured accordingly. Our new foreign
dogs, whatever their special uses in their
native land, find none here, except perhaps
as Watchdogs. Economically speaking, they
do not Justify their existence but swell
the numbers of the canine unemployed.
Dog industries like those of men, change
with time Perhaps it is because in this
country they have less scope for their
talents than elsewhere that the serviceable
English dogs-the pointers, settlers, span
els, terriers, greyhounds, beagles, retrieV-
ers, and trained sheepdogs-are being ex-
ported in numbers to America and the
colonies, while purely fancy dogs or dogs
whose original use was to hunt or repei
wild beasts, but which are only priced now
for size and appearance, are purchased for
great prices and introduced to English
homes, Whether the course OF exchange
is in favor of this country is rather doubt
full. From the days of the Roman occu-
patton, when the native breed OF mastin
was regularly exported to Rome to fight
in the arena, until the days of James l
and the intended Spanish match, when the
pointer was introduced from the peninsula
ENGLAND for the English" applied to dogs
as well as men. Ireland and Scotland prob
ably owned three breeds not then common
in England, the Irish wolfhound, heaV-
Ter and rougher variety than the Scotch
deerhound with the Scotch terrier making
up the trio from the two sister kingdoms
The Stewards added to the list the toy
spaniel and our Dutch connection brought
us the pug Both came from Holland;
but the former, the King ChaTles, was
originally a pure-bred dwarf spaniel eN-
ceptionallv intelligent, useful in hndIng
game and differing only In ITS smaHer size
and extreme domeStlclty from Jul Aut So
breeds. The spaniel gentle or comfort
err" which Dr. Caius denounced as use
less lap dog, must have preceded the King
Charles as an indigenous pet. Pugs came
In with chocolate, powder, negro page
boys and hoops and marked the nrst step
in English taste for the grotesque N dogs.
The cleanliness and the absence of canine
odor about the pug, as well as ms deco
rative qualities, also recommended nm
He was an exotic. but has remained IN
favor on his merits for nearly 200 years.
The spotted carriage dog was Hanover
ian introduction, and the white Pomeran-
ian Is cred ted to the connection with
Prussia in the wars of Frederick the
Great.
Prince Albert introduced new dogs TO
the fashionable world. but they were not
foreigners. The records OF the Queens
carly life. illustrated by the paintings both
Of Carl Haae and OF Landseer. show the
Prince consort surrounded by wen-bred
sporting dogs--in one q team OF spaniels.
In another settlers and pointers USUALLY
IN Scotch scenes. but for many years his
favorite companion among dogs was a
grayh0uni. II used 90 follow him Ia Lon
don. and WIS., painted b. Landseer The
Prince Cons0rtE taste Old not moke the