The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-04-30

began to realize their error, and now
they are compelled to import dogs
from Europe to perform the work of
the native breed, that his disappeared
or degenerated into an animal little
better than a wolf
In the minds of experienced dog
breeders it is doubtful whether any
Of the varieties of dogs that appear
II ON time to time as the result Of
cross-breeding will ever combine the
intelligence, the Kindly spirit, the
faithfulness and courage of the New
foundland. 1t is claimed that the
Leonberg dog is quite the equal Of
the Newfoundland in possessing all of
the above qualities, but this is doubt
full The cause of the disappearance
of this breed in the United States and
in England was due to lack of inter-
est in the animal and failure to main
tain the purity of his blood. Thus
the Newfoundland disappeared through
lntermiXture with mongrels and dogs
of other breeds. The Newfoundland
dog craze, like every other popular
fad. ran its course, giving way to
something more novel and fashion,
able.
The LeOnberg Dog.
Before concluding this review of the
causes of the disappearance of the
Newfoundland, short review of the
Leonberg dog may prove of interest:
In 1879 famous German dog breeder,
of the name of Essig, of Leonberg
Wurtenberg. produced a new breed
of dogs that are now the rage all over
Europe, by intermixing sand crossing
of the Newfoundland, the St. Bernard
Cong-haired VARIETY, and the wolf
dog of the Pyrenees. BY judicious and
careful breeding Essig succeeded in
obtaining breed of the largest and
most powerfully built dogs in the
world. The St. Bernard is no longer
the largest member of the canine fam
lily some of the prize Leonberg males
standing nearly five feet in hight.
Although they are the rage among
the nobility and millionaires of Europe,
II VIII be many years before they be-
come generally popular, for the sim
pie reason that they are by no means
numerous, Essig being the sole breed
er of this variety in the world. The
animals of this breed purchased for
the Newfoundland life-saving stations
cost the British government from $3.50
TO $500, while the finest specimens have
sold in Europe as high as $500 per head
In color the Leonberg dog is black
and white and wolf brown, the latter
shade being the color of the Pyrenees
wolf-dog, the qualities of which seem
to be very persistent, and stand out
with greater prominence in the Leon
berg dog than those of the two other
Varieties-the Newfoundland and the
St. Bernard-that have contributed to
the formation of this breed. Nearly
every one is familiar with the last two
varieties but the woff-dog of the Pyr-
enees Mountains, Northern Spain, is
unknown outside the mountainous sec
ton of Europe, where it is common
and where the breed has been main
tanned in all its purity for centuries.
Fierce Dogs of Pyrenees.
The Pyrenees Mountains, which form
the dividing line between France and
Spain, is the widest and most primi-
tive quarter of Europe. Wolves. bears
deer, and other wild animals have lin
gered in this fastness from prehistoric
times. In view of these facts one will
not be surprised to learn that the Pyr-
eneean wolf-dog is all that his name
implieS-a large ferocious animal, lit
tie more than a domesticated wolf,
which animal they resemble in color,
tail, ears, and character more than
they do a dog. They are endowed
with a degree of courage bordering on
ferocity, and are more than a match
for the wolves that infest these noun
tains preying on the peasants sheep
folds.
Thus, while IL is claimed that the
Leonberg dog inherits all of the noble
qualities of the Newfoundland and st.
Bernard, coupled with the stamina
and courage of the Pyreneean wolf
dog. there are many who claim that
the last intermixture weakened the
traits inherited from the Newfoundland
breed, and that the Leonberg dog does
MT possess that fondness for children
and patience to stand all their pulling
about, teasing, and riding that formed
such a conspicuous feature of the for
mer breed. They are. it is said, in
clned at times to be snappish and sur
ly and to exhibit traits altogether for
eIgn to the Newfoundland and St. Ber-
nard. but which are common enough
in the wolf-dog of the Spanish mou l.
tai1S.