Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1907-09-27
FACTS ABOUT DOGS
which viii Interest Everyone Who owns
or Likes Good Dog.

II, j. HaSkln IN the new 1OIh lIlDuHe.I
In spite Of the disdainful and patriclan
expressions on the canine countenances
at modren dog show indicative Of
countless generations Of social supremacy
in the animal kingdom, the actual origin
of the dog is more completely shrouded
in obscurity than that Of any Of the do
nestle animals. Naturalists are still
wranging over his parent stock, arguing
that it is almost impossible for the 1856
known varieties to be all descended from
one kind, whatever 1t might have been.
The world Of dog lovers is indebted to
America for the production Of only two
new species.
Best known of these two is the Boston
terrier, the little, round headed, brindled
bull terrier which Is good for nothing ex
cept Ornamentation. A little more than
30 years ago Robert c. Hooper Of Boston
purchased n nondescript little dog from
William O'Brien, also Of Boston. The
newcomer was a half breed bull and ter
rier Of the fighting type, dark brindle In
color, with a blazed face. With this ma
terial Mr.. Hooper went to work to pro-
duce new type, and by adding a golden
color, a milder lip and regulating the
marking on the head he at last produced
the Boston terrier. This breed is alto
gether American, but 1t has been admitted
to the shows only during the last ten years.
For a long time II was scornfully
referred TO by owners of the purer breed
as that little bullet-headed pup from
Massachusetts" Whether from patriot
ism or genuine appreciation, the Boston
terrier is now the most popular dog in
America, except the collie.
The other dog which America has pro-
duced IL the Chesapeake Bay retriever.
the birth Of which is as accidental and
even more obscure than the Boston ter
rier. These dogs are great favorites at
| II. -.
as they are water retrievers and can be
used for duck shooting. General Latrobe,
who has charge OF the dogs Of the Carroll
Island club, gives this story Of their origin:
"A number of years ago a vessel from
Newfoundland ran aground near an es-
tate called Walnut Grove, on the shores
Of the Chesapeake. The estate belonged
to George Law. a member Of a we'll
known Maryland family. On board were
two Newfoundland dogs, which were
given tn Mr.. Law by the captain in re-
turn for his hospitality. The Chesapeake
Bay retriever is a cross between these
two dogs and the black and tan hounds.
or coon dogs. Of that section" This dog
is enormously popular in the West par
ticularly in Portland. Seattle and other
points along the Pacific coast
America has done much to push the
fad for the modern bulldog for the word
has gone out to dog fanciers Of every
land that they cannot be too monstrous
or distorted to please the judges Of an
American dog show. Each year their
legs get further apart and their faces
uglicr If that is possible. Dog fanciers
are now predicting a reaction in bulldog
breeding, which shall seek 10 re-establish
the original type Of short-nosed mastin
which fought bull in Spain and England
in $500. then fell into such bad repute in
1850 The first preseutable bulldog shown
in this country was sent from England in
| 1850.
General Lafayette sent the first St.
Bernard dogs 10 America When he
came back here in 1924 he met j. F.
skinner, ex-Assistant Postmaster Cen
earl. who was at that time greatly in
terested in dogs. with the aid OF Cen
eral Lafayette he brought to America
some excellent spaniels. and in 1880 Cen
| eral Lafayette sent him two big ST Ber-
| nards. They were the first of their kind
| that America had ever seen. and the fad
| for them was instantaneous The prices
for big dogs OF all kinds Immediately
scared, and as soon as ST. Bernards were
established the puppies sold for several
| hundred dollars, and the full grown dogs
were proportionately high priced Now.
| 1t is difficult TO get $50 for a st. Bernard
puppy. and 500 is rare price to get for
any of the breed.
II is from this class that all the big
| gest dogs come. The largest canine Of
| which there is any record was a St Ber-
| nard named Giant Rector. who measured
| six and a half feet from the tip Of his
| nose and the tip of his tail and measured
| thirty-four and a half inches to the top
or his shoulder He was displayed all
| over the country as the biggest dog in
the world. When he is compared with
the smallest OF all the toy dogs a Mexican
poodle, which measures inches from tin
TO tip and weighs only a few ounces, il
I 10 ind
from parent stock. The Great Dane is
a prime favorite with Americans, and
there are more OF them in this country
than OF any other one breed When the
Prince OF Wales LEFT this cotinent after
his memorable visit he was presented
with an enormous Great Dane, the big
gest that had ever been seen at that
time.
The highly cultivated dogs in this
country represent a considerable invest
ment Of American capital. and some Of
the kennels shelter canine kings which
are almost priceless Until 1890, 81 900
was the highest price that had ever been
paid for an imported dog, John f. Thayer
giving that for fox terrier. but later
Richard Croker bought a white English
bull which cost him $4,000. ]. Pierpont
Morgan has the finest collection Of collies
In the world The collie is undeniably
the peer OF dogs in America, and has for
Y.
Mr. Morgans kennels contain some Of
the most perfect specimens Of the fan
clers art and patience. His exhibits
with those of Samuel Untermyer of
fonkers, n. Y, are sufficient to crowd
the halls OF any show.
The toy dogs have never gained the
roofing here which they maintain in other
countries. particularly in France, though
some OF the very small poodles are con-
slant visitors to the shows. japanese
poodles are perhaps most favored. They
were brought here fifty years ago by
Commodore Perry when he returned from
his expedition to Japan. Dogs are
| among the things which are Indispensable
as imperial presents and among the gifts
brought by Commodore Perry from the
Mikado to the American President were
-FOUR little Japanese poodles They and
their children were used as Sleeve dogs. -
ana weighed scarcely two pounds. The
cause for dog being popular gifts among
royal persons dates back, it is said. TO
the time Of the Egyptian kings, who used
the animals as tribute.
When the fashionable American woman
wants to take up a dog fad she adopts
aVnNN