The Washington herald., 1907-04-29
SOME FACTS ABOUT DOGS
BY FREDERIC j. HASKYN
BY FREDERIC J. HASKYN.

In spite Of the disdainfuI and patrioian
expressions on the canine countenances at
a modern dog show. indicative Of count
less 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 domes-
tic animals. Naturalists are still wran-
Cling over his parent stock. arguing that
1t Is almost impossible for the 1s5 known
varieties to be all descended from one
kind, whatever it might have been. The
world Of dog lovers is only indebted 10
America for the production Of two new
species.
Best known OF these two is the Boston
terrier. the little round-headed, brindle
bull terrier, which is good for nothing ex-
cept ornamentation. a little over thirty
years ago Robert c. Hooper, of Boston,
purchased a nOndescript little dog from
William O'Brien, also of Boston. The
newcomer was a half-breed bull and ter
Tier Of the lighting type, dark brindle in
color, with q blazed face. With this ma
terial Mr. Hooper went to work to pro-
duCe a new type, and by adding a golden
color. a mildeT lip. and regulating the
marking on the head he at last produced
the Boston terrier" This breed is alto
gether American, but Il has only been ad-
mltted TO the shows during the past ten
years. For a long time it was scOrnfully
referred TO by the owners of the purer
breed as that little bullet-headed pup
from Massachusetts. Whether from pa
trtotism or genuine appreciation, the Bos-
ton terrier is now the most popular dog
in America except the collie,
The other dog which America has pro-
duced is the Chesapeake Bay retriever,
whose birth is as accidental and even
more obscure than the Boston terrier
These dogs are great favorites of the Car
roll Island Club near Baltimore, as they
are water retrievers. and can be used for
duck shooting Gen. LatroDe. 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 New
foundland ran aground near an estate
called Walnut Grove. on the shores Of the
Chesapeake. The estate belonged 10 Mr.,
George Law, a member of Well-knoWn
Maryland family. On board were two
Newfoundland dogs. which were given to
Mr.. Law by the captain in return for
his hospitality. The Chesapeake Bay re-
triever is a cross between those two dogs
and the black and tan hounds. or coon
dogs. of that section" This dog is enor-
mously popular in the West, particularly
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 farther apart. snd their faces
ugIier, if that is possible. Dog fanciers
are now predicting a reaction in bulldog
breeding, which shall seek to re-estab-
lish the original type of shOrt-nosed mas
Tiff which fought bulls in Spain and Eng
land I'm 1900 then fell into such bad re-
pute in 1875. The hTst presentable bull
dog shown in this country was sent from
England in 1850.
Gen Lafayette sent the first 81. Ber-
nard dogs TO America. When he came
back here in 1924 he met J. f. Skinner,
ex-Assistant Postmaster General. VINO
was at that time greatly interested in
dogs. With the aid OF Gen. Lafayette,
he brought 70 America some excellent
spaniels. and in 1880 Gen. Lafayette sent
him two big St. Bernards. They were the
first Of their kind that America had seen,
and the fad for them was instantaneous.
The prices for big dogs OF all kinds i'm
mediately SCARED, and as soon as St.
Bernards were established the puppies
sold for several hundred dollars, and the
full-grOwn dogs were proporti0nateiy
high-priced. Now it is difficult TO get $50
for a St Bernard puppy, and SEQ is a
rare price to get for any Of the breed
It is from this class that all the biggest
dogs come. The largest canine Of which
there is any record was a st. Bernard
named Giant Rector" who measured
six and one~half feet from the tip of his
nose 10 the tip Of his tail, and measured
thirty-four and one-half inches TO the
TOD of his shoulders. He was displayed
all over the country as the biggest dog in
the world When ne is compared with
the smallest of all the toy dogs. Next
can poodle. which measures seven inches J
from tip to tip, and weighs only few
ounces, il is indeed cause for wonder II
they came from the same parent stock.
The Great Dane is a prime favorite with
Americans, and there are more OF them
in this country than Of any other breed. !
When the Prince of Wales left this con-
tinent after his memorable visit, he was
presented with an enormous Great Dane, /
the biggest that had ever been seen at |
that time.
The highly cultivated dogs in this coun- |
try represent Il considerable investment /
Of American capital, and some OF the |
kennels shelter canine kings which are
almost priceless. Until 1895. Sl.000 was the /
highest price that had ever been paid for |
an imported dog, John E. Thayer giving |
that for a fox terrier. but later Richard /
Croker bought a white English bull |
which cost him $4,000. ]. Pierpont Nor /
gan has the finest collection Of coIlies in /
the world. The collie is undeniably the /
peer of dogs in America. and has for |
years enjoyed unchallenged supremacy. /
Mr. Morgan's kennels contain some Of the /
most perfect specimens OF the fancier's
art and patience. His exhibits, with those
Of Samuel Untermyer. of YOnkers, n. Y.
are sufficient to crowd the halls of any
show.
The toy dogs have never gained the
footing here which they maintain in other
countries, particularly in France, though 4
some OF the very small poodles are con-
slant g-fefT1ru Ia