New-York tribune., 1918-03-03
Fashion in Doo
BreedingChanges.
With Frequency
French Matin, Gazehound
and Other Species Once
Popular No Longer Seen

By J. S. mitchell.


thing in life, as it fuctuates with the
rush and the ebb of fancy's tide.
Breeds that were we'll patronized gen.
Grafton or so ago are practically un-
known to-day, and many of those which
have been favored with lingering
ion in few years.
One never hears the cononisseurs Of
the hour mention the French Matin,
the Gazehound, the Hare Indian Dog,
the Albanian Dog, the Droppcr, the
Shock Dog, the Lion Dog, the Fox Dog.
the Maltese Poodle, the Paisley Terrier,
the Russian Setter, and the Drover's
Dog, and yet each of these breeds had
his day and his admirers.
In lcaely corner OF Madison Square
Garden during the recent show of the
Westminster Kennel Clubs brace of
English Mast;Ts were exhibited, more
out of curiosity than with an intention
to capture a ribbon, and that supplied
glaring instance of how fashions
come and go. When the big annual
show was inaugurated in 1876 by the
Mayor of the city, and when the build
ing was then known as Gilmore's Gar
den the mastitf classes were one of the
most prominent on the catalogue.
England Home of Mastif
England is the native home of the
mastff, where for hundreds of years 1t
has been regarded as the national
watchdog. and no "great house" was
considered perfect that did not harbor
a brace or two of mastifs. BY degree
the breed spread to America, and on
both sides OF the Canadian border the
mastiff had for a long time a popular
swing on this side of the water.
How the mastiff lost favor on both
sides of the Atlantic it is hard to ex-
| plain. Some said he was too big, and
that he occupied too much room, but
he is not any bigger than the Borzoi,
the Afghan hound. and the Great Dane,
/ the animals that replaced him. These,
Of course. are more picturesque around
gensiemans residence, and that is
perhaps the very reason, for fashion is
the great thing nowadays even when il
comes to the dogs.
A pet dog that commanded great
vogue among tho women Of bygone
days was the Maltese Poodle, but now
as rare as a raven. II WAS n cross be-
tween Maltese and Frcnch poodle.
and was delightful little companion
fov women of ali ages. In the heyday
Of the crinoline the dog was in the
acme of his popularity, and then not
town in England or in America but
boasted of droves OF the breed. A fat,
easy-gaited. little dog he was, the nat
ural companion of midde-aged women,
and those with any pretentions to the
upper-crust were not "up to snuff" as
the saying goes. if they did not own
one of these poodles.
The little dog had born dislike for
the street urchin, who generally teascd
him whenever he got the chance. Owing
probably to the fact that The English
Kennel Club refused 10 recognize him
IS standard breed was his death
knell. When the society women could
not enter him in the big shows he was
tabooefi and his place was filed by the
Pom, the Pek;nese and other toys from
foreign lands
Bedlington Terrier Gone
A really good dog which has grad
ually faded away from the shows and
the public eye is the Bediington Ter
ricr. In the Madison Square show no.
q single sOccimcn was lister. and in the
Old World the dog is about on the fag
end of his struggle for existence. A.
the old breeders drop out of the ranks
there are no new fanciers of the Bed
lington to take their place. and this is
to be regretted, for a companion, Or all
around awtchdog he is ali that could
be desired.
Hardy, handsome, and with more than
ordianry intelligence, he is the stanch-
est sort of a friend, and in danger to
his master is willing to tackle dog
three times his size. Yet withal the
Bedlington is ont quarrelsome, and as
q dog to obey commands there has never
been his equal.
A breed whose use and popularity is
on the wane is the Dalmatian, and it is
all the cause Of the motor car, and the
decadence of the carriage horse in TIL"
life of the country gentleman, and tn
towns folk who loved to drive in sha
lanes and country roads. 1t was q
real o'a Of fashion in times gone BY
to hay or two Dalmatians running
between the wheels of carriage. and
although they were of no earthly use
they had to be there is the owner of
turnout was TO be regarded as up-to-
date in style. To-day these nicely
spotted dogs would be out OF place IN
derneath the high speed auto.
In the first place the dog could not
keep pace with the flying motor. and if
ne could he would in all probability get
smothcred by the fumes from the eN-
haust pipe, or appear after & run with
new spots on his back from the oils
and grease of the machinery. Still the
breed has some stanch friends who are
trying 70 keep it alive, an instance Of
the devotion being the last show at
the Garden, where string of twenty
nine fine specimens of the breed were
bonched in their regular classes
Boston Terrier Fills Breach
The old colored bull terrier is grad
ualiy fading off the map, bat his newer
edition. the Boston Terrier, will fiji his
place in the future Since dog fighting
was tabooed the little bull terrier has
! been on the wane but rare specimens
can yet be found in the manufacturing
districts OF the English midands. and
now and AGAIN throughout America one
can see in side streets and byways
some good types Of this courageous
dog.
Usually the little fellow weighed any
where between IA and a pounds and
was u compact. active, bright chap, al
ways in smooth coat, which carried a
fine gloss when the dog was in good
condition. In facial expression the
original bull terrier was shorter Of
face and lighter of bone than the Bos-
ton type of show dog of the present
day, but the resemblance is vet pretty
much the same