HEAD--This should be long, lean, and well balanced, and the length,
from the tip of the nose to the eyes, must be the same as from the
eyes to the occiput. A dog may have a long head, but the length may
be all in front of the eyes. The heads of this breed have greatly
improved the last few years; fewer "apple-headed" specimens, and more
of the desired triangular heads being seen. The skull should be flat
and narrow, the stop not perceptible, the muzzle long and tapering.
Too much stress cannot be laid on the importance of the head being
well filled up before the eyes. The head, from forehead to nose,
should be so fine that the direction of the bones and principal veins
can be seen clearly, and in profile should appear rather Roman nosed.
Bitches should be even narrower in head than dogs. THE EYES should
be dark, expressive, almond shaped, and not too far apart. THE EARS
like those of a Greyhound, small, thin, and placed well back on the
head, with the tips, when thrown back, almost touching behind the
occiput. It is not a fault if the dog can raise his ears erect when
excited or looking after game, although some English judges dislike
this frequent characteristic. The head should be carried somewhat
low, with the neck continuing the line of the back. SHOULDERS--Clean
and sloping well back, _i.e._, the shoulder blades should almost touch
one another. CHEST--Deep and somewhat narrow. It must be capacious,
but the capacity must be got from depth, and not from "barrel" ribs--a
bad fault in a running hound. BACK--Rather bony, and free from any
cavity in the spinal column, the arch in the back being more marked
in the dog than in the bitch. LOINS--Broad and very powerful, showing
plenty of muscular development. THIGHS--Long and well developed, with
good second thigh. The muscle in the Borzoi is longer than in the
Greyhound. RIBS--Slightly sprung, very deep, reaching to the elbow.
FORE-LEGS--Lean and straight. Seen from the front they should be
narrow and from the side broad at the shoulder and narrowing gradually
down to the foot, the bone appearing flat and not round as in the
Foxhound. HIND-LEGS--The least thing under the body when standing
still, not straight, and the stifle slightly bent. They should, of
course, be straight as regards each other, and not "cow-hocked," but
straight hind-legs imply a want of speed. FEET--Like those of the
Deerhound, rather long. The toes close together and well arched.
COAT--Long, silky, not woolly; either flat, wavy, or curly. On the
head, ears and front-legs it should be short and smooth; on the neck
the frill should be profuse and rather curly; on the chest and the
rest of the body, the tail and hind-quarters, it should be long; the
fore-legs being well feathered. TAIL--Long, well feathered, and not
gaily carried. It should be carried well down, almost touching the
ground. HEIGHT--Dogs from 29 inches upwards at shoulder, bitches from
27 inches upwards. (Originally 27 inches and 26 inches. Altered at
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account