Sporting Dogs: Their Points and Management in Health and DiseaseBarton, Frank Townend
Science
Sporting Dogs: Their Points and Management in Health and Disease
Barton, Frank Townend
Dogs
Hair to be hard and short (not soft).
_Muzzle._--Long, tapering, and very strong.
Sound teeth--exceptionally large--and tight lips are a _sine qua non_.
[Illustration: GROUP OF SCOTTISH TERRIERS (Property of Mr
M'CANDLISH).]
_Height._--9 to 12 inches.
_Clubs._--1. The English Scottish Terrier Society; 2. Scotch Scottish
Terrier Society.
=The Irish Terrier=
This is unquestionably a very ancient variety of dog, indigenous to the
Emerald Isle, in certain features being a modification of the Wolfhound
of that country.
Practically, there is no history of the breed, its origin being
involved in obscurity.
Ballymena and County Wicklow are said to have been the chief
birth-places of these Terriers. Although but a speculative statement at
its best, it is a very probable one, and in accordance with what one
knows of the history of many other breeds. More recent history of the
breed may be said to date from about 1875, marked by their appearance
on the show bench in Ireland and the following year in England. They
are excellent vermin Terriers, very affectionate to those to whom they
become attached, and, as a rule, exceedingly good-tempered. Their dash
and pluck has earned for them the _sobriquet_ of "Dare-devils," as in
the case of the Scottish Terrier--"Die-hards."
These Terriers should have a black nose, strong and level teeth, small
hazel-coloured eyes, small V-shaped ears, directed forwards, so as
to fall closely to the sides of the head, free from feather, and the
hair on them of darker shade than the rest of the body. A Dudley (red)
nose will disqualify. The head long, like that of a Fox Terrier, the
skull flat, and from the lower jaw there should be rather longer hairs,
forming a sort of beard--a characteristic feature of the Dare-devil. A
good punishing lower jaw is essential. The head, jaws, teeth, and eyes
constitute fifteen per cent. of value in the Irish Terrier Club's scale
of points, only equalled by that of the coat.
_Coat._--Straight and flat, free from any curl, and of hard or wiry
texture.
A soft coat very detrimental, as in the Wire-haired and Scottish
Terriers. If the hair of an Irish Terrier is too long, he loses the
contour of body, and this ought not to be so.
_Colour._--Bright red is much preferred. Some are yellowish-red, others
yellow, wheaten and grey.
Brindle will disqualify, and white on feet is a fault, less
detrimental, in the judge's eye, when on the chest, but, as in nearly
every other breed, Irishmen are better without any white hair.
_Neck._--To be of moderate length, carried well up, having a slight
frill on either side of it, and ending in strong shoulders, of good
shape, with a chest of medium width.
[Illustration: IRISH TERRIER BLACKBROOK BANKER.]
[Illustration: AIREDALE TERRIER DOG.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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