Perhaps the finest terrier with black-and-tan coloring is the Dobermann Pinscher, a sort of glorified Manchester terrier, which has been developed in Germany within the last 60 years. He is about the height and weight of an Airedale, but perhaps by reason of his smooth coat and the fact that his tail is docked very short, he appears taller and slimmer than the British dog. He has a splendid carriage and an air of dignity and distinction. He is unusually intelligent, and to this fact may be attributed his phenomenal success as a police dog. His delightful personality is rapidly bringing him into favor with Americans looking for a dog of good size that doesn’t get in one’s way.

This big German derivative of the black-and- tan, or Manchester terrier, might best be described as a large, strong bull terrier, with the strict black-and-tan coat, although one sometimes sees him in solid black, brown, or mole- color “blue.” White should never be present in a good Dobermann, nor other parti-color than black or tan.

Like most of the dogs popular with the Germans, this is best handled with a firm and uncompromising domination. He is a willing and effective fighter, and, true to his terrier blood, is a relentless enemy to all ground vermin, such as marmots, hares, and badgers.

Decidedly a “one-man” dog, he does not readily make friends nor welcome advances of a friendly nature. He is faithful and loyal to “the hand that feeds him,” however,’ and is justly popular with those who own him. He is certainly one of the handsomest of the smooth dogs, being glossy of coat, trim, and straight, and strong of leg and body, and bright and keen of eye, lacking entirely the rather piggy look of the bull terrier with which he has been compared. He is rather larger than the bull terrier, however.

Since the lhasa has over 500 years of Tibetan, Chinese and Far East history and is not a ‘cur of the street’ but kept in the homes of the mighty as guards, the buying public in America should consider a lhasa for the same reason.

In their native land they are called ‘apso seng kye’ (bark sentinel lion dog). This should and does give us the clue as to their basic color and disposition. Though they may come in many colors the most desirable is ‘lion color’ with blank tinpings on ears and tip of tail and black nose.

They are not a big toy breed but tend much more to the small size, for the women kept them in their apartments. The full grown male should never stand more than ten inches at the shoulders and not weigh more than eleven lbs. Females are smaller. Hair is to be toward the coarse side but very dense. Bite should be good and the nose short.

Bulldogs love a walk or a romp. Unless you have two pups living together, it is an excellent idea to have a regular period of exercise, preferably a walk on a lead. The sooner this is started, the easier it is for man and dog. While a three-months-old puppy will take just right now to the collar and lead, a seven-months-old one is more inclined to fight the process than to co-operate.

Bulldogs, from early puppyhood, want to do what you want. Sometimes a youngster seems not to want to understand, but I put that down more to over-anxiety than to stubbornness. When he is small, there is nothing more engaging than a bulldog puppy on your lap Suddenly, he is six months old, weighs 50 lbs, and still thinks he can sit on you and rest his head on your shoulder! The time to teach him his place is when he is still small enough for you to put him there. It is your job to visualize the size he will some day be. He can’t know it, and he generally doesn’t want to annoy you. At least I’ve never known one that did.

Every bulldog should have a place of his own where he can retire for peace and quiet. It may be a box in the basement, the foot of your bed, or under the kitchen table. Wherever you choose will suit him, as long as it is always available to him. I prefer a. spot with a gate that can be securely closed. No matter how much you love a dog, time comes when he should be put away for awhile. He will not resent being confined to his own quarters.

This is a subject which never ends—what causes the death of puppies before they are ten days old? Litters are born, seemingly normal in every respect: then beginning as early as the second day, one after the other becomes quiet and is soon dead.

There are numerous reasons and the exact cause in each case often cannot be determined. What is called acid milk often is a common alibi. Milk fever, or infected udders, brings the disease known as Mastitis. It is a bacterial disease and perhaps is the most common situation where puppies die within a few days after birth.

If this situation exists, and it can be determined by placing a blue litmus paper in the milk, it is recommended that puppies be taken away from the mother immediately and hand-fed.

To hand—feed very young puppies is to wake up every two hours, use a very small nipple—the rubber bulb found in the old—style fountain pen is about the size, or these can now be purchased at drug stores.

To the milk should be added a bit of sweetening such as syrup. Milk should be around 100 degrees in temperature.

A sudden chill can bring death to a puppy within an hour. That is why it is well to have puppies off the floor and out of the least draft. Temperature of not less than 70 degrees is desirable for the first ten days. It is true, of course, that puppies can be born outdoors in the coldest weather and survive.

Another cause of early death, in our opinion, is infection thru the navel after the umbilical cord has been cut off by the mother or by an attendant. It is well to daub this spot on the abdomen with a solution of iodine. This tends also to draw the opening together. Infection or cold thru this opening can bring on trouble internally, especially in the liver, and thereby cause quick death.

Puppies can be born heavily infested with eggs of round worm, which mature within three weeks. Indirectly they bring death. If a puppy is bloated with worms, take a chance, even at four weeks; worm it; the alternative too often is death at six weeks.

Elvis Presley may have made hound dogs popular with his 1956 remake of the song, “Hound Dog,” but ancient literature is replete with reference to Hounds. Zenophon the Greek discoursed at length on the care of hounds. This article highlights the breeds included officially in the Hound Show Group. There are many more hound breeds throughout the world but space does not permit mention of them.

A general grouping falls in three classifications — trailing hounds, coursing hounds, and miscellaneous.

Dachs has Hunting Desire

Trail Hounds, as the name indicates, are keen to follow a trail or ground scent in the field. I can group the short-legged, long-backed breeds here—basset hound (a. French breed), the dachshund, (really French in origin just as the poodle is German in origin). Do not be misled by the clowning dachs—he’s got a keen nose and usually delights to follow a game trail in the woods.

Beagle has Baritone Bark

The foxhound group is a familiar one. There are both American and English foxhounds. President Washington was a devout fancier of the foxhound and the chase. The harrier is a medium-sized foxhound. The beagle, belonging to the same general family, is the smallest, and perhaps with his baritone bay, the most melodious of all breeds.

Bloodhound: A Gentle Breed

The black-and-tan coonhound is the only one of a half dozen distinct coonhound varieties recognized for show and stud book (although there are minor stud books which embrace all coonhounds). The bloodhound is among the oldest of purebreeds, not at all bloody or vicious as his name implies; and his bloodlines have been used to modify or create other breeds. There is bloodhound blood somewhere along the line in coonhounds and bassets.

Use Sight in Preference to Nose

Coursing Hounds, having swiftness of action, pursue or course their game by sight rather than by the slower method of following the aura of scent. This does not mean they do not have scenting ability. The general greyhound family, perhaps the oldest of distinct canine families, includes the greyhound proper, the medium sized greyhound or whippet, and the toy size, the Italian greyhound.

Many Members of Greyhound Family

But the family is large and includes longcoated breeds. Among these are the afghan, the saluki or gazelle hound, perhaps the most graceful-moving of all breeds. The borzoi or Russian wolfhound. Scottish deerhound: and its large cousin the Irish Wolfhound, tallest and longest of all breeds.

The Miscellaneous Group brings together an interesting assembly of breeds. The basenji or barkless (but not noiseless) dog from the African Congo. Norwegian elkhound, an all-purpose dog in its native Norway and really not too much at home in the hound group. The otterhound, a rough and-ready water dog, ancestor of the airedale.

Ridgeback is from Africa

And the latest addition to the so-called royal canine family—the Rhodesian ridgeback, a medium to large-sized, short-coated, tan-colored hunting dog from Rhodesia, getting its name from this African area and from a ribbon of hair about one and a half inches wide, which runs along and on the backbone from base of shoulders to the rump but in the opposite direction to the ‘lay’ of hair, that is, it points toward the head.

The poodle has always been considered one of the more intelligent of breeds of dogs, if not the most intelligent. The breed was originated in Germany and was known as the Pudel. There it was used as a first-rate hunting dog.

It was the star performer among traveling players throughout Europe for centuries. The poodle reached the peak of popularity in France. giving forth to the name so commonly used. but improperly—French poodle. The poodle, as it is known to us today, was developed in England and the United States.

The poodle is, indeed, a dog of almost unique versatility. It is a thing of beauty whether romping with children: seen in fashion magazines: or appearing in the show ring. Every person who has ever owned or known a poodle will agree fully with me.

Question

We just got a dalmatian and I have heard they are in the nonsporting group. Does this mean our dog won’t hunt? And how do you teach a dog to hunt?

Answer

No, it does not mean that the dog will not hunt; the name nonsporting is very misleading. There should be a new name for this Group 6 of the show groups.

Many dalmatians will hunt: they have a good nose although they hold their head rather high when hunting.

Originally they had some connection with the pointer thru ancestry in Spain about 300 years ago. lt is our belief that if they were trained greatly for outdoor work, they could develop into an excellent hunting breed as a Whole.

To teach a dog to hunt, that’s a big order. Of course, you have to take him out in the field and see what he can do of his own accord.

There must be a lot of work at home also in the way of commands and getting him to stop when ordered, to move left or right or come or go upon signal. All this is in a book and there have been about 500 books published on this subject during the last 50 years. 

Keep in mind that the dalmatian is a smart dog, and you must be smarter than the dog to teach him. So, look forward to a challenge from your spotted friend.

Q - We have a dalmatian. How can we tell whether it is a good specimen or not?

A - Get the official judging standard: it describes the perfect dog. Attend dog shows if you can. Contact show judges if available.

Q - We claim our mongrel dog is smarter than the pedigreed English Setter the next door neighbor owns. Who is right?

A - That’s not an answer I can offer. Smartness is conditioned not upon blood but on environment, training, supervision, opportunity to develop abilities. Each case is on its own merits.

Q - Do dogs have tonsilitis trouble?

A - Yes.

The miniature poodle, contrary to popular belief, is not a delicate or an ‘effete’ animal, In fact the miniature poodle is a wiry. sturdy, healthy dog, not prone to respiratory diseases or skin ailments.

Keeping them groomed and smart looking takes very little more time than keeping the average long-haired dog in good shape. Also, very important—the miniature poodle DOES NOT SHED, and has no doggy odor.

They were originally bred for and used as retrievers and water dogs, but through the centuries their hunting potentialities have not been fully exploited, although in England today miniature poodles are used for hunting small game birds.

They can learn anything because of their high intelligence and their spirit of co-operation, This of course has been proved by their marvelous records in obedience work as well as in their every day lives.

Owning a poodle is an unique experience. Every one I have ever owned has been a complete individual. It is really diflicult to fully describe their gaiety, gameness, their capacity for love and companionship. You have not lived until you have owned a miniature poodle.