Dogs and All about Them Part 9

CHAPTER XVII

THE BORZOI OR RUSSIAN WOLFHOUND

Of the many foreign varieties of the dog that have been introduced into this country within recent years, there is not one among the larger breeds that has made greater headway in the public favour than the Borzoi, or Russian Wolfhound. Nor is this to be wondered at. The most graceful and elegant of all breeds, combining symmetry with strength, the wearer of a lovely silky coat that a toy dog might envy, the length of head, possessed by no other breed--all go to make the Borzoi the favourite he has become.

He is essentially what our American cousins would call a "spectacular"

dog. Given, for example, the best team of terriers and a fifth-rate team of Borzois, which attracts the more attention and admiration from the man in the street? Which does he turn again to look at? Not the terriers! Add to this that the Borzoi makes a capital house dog, is, as a rule, affectionate and a good companion, it is not to be wondered at that he has attained the dignified position in the canine world which he now holds.

In his native country the Borzoi is employed, as his English name implies, in hunting the wolf and also smaller game, including foxes and hares.

Several methods of hunting the larger game are adopted, one form being as follows. Wolves being reported to be present in the neighbourhood, the hunters set out on horseback, each holding in his left hand a leash of three Borzois, as nearly matched as possible in size, speed, and colour. Arrived at the scene of action, the chief huntsman stations the hunters at separate points every hundred yards or so round the wood. A pack of hounds is sent in to draw the quarry, and on the wolves breaking cover the nearest hunter slips his dogs. These endeavour to seize their prey by the neck, where they hold him until the hunter arrives, throws himself from his horse, and with his knife puts an end to the fray.

Another method is to advance across the open country at intervals of about two hundred yards, slipping the dogs at any game they may put up.

Trials are also held in Russia. These take place in a large railed enclosure, the wolves being brought in carts similar to our deer carts. In this case a brace of dogs is loosed on the wolf. The whole merit of the course is when the hounds can overtake the wolf and pin him to the ground, so that the keepers can secure him alive. It follows, therefore, that in this case also the hounds must be of equal speed, so that they reach the wolf simultaneously; one dog would, of course, be unable to hold him.

Naturally, the dogs have to be trained to the work, for which purpose the best wolves are taken alive and sent to the kennels, where the young dogs are taught to pin him in such a manner that he cannot turn and use his teeth. There seems to be no reason why the Borzoi should not be used for coursing in this country.

One of the first examples of the breed exhibited in England was owned by Messrs. Hill and Ashton, of Sheffield, about 1880, at which time good specimens were imported by the Rev. J. C. Macdona and Lady Emily Peel, whose Sandringham and Czar excited general admiration. It was then known as the Siberian Wolfhound. Some years later the d.u.c.h.ess of Newcastle obtained several fine dogs, and from this stock Her Grace founded the kennel which has since become so famous. Later still, Queen Alexandra received from the Czar a gift of a leash of these stately hounds, one of them being Alex, who quickly achieved honours as a champion.

The breed has become as fas.h.i.+onable in the United States as in Great Britain, and some excellent specimens are to be seen at the annual shows at Madison Square Gardens.

To take the points of the breed in detail, the description of the perfect Borzoi is as follows:--

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 princ.i.p.al veins can be seen clearly, and in profile should appear rather Roman nosed.

b.i.t.c.hes 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 b.i.t.c.h. 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, b.i.t.c.hes from 27 inches upwards. (Originally 27 inches and 26 inches. Altered at a general meeting of the Borzoi Club, held February, 1906.) FAULTS--Head short and thick; too much stop; parti-coloured nose; eyes too wide apart; heavy ears; heavy shoulders; wide chest; "barrel"

ribbed; dew-claws; elbows turned out; wide behind. Also light eyes and over or undershot jaws. COLOUR--The Club standard makes no mention of colour. White, of course, should predominate; fawn, lemon, orange, brindle, blue, slate and black markings are met with. Too much of the latter, or black and tan markings, are disliked. Whole coloured dogs are also seen.

The foregoing description embodies the standard of points as laid down and adopted by the Borzoi Club, interpolated with some remarks for the further guidance of the novice.

The Borzoi Club was founded in 1892, and now consists of about fifty members, with the Duke and d.u.c.h.ess of Newcastle as joint-presidents.

It does much good work for the breed, guaranteeing cla.s.ses at shows, where otherwise few or none would be given, encouraging the breeding of high-cla.s.s Borzois by offering its valuable challenge cups and other special prizes, and generally looking after the interests of the breed.

Although the Club standard of height has been raised from 27 and 26 inches to 29 and 27 inches for dogs and b.i.t.c.hes respectively, it must be borne in mind that the best dogs of to-day far exceed these measurements, and, unless _exceptionally_ good in other points, a dog of 29 inches at shoulder would stand little or no chance in the showing under the majority of English judges; indeed, b.i.t.c.hes of 29 to 30 inches are by no means uncommon.

Not many of us can afford to start at the top of the tree, and, except for the favoured few to whom money is no object, and who can buy ready-made champions, there is no better way of starting a kennel than to purchase a really good b.i.t.c.h, one, say, capable of winning at all but the more important shows. She must be of good pedigree, strong, and healthy; such an one ought to be obtained for P15 upwards.

Mate her to the best dog whose blood "nicks" suitably with hers, but do not waste time and money breeding from fourth-rate stud dogs, for if you do it is certain you will only meet with disappointment. On the other hand, if you have had little or no experience of dogs, you may possibly prefer to start with a puppy. If so, place yourself in the hands of a breeder with a reputation at stake (unless you have a friend who understands the breed). It is a fact that even a "cast off" from a good strain that has been bred for certain points for years is more likely to turn out a better dog than a pup whose dam has been mated "haphazard" to some dog who may or may not have been a good one. Big kennels also generally possess the best b.i.t.c.hes and breed from them, and the b.i.t.c.h is quite as important a factor as the sire. If, however, you prefer to rely on your own judgment, and wish to choose a puppy yourself from a litter, select the one with the longest head, biggest bone, smallest ears, and longest tail, or as many of these qualities as you can find combined in one individual.

Coat is a secondary matter in quite a young pup; here one should be guided by the coat of the sire and dam. Still, choose a pup with a heavy coat, if possible, although when this puppy coat is cast, the dog may not grow so good as one as some of the litter who in early life were smoother.

As regards size, a Borzoi pup of three months should measure about 19 inches at the shoulder, at six months about 25 inches, and at nine months from 27 to 29 inches. After ten or twelve months, growth is very slow, although some continue adding to their height until they are a year and a half old. They will, of course, increase in girth of chest and develop muscle until two years old; a Borzoi may be considered in its prime at from three to four years of age. As regards price, from P5 to P10 is not too much to pay for a really good pup of about eight to ten weeks old; if you pay less you will probably get only a second-rate one. Having purchased your puppy, there are three princ.i.p.al items to be considered if you intend to rear him well; firstly, his diet must be varied; secondly, the pup must have unlimited exercise, and never be kept on the chain; thirdly, internal parasites must be kept in check. For young puppies "Ruby" Worm Cure is most efficacious, and does not distress the patient.

Food should be given at regular intervals--not less frequently than five times a day to newly weaned puppies--and may consist of porridge, bread and milk, raw meat minced fine, and any table sc.r.a.ps, with plenty of new milk. Well-boiled paunch is also greatly appreciated, and, being easily digested, may be given freely.

One important part of the puppy's education that must by no means be neglected is to accustom him to go on the collar and lead. Borzoi pups are, as a rule extremely nervous, and it requires great patience in some cases to train them to the lead. Short lessons should be given when about four months old. If you can induce the puppy to think it is a new game, well and good--he will take to it naturally; but once he looks upon it as something to be dreaded, it means hours of patient work to break him in.

If you decide on commencing with a brood b.i.t.c.h, see that she is dosed for worms before visiting the dog; that she is in good hard condition--not fat, however; and, if possible, accompany her yourself and see her mated. For the first week rather less than her usual quant.i.ty of food should be given; afterwards feed as her appet.i.te dictates, but do not let her get too fat, or she may have a bad time when whelping. For two days before the puppies are due give sloppy but nouris.h.i.+ng diet, and this should be continued, given slightly warm, for four or five days after the pups are born. Borzois as a rule make excellent mothers, but to rear them well they should not be allowed to suckle more than five--or, if a strong, big b.i.t.c.h, six--pups. If the litter is larger, it is better to destroy the remainder, or use a foster mother.

[Ill.u.s.tration: MRS. AITCHESON'S BORZOI CH. STRAWBERRY KING]

Whatever they may be in their native land--and the first imported specimens were perhaps rather uncertain in temper--the Borzoi, as we know him in this country, is affectionate, devoted to his owner, friendly with his kennel companions and makes a capital house dog.

As a lady's companion he is hard to beat; indeed, a glance at any show catalogue will prove that the majority of Borzois are owned by the gentle s.e.x. No one need be deterred from keeping a Borzoi by a remark the writer has heard hundreds of times at shows: "Those dogs are _so_ delicate." This is not the case. Once over distemper troubles--and the breed certainly does suffer badly if it contracts the disease--the Borzoi is as hardy as most breeds, if not hardier.

Given a good dry kennel and plenty of straw, no weather is too cold for them. Damp, of course, must be avoided, but this applies equally to other breeds.

The adult hound, like the puppy, should never be kept on chain; a kennel with a railed-in run should be provided, or a loose box makes a capital place for those kept out of doors, otherwise no different treatment is required from that of other large breeds.

CHAPTER XVIII

THE GREYHOUND

The Greyhound is the oldest and most conservative of all dogs, and his type has altered singularly little during the seven thousand years in which he is known to have been cherished for his speed, and kept by men for running down the gazelle or coursing the hare. The earliest references to him are far back in the primitive ages, long before he was beautifully depicted by a.s.syrian artists, straining at the leash or racing after his prey across the desert sands. The Egyptians loved him and appreciated him centuries before the pyramids were built. In those days he wore a feathered tail, and his ears were heavy with a silken fringe of hair. His type was that of the modern Arabian Slughi, who is the direct and unaltered descendant of the ancient hound. The glorious King Solomon referred to him (Proverbs x.x.x. 31) as being one of the four things which "go well and are comely in going--a lion, which is strongest among beasts, and turneth not away from any; a Greyhound; an he goat also; and a king against whom there is no rising up."

That the Greyhound is "comely in going," as well as in repose, was recognised very early by the Greeks, whose artists were fond of introducing this graceful animal as an ornament in their decorative workmans.h.i.+p. In their metal work, their carvings in ivory and stone, and more particularly as parts in the designs on their terra-cotta oil bottles, wine coolers, and other vases, the Greyhound is frequently to be seen, sometimes following the hare, and always in remarkably characteristic att.i.tudes. Usually these Greek Greyhounds are represented with p.r.i.c.k ears, but occasionally the true rose ear is shown.

All writings in connection with Greyhounds point to the high estimation in which the dog has always been held. Dr. Caius, when referring to the name, says "The Greyhound hath his name of this word gre; which word soundeth gradus in Latin, in Englishe degree, because among all dogges these are the most princ.i.p.all, occupying the chiefest place, and being simply and absolutely the best of the gentle kinde of Houndes."

It was not until the reign of Queen Elizabeth that coursing in England was conducted under established rules. These were drawn up by the then Duke of Norfolk. The sport quickly grew in favour, and continued to increase in popularity until the first coursing club was established at Swaffham in 1776. Then in 1780 the Ashdown Park Meeting came into existence. The Newmarket Meeting in 1805 was the next fixture that was inaugurated, and this now remains with the champion stakes as its most important event. Afterwards came the Amesbury Meeting in 1822, but Amesbury, like Ashdown, although for many years one of the most celebrated inst.i.tutions of the description, has fallen from its high estate. Three years later came the Altcar Club. But it was not until eleven years after this period that the Waterloo Cup was inst.i.tuted (in 1836), to win which is the highest ambition of followers of the leash.

At the present time the run for the Waterloo Cup, which at the commencement was an eight dog stake, is composed of sixty-four nominations, the entry fee for which is P25. The winner takes P500, and the cup, value P100, presented by the Earl of Sefton, the runner up P200, the third and fourth P50 each, four dogs P36 each, eight dogs P20 each, and sixteen dogs P10 each. The thirty-two dogs beaten in the first round of the Cup compete for the Waterloo Purse, value P215, and the sixteen dogs run out in the second round for the Waterloo Plate, value P145. The winner in each case taking P75, and the runner up P30, the remainder being divided amongst the most forward runners in the respective stakes. The Waterloo Cup holds the same position in coursing circles as the Derby does in horse racing.

The National Coursing Club was established in 1858, when a stud book was commenced, and a code of laws drawn up for the regulation of coursing meetings. This is recognised in Australia and other parts of the world where coursing meetings are held. The Stud Book, of which Mr. W. F. Lamonby is the keeper, contains particulars of all the best-known Greyhounds in the United Kingdom, and a dog is not allowed to compete at any of the large meetings held under Coursing Club rules unless it has been duly entered with its pedigree complete. In fact, the National Coursing Club is more particular in connection with the pedigrees of Greyhounds being correctly given, than the Kennel Club is about dogs that are exhibited; and that is saying a great deal.

It holds the same position in coursing matters as the Jockey Club does in racing. It is in fact, the supreme authority on all matters connected with coursing.

Various opinions have been advanced as to the best size and weight for a Greyhound. Like horses, Greyhounds run in all forms, and there is no doubt that a really good big one will always have an advantage over the little ones; but it is so difficult to find the former, and most of the chief winners of the Waterloo Cup have been comparatively small. Cooma.s.sie was the smallest Greyhound that ever won the blue ribbon of the leash; she drew the scale at 42 lbs., and was credited with the win of the Cup on two occasions. Bab at the Bowster, who is considered by many good judges to have been the best b.i.t.c.h that ever ran, was 2 lbs. more; she won the Cup once, and many other stakes, as she was run all over the country and was not kept for the big event. Master McGrath was a small dog, and only weighed 53 lbs., but he won the Waterloo Cup three times. Fullerton, who was a much bigger dog, and was four times declared the winner of the Cup, was 56 lbs. in weight.

There are very few Greyhounds that have won the Waterloo Cup more than once, but Cerito was credited with it three times, namely, in 1850, 1852, and 1853, when it was a thirty-two dog stake. Canaradzo, Bit of Fas.h.i.+on, Miss Glendine, Herschel, Thoughtless Beauty, and Fabulous Fortune, are probably some of the best Greyhounds that ever ran besides those already alluded to. Bit of Fas.h.i.+on was the dam of Fullerton, who shares with Master McGrath the reputation of being the two best Greyhounds that ever ran. But Master McGrath came first.

During his remarkable career in public he won thirty-six courses out of thirty-seven, the only time that he was defeated being the 1870 at his third attempt to win the Waterloo Cup, and the flag went up in favour of Mr. Trevor's Lady Lyons. He, however, retrieved his good fortune the following year, when he again ran through the stake.

Fullerton, who, when he won all his honours, was the property of Colonel North, was bred by Mr. James Dent in Northumberland. Colonel North gave 850 guineas for him, which was then stated to be the highest price ever paid for a Greyhound. He ran five times altogether for the Waterloo Cup, and was declared the winner on four occasions.

The first time was in 1889, when he divided with his kennel companion Troughend. Then he won the Cup outright the three following years.

In 1893, however, after having been put to the stud, at which he proved a failure, he was again trained for the Cup, but age had begun to tell its tale, and after winning one course he was beaten by Mr.

Keating's Full Captain, in the second. This was one of the two occasions upon which out of thirty-three courses he failed to raise the flag. On the other he was beaten by Mr. Gladstone's Greengage, when running the deciding course at Haydock Park.

It appears like descending from the sublime to the ridiculous to mention the Greyhound as a show dog, after the many brilliant performances that have been recorded of him in the leash, but there are many dogs elegant in outline with fine muscular development that are to be seen in the judging ring. Mr. George Raper's Roasting Hot is one of the most prominent winners of the day; he is a fawn and white, as handsome as a peac.o.c.k and, moreover, is a good dog in the field. On one occasion after competing successfully at the Kennel Club Show at the Crystal Palace, he was taken to a coursing meeting where he won the stake in which he was entered. A brace of very beautiful b.i.t.c.hes are Mr. F. Eyer's Dorset Girl and Miss W. Easton's Okeford Queen.

Although, as a rule, the most consistent winners in the leash have not been noted for their good looks, there have been exceptions in which the opposite has been the case. Fullerton was a good-looking dog, if not quite up to the form required in the show ring. Mr.

Harding c.o.x has had several specimens that could run well and win prizes as show dogs, and the same may be said of Miss Maud May's fine kennel of Greyhounds in the North of England. In the South of England Mrs. A. Dewe keeps a number of longtails that when not winning prizes at the Crystal Palace and elsewhere are running at Plumpton and other meetings in Suss.e.x.