The Dog

Annals of Sporting

, vol. vi. p. 99.

The superstition of the Arabians and Turks with regard to dogs is somewhat singular: neither have they much affection for these animals, or suffer them to be in or near the camp, except to guard it in the night. They have, however, some charity for the females that have whelps. As for other dogs, they feed them well, and give them good words, but never touch them nor go near them, because dogs are regarded as unclean animals. They particularly drive them away in wet weather; for, if one drop of water from a dog should fall on their raiment, their devotion would be interrupted and useless. They who are fond of hunting make their religion subservient to their pleasure, and say that greyhounds and setters are excepted from the general rule, because when not running these dogs are tied up where nothing unclean can reach them, and they are never suffered to eat any thing unclean. Their opinion is the same with regard to small dogs, which are kept with great care, and no one willingly injures a dog, or, if he should injure purposely, or destroy one of them, the law would punish him.

Chevalier Darvieux's

Travels in Arabia Deserta

, 1718, p. 155.

return

Footnote 3:

Heber's Narrative

, p. 500.

return

Footnote 4:

Histoire du Chien

, par Elzear Blaze, p. 54.

return

Footnote 5:

Proceedings of the Zoological Society

, Part I. 833.

return

Footnote 6:

Williamson's

Oriental Field Sports

return

Footnote 7:

Poiret, in his

Travels in Barbary

asserts that

"the dog loses in the East a great part of those good qualities that make him the friend of man. He is no longer a faithful domesticated animal, faithfully attached to his master, and ever ready to defend him even at the expense of his own life. He is cruel and blood-thirsty, his look is savage, and his appearance revolting; carrion, filth, anything is good enough for him if he can but appease his hunger. They seldom bite one another, but they unite against a stranger who approaches the Arab tents, and would tear him to pieces if he did not seek his safety in flight."
Vol. i. p. 353.

Denon, when in the city of Alexandria, in Egypt, says,

"I have no longer recognised the dog, that friend of man, the attached and faithful companion — the lively and honest courtier. He is here a gloomy egotist, and cut off from all human intercourse without being the less a slave. He does not know him whose house he protects, and devours his corpse without repugnance."
Travels in Lower Egypt, p. 32.

return

Footnote 8:

Histoire du Chien

, p. 200. The Voyage of Dumont d'Urville, vol. ii. p.474.

Greyhound.

Overcast, or overrun.

return

Footnote 11:

Ovid,

Metamorph.

, lib. i. v. 353.

return

Footnote 12:

A singular story is told of Richard II, and one of these dogs. It is given in the language of Froissart.

"A grayhounde called Mithe, who always wayted upon the kynge, and would knowe no man els. For when so ever the kynge did ryde, he that kept the grayhounde dyd lette him lose, and he wolde streyght runne to the kynge and faune uppon hym, and leape with his fore fete uppon the kynge's shoulders. And, as the kynge and the Erle of Derby talked togyder in the courte, the grayhounde who was wonte to leape uppon the kynge, left the kynge and came to the Erle of Derby, Duke of Lancastre; and made to him the same friendly continuance and chere as he was wonte to do to the kynge. The duke, who knewe not the grayhounde, demanded of the kynge what the grayhounde wolde do? 'Cousin,' qoud the kynge, 'it is a greate goode token to you, and an evyl signe to me.' 'How knowe you that?' quod the duke. 'I knowe it well,' quod the kynge. 'The grayhounde acknowledgeth you here this daye as Kynge of England, as ye shall be, and I shal be deposed; the grayhounde hath this knowledge naturally: therefore take hyme to you, he wyll followe you and forsake me.' The duke understood well those words, and cheryshed the grayhounde, who would never after followe kynge Richarde, but followed the duke of Lancastre."

return

Footnote 13:

Thacker on Sporting.

return

Footnote 14:

The writer of this work had a brace of greyhounds as arrant thieves as ever lived. They would now and then steal into the cooking-room belonging to the kennel, lift the lid from the boiler, and, if any portion of the joint or piece of meat projected above the water, suddenly seize it, and before there was time for them to feel much of its heat, contrive to whirl it on the floor, and eat it at their leisure as it got cold. In order to prevent this, the top of the boiler was secured by an iron rod passing under its handle of the boiler on each side; but not many days passed ere they discovered that they could gnaw the cords asunder, and displace the rod, and fish out the meat as before. Small chains were then substituted for the cords, and the meat was cooked in safety for nearly a week, when they found that, by rearing themselves on their hind legs, and applying their united strength towards the top of the boiler they could lift it out of its bed and roll it along the floor, and so get at the broth, although the meat was out of their reach. The man who looked after them expressed himself heartily glad when they were gone; for, he said, he was often afraid to go into the kennel, and was sure they were devils, and not dogs.

return

Footnote 15:

Scott's Sportsman's Repository

, p. 97.

return

Footnote 16:

Blaine's

Encyclopedia of Sporting

return

Footnote 17:

For a set of laws for Coursing Matches. see

Appendix

return

Footnote 18:

Sportsman

,vol. xi. p. 314

return

Footnote 19:

Bell's

British Quadrupeds

, p. 241.

return

Footnote 20:

Tickell's Miscellanies

return

Footnote 21:

Sporting Mag

. 1837, p. 156.

return

Footnote 22:

New Sports. Mag.

xiii. 124.

return

Editorial Supplement A:

both author and editor have evidently been deceived as to the appearance of dingos, as this illustration is completely spurious. The dingo does not look, and could not possibly have looked at any stage, anything like this, as contemporary descriptions match the existing appearance, and large jaws and a thin coat are necessary to kill prey up to the size of the red kangaroo and tolerate the extreme heat, respectively. See The Dingo or any other Australian naturalist site on the Net. I strongly suspect in this case that a mischievous person has placed the head and tail of a fox on a dog's body, which adds insult to injury, as the introduced fox has been and is far more of a menace to the country than the dingo. html Ed. (au)

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Contents/Detailed Contents, p. 2/Index

Chapter III — The Varieties of the Dog — Second Division

The head moderately elongated, the parietals not approaching from their insertion, but rather diverging, so as to enlarge the cerebral cavities and the frontal sinuses; consequently giving to these dogs greater power of scent and intelligence. They constitute the most pleasing and valuable division of the Dog.

The Spaniel

is probably of Spanish origin, and thence his name. The ears are large and pendent, the tail elevated, the fur of a different length in different parts of the body, but longest about the ears, under the neck, behind the thighs and on the tail, varying in colour, but most commonly white with brown or black patches.

There are many varieties of the spaniel. The smallest of the land spaniels is

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The Cocker.

It is chiefly used in flushing woodcocks and pheasants in thickets and copses into which the setter, and even the springer, can scarcely enter.

"But, if the shady woods my cares employ,
In quest of feathered game my spaniels beat,
Puzzling the entangled copse, and from the brake
Push forth the whirring pheasant."

The cocker is here very useful, although he is occasionally an exceedingly impatient animal. He is apt to whimper and babble as soon as he comes upon the scent of game, and often raises the bird before the sportsman is within reach: but when he is sufficiently broken in not to give tongue until the game rises, he is exceedingly valuable. There can scarcely be a prettier object than this little creature, full of activity, and bustling in every direction, with his tail erect; and, the moment he scents the bird, expressing his delight by the quivering of every limb, and the low eager whimpering which the best breaking cannot always subdue.

Presently the bird springs, and then he shrieks out his ecstasy, startling even the sportsman with his sharp, shrill, and strangely expressive bark.

The most serious objection to the use of the cocker is the difficulty of teaching him to distinguish his game, and confine himself within bounds; for he will too often flush everything that comes within his reach. It is often the practice to attach bells to his collar, that the sportsman may know where he is; but there is an inconvenience connected with this, that the noise of the bells will often disturb and spring the game before the dog comes fairly upon it.

Patience and perseverance, with a due mixture of kindness and correction, will, however, accomplish a great deal in the tuition of the well-bred spaniel. He may at first hunt about after every bird that presents itself, or chase the interdicted game; but, if he is immediately called in and rated, or perhaps corrected, but not too severely, he will learn his proper lesson, and will recognise the game, to which alone his attention must be directed. The grand secret in breaking in these dogs is mildness, mingled with perseverance, the lessons being enforced, and practically illustrated by the example of an old and steady dog.

These spaniels will sometimes vie with almost every other species of dog in intelligence, and will not yield to one of them in fidelity. A gentleman in Sussex had an old cocker, that was his constant companion, both in the house and the field. If the morning was rainy, the dog was perfectly quiet; if it was fine, he became restless, and, at the usual time for his master to go out, he would take him by the flap of his coat, and gently pull at it. If the door was opened, he ran immediately to the keeper's lodge, which was at a considerable distance from the house. This was a signal for the other dogs to be brought up, and then he trotted back to announce their approach.

This beautiful and interesting dog, so called from his peculiar suitableness for woodcock shooting, is but little known among us except as a boudoir companion for our ladies. He is, nevertheless, extensively used in England by sportsmen for finding and flushing this bird, as also the pheasant; and no doubt, if introduced into our country, would prove equally, if not more serviceable, in putting up game concealed in the thickets and marshy hollows of our uncleared grounds. Having extremely fine scenting powers, they are also employed in greyhound coursing, to give warning of the proximity of a hare, which they seldom fail to accomplish.

This active little animal hunts with great spirit, and soon becomes attached to the sport; in fact the only difficulty to be overcome in breaking him, is the effort it requires to make him suppress his natural ardour and withhold his exclamations of delight till the bird is actually on the wing. The tutelage of the cocker intended for the field should commence as early as possible, and is not, as many suppose, attended with great difficulty. His first lessons should be confined to the art of bringing and carrying, which he soon, in common with all the other members of the spaniel tribe, learns. The next thing to be inculcated is implicit obedience to our wishes; then, at the age of four months or so, he may be carried to the field, where his natural fondness for hunting will soon be developed by his chasing every bird within his reach. When this impulse is fully exhibited, and the dog expresses gratification in the amusement, he should be then instructed to give chase, or not, at his master's pleasure. When this desirable end has been accomplished, he may be introduced to the particular kinds of game which it is proposed to hunt him on, and by slow degrees teach him to confine his attentions to those varieties alone. It is absolutely necessary that the dog be forced to hunt as near to the sportsman as possible, otherwise the game will be flushed at such a distance that it will be impossible to get at it. The cocker spaniel is much smaller than the springer; his ears are long, pendulous, and silky; his body round and compact; his legs short and tufted; his coat variable; his nose black; tail bushy and feathered, and, when hunting, is kept in constant motion.

Some are black and white, others liver colour and yellow; the latter variety we have most usually seen in this country, and some of them have been represented to us as well-broken and serviceable dogs. — L.

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The King Charles's Spaniel,

so called from the fondness of Charles II for it — who usually had some of them following him, wherever he went — belongs likewise to the cockers. Its form and character are well preserved in one of the paintings of the unfortunate parent of that monarch and his family. The ears deeply fringed and sweeping the ground, the rounder form of the forehead, the larger and moister eye, the longer and silken coat, and the clearness of the tan, and white and black colour, sufficiently distinguish this variety. His beauty and diminutive size have consigned him to the drawing-room or parlour.

Charles the First had a breed of spaniels, very small, with the hair black and curly. The spaniel of the second Charles was of the black and tan breed.

The King Charles's breed of the present day is materially altered for the worse. The muzzle is almost as short, and the forehead as ugly and prominent, as the veriest bull-dog. The eye is increased to double its former size, and has an expression of stupidity with which the character of the dog too accurately corresponds. Still there is the long ear, and the silky coat, and the beautiful colour of the hair, and for these the dealers do not scruple to ask twenty, thirty, and even fifty guineas.

This breed of dog was cultivated with such jealous care by the late Duke of Norfolk, that no solicitation or entreaty could induce this nobleman to part with one of these favourites, except under certain peculiar stipulations and injunctions, as detailed in the following interview of Mr. Blaine with the late Duchess of York.

"On one occasion, when we were accompanying Her Royal Highness to her menagerie, with almost a kennel of canine favourites behind her, after drawing our attention to a jet black pug pup she had just received from Germany, she remarked that she was going to show me what she considered a present of much greater rarity, which was a true King Charles's breed sent to her by the Duke of Norfolk. 'But,' she observed, 'would you believe he could be so ungallant as to write word that he must have a positive promise not from myself, but from the Duke of York, that I should not breed from it in the direct line?'"

Notwithstanding these selfish restrictions on the part of this noble patron of the spaniel, this breed of dog has become quite common in England, and not a few have found their way to this country. — L.

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The Springer

This dog is slower and steadier in its range than the cocker; but it is a much safer dog for the shooter, and can better stand a hard day's work. The largest and best breed of springers is said to be in Sussex, and is much esteemed in the Wealds of that county.

From

a cross with the terrier a black and tan variety was procured, which was cultivated by the late Duke of Norfolk, and thence called the Norfolk Spaniel. It is larger than the common springer, and stancher, and stouter. It often forms a strong individual attachment, and is unhappy and pines away when separated from its master. It is more ill-tempered than the common springer, and, if not well broken in, is often exceedingly obstinate.

Mr. Skinner informs us that this breed, in its greatest purity, may be found in the Carrollton family, as also in the possession of Mr. Keyworth of Washington city. — L.

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In both he must be taught to be perfectly obedient to the voice, that he may be kept within range, and not unnecessarily disturb the birds. A more important part of his duty, however, is to find and bring the game that has dropped. To teach him to find is easy enough, for a young water-spaniel will as readily take to the water as a pointer puppy will stop; but to bring his game without tearing is a more difficult lesson, and the most difficult of all is to make him suspend the pursuit of the wounded game while the sportsman re-loads.

The water-spaniel was originally from Spain; but the pure breed has been lost, and the present dog is probably descended from the large water-dog and the English setter.

The water and land spaniels differ materially from each other. The water-spaniel, although when at his work being all that his master can desire, is, when unemployed, comparatively a slow and inactive dog; but under this sobriety of demeanor is concealed a strength and fidelity of attachment to which the more lively land-spaniel cannot always lay just claim.

The

writer of this work once saved a young water-spaniel from the persecution of a crowd of people who had driven it into a passage, and were pelting it with stones. The animal had the character of being, contrary to what his species usually are, exceedingly savage; and he suffered himself to be taken up by me and carried from his foes with a kind of sullenness; but when, being out of the reach of danger, he was put down, he gazed on his deliverer, and then crouched at his feet.

From that moment he attached himself to his new master with an intensity of affection scarcely conceivable — never expressed by any boisterous caresses, but by endeavouring to be in some manner in contact with him; resting his head upon his foot; lying upon some portion of his apparel, his eye intently fixed upon him; endeavouring to understand every expression of his countenance. He would follow one gentleman, and one only, to the river-side, and behave gallantly and nobly there; but the moment he was dismissed he would scamper home, gaze upon his master, and lay himself down at his feet. In one of these excursions he was shot. He crawled home, reached his master's feet, and expired in the act of licking his hand.

Perhaps the author may be permitted to relate one story more of the water-spaniel: he pledges himself for its perfect truth. The owner of the dog is telling this tale.

"I was once on the sea-coast, when a small, badly-formed, and leaky fishing-boat was cast on shore, on a fearful reef of rocks. Three men and a boy of ten years old constituted the crew. The men swam on shore, but they were so bruised against the rocks, that they could not render any assistance to the poor boy, and no person could be found to venture out in any way. I heard the noise and went to the spot with my dog. I spoke to him, and in he went, more like a seal than a dog, and after several fruitless attempts to mount the wreck he succeeded, and laid hold of the boy, who clung to the ropes, screaming in the most fearful way at being thus dragged into the water. The waves dashed frightfully on the rocks. In the anxiety and responsibility of the moment I thought that the dog had missed him, and I stripped off my clothes, resolved to render what assistance I could. I was just in the act of springing from the shore, having selected the moment when the receding waves gave me the best chance of rendering any assistance, when I saw old 'Bagsman,' for that was the name of my dog, with the struggling boy in his mouth, and the head uppermost. I rushed to the place where he must land, and the waves bore the boy and the dog into my arms.

"Some time after that I was shooting wild-fowl. I and my dog had been working hard, and I left him behind me while I went to a neighbouring town to purchase gunpowder. A man, in a drunken frolic, had pushed off in a boat with a girl in it; the tide going out carried the boat quickly away, and the man becoming frightened, and unable to swim, jumped overboard. Bagsman, who was on the spot, hearing the splash, jumped in, swam out to the man, caught hold of him, and brought him twenty yards towards the shore, when the drunken fellow clasped the dog tight round the body, and they both went down together. The girl was saved by a boat going to her assistance. The body of the man was recovered about an hour afterwards, with that of the dog clasped tight in his arms, thus dragging him to the bottom. 'Poor Bagsman! thy worth deserves to be thus chronicled.'"

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About This Book

Chapter III — The Varieties of the Dog — Second Division

The Spaniel

The Cocker.

The King Charles's Spaniel,

The Springer

The Black and Tan Spaniel,

The Blenheim Spaniel,

The Water-Spaniel.