DOG LORE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIV, Issue 80, 27 November 1912, Page 2

DOG LORE.

(By Lavcrack.)

In Western countries, ns in Oriental, the dog has had its special protecting deities and its patron saints. St. Eustace is the patron of dogs in the South of Europe. In the .North it is St. Hubert, who presides over the chase and the destinies of dogs. He is said to have been so inordinately fond of the chase that he neglected his religions duties for his favourite amusement, till one Good Friday, when hunting in the forest with his famous hounds of the breed which has since home his name, he was confronted by a stag hearing a crucifix between its antlers, threatening him with eternal perdition unless he reformed. Upon this he entered the\ cloister and became in time Bishop of Liege and the .Apostle of Ardennes and Brabant. He died at an advanced age. The Festival of St. Hubert is still hold on November 2nd, and oft that day crowds of pilgrims assemble at his shrine to invoke a blessing on themselves and on their dogs. Now consider me superstitious if you like, for I absolutely, refuse to sec it in any other light, than that of a Divine blessing on our show that the locale of the first four canine entries received on November 2nd, 1912 (mark the date) should so surely portray the Sign of the Cross, even more so than] McTdvish’s dog; Auckland in the north, Blenheim in the south, Rahotn in the west, and Gisborne in the east. Surely the most sceptical must see the hand of the chairman of Deallocation mf blessings in this omnipotent omen, which should provide a piquant pilule for those members who have striven with such assiduity as to attain the highest pinnacle of popularity and fame for the Stratford Show, entries for which closed positively on the 21st November, 1912. . . A pleasing feature of exhibition life is the number of ladies who annually become fanciers and grace our shows with their welcome presence. Queens as far back as memory serves were lovers of man’s most faithful friend. Is not the faithfulness of a spaniel recorded in the narrative of the execution of Mary Queen of Scots ?—“Then one of the executioners, pulling off her garters, espied her little dog which was crept under her clothes, which could not be gotten forth but by force,' yet afterwards would not departe.” Was not, Her Majesty Queen Victoria deeply g riev 7 ed because the expert who inquired into the origin of her pet dog (a lorig-liaired pug of doubtful ancestry) pronounced it to be a mongrel and a freak? Is not Mrs Dean of Whangamomona a fancier of whom Taranaki is justly proud, possessing as she does, one of the finest kennels of pug dogs in the Southern Hemisphere i A fearless exhibitor and a genuine sport, she is ever ready to acknowledge defeat when it comes her way, which it •seldom docs, a*s evidenced at the v\ ellingt.on, Palmerston, and W angamn shows, where she gave unto the pug world a taste of her quality. Her unassuming and sympathetic nature earned for her’ the admiration of Die defeated and all who come in contact with her presence. There seems to be no doubt that the fawn-coloured Pug enjoys the antiquity of descent that, is attached to the Greyhound, the Maltese dog, and some few other venerable breeds. In Butler’s “Hndibras” there is a reference to a Stygian png kept by A grippa, and it is n foot that models ol little dogs in the form of the Png are to be seen in many ancient sculptures, often accompanied by figures of the greyhound. Then, again, amongst the heterogeneous group or dogs sketched in olden days, when the art of canine portraiture was less advanced than it is in the twentieth c>-n----tury, the drawings of Pngs are very ranch more accurately treated; from which circumstance it may be supposed that the Pug was a familiar subject. Although much has. been written on the origin of. these dogs, nothing authentic has been discovered in connection with it. Statements have appeared from time to time to the effect that the Pug was brought into England from Holland. In me early years of thd last century it y. as commonly styled the Dutch l ug. But this theory does not trace the mstoi.v far enough back, and it should be remembered that at that period tee Dutch East India Company was m constant communication with the v ar East. Others declare that Muscovy was the original home of the breed, a supposition for which there is no discernible foundation.-' The study of canine history receives frequent enlightenment from the study of the growth of commercial intercourse between tile nations of the world, and the trend of events would lead one to the belief that the Pug had its origin iu China, particularly in view of the fact that it is with that country that most of the blunt-nosed toy dogs, with tails 'curled over their backs,- are associated. It lias been suggested that the Png is of the same family as the bulldog,’ and that it was produced by a cross with this and some other smaller breed.. But this is < improbable. as there is reason to believe that the Pug is the older breed, and it is known that it lias been bred with the Bulking for the anticipated benefit of the hitter. Whatever may have been the history of the Pug as regards its nativity, it had not been long introduced into England before it became a popular favourite as a pet dog, and if shared with the King Charles Spaniel the affection of the great Indies of the land. The late Queen Victoria possessed one, of which she was very proud. The Png lias, however, now fallen from bis high estate as a ladies’ pet, and Ids place Iras been usurped by the Toy Pomeranian, the Parkinese, and .Japanese, all of which are now more highly thought of in the drawing-room or boudoir. But the Png has an advantage over all these dogs as, from the fact that lie has a shorter coat, he is cleaner and does

not require so much attention. The Pug when made a companion of, shows high intelligence; as house dogs, they arc ever on the alert, and promptly give notice of a stranger’s approach, and from their extremely active and, I. may say, merry habits, they ,• are most 'interesting pets, and will repay by their gratitude any affection oi kindness bestowed upon them. _ One quality they possess above most breeds which' is a strong recommendation of them as lap-doges, and that is their cleanliness.

Some extraordinary views as.to the requisite proportions of the Pug were entertained when the dog was first introduced into this country. Then ears were closely cropped, and it was considered correct that the tail of the female! should be Curled on the opposite side of the back from that of ibc male; but this notion was dissipated iQ'.en it was found that there was no fixed rule as to the side, on which the tail was curled, and that quite as many dogs as bitches had their tails on the left side. Then, again it was considered that the protrusion of the tongue from the mouth, was any advantage. The blemish, when it is present in any dog arises from partial paralysis of the tongue. The black Pug is a more recent production than the fawn one. He was brought into notice in 1886,-when Lady Brassey exhibited some at the Maidstone Show. The late Queen Victoria had one of the black variety in her possession half a century ago, and the photograph (although I have not seen it), of the dog, is to bo seen in the Royal albums. This, however, docs not prove that, a variety of black Pug existed in any numbers, and the same may be said should white Pugs become popular at some future date, for in 1892 a white Pug was exhibited in Birmingham. This dog, however, was not really white, although it might have been made a link in the production of a variety of white Pugs. The black Pug, however, came upon the scene about the time mentioned, and he now is the most fashionable. By whom he was manufactured is not a matter of much importance, as with a fawn Pug in existence there was not much difficulty iu crossing it with the short-est-face black dog of small size that could be found, and then back again to the fawn, and the tiling was done. Fawn and black Pngs are continually being bred together, and, as a rule, if judgment is used in the selection ol suitable crosses, the puppies are sound in ’colour, whether fawn or black. In every respect except,. markings ... the black Pug should be built on the same lines as the fawn, and be a cobby little dog with short back and welldeveloped hindquarters, wide in skull, with square and blunt, muzzle, black toe-nails, and tightly-curled tail. With reference' to the Pug as it at present exists amongst us, it is pleasing to discover that in spite of its rarity some fifty years ago, the Pug classes are now in the majority of instances usually well represented in point of. numbers at all important shows. Yet there is a want (a few kennels excepted) of uniformity of type which proves that, there is yet much to he done in the way of improvement ol this breed. A very undesirable advance is being made in the size of the best-shaped dogs, and this is gi'eat\]y to he regretted, as a ladies pet clog of over twenty pounds weight is Aji anomalv which almost refutes itself. In the' face of the tendency towards stoutness it is very desirable to diet and exercise a Png properly. Fat-cur-ing foods, or that which is calculated to heat the blood, should be carefully eschewed and a daily walk when the weather is favourable, is almost indispensable if the animal is to be kept in health and condition. \ egetables should be chopped up and mixed with bread and gravy for the principal meal, and plain, not sweet, biscuits are excellent for a Pug between times.