Page:Every Woman's Encyclopedia Volume 1.djvu/326

 PETS 304 lor preference, should be prick, though scmi-crcct ears are permissible by the club standard ; they should be small, covered with velvetv hair, and set nicely back on the skull. The distance from ear to eye, or " stop." should be the distance from eye to nose. The head should be long and well balanced, with a distinct " stop," or break, in the profile, and shghtly domed in shape. It Champion Laindon Locket Property of H. R. B. Tweed, Esq. should taper in muzzle towards the nose, and be well filled in in front of the eye. The mouth should be level, and filled with strong teeth, large for the size of the dog. The eye should be piercing, somewhat sunken, and dark in colour. Its correct placement, too, is of importance in giving correct terrier expression to the face. The legs should be short and strong in bone, the forelegs well set on under the body, cither straight in shape (which is now preferred) or very shghtly bent. The hocks should be bent, the feet small, strong, and thickly covered with short hair, the front being larger than the hind feet. The tail should be from seven to eight inches long, never _ docked, and well ~ "'" carried, usually at an angle of 45 degrees, or, if excited, at right angles ; never curled or twisted. In colour, black, brown, sandy, wheaten, and the many varieties of brindle are all allowed, but, except on the chest, white markings are objectionable. The coat, a most important point, should be intensely hard and w^iry in texture, dense all over the body, and about two inches in length, except on the head, legs, and tail, where it is short. There should be a double coat, short, furry, and soft underneath, and the straight, harsh, and wiry hair above. A neat yet broken-haired appearance should be the correct idea of a Scottie's coat. A single coat — that is, without the close soft undercoat — or a soft one are both bad, the former being by far the worst de.ect. To sum up, the Scottie should be a big dog in a small compass. This ideal is diffi- cult to attain ; the best dogs are apt to be of the size that the club standard says is "to be discouraged," and the small dogs are apt to be deficient in bone. Of two evils, choose the dog of good substance but some- what big for the show-bench. Remarks on Cost As with all breeds, the price to pay for a puppy varies, according as a companion or a show animal is bought. In any case, seek a breeder of repute, and if you are a novice, enlist the help of a more knowing friend. Even then, if you choose a puppy from the nest, or at any age less than six or eight months, do not think you have been cheated if he turns out less than you ex- pected. It is impossible so young to do more than hazard a guess as to how the youngster will turn out. You must be a sportsman, and accept your luck. In any case, if you have but paid a " companion " price, you have not much of which to complain, for a healthy, well-bred Scottie, if well trained and properly fed, makes an ideal friend and companion, hardy, affectionate, and full of sport. He is one who minds his own business, and is not prone to trail his coat on all occasions, like his Irish brother ; he is a clean and w^atchful house-dog, and his sturdy independence and quaint ways — no two of this breed seem to be alike — render his owner his staunch ally. To ensure getting the utmost pleasure and A group of typical " Scotti llVwto, .1/. /. HiiiU value out of your pup, attend most strictly, and, at all risks, personally, to his food and exercise. If you care to study this subject more' in detail, read " The Commonsense of Dog Feeding," by that true friend of dogs, Mr. Nicholas, the well-known " Great Dane," also that standard work the " Scottish Terrier," by Mr. McCandlish, whose beautiful Ems dogs appaar on so many pedigrees. Last, but not least, remember that his breed is classified as a sporting one, and do not attempt to make him a lap-dog. Not that you would be likely to succeed.