Toy Dog
Tuesday, April 21, 2020
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Originally , Toy dogs were playthings of the leisure class. They were ladies dogs, lap dogs boudoir dogs. They never have been utilitarian does. They never have been utilitarian dogs. They never have pulled a cart, corralled a sheep, retrieved a bird. They were the favourites of courtiers-elegant, decorative, the perfect accent for a portrait. Yet for all the ribbons, toys always have been bold and jaunty dogs. Their association with luxury has never them slack. They are smart, spirited, and brave. They are easily trained, well mannered, and score impressively trials. They are ideal apartment dwellers and ideal pets.
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YORKSHIRE TERRIER
The Yorkshire Terrier was a creation of the late nineteenth century. His principal forebear seems to have been the Skye Terrier, which accompanied the Scots weavers who migrated to England around 1850. These Scots settled in the textile manufacturing centers of Lancashire and Yorkshire, and their dogs bred with the various Toy and Terrier breeds already known there.
There were small dogs in his heritage, but the reduction in size most likely was the result of selective breeding. Curiously enough the dog was very nearly down to his present size in the first twenty years of his existence an amazingly fast bit of work by the breeders. Today neither size nor weight is specified by the Standard, but an average Yorkshire stands about 7 inches at the shoulder and weighs about 4 pounds.
His most remarkable feature is his long, silky coat. It must hang straight and evenly on either side of a top-to-tail part. Some breeders let the hair grow all the way to the ground, and some Yorkshires must wear boots of stockings to keep from ruining their coats they scratch. Coat colors are dark steel blue from top to fail, golden tan on the head, and a bright tan on the chest.
JAPANESE SPANIEL
The Japanese Spaniel is a dainty dog with a perky spirit and a stylish leg action when under way. His build is square, his chest wide, and his plumed tail carried proudly over his back. His coat is profuse, the hairs long and straight. He comes in two colors only: black and white, and red and white, although red includes lemon, orange, sable, and brindle shades. The Japanese Spaniel comes in several sizes, although it is the small ones that best meet show standards. Over and under 7 pounds are the two weight classes. There is a saying that "As a Japanese Spaniel looks when he is exactly six weeks of age, so he finishes. Like most sayings, it is rooted somewhere in wisdom. but difficult to prove. The breed has an extremely sensitive nature. Dogs have been known to sulk for days at a time because of an imaginary affront. Normally, however, the Spaniel's temperament is friendly enough and he makes a fine pet.
CHIHUAHUA
The Chihuahua is the smallest dog in the world. He may weigh as little as a single pound, and the ideal show-ring weight for the smooth-coated variety is from 2 to 4 pounds, with a top limit of 6 (Long-coated Chihuahuas may range from 2 to 8.) In judging the breed the smaller of two dogs is always preferred if they are otherwise equal in type. The Chihuahua has been the favorite Toy breed in the United States for many years and one of the most popular of all pure-bred dogs. With none of the physical attributes that make other dogs useful as guards or for sport, the Chihuahua owes his lofty position entirely to his appeal as a pet. He is not even much of a show dost. In proportion to the Chihuahua population, the number entered in competition is small. And when a Chihuahua wins a variety group or Best in Show, it is an event. The chihuahua is a compact little dog with the energy.
TOY MANCHESTER TERRIER
There are two varieties of Manchester Terrier. The Standard type, a dog weighing from 12 to 22 pounds and the miniature, essentially the same dog except for size, is grouped with the Toys. The Toy dog's ears are naturally erect and with pointed tips. The Toy weighs under 12 pounds; for the show ring there are two weight divisions over and under 7 pounds. Both varieties have a keen, wide-awake expression and an alert and energetic appearance, which are part of the terrier personality. They are clean dogs and easy to groom.
MALTESE
The tiny, silky white-coated Maltese is something of a mystery. His name obviously refers to the island, but whether the breed did in fact originate there, no one really knows. Edward C. Ash a noted dog historian, set himself the task of examining every work on Malta in the British Museum and found no mention of the Maltese dog in any of them.
In the United States, the Maltese has held a firm, respected place for many years. He is a delightful pet, as well as a striking, sharp little show dog, and can be an excellent obedience competitor when trained to his highest potential. His distinctive feature, of course, is the long, straight, incredibly white and silky coat, which is parted from nose to tail and hangs down evenly on each side of the body. The head is slightly round and rather broad between the ears. The eyes are very dark and the expression gentle but alert. The tail is carried gracefully, the end resting on the hindquarters and to one side. Despite his minute size, the Maltese has a well-proportioned body. Show dogs may not exceed 7 pounds and the Standard declares specimens under 3 to be ideal.
PAPILLON
The Papillon in a variety of spaniel with a French name that refers to the way his large, fringed ears sit on his head like a butterfly's wings. He is a lively graceful little dog and the delicacy of his appearance hides a bold nature and a sturdy constitution. In times past he was a good ratter. These days he is a show dog and pet that has proved adaptable to city or country living, The Papillon is a descendant of a breed known in the sixteenth century as the Dwarf Spaniel.
Originally, almost all Papillons were a solid color, but the predominant pattern today is a white ground with patches or ticking of other colors. The coat is short and smooth on the head, muzzle, and part of the legs, flat on the back and sides, and abundant around the neck and shoulders. The tail is richly plumed. set fairly high, and carried like a squirrel's The Standard specifies height at the withers of 11 inches or under and a weight in proportion."
MINIATURE PINSCHER
The Miniature Pinscher has a quite bold nature that suggests a much larger dog, a quality that contributes to his usefulness as an alert, though hardly dangerous, watchdog. He has good intelligence, he is lively and attentive. In conformation he is slim, symmetrical, with well-distributed muscle and perky carriage. In the show ring he moves with a high knee action, like a little hackney horse that always draws a buzz of admiration from the crowd. His coat is slick and smooth and studs hardly at all, which makes him a desirable pet for apartment living. Favoured colors are a so-called "stag" red, black and tan, or brown with rust or yellow markings. In size lets ideally 11 to 11 1/2 inches high at the withers. In weight he runs from 6 to 10 pounds. In the United States his popularity has risen steadily since the formation of the parent club in 1929. He is a lively and affectionate pet.
PEKINGESE
The Standard of Perfection for the Pekingese says that the dog must suggest his Chinese origin by the "quaintness and individuality of his expression: his resemblance to the lion by his "directness and independence, and over-all should imply courage, boldness, self-esteem and combativeness rather than prettiness, daintiness or delicacy. The Standard is notably correct. The Pekingese is no lap dog, but one with an extra measure of audacity coupled with stamina no generally credited to the Toy breeds. He has a remarkable independence of spirit; there is no servility in him.
For all his small size, the Pekingese is a strongly built dog. Like the lion, he has a massive chest and mane and narrow hindquarters, The Standard puts a maximum of 14 pounds on him. The smallest Pekingese - what in China would once have been called "sleeve dogs" because they could be carried in the sleeve of a robe are 6 pounds or under when full grown. All colors are allowable. Red, fawn, black sable are common.
PUG
The Pug is currently among the most popular breeds in the United States. This is his second climb to favor. He was well regarded in the last half of the nineteenth century, and then virtually ignored as new breeds, such as the Pomeranian. The Pug is a cobby dog square, compact and firmly muscled. The standard does not specify a limit on height, but the dog must be well knit and well proportioned, and somewhere between 14 and 18 pounds in weight. The coat is short, smooth, soft and glossy: this is one toy breed that is easily groomed. The accepted colors are silver fawn, apricot fawn, and black. The Pug's markings are important and should be clearly defined and as black as possible. These include the markings on the muzzle or mask, the ears, and the trace-a line that runs from the top of the skull to the tail. Two other distinctive Post features are a tightly curled tail (the double curl to perfection).
BRUSSELS GRIFFON
The Brussels Griffon generally seen in the United States is a sturdy, bewhiskered dog with a short, thickset body, and a dense, wiry coat. He is no beauty by ordinary standards and his background is neither ancient nor distinguished, but those who know him are captivated by his animated personality and his endearing expression of quizzical intelligence.
The Brussels Griffon's rough coat may be reddish brown, reddish brown mixed with black, black with uniform reddish brown markings, and solid black. A smooth-coated Griffon variety, known as the Brabancon, has no trace of wire and does not come in solid black. Griffons are divided into two weight classes for show purposes: not over 7 pounds for smaller dogs and up to 12 pounds for others. Never a pampered dog, the Brussels Griffon makes a delightful pet.
He is intelligent, alert, and active, and has unusual strength and endurance for his size. He is a companionable dog and reportedly enjoys hikes and swimming. He is ordinarily an obedient fellow, but sometimes quite difficult to break to a leash. It is urged that this training begin at an early age. The Griffon is still an uncommon dog in the United States, although seen occasionally at shows.
AFFENPINSCHER
Simply because this little fellow has bushy eyebrows, bristly whiskers, a small goatee, and shaggy hair that grows every which way from his head and face, he often is called the "Monkey Dog. Most unfair. The Affenpinscher is a hardy, intelligent dog with a quiet manner, but of a fiery temperament when aroused. The ideal Affenpinscher stands no more than 10 1/4 inches at the shoulder and weighs a mere 7 or 8 pounds. The coat is an important feature, particularly in the show ring. It should be stiff and wiry in texture-short and dense on the body, long and shaggy on head, neck, and legs.
The moustaches and tuft of hair on the chin should be prominent. The usual color is black, although black with tan, red, or grey are permissible. The eyes are dark and the eyelids rimmed in black. Many specimens wear a black mask. The ears are cropped and the tail is docked. The general impression should be one of sturdiness, with no hint of delicacy, despite the small size. He has the terrier characteristic of spunkiness.
POMERANIAN
At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Pomeranian was a 30 pound dog capable of herding sheep, Runts usually were destroyed, although is time went on, they occasionally were brought to maturity and found to lose nothing either as to conformation or coat. These smaller dogs weighed perhaps 16 pounds, or even as little as 12. They were exported to other countries where eventually they found such favor that the larger variety was allowed to dwindle and die out. Today the Toy size-3 to 7 pounds-is supreme.
The most important single feature in judging the Pomeranian is the coat, which is allotted 25 points out of a possible one hundred in the Standard scale. Breeders have made great improvements in the coat in the century in lustre, luxuriousness, and color. The best coats are soft and fluffy underneath and have long, straight, glistening outer coat that covers the entire body. The ruff should be particularly abundant. The tail should be covered profusely with long, spreading hair and should be carried not over the back.
ITALIAN GREYHOUND
This handsome little dog has absolutely no use at all, except as a charming and elegant pet. "The small Italian Greyhound is not above half the size of the Greyhound, but perfectly similar in form. In shape it is exquisitely beautiful and delicate. The Italian Greyhound is a dwarfed version of the Standard Greyhound. It undoubtedly was achieved by inbreeding: there are records of specimens as small as 5 pounds. With refinement, the Miniature has become somewhat more slender than the Greyhound, proportionately. The skull is long, narrow, and flat, the neck long and arched, the back curved downward to the hindquarters. The skin is supple, the coat thin and glossy as satin. Colors include fawn, red, mouse, blue, cream, and white.