The Toy Poodle, while never taking the dog-world by storm, has held his own for many years. He is a very active dog, inclined to be cross and snappy very frequently, and therefore an uncertain equation with children, but he is very keen and the slightest noise will attract his attention. The standard calls for dogs under ten pounds in weight for the toy varieties, though there is a large poodle, which, however, does not come within the scope of this group. The toy poodle, while not as hardy as some breeds, can nevertheless stand considerable hardships and when he is reared like his larger brethren and not petted and pampered until health and vitality are gone, he is an easy dog to keep. The greatest objection some have to him is, that because his coat is white he is difficult to care for, which to a certain extent, is the truth. His coat should be curly, but wiry in texture. In action the dog is quick, proud and graceful.
The Italian Greyhound is another old breed; in fact he is one of the oldest among the toys. He is in every sense of the word, a miniature greyhound and good specimens are extremely graceful. Because of his short coat and his generally slight appearance he is a dog that will not permit of much exposure, though those who breed them say that the Italian greyhound will stand the cold and the inclement winter of the north as well as any of the toy breeds, which statement is rather doubtful. For a clean, neat dog about the house, however, he is very commendable. In the matter of intelligence he does not grade up with some of the other varieties described, although he is very alert and watchful.
The Toy Black and Tan Terrier is another breed that is rather difficult to rear, although his short black and tan soft coat commends him as an indoor dog, for he is clean at all times and only a slight brushing once a day will keep him in condition. They have been breeding this variety so small that most of the specimens seen at the present time, have become apple-headed and they are as lacking in intelligence as they are in appearance. However, a black and tan weighing over ten pounds makes an excellent dog, many of them becoming keen ratters, though it is to be understood that the small ones would not do for that purpose. Personally, if I wished to have a black and tan at all, I should take the Manchester, of which the toy black and tan is a miniature. The breed is not very popular in this country or England at the present time.
Among the toy terrier varieties must be included also, the Yorkshire, the Maltese and the kindred varieties. These are very pretty specimens for the fancier of oddities, but they require untold care to keep them in condition, both as to coat and flesh, hence the time spent upon them as house companions is scarcely worth the returns that one obtains.
The Brussel Griffon is another foreign dog that seemed to evoke considerable interest some years ago, but this breed also is an oddity. He is a monkey-faced, hard-coated dog with the pronounced whisker and the general wire appearance of broken-coated terriers. His weight ranges to nine pounds as the maximum for “big” dogs, while for the smaller varieties, it is six pounds. It may readily be seen from this that the breed is more ornamental than useful, but a livelier, more active little dog cannot be imagined than this diminutive griffon whose place of origin is said to be Belgium.
THE SCHIPPERCKE, TOGO.
Another Belgian dog is the Schippercke, a terrier-like animal of about ten pounds in weight. Very fiery and quick to take offense, he is not a suitable dog for children, but as a watch dog he will give the alarm at the slightest noise; furthermore, he is not averse to backing up his bark with his bite. He is a very faithful dog, and once he becomes attached to one person or a family, he will remain faithful unto death. That is one of the features that appeals to most of us and one is apt to forgive his shortcomings. Very few kennels are now breeding this variety in America. The dog is black in color, with a wiry-like coat, and a well pronounced mane. His nose is sharp, his eyes small and black and his ears erect. The dog is a tailless variety; although only a small percentage of the puppies are born with this mutilation. The others have their tails removed, or gouged out when they are quite young, in fact this should be done before they leave their dam. In selecting a puppy it is well to take one with not a show of white hair and see that the ears are small, the back short, the coat dense, the eyes well set, and showing that “foxy” expression which is so characteristic of this breed and the Pomeranian.
The Pug, once a very popular breed, has now practically gone out of vogue, although indications point to its resuscitation. The breed, speaking in broad terms, is not a particularly intelligent one, though the dog’s short coat, his cleanly habits, and his generally odd appearance stamped him one of the favorites of three decades ago, and it is possible that he may return to favor once more.