Tibetan Dogs - A Complete Anthology of the Breeds

By Read Books Ltd.

Tibetan Dogs - A Complete Anthology of the Dog gathers together all the best early writing on the breeds from our library of scarce, out-of-print antiquarian books and documents and reprints it in a quality, modern edition. This anthology includes chapters taken from a comprehensive range of books, many of them now rare and much sought-after works, all of them written by renowned breed experts of their day. These books are treasure troves of information about the breeds - The physical points, temperaments, and special abilities are given; celebrated dogs are discussed and pictured; and the history of each breed and pedigrees of famous champions are also provided. The contents were well illustrated with numerous photographs of leading and famous dogs of that era and these are all reproduced to the highest quality. Books used include: The Kennel Encyclopaedia by J. Sidney Turner (1908), Dogs Of The World by Arthur Craven (1931), The Book Of Dogs by Stanley West (1935) and many others.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Read Books Ltd.
• Release date: Oct 12, 2011
• ISBN: 9781447491576

Book preview

1935

THIBETAN DOGS

ELSEWHERE has been figured and described the large Thibet dog known as the Thibet Mastiff; there is also the huge Thibetan Sheepdog that Mr. Wilson had some few years since, and exhibited at the more important shows. The one is but a modification of the other. Of still more importance than either to English fanciers is the Lhassa Terrier, an interesting little breed formerly found under the inappropriate name of Bhuteer Terrier. Lhassa is the chief home of these Terriers, which by the Fancy in Northern India, are classified as Thibetan. Until Mr. Lionel Jacobs enlightened the fanciers of this country by means of his very practical contributions to the Kennel press on the dogs of India, but very little was known here, and much confusion reigned, especially when, as in the case of the Lhassa, two distinct types obtain. Though desirable acquisitions, the true Lhassas are by no means abundant even in that capital, and are correspondingly expensive.

As stated above, two distinct types of Lhassa exist—one (the true) approaching the Skye Terrier in character, but with the tail carried over the back, as is usual with Thibetan dogs, the other more closely approximating to the Japanese Spaniel. In India, as here, separate classes for the breed are provided; but the dogs there do not appear to grow as much hair upon the face, head, and ears as do the specimens met with here. This, as Mr. R. T. Clarke points out in a letter sent to Mr. Lionel Jacobs and by that gentleman contributed to the Field, is probably the result of greater attention to the dog’s toilet. Mr. Clarke describes the Lhassa as very affectionate and attached, and do not thrive unless petted and taken a good deal of notice of. They are very jealous, and desperate fighters when their blood is up. When fighting, they are as determined to kill as any Fox or Irish Terriers, and always attack at a vulnerable spot.

Mr. Lionel Jacobs, when dealing with the breed in the Kennel Gazette of 1901, speaks in the highest praise of the bitch Marni, owned by Colonel Walsh, and compares her in type and general appearance to Mrs. Maclaren Morrison’s Kepvich Tuko, that had just won first in the Bhuteer Class at the Crystal Palace. Marni was very successfully exhibited, and up to the time of her death she held an unbeaten record. Mr. Lionel Jacobs gives the measurements of Marni as follow: Length of head, 6 1/4in.; height at shoulder, 10in.; length of back, 19in.; length of ear, 2 1/4in. The same gentleman thus describes the breed in the organ of the Kennel Club referred to above:—

Head.—Distinctly Terrier-like. Skull narrow, falling away behind the eyes in a marked degree, not quite flat, but not domed or apple-shaped. Fore face of fair length, strong in front of the eyes, the nose large, prominent, and pointed, not depressed; a square muzzle is objectionable. The stop, size for size, about that of the Skye Terrier. Mouth quite level, but of the two a slightly over-shot mouth is preferable to an under-shot one. The teeth are somewhat smaller than would be expected in a Terrier of the size. In this respect the breed seems to suffer to an extraordinary degree from cankered teeth. I have never yet seen an imported specimen with a sound mouth.

FIG. 132.—LHASSA TERRIERS INDIA AND PUTIMA.

Ears.—Set on low, and carried close to the cheeks, similar to the ears of a drop-eared Skye.

Eyes.—Neither very large and full, nor very small and sunk, dark brown in colour.

Legs and Feet.—The fore legs should be straight. In all short-legged breeds there is a tendency to crookedness, but the straighter the legs the better. There should be good bone. Owing to the heavy coat the legs look, and should look, very heavy in bone; but in reality the bone is not heavy. It should be round and of good strength right down to the toes, the less ankle the better. The hocks should be particularly well let down. Feet should be round and cat-like, with good pads.

Body.—There is a tendency in England to look for a level top and a short back. All the best specimens have a slight arch at the loin, and the back should not be too short; it should be considerably longer than the height at withers (note the measurements given of the bitch Marni). The dog should be well ribbed-up, with a strong loin, and well-developed quarters and thighs.

Stern.—Should be carried well over the back after the manner of the tail of the Chow. All Thibetan dogs carry their tails in this way, and a low carriage of stern is a sign of impure blood.

Coat.—Should be heavy, of good length and very dense. There should be a strong growth on the skull, falling on both sides. The legs should be well clothed right down to the toes. On the body the hair should not reach to the ground, as in a show Yorkshire; there should be a certain amount of daylight. In general appearance the hair should convey the idea of being much harder to the eye than it is to the touch. It should look hard, straight, and strong, when to the touch it is soft, but not silky. The hair should be straight, with no tendency to curl.

Colour.—Black, dark grizzle, slate, sandy, or an admixture of these colours with white.

Size.—About 10in. or 11in. height at shoulder for dogs, and 9in. or Ioin. for bitches.

Occasionally met with is another dog from the same country, usually called a Thibetan Spaniel; but as a matter of fact both Mr. Jacobs and Mr. Clarke are most emphatic in saying that there is no Thibet dog with any of the characteristics of the Spaniel as ordinarily understood.

THE DOGS OF TIBET.

SINCE the return of the Tibet Expeditionary Force to India a couple of years ago, much that was previously known about the breeds of dogs in that land has been confirmed, and the existence of others, not so well-known, has been revealed. Up to the time of the Expedition, Tibet was a closed land, and all information to be obtained about the dogs was what the Tibetans visiting India either