Dogs and All about Them

Mr. Carrick, of Carlisle, was also a prominent owner years ago, and showed some excellent terriers, the best being Carlisle Tack, Trick, and Tyro. The latter was an exceptionally good dog. Mr. Sam Hill, of Sheffield, had also a strong kennel, always well shown by George Porter, who is now, and has been for some years, in America, where he still follows his old love. Mr. Hill's name will ever be associated with that of his great dog Meersbrook Bristles, who has undoubtedly done the breed a great amount of good. Mr. Mayhew is another old fancier, who nearly always showed a good one. Mr. Mayhew has been in America now for many years. One dog of his, who it is believed became a champion, viz. Brittle, did at one time a big business at stud, perhaps not to the advantage of the breed, for he was possessed of a very bad fault, in that he had what was called a topknot ring, a bunch of soft silky hairs on his forehead, an unfailing sign of a soft coat all over, and a thing which breeders should studiously avoid. This topknot was at one time more prevalent than it is now. Whether it is a coincidence or not one cannot say, but it is a fact that in the writer's experience several terriers possessed of this fault have also blue markings, which again are almost invariably accompanied by a soft coat, and taking these two peculiarities together it would seem that at some time, years ago, a cross with that wonderfully game but exceedingly soft-coated terrier, the Bedlington, may have been resorted to, though if so it would appear that nowadays any effect of it is gradually dying out.