Dogs and All about Them

THE MINIATURE BULLDOG Fifty or sixty years ago, Toy--or, rather, as a recent edict of the Kennel Club requires them to be dubbed, Miniature--Bulldogs were common objects of the canine country-side. In fact, you can hardly ever talk for ten minutes to any Bulldog breeder of old standing without his telling you tall stories of the wonderful little Bulldogs, weighing about fifteen or sixteen pounds, he either knew or owned in those long-past days! Prominent among those who made a cult of these "bantams" were the laceworkers of Nottingham, and many prints are extant which bear witness to the excellent little specimens they bred. But a wave of unpopularity overwhelmed them, and they faded across the Channel to France, where, if, as is asserted, our Gallic neighbours appreciated them highly, they cannot be said to have taken much care to preserve their best points. When, in 1898, a small but devoted band of admirers revived them in England, they returned most attractive, 'tis true, but hampered by many undesirable features, such as bat ears, froggy faces, waving tails, and a general lack of Bulldog character. However, the Toy Bulldog Club then started, took the dogs vigorously in hand, and thanks to unceasing efforts, Toy Bulldogs have always since been catered for at an ever increasing number of shows. Their weight, after much heated discussion and sundry downs and ups, was finally fixed at twenty-two pounds and under. The original aim of Miniature Bulldogs--i.e. to look like the larger variety seen through the wrong end of a telescope--if not actually achieved, is being rapidly approached, and can no longer be looked upon as merely the hopeless dream of a few enthusiasts.