[1]
[Footnote 1: Les Races des Chiens, in La Bibliotheque de l'Eleveur.]
We shall rapidly pass in review the different breeds of dogs that one
may chance to meet with in our dog shows, beginning with the largest.
It is again in mountainous countries that the largest dogs are raised,
and the character common to all of these is a very thick coat. The
largest of all, according to travelers, is the Thibetan dog. Buffon
tells of having seen one which, when seated, was five feet in height.
One brought back by the Prince of Wales from his voyage to the Indies
was taller in stature, stronger and more stocky than a large mastiff,
from which it differed, moreover, in its long and somewhat coarse
hair, which was black on the back and russet beneath, the thighs and
the tail being clothed with very long and silky hair.
In France, we have a beautiful mountain dog--the dog of the
Pyrenees--which is from 32 to 34 inches in height at the shoulders,
and has a very thick white coat, spotted above with pale yellow or
grayish fox color. It is very powerful, and is capable of
successfully defending property or flocks against bears and wolves.
The Alpine dog is the type of the mountain dog. It is of the same size
as the dog of the Pyrenees, and differs therefrom especially in its
coloring. It is white beneath, with a wide patch of orange red
covering the back and rump.
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