Dogs and All about Them

In Short

This book functions as a taxonomic survey of dog breeds popular in the early 20th century, organized by their functional categories: sporting, non-sporting, terriers, and toy varieties. It blends historical context and lore—such as the lineage of the Old English Sheepdog or the origins of the "earth dog"—with rigid show-ring standards for physical appearance. By capturing the methodical, almost scientific approach to breeding that defined the era, the text provides a fascinating record of how society transformed the dog from a common working animal into a meticulously standardized companion.

The Story

The narrative arc of the book mirrors the life cycle of a successful kennel, beginning with the foundational philosophy of breeding and concluding with the clinical realities of keeping a healthy dog. It opens by establishing the dog as a respectable, essential fixture of British society. The author highlights that the turn of the century saw an unprecedented boom in dog ownership, underscored by millions of licenses and hundreds of sanctioned shows. This sets the stage for a world where the "family dog" is no longer a mongrel but a carefully curated representative of a specific breed standard.

As the book progresses through its various sections, it moves from the general to the specific. It details the intricate physical requirements for diverse breeds, ranging from the massive, noble Bloodhound to the tiny, "apple-headed" Toy Bull-terrier. The author does not simply list traits; he provides the reasoning behind them, explaining how a Bulldog’s "lay-back" nose or an Old English Sheepdog’s gait serves a specific, if sometimes archaic, purpose. Throughout, there is a clear tension between the romantic history of these dogs—often traced back to ancient times or royal kennels—and the modern, commercial demands of the show ring.

The middle chapters serve as a practical apprenticeship for the reader. The author offers candid advice on starting a kennel, emphasizing that a "plain" bitch from a strong, healthy lineage is a far better investment than a champion-quality animal with a questionable constitution. He warns against the "alligator head" of poorly bred Retrievers and the dangers of favoring fashion over function. The tone is consistently authoritative, reflecting the consensus of the "eminent experts" the author consulted.

The final act of the book shifts from the aesthetics of the ring to the harsh realities of veterinary care. The concluding chapters address the management of kennels, including the prevention of parasites and the management of common ailments. The treatment of distemper—at the time a devastating and complex disease—is handled with a sobering level of detail, covering everything from pneumonia complications to the necessity of fresh air and ventilation. The book ends not with a flourish, but with a meticulously organized index, reinforcing its role as a permanent reference tool for the dedicated fancier, ensuring that the reader is left with the tools to maintain the standards discussed in the preceding pages.

How It Unfolds

The social landscape The text opens by situating the dog within the domestic and sporting life of the British Isles, noting the rise of specialist clubs and the decline of the mongrel. This sets a tone of progress and professionalization that governs the rest of the volume.

The anatomy of the breed The author proceeds to dissect individual breeds, using specific physical landmarks—such as the "lay-back" of the jaw or the "cushion" of the lips—to define excellence. Each chapter functions as a technical specification, often quoting the official standards set by the era’s dominant breed clubs.

The path to the show ring The reader is guided through the economics of breeding, with advice on selecting puppies and choosing sires that complement a bitch's deficiencies. The text serves as a mentor, warning the novice against common pitfalls like "haphazard" mating or the pursuit of fleeting aesthetic trends.

The maintenance of health The narrative concludes with the practical necessities of kennel management, focusing on hygiene, diet, and the treatment of diseases like distemper. This section grounds the preceding focus on beauty in the pragmatic, often difficult labor required to keep a dog alive and healthy.

The People

The book is less a narrative of characters and more a collection of voices from the early 20th-century dog world. The author, Robert Leighton, acts as the primary curator, synthesizing the expertise of specialists like Mr. W. J. Stubbs and Lady Algernon Gordon Lennox to maintain a high standard of authority.

These contributors represent the established elite of the dog-fancying world. They want the preservation of breed purity and the elevation of the "canine race" through consistent breeding practices. The primary obstacle they identify is the lack of uniformity and the "baneful influence" of those who prioritize profit or superficial traits over the structural integrity of the animal.

The reader is invited to adopt the persona of the "novice fancier," who stands in the middle of these experts. The novice wants to achieve success in the show ring or simply maintain a high-quality animal, but is constantly challenged by the high cost of entry and the difficulty of discerning a "good bloodline" from a poor one. Through the wisdom of these contributors, the novice is encouraged to transition from a casual owner to a disciplined breeder, learning that a dog’s value lies in its pedigree and its physical conformation rather than its individual personality alone.

In Its Own Voice

Regarding the physical necessity of the Bulldog’s structure:

The inclination backward of the nose allows a free passage of the air into the nostrils whilst the dog is holding his quarry.

On the practical wisdom of breeding from a physically sound mother:

A plain specimen of the right blood is quite likely to produce good results to the breeder; for example, should there be two female puppies in a well-bred litter, one remarkable as promising to have all the requirements for a coming champion, the other large and plain, this latter should be selected for breeding purposes as, being stronger, she will make a better and more useful mother than her handsome sister.

What It's Really About

The central argument is that the dog is a biological project requiring human stewardship. The book posits that beauty and utility are not mutually exclusive, provided that the breeder respects the ancestral heritage of the breed. It asks how one can balance the commercial pressures of the show ring with the biological reality of animal health. By focusing on "type" and "symmetry," the author argues that true quality is hereditary and that the keeper has a moral obligation to weed out defects. It is an exploration of the human desire to control and refine the natural world through careful selection, ultimately arguing that the "respectable" status of the modern dog is a testament to the success of this selective intervention.

Why Read It Today

Readers with an interest in canine history, show-dog culture, or the evolution of domestic animal standards will find this book an essential, if rigorous, primary source. It captures the transition of the dog from a functional beast of burden to a status symbol, preserving the precise vocabulary and professional standards of the Edwardian era.

However, a modern reader must be prepared for the book’s clinical and occasionally detached tone. The author views dogs largely as modular units of "points" and "standards" rather than as individual companions, a shift in perspective that reflects the period’s obsession with classification and breeding science. The advice on distemper and other diseases, while historically significant, should be viewed as a relic of 1910s veterinary science rather than modern medical counsel. There is also a blunt, practical callousness regarding the culling of "plain" dogs or the endorsement of tail docking that may strike a modern sensibility as harsh. Yet, for those who seek to understand the origins of the breeds we see today, the book offers a deep, unapologetic dive into the mindset of the people who shaped them. It is a precise, unsentimental document of a time when the pedigree became the defining feature of the dog.