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The Dog Encyclopedia The Definitive Visual Guide 1st
Edition Dk Digital Instant Download
Author(s): DK
ISBN(s): 9781465408440, 1465408444
Edition: 1
File Details: PDF, 68.37 MB
Year: 2013
Language: english
THE DEFINITIVE VISUAL GUIDE
DOG
THE

ENCYCLOPEDIA
DOG
THE

ENCYCLOPEDIA
 LONDON, NEW YORK, MELBOURNE,
MUNICH, AND DELHI
DORLING KINDERSLEY
Senior Editor Kathryn Hennessy
Project Art Editor Amy Orsborne
Editorial Assistant Alexandra Beeden
US Senior Editor Rebecca Warren
CONTENTS
US Editors Kate Johnsen, Margaret Parrish
Jacket Designer Laura Brim
Jacket Editor Manisha Majithia
Jacket Design Development Manager Sophia Tampakopoulos
Producer, Pre-Production Adam Stoneham
Producer Gemma Sharpe

INTRODUCTION
1
Photographer Tracy Morgan
Managing Art Editor Karen Self
Managing Editor Esther Ripley
Publisher Sarah Larter
Art Director Phil Ormerod
Associate Publishing Director Liz Wheeler
Publishing Director Jonathan Metcalf
TO DOGS
Consultant Editor Kim Dennis-Bryan
Contributors Ann Baggaley, Katie John
Evolution of the dog 8
DK INDIA
Senior Editor Monica Saigal
Senior Art Editors Chhaya Sajwan, Ranjita Bhattacharji
Skeleton and muscle 10
Editors Antara Moitra, Suparna Sengupta
Art Editors Devan Das, Supriya Mahajan, Pooja Pawwar, Pooja Pipil, Neha
Sharma, Priyanka Singh, Amit Varma
Senses 12
Assistant Editor Archana Ramachandran
Assistant Art Editors Payal Rosalind Malik, Ankita Mukherjee, Circulatory and digestive systems 14
Astha Singh, Dhirendra Singh
Managing Editor Pakshalika Jayaprakash
Managing Art Editor Arunesh Talapatra
Urinary, reproductive, and hormonal systems 16
Senior DTP Designer Jagtar Singh
DTP Designers Arvind Kumar, Sachin Singh, Mohammad Usman, Tanveer Skin and coat 18
Abbas Zaidi
Pre-production Manager Balwant Singh
Picture Research Surya Sankash Sarangi Dogs in religion, myth, and culture 20
First American Edition, 2013
Published in the United States by DK Publishing, 375 Hudson Street, Dogs in art and advertising 22
New York, New York 10014

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Dogs in sports and service 24

001 – 185332 – Jul/13

Copyright © 2013 Dorling Kindersley Limited

All rights reserved

Without limiting the rights under copyright reserved above, no part of this
publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or

GUIDE TO
2
transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise), without the prior written permission of both the copyright
owner and the above publisher of this book.

Published in Great Britain by Dorling Kindersley Limited.

A catalog record for this book is available from the Library of Congress.

ISBN: 978-1-4654-0844-0
BREEDS
DK books are available at special discounts when purchased in bulk for sales,
promotion, premiums, fund-raising, or educational use. For details, contact: DK
Publishing Special Markets, 375 Hudson Street, New York, New York 10014 or
[email protected]. Primitive dogs 28
Printed and bound in China by South China printing company.

Discover more at Working dogs 38

www.dk.com

Disclaimer Spitz-type dogs 98

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this book is accurate.
Neither the publishers or the authors accept any legal responsibility for any personal
injury or injuries to dogs or other damage or loss arising from the undertaking of any
Sight hounds 124
of the activities or exercises presented in this book, or from the reliance on any
advice in this book. If your dog is ill or has behavioral problems, please seek the
advice of a qualified professional, such as a vet or behavioral expert.
Scent hounds 138
Terriers 184
Gundogs 220
Companion dogs 264
Crossbreeds 288
 CARE AND
3 TRAINING
Becoming a dog owner 304
Bringing your dog home 306
At home and away 308
A balanced diet 310
Changing diets 312
Monitoring feeding levels 314
Exercise 316
Grooming 318
Grooming checks 320
Being in charge 322
Basic training 324
Behavioral problems 330
Visiting the vet 332
Signs of health 334
Inherited disorders 336
Parasites 338
Nursing a sick dog 340
First aid 342
Breeding 346

GLOSSARY 348
INDEX 350
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 360
INTRODUCTION
CHAPTER 1

TO DOGS
ALL ABOUT DOGS | E VOLUTION OF THE DOG

Evolution of the dog

There are an estimated 500 million domestic dogs worldwide, and all of them are related. At the
base of their evolutionary tree stands the gray wolf, from which every type and breed of dog has
descended. As geneticists have discovered, in terms of DNA, the difference between wolf and
dog is infinitesimal. While natural selection has produced some of the changes that make one
type of dog different from another, the effect of human influence has been far greater.
It could be said that of the hundreds of modern dogs known today, all of them are man-made.

DAWN OF THE DOG

The history of the dog, and its transformation
from wolf to domestic companion, goes back
deep in prehistory, to the settlements of early
hunter-gatherer peoples. In these primitive
communities, wolves would scavenge among
the litter around the camp site and were a
useful source of hides and meat. The wolves
might also, inadvertently, raise the alarm
should an intruder or outsider approach the
camp. Just why people first brought wolves
into the domestic circle can perhaps be partly
explained by the fact that humans in general
seem programmed to adopt animals, either as
playmates or status symbols. Possibly
a small furry wolf cub appealed to our
ancestors as much as it would to anyone
today. Being social animals, wolves that
became campside hangers-on may have
readily made the transition between bonding that a tame wolf with a sharp nose and a Working together
Wolves live in packs cooperating with one another to hunt
with their pack and bonding with humans, strong killing instinct would be an asset as a and rear their young. This pack lifestyle made it relatively
particularly if there were advantages in terms hunting companion, the human easy for early humans to domesticate them. Instead of
bonding with other wolves, selected wolf cubs happily
of food and shelter. and dog partnership was born. If, as adapted to living with a group of people.
As hunters themselves, early people would seems likely, the most promising animals were
have been familiar with the behavior of picked out for such use, this would recently the earliest of these remains was
wolves and appreciative of their persistence also have been the very beginning of a dated at approximately 14,000 years old,
and skill when working as a team to track and selection process for desirable traits that but the results of research into a fossilized
bring down prey. Once tribespeople realized still continues among dog breeders today. canine skull found in Siberia, published
The domestication of wolves is not likely to in 2011, suggest that dogs were already
have occurred as an isolated incident, but domesticated as long as 30,000 years ago.
repeatedly at different times and in widely Whenever and wherever it happened,
separated regions. Archeological evidence of as wolves were domesticated, both their
dogs buried alongside humans has turned up appearance and temperament began to
in areas as far apart as the Middle East change. New types of canid emerged,
(thought to be possibly one of the original and their diversity was increased by
sites of domestication), China, Germany, crossbreeding between different dog
Scandinavia, and North America. Until populations. Depending on availability
of food and climatic conditions, some
Archeological evidence
hunter-gatherer tribes were isolated for
Evidence, such as these 12,000-year-old skeletal generations, but others were migratory,
remains of a human and a dog (top right) found
in Israel, suggests that dogs may have been among
which meant that the dogs following at their
the first animals to be domesticated. heels met and mated with others outside

8
 E VOLUTION OF THE DOG

RELATIONSHIPS OF THE DOG FAMILY (CANIDS)

FOX ETHIOPIAN WOLF GOLDEN JACKAL COYOTE GRAY WOLF DOG

This diagram shows the dog’s relationship to other canids based on

genetic evidence. The dog and the gray wolf are the most closely
related ancestrally because their DNA is most similar and they share
many characteristics. The further away from the dog and the wolf
each canid is reflects the fewer similarities in their shared DNA.

their “clan.” These early exchanges of every imaginable point, from the set of the breed and another have produced a range of
traits and characters laid the foundation ears on a spaniel to the distribution of spots novelty dogs that mix and match inherited
for the development of many different types on a Dalmatian (see p.286). characteristics, such as the curly coat of
of dog, but thousands of years were still The explosion in the variety of domestic one parent and the biddable temperament
to pass before anything like true breeds dogs has taken place over a relatively short of the other.
were established. time, especially from the 20th century Dogs have come a long way in appearance
onward. Modern dogs may sometimes seem and character since they were wolves, and
MODERN BREEDS in danger of becoming fashion accessories, but while people continue to desire the company
Initially people began to develop distinct human interference has caused other, greater of canines, they are also likely to want to go
types of dog for particular jobs—hounds concerns. Creating the “right” look has in on changing them. In some breeds, most
to hunt game, mastiffs to guard property, some breeds been to the detriment of the dog’s obviously in dogs such as the husky types
and shepherd dogs to herd livestock. They health. Flattened noses that cause breathing and the German Shepherd (see p.42),
selectively bred these dogs to be physically problems, too-large heads in puppies leading wolflike characteristics still linger, in others
and temperamentally suited for their role— to whelping difficulties, and over-long backs the original template has been altered out of
keen noses for hunting, long legs for racing, combined with spinal disorders are just some all recognition. An early hunter confronted
strength and stamina for hard outdoor of the built-in faults that responsible breeders with, say, a Pekingese (see p.270), would
work, and a strong protective instinct in now seek to mitigate. In the most recent probably not realize at first that he was
dogs needed for guard duties. Later came experiments, planned crosses between one looking at a dog.
the terriers and companion dogs. When
humans better understood the laws of
inheritance, and were able to manipulate
them, the process of change was greatly
accelerated. Then once dogs started to be
kept more for companionship and as pets
than for practical purposes, their appearance
began to take precedence over function.
Since the founding of the first breed societies
in the late 19th century, rigorous standards
have been compiled for pedigree dogs.
These set out the ideal type, color, and
conformation for each breed, and cover

Varying looks
Many types of dog were established by the 1800s,
including the Saint Bernard and English Toy Spaniel seen
in this illustration. Until breed standards were established,
however, types continued to change.

9
INTRODUC TION TO DOGS | SKELE TON AND MUSCLE

Skeleton and muscle

All mammals have a skeleton that is stabilized and given mobility by ligaments, tendons, and
muscles. In dogs, this system evolved to serve their ancestral needs as fast-running carnivores.
However, once domesticated, humans created different dogs for different tasks and in doing so
altered their skeletons, too. Although some changes, such as dwarfism, result naturally from
mutations, deliberate selection has created most of the variety seen in modern breeds today.

SPECIALIZED SKELETON As a quadruped, a dog has four weight- small bones in the dog’s wrist joint are fused
Speed and agility are of prime importance bearing legs. The forelegs have no bony together, restricting rotation of the foot and
for a predator. The prey sets the pace and attachment, like the human collarbone minimizing the likelihood of injury. For a
direction of the chase and, for a successful (clavicle), and are connected to the body only hunter, this is important, since injury will
outcome, a hunting dog has to be ready to by muscles. This allows them to slide back reduce hunting success and in serious cases
move fast and turn within a split second. and forth over the rib cage, increasing stride would lead to starvation.
Much of a dog’s speed relies on an length. The long bones of the forelegs—the Dogs have a characteristic “tiptoe” gait.
extremely flexible spine, which bends and radius and ulna—fit tightly together, unlike There are four weight-bearing toes on each
stretches easily with every stride. The the equivalent bones in the human forearm. foot and a vestigial dewclaw on the inside of
powerful hindquarters provide forward This is an essential adaptation in an animal
propulsion, while adaptations to the forelegs that may need to change direction rapidly
increase stride length. Traction is created by in pursuit of prey. The tight fit prevents
the nonretractile claws, which act like the rotation of the bones and reduces the risk
running spikes on an athlete’s shoes. of fracture. For extra stability, some of the

Lumbar vertebrae with Orbit (eye socket)

forward-projecting lateral Thoracic vertebrae opens posteriorly
spines that aid flexibility articulate with ribs to allow for powerful
jaw muscles
Jaw articulation with
restricted sideways
Pelvis articulated to the movement
sacrum (three fused
vertebrae) of the spine

Neck (cervical)
vertebrae have wide
range of movement

Flexible tail
(coccygeal) Scapula lacks bony
vertebrae attachment to body

Rib cage protects

Hock (heel) raised heart and lungs
off the ground
Patella

Ulna same length

as radius

Scaphoid and Skeleton

Nonretractile claws prevent lunar bones of A dog’s shape is determined
slipping when running wrist are fused by its skeleton, which can be
altered by selective breeding,
creating dogs of many shapes
and sizes. This dog skeleton is
typical of a medium-sized dog
with a mesaticephalic skull.

10
 SKELE TON AND MUSCLE

SKULL SHAPES
The canine skull has three basic variations:
dolichocephalic (long and narrow); mesaticephalic
(wolflike, being equally proportioned in terms of
cranium width and length of nasal cavity); and
brachycephalic (short and broad). The diversity
of skull shapes in the domestic dog is the result
of changes made to the original canine template DOLICHOCEPHALIC HEAD MESATICEPHALIC HEAD BRACHYCEPHALIC HEAD
by selective breeding. (SALUKI) (GERMAN SHORTHAIRED POINTER) (BULLDOG)

each front leg, equivalent to the human for lifting and carrying the kill.
thumb. However, in a few dogs, such as the The dog also makes use of more subtle
Tibetan Mastiff (see p.80) there are dewclaws muscle power than humans do. Relying
Muscles that open jaw
on the hind feet, too, while in others, such as a good deal on body language to
the Great Pyrenees (see p.78), there are double communicate with each other, a dog
dewclaws. The occurrence of extra toes is constantly twitches with muscle activity:
known as polydactyly. curling a lip in a snarl, pricking up ears
Muscular sling
Bone size can be manipulated relatively to show attention, or wagging a tail as supports and
easily by selective breeding, so humans have a sign of welcome or conciliation. stabilizes foreleg
from below
been able to alter the proportions of the
canine skeleton to create miniature or
outsize versions of dogs, from Chihuahuas
(see p.282) to Great Danes (see p.96). Neck muscles control head
movements, which are important
Significant changes have also been made to in visual and auditory orientation,
the shape of the canine skull (see box above). and for grooming and predation

Powerful upper foreleg

MUSCLE POWER muscles extend and
retract leg
A dog’s limbs are controlled mainly by
muscles in their upper parts. The lower legs
have more tendons than muscles, which Muscles in the tail
allow movement of the
saves weight and reduces energy tip or of the entire
expenditure. Very fast dogs, such as length—for example,
when it is wagged
Greyhounds (see p.126), have a high
proportion of what are known as “fast”
twitch muscle fibers, which, because of the
way they obtain their energy, allow brief
Forearm muscles
bursts of great speed; in dogs built for stabilize, protect,
endurance, like huskies and retrievers, support, and control
the paws and toes
“slow” twitch fibers that keep them going
longer are more numerous. Thin muscle
Achilles tendon is
A hunting dog not only needs to outrun most prominent
layer covers
abdomen
prey, but to seize and hold it. As in all tendon on
dog’s body
carnivores, the canine skull is modified for
the attachment of massive muscles that
operate the jaw and help to prevent it from
moving sideways, possibly even dislocating,
Lower limbs have little
in the effort to grip a struggling victim. muscle mass, only tendons
Large neck muscles provide the strength and ligaments

Muscles
All dogs have the same muscles. They allow a dog to move
and also play an important part in communication. Some
of the limb muscles act in antagonistic pairs, one
extending the leg and the other retracting it.

11
INTRODUC TION TO DOGS | SENSES

Senses
Dogs are very alert to their surroundings and highly responsive to sensory information. They
look and listen to interpret their surroundings, just as we do. Although we see things with
greater clarity—except at night, when canine vision is an advantage—dogs hear much more
and possess a superbly developed sense of smell. A dog’s nose is his best asset and he relies on
it to provide him with a detailed account of the world.

SIGHT distance vision. They are particularly quick

Although dogs cannot see the range of color to pick up movement and can even detect
that humans can, they do see some colors. lameness, a useful adaptation in a predatory
This limited range is because a dog only animal seeking an easy kill. Canines see best
has two types of color-responsive cells in the low light of dawn and dusk—prime
(dichromatic vision) in the retina—the times for hunting in the wild. With less acute
light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye— close vision, a dog relies more on scent,
instead of three (trichromatic vision) as or touch through his sensitive whiskers,
humans have. The canine world is viewed to investigate nearby objects.
in shades of gray, blue, and yellow, without
red, orange, or green—in much the same way
as a person with red-green color-blindness. Cerebrum deals with
Dogs do, however, have excellent long- sensory information

Thalamus deals with

alertness and sleep, in
EAR SHAPES addition to conveying
information on touch,
pain, sight, and hearing

Pineal gland is situated

at the base of the brain and
coordinates the dog’s body clock

ERECT CANDLE-FLAME Pituitary gland produces

(ALASKAN MALAMUTE) (ENGLISH TOY TERRIER) several hormones and also
serves as a link between the
nervous system and other
endocrine glands

Hypothalamus
regulates eating
and drinking
and controls
ROSE BUTTON pituitary gland
(GREYHOUND) (PUG)
Cerebellum
controls
movement

Some areas of the

brain stem control
salivation, others
relay information
DROP PENDANT about hearing, taste,
(BROHOLMER) (BLOODHOUND) and balance

Ear types
There are three main types of ear—erect (top row), Spinal cord connects
semierect (middle row), and drop (bottom row)—but with the peripheral
each includes a variety of different forms. Ears strongly nervous system
influence a dog’s overall appearance and so in many network that carries
sensory information
breeds the correct set, shape, and carriage of the ears over the entire body
is carefully detailed in their respective breed standards.

12
 SENSES

HEARING Even more remarkable, dogs can detect and Choroid membrane Lachrymal gland
prevents reflection of
Puppies are born deaf, but as dogs mature interpret who or what has crossed their path light within the eye and
produces tears
they develop a sense of hearing that is about before, which is why they are so good at carries nutrients and
oxygen to retina Pupil controls
four times as acute as ours. They can hear tracking. With training, dogs can be taught amount of light
entering eye
sounds too low or too high in pitch to be to sniff out drugs and even detect disease.
audible to humans and are also good at The area of a dog’s brain that interprets
detecting the direction the sounds come from. scent messages is estimated to be about 40
Breeds with erect ears—the best design for times larger than ours. Although scenting Transparent
funneling sound—usually have sharper ability depends to some extent on the size cornea
covers iris
hearing than those with drop or pendant of the dog and the shape of his muzzle, and pupil
ears. A dog’s ears are also highly mobile and the average canine nose has somewhere in
frequently used to communicate with others: the region of 200 million scent receptors, Optic nerve Iris (colored
slightly pulled back to signal friendship; compared to about 5 million in humans. carries part of eye)
information
dropped or flattened in fear or submission; to brain Lens
or raised in aggression. TASTE Third eyelid protects front
Light-sensitive
of eye and spreads tears
retina contains two
In mammals, the senses of taste and smell are types of color-
over surface
SMELL closely linked. But although a dog’s nose tells responsive cells
The eye
Dogs take in most information through him a great deal about what he is eating, his Being flatter in shape than a human
their noses, receiving complex messages sense of taste is less well developed. A human eye, a dog’s eye is less efficient at
adjusting the focal length of the lens.
from odors that are undetectable to has an estimated 10,000 taste buds receptive But while a dog’s vision may lack fine
humans. Sampling a smell can tell a to the basic tastes of bitter, sour, salty, and detail, it is much more sensitive to
light and movement.
dog about the readiness of a bitch sweet, but canines have probably fewer than
for mating, the age, sex, and 2,000. Unlike us, dogs do not have a strong
condition of a prey animal, response to the taste of salt; this is probably Middle ear bones
and possibly the mood because their wild ancestors evolved to eat amplify sounds
of his owner. meat, which has a high salt content, and so
Semicircular
there was no need to discriminate between canals aid
balance
foods. Possibly to provide a balance to this
salty diet, dogs have taste receptors on Cochlea
the tips of their tongues that changes
sound into
are highly receptive chemical
signals
to water.

Ear canal
Eardrum Auditory nerve
carries chemical
signals to brain
The ear
The mobile external part of the ear scans for and
funnels sound waves toward the middle and inner
ear, where they are amplified and transformed into
chemical signals that can be interpreted by the brain.
Brain
Position of Nasal
vomeronasal membranes
Tongue rather organ have around
insensitive to salt 200 million
scent receptors

The brain Nose and tongue

All the sensory information that a dog receives Scent and taste are chemical
is carried along nerves to the brain, where senses located in the dog’s
it is interpreted and then acted upon in an muzzle. Additional scent receptors
appropriate way. The speed at which this happens in the vomeronasal organ at the Thin, convoluted
can be extremely rapid: for example, the source base of the nasal cavity are turbinal bones covered Water receptors
of a sound can be pinpointed about six-hundredths important for gathering with nasal membranes concentrated
of a second after it is heard. information about other dogs. capture scent molecules on tip of tongue

13
INTRODUC TION TO DOGS | C ARDIOVA SCUL AR AND DIGESTIVE S YSTEMS

Cardiovascular and
digestive systems
The major body systems that keep a dog, and all other mammals, up and running can
function only by working together. Oxygen drawn in by the lungs and nutrients
contributed by the digestive system are the essential fuels of life and must be
transported to every part of the body. Circulating blood, driven through a network of
arteries and veins by the steady beating of the heart, provides the vital supply line.

CIRCULATION AND RESPIRATION dioxide, produced by cell activity. Blood warm air that causes saliva in its mouth to
A dog’s heart functions in the same way as flows in a continuous circuit, picking up evaporate—latent heat is lost, and the dog’s
our own, pumping with a regular rhythm to oxygen from inhaled air in the lungs, and body temperature decreases as a result.
keep blood moving around the body. Inside then carrying it, together with nutrients Also invaluable for dogs, especially
the muscular walls of the heart there are absorbed through the intestinal walls, cold-climate spitz breeds, is an adaptation
four chambers that contract and relax in a around the entire body. At the same time to the cardiovascular system that prevents
sequence with each heartbeat. This forces that oxygen is collected in the lungs, carbon excessive loss of body heat through the
blood out of the heart through the arteries dioxide diffuses out of the bloodstream and paws when in contact with cold ground.
and into circulation and allows the heart to is expelled from the body in exhaled breath.
refill with blood returning via the veins. The respiratory system also has a vital role
This circulatory, or cardiovascular, system in preventing a dog’s body from overheating.
operates in conjunction with the respiratory Because a dog has only a few sweat glands,
system to bring oxygen to every cell in the mostly in its paws, it cannot keep cool by
body and to remove waste, such as carbon perspiring. Instead, a dog pants, exhaling

Trachea carries inhaled air

from the nostrils or mouth
to the lungs and exhaled
air back out

Jugular vein

Carotid artery carries up to

20 percent of the heart’s
blood to the brain

Pulmonary vein, in contrast to all

other veins, carries oxygenated
blood (from the lungs to the heart)

Femoral artery and Lungs have a large surface

vein are the main area and rich blood supply to Aorta has thick, elastic walls to
blood vessels of the maximize gaseous exchange carry blood under pressure as
hind legs it leaves the heart

Pulmonary artery, in contrast to all

other arteries, carries Subclavian artery and vein
deoxygenated blood (to the lungs are the main blood
from the heart) vessels of the forelegs

Rib cage protects

heart and lungs
Circulatory system
Oxygenated blood is carried from
Heart contracts and relaxes regularly to the heart to all parts of the body in a
pump blood around the body; its size and branching network of arteries (red),
shape vary with the breed and returns in a similar network of
veins (blue) carrying carbon dioxide.

14
 C ARDIOVA SCUL AR AND DIGESTIVE S YSTEMS

Where the blood flows in and out of the

paws, the arteries and veins are in very close TEETH
proximity. As warm arterial blood passes
By the age of 7 to 8 months, most dogs Carnassial
into the paws, it transfers its heat to the have a full set of 42 adult teeth, all teeth
cooler returning venous blood, so the heat adapted for eating meat. At the front, Hidden
is retained in the body rather than lost to canine root
the upper and lower jaws have six
the environment. Known as counter-current incisors flanked at either side by a Incisor
tooth
heat exchange, the same mechanism single large canine tooth that was
once used for grasping, holding, and
operates in the skin of walruses and in
piercing prey. Along the sides of the
penguins’ feet, allowing them to survive jaws are the premolars and molars.
in freezing polar environments. The fourth upper premolar and lower
first molar on each side of the jaw are
DIGESTING FOOD called carnassial teeth and are a feature
A healthy dog wastes no time in clearing its of all mammals belonging to the Canine
tooth
Carnivora order. These teeth act like a
food bowl, gulping down one mouthful
pair of scissors and are used for cutting Premolars Molars
after another without stopping to chew and shearing through hide and bone.
anything. Canids are programmed to eat fast,
not out of greed but out of necessity—in the
wild the slowest feeder risks losing its meal to process of digestion even before swallowing. much more quickly and easily digested than
ravenous pack mates. Humans tend to savor Dogs, which have relatively few taste buds plant material. A dog’s stomach contains
the food in their mouths, chewing it and compared to humans, simply grab large high levels of digestive acids that break
mixing it well with saliva, which starts the chunks of food and swallow them whole. To down meat, bone, and fat rapidly, reducing
mitigate this, they also have an excellent gag food to a liquid that then passes into the
reflex. If they eat something unpleasant they small intestine. Once there, digestive
Sharp teeth bite off lumps can simply throw it up. enzymes produced by the liver and pancreas
of meat, which are mixed
with saliva and swallowed The canine digestive tract is aid the breakdown of food into nutrients
whole without chewing
short and designed specifically that can be absorbed into the bloodstream
for processing meat, which is through the intestinal walls. Any undigested
material moves through the large intestine
Pancreas produces more to be eliminated as feces. In dogs, the transit
enzymes and substances that time of food through the digestive tract,
neutralize the stomach acid on
entering the duodenum from eating to elimination, takes around
8 to 9 hours, compared with an average
of 36 to 48 hours in humans.
Muscular contractions of
the esophagus move the
lumps of food down into
the stomach

Stomach has rings of muscle at its

entrance (cardiac sphincter) and exit Large intestine absorbs
(pyloric sphincter) and produces enzymes, excess liquid. Feces are
and mucus that coats its walls, protecting formed and are passed
them from the acid it produces to break from the body
down the fibrous tissue in meat

Liver produces bile to help break

down fat into molecules that can
then be absorbed by the blood Nutrients are absorbed
through the walls of the
small intestine into the
bloodstream

Digestive system
Structurally simple—essentially the gut is a long
tube—but functionally complex, the digestive
system processes food, releasing its nutrients so
they can be absorbed into the blood stream.

15
INTRODUC TION TO DOGS | URINARY, REPRODUC TIVE, AND HORMONAL S YS TEMS

Urinary, reproductive,
and hormonal systems
In dogs, as in mammals generally, the urinary and reproductive systems share much of the same area
in the hind part of the abdominal cavity. Their tracts become linked together in the male, where
urine and sperm have a combined exit point through the penis. Like all body functions, both these
systems are fine-tuned by hormonal action. Hormones control the production and volume of
urine, and they ensure that a female dog’s reproductive periods occur at optimum times.

URINARY SYSTEM through which urine is excreted. The passer-by is male or female. The smell fades
The function of the urinary system is process is regulated by hormones acting on quickly in the open air, which is why male
to remove waste from the blood and the kidneys to maintain the correct balance dogs constantly mark spots with small
expel it from the body, along with excess of salts and other chemicals in the body. amounts of urine, often returning to the
water, as urine. The urinary organs Dogs urinate not just to relieve their same place to refresh the message. Bitches
comprise the kidneys, which work as bladders but also to mark territory and tend to empty their bladders completely in
filtering units and make urine; the communicate with other dogs. Hormones just one place. Urine of either sex contains
ureters, tubes that carry urine away from and chemicals carried in the urine have an nitrogen and it is this that is responsible
the kidneys; the bladder, which acts as odor that provides a sniffing dog with for the brown patches that appear on lawns
a reservoir; and the urethra, the tube information, including whether a recent where dogs have been.

Brain controls
most hypothalamic
Hypothalamic region activity
controls pituitary activity

Ureters carry
urine to bladder Kidneys filter
from kidneys waste from blood

Spermatic cords
transport sperm to Pituitary gland
prostate gland stimulates and
controls other glands

Thyroid gland is
controlled by
pituitary gland

Uretha carries
urine and semen

Testes produce sperm Penis rests in Adrenal glands,

and testosterone, which protective adjacent to kidneys,
plays a key role in sheath produce adrenaline
the development of and cortisone
male sex organs
Baculum
(penis bone) Male systems
The urinary system is similar to that of the female,
Bladder stores except that it merges with the reproductive
urine system in the urethra. Except for the different
sex hormones produced, the hormone systems
are also alike. The reproductive system differs both
in structure and in the fact that a male dog is
potentially sexually active all year round.

16
 URINARY, REPRODUC TIVE, AND HORMONAL S YSTEMS

REPRODUCTION Anything from one to fourteen or more

Dogs usually reach sexual maturity puppies may be born, but a litter of six HORMONES IN
somewhere between 6 and 12 months of age. to eight is the average. PREGNANCY
In wild canines such as the wolf, females
During pregnancy, rising levels of hormones
normally have one period of estrus a year HORMONES
such as estrogen help to prepare a bitch
(known as “coming into season,” or being Produced by specialized glands and tissues for giving birth and also, by stimulating
“in heat”), during which they ovulate and and released into the bloodstream, hormones development of the milk glands, for feeding
are ready to breed. With a few exceptions, are chemicals that affect specific cells. her puppies. In a lactating (nursing) bitch, milk
the Basenji being one, domestic dogs usually Hormonal activity controls many body production is maintained by an increase in the
have two seasons a year. The onset of estrus functions, including growth, metabolism, hormone prolactin, which also influences
maternal behavior, arousing strong protective
is marked by a small discharge of blood, sexual development, and reproduction. instincts and ensuring that the mother will not
which lasts for around nine days, after Neutering dogs removes the production desert her puppies while they are still totally
which the bitch will be willing to mate. sites of the sex hormones—testosterone in dependent on her for survival.
Male dogs have a bone within the penis males, and estrogen in females—and
called the baculum. During mating, the prevents unwanted pregnancies. As a result
area around the bone enlarges, locking of the loss of testosterone, male dogs lose the
the penis inside the female and creating urge to wander in search of females and are
what is known as the “tie,” which can last less likely to show aggression. Neutering also
for some minutes. If mating leads to affects coat shedding in bitches, which usually
fertilization of the female ova (eggs), the have their heaviest coat loss twice a year,
pregnancy that follows will last between triggered by the hormone that brings them
60 to 68 days. The size of the litter into season. Spayed (neutered) females tend
depends on the type of dog, with larger to shed all year round. Neutering may also
breeds tending to have larger litters. increase the probability of obesity in later life.
Hypothalamus gland stimulates pituitary
gland and produces oxytocin that triggers
uterine contractions

Sensory input into

brain affects
hypothalamus

Adrenal medulla
Uterus has two hormones affect
distinct horns stress and emotions
Cervix separates
uterus from vagina Kidney
Pituitary gland controls other
hormone-producing glands
and secretes prolactin, which
aids milk production

Vagina opens
at vulva Thyroid and
parathyroid glands
produce hormones
that control the body’s
metabolic rate

Adrenal cortex secretes

hormones that control
Ovaries are carbohydrates and
seasonally active sex hormones
and produce sex
hormones

Bladder temporarily
stores urine produced Female systems
by kidneys The female has more complex reproductive
and hormonal systems than the male, since she
is sexually active only once or twice a year. After
mating, the young develop within the uterus
and, after birth, are nurtured by the female for
about six to eight weeks. All of the reproductive
stages are controlled by different hormones.

17
INTRODUC TION TO DOGS | SKIN AND COAT

Skin and coat

Dogs are thin-skinned, but for the majority their covering of hair provides sufficient warmth
and protection. Canine coats come in many types: some dogs have “big hair,” others are short,
wiry, curly, or corded. A handful of breeds have bare skins, with perhaps a sprinkling of hairs
on their extremities. While natural selection is responsible for some variation in dogs’ coats,
humans have introduced most changes, partly for utility but more often for fashion.

SKIN STRUCTURE epidermis. Dogs also have sensitive facial example, when he is afraid or angry. Unlike
In common with all mammals, dogs have hairs, called tactile hairs, which are deeply humans, dogs do not perspire through their
three layers of skin: the epidermis, or outer rooted and well supplied with blood and skin and have functional sweat glands
layer; the dermis, or middle layer; and the nerves. These include whiskers, eyebrows, mainly in the pads of their feet.
subcutaneous layer, consisting largely of fat and hairs on the ears.
cells. Compared with humans, dogs have Oil glands (known as sebaceous glands) COAT TYPES
only a thin epidermis as, with the exception are linked to the hair follicles, into which Some of the main coat types are shown below.
of the few hairless breeds, they have fur they secrete a substance called sebum. This Most breeds of dog have only one coat type,
coats to provide protection and insulation. acts as a skin lubricant and helps to keep the but some, such as the Pyrenean Sheepdog (see
Dogs’ hair grows from complex follicles, coat glossy and waterproof. Most follicles p.50), have several. Many types of dog have a
consisting of a central guard hair and also have an attached muscle that can raise double coat, consisting of a top coat of guard
several, finer undercoat hairs, which all the hair to trap warm air or, more noticeably, hairs, which provides waterproofing, and a
project through the same skin pore in the lift the hackles along a dog’s back: for shorter, softer undercoat. In Spitz dogs, such

HAIRLESS SHORT, SINGLE COAT CURLY COAT WIRE-HAIRED COAT

FULL, DOUBLE COAT SEMI–LONG COAT LONG-HAIRED, CORDED COAT

SILKY COAT

18
 SKIN AND COAT

as the Chow Chow (see p.112), this dual layer attractive dogs, such as the Cocker Spaniel the dog’s entire body. Natural genetic
can be immensely thick. With such insulation, (see p.222) and English Setter (see p.241), have mutations have resulted in several hairless
traditional sled dogs of the northern semi-long coats combining silky-textured breeds. Dogs like the Xoloitzcuintli (see p.37)
hemisphere, such as the Greenland Dog (see body hair of moderate length with longer and the Chinese Crested (see p.280) have
p.100) remain impervious to the most bitter feathering on the tail, underside, and legs. been around for centuries, but it is only in
cold. Even the feet of these dogs are protected Some short-haired dogs have sleek, modern times that hairlessness has been
by long hairs between the toes, which also firm-textured coats that often consist of deliberately perpetuated by selective
give them excellent traction on snow and guard hairs only. The Dalmatian (see p.286) breeding. Some hairless dogs have
ice—and adaptations of the blood vessels in and some pointers and hounds are typical. a few wisps of hair on the head and feet, and
the feet (see p.14) help to prevent heat loss, too. In wire-haired dogs, largely the terrier group, sometimes a plume on the tail.
Dogs with extravagantly long hair are bred the guard hairs are kinked, giving a coarse, As any owner can testify, all dogs shed
today for appearance alone, although some springy texture. These coats are serviceable a certain amount of hair. Shedding is a
originally needed their heavy coats for an in cold weather and stand up well to an natural seasonal response to the hours of
outdoor life. For example, the Afghan Hound energetic terrier lifestyle of digging or delving daylight, and reaches a peak in the spring
(see p.136) is a sight hound from the cold, through undergrowth. Breeds with curly as the coat thins in readiness for warmer
high mountains of Afghanistan, and the coats are uncommon, the best known being weather. In double-coated dogs, whether
Bearded Collie (see p.57) has a working the Poodle (see p.229, 276), sometimes seen long- or short-haired, hair loss can be
background as a herding dog. On the other clipped in fantastic style for the show ring. considerable as the thick undercoat falls
hand, the silky, flowing coat of the diminutive In a few rare breeds, including the Komondor out. When dogs live largely indoors in
Yorkshire Terrier (see p.190) has probably (see p.66) and Puli (see p.65), curls are taken well-heated houses, the shedding pattern
always been more decorative than functional, to extremes, developing into long cords may change, with the dog losing a little hair
despite the breed’s long history. Some very resembling dreadlocks that virtually obscure throughout the year.

COAT COLORS
Some dogs have just one color or one color Red; red merle; ruby; stag-red; deep red Gold and white (either color may
combination, but many have two or three ginger; sandy-red; red-fawn; red-brown; predominate); white and chestnut; yellow
chestnut-brown; lion; orange; orange roan and white; white with orange; sable and
color variations, or more. Where applicable, white; orange belton; lemon belton
the breed descriptions in this book include color
swatches that match as closely as possible the Liver; bronze Chestnut, red, and white; red and white;
coat colors recognized in a breed. These are in red and white spotted
addition to the colors that can be seen
in the photographs of the dog.
A swatch may represent a range of colors. Blue; blue merle (blue-gray); ash Liver and white; liver belton; brown and
The swatches listed in the key are as specified white (either color may predominate);
in the various breed standards but different red roan; roan; white with liver spots
names may be given for the same color: for
example, while red is used to describe many Dark brown; bos (brown); chocolate; Tan and white (either color may
breeds, ruby is used for English Toy Spaniels dead leaf; havana predominate)
and Cavalier King Charles Spaniels. A final
generic swatch is used to represent breeds
that have a limited variety of colors, or those
Black; nearly black; dark gray Black and white (either color may
that can have any color. predominate); piebald; black and white
spotted; sesame; black sesame; black
and silver

Cream; white; white-beige; blonde; yellow Black and tan; vieräugl; karamis; King Black, tan, and white; gray, black, and tan;
Charles; black grizzle and tan; black white, chocolate, and tan; Prince Charles;
and brown (all also known as tricolor)

Gray; ashen-gray; slate-gray; steel-gray; Blue mottled with tan; blue and tan Brindle; black brindle; dark brindle;
gray brindle; wolf-gray; silver fawn brindle; pepper and salt; range
of red brindles

Gold; russet-gold; apricot; biscuit; wheaten; Liver and tan Variety of colors or any color
sandy; light sand; mustard; straw; straw-
bracken; Isabella; all shades of fawn; pale
brown; yellow-red; sable

19
INTRODUC TION TO DOGS | DOGS IN RELIGION, MY TH, AND CULTURE

Dogs in religion,
myth, and culture A SACRED
FU DOG

With a relationship that began before the dawn of civilization, it is not surprising that, over
millennia, dogs and humans have developed strong cultural links. From being servants of
man in the material world, dogs crossed the spiritual divide to become servants of heaven
and hell. And as the bond between humans and canines strengthened into one of love and
loyalty, dogs were finally seen as characters—which has made them indispensable
role-players in popular literature and entertainment for adults and children alike.

DOGS IN RELIGION spirits in the Underworld. Similar evidence of is more monstrous than the three-headed
With dogs seen as traditional protectors, it the religious significance of dogs has been hound Cerberus, keeper of the entrance
was natural that they should be given found at burial sites of the Mayan Classic to Hades, whose capture was the 12th
symbolic duties as guardians in many belief era (c.300–900 CE), where sculptures and and most dangerous Labor of Hercules.
systems. In ancient Egypt, as tomb paintings mummies suggest that dogs were buried The concept of the phantom dog occurs
and hieroglyphs reveal, dogs were associated with their owners to lead their souls in the time and again in stories of the supernatural.
with the jackal-headed god Anubis, guide of afterlife. The Aztecs (14th–16th century) Malevolent dogs are part of the folklore
buried pottery figures of dogs with their of peoples across the world, from North
dead and probably used dogs as sacrifices and South America to Asia. Many legends
in religious ceremonies. In China statues originate in Britain and Ireland, where
of Fu dogs, also known as guardian lions, ghostly dogs, usually large and black,
are seen at the entrances of many Buddhist frightened people by haunting graveyards
temples—their lionlike appearance giving or lonely crossroads. Phantom dogs were
them sacred significance. given various regional names, such as the
Most major religions practiced today Barghest and the Grim. On a dark and
are largely dismissive of dogs, and some deserted road, Charlotte Bronte’s usually
shun them as unclean. But to Hindus in strong-minded heroine Jane Eyre is briefly
parts of present-day India and Nepal, dogs spooked into thinking she has seen the
are regarded as guardians of the gates to Gytrash, the spirit-hound of northern
heaven and are associated with the god England. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle picked
Vishnu, whose four dogs are said to up on the black dog legend in The Hound
represent the four Vedas, the ancient holy of the Baskervilles (1901), his eerie tale
texts of the Hindus. At an annual religious of a fiery-eyed hound visiting terror on
festival dogs are decorated with flower Dartmoor in Britain.
garlands and marked with the sacred red
dot (tika) on their foreheads. DOGS IN LITERATURE
People have been writing about dogs for
CANINE MYTHS AND LEGENDS around 2,000 years, but the earliest books
Dogs both faithful and frightening have were practical guides for people who
featured in classical myths, legends, and kept dogs for working, primarily hunting.
folk tales throughout the ages and in all Fictional dogs certainly appear in dozens
countries. None is more loyal than Argos, of Aesop’s Fables, written around 500 years
Odysseus’s hunting dog, who waits 20 years BCE , but here the Greek moralizer was
to welcome his master home and then dies using dogs as a way of illustrating human
with a final wag of his tail. And possibly none characteristics and failings, such as greed
or gullibility. It was only in much later
Argos, the great dog centuries, when dogs became pets and
In Homer’s The Odyssey, Argos is Odysseus’s faithful dog.
When Odysseus arrives back to his homeland, Ithaca, in
companions, that they began to be treated
disguise after 20 years, Argos is the first to recognize him. as personalities in their own right.

20
 DOGS IN RELIGION, MY TH, AND CULTURE

White Fang fifth member of the Famous Five in a stream

The 1906 novel White Fang by Jack London tells the story of
a dog-wolf crossbreed. After successfully fighting several other
of stories written by Enid Blyton between
dogs, he is matched with a bulldog that nearly kills him. the 1940s and 1960s. Timmy helps to save the
day in all kinds of improbable adventures,
An early fictional dog with enduring but he is nonetheless a more believable dog
appeal is “Crab,” from Shakespeare’s The than Nana, and one that children can readily
Two Gentlemen of Verona (c.1592), whose imagine as a companion. Other old faithfuls
owner, the servant Launce, mournfully include Snowy the white terrier, sidekick to
describes him as “the sourest-natured dog the boy detective Tintin (see p.209), and
that lives.” This heartless hound, usually Dorothy’s dog Toto in The Wizard of Oz.
played on stage for laughs by a real dog,
may have been less than a “best friend,” DOGS ON SCREEN
but in most dog stories devotion has always Since the 20th century dog stories have
been the keynote. been a huge success in movies. Walt
Typical of a genre more popular a century Disney’s cartoon dogs have delighted
ago than today are the books of Jack moviegoers for decades—hapless Pluto;
London, such as The Call of the Wild (1903) well-bred Lady and street-wise Tramp; the
and White Fang (1906)—tales told partly 101 Dalmatians (see p.286). Real-life dogs
from the dog’s point of view, combined with have appeared in other popular films, such
rip-roaring action. Despite their undeniable as Lassie (see p.52), Old Yeller, Big Red,
elements of brutality, these books survive and The Incredible Journey. In the tradition
as classics. of Shakespeare’s “Crab,” dogs make good
Among cozier storybook canines that have film comedians and many leading actors
stayed the course, one of the best loved is have allowed themselves to be upstaged
Nana, a sad-eyed Newfoundland (see p.78) by a canine costar; such memorable screen
dog, nurse to the Darling children in Peter dogs include the lugubrious mastiff helping
The Incredible Journey
One of the biggest tearjerkers of the 1960s, The Incredible
Pan, who marches her charges to school and with police investigations in Turner and
Journey was based on a book of the same name and told the nags them into the bathtub. Also familiar Hooch (1989), the delinquent Labrador
story of Luath, the Labrador, Bodger, the Bull Terrier, and Tao,
an indomitable Siamese cat, as they journey across hundreds
to millions of children is Timmy, the in Marley and Me (2008), and the scene-
of miles of dangerous wilderness to reach home. rough-coated mongrel who features as the stealing Jack Russell in The Artist (2011).

The Artist
Uggie is a Jack Russell Terrier famous for his roles in Mr. Fix
It, Water for Elephants, and The Artist. Uggie’s role in The
Artist (a still from the movie above) drew great acclaim
worldwide and the film went on to win multiple awards.

21
INTRODUC TION TO DOGS | DOGS IN ART AND ADVERTISING

Dogs in art and advertising HOGARTH

WITH HIS PET
PUG, TRUMP
Drawn and painted, sculpted, woven into tapestries, photographed, used as company logos:
dogs have had visual appeal for the entire span of their association with humans. In almost
every type of medium, they tell stories without words, say something about their owners
or the people who portray them, and reflect the lifestyles and tastes of different ages. Most
people like dogs and enjoy them as subjects in art. Commercial organizations have long
relied on this unfailing attraction by using dog images to promote goods and services.

PORTRAYING DOGS Saharan Africa, believed by some authorities unicorns across medieval tapestries; an
A history of the domestic dog can be traced to be more than 5,000 years old. Dogs, estimated 35 dogs appear in the famous
through the development of art. Probably similar in appearance to today’s greyhounds, Bayeux Tapestry illustrating the Norman
some of the earliest depictions of dogs, in hunted on through the Classical ages of Conquest of Britain, albeit largely confined
their original role as hunting companions, Greece and Rome in superbly rendered to the fringes of the main action. The hunting
are prehistoric rock paintings discovered in sculptures, especially associated with the dog theme continued into the sporting prints
Greek goddess Artemis (Roman Diana). of the 18th century, with their packs of
The best-known Classical dogs are not foxhounds in full cry, and the portraits
hunters, though, but the fierce, chained of gundogs, dead game hanging limply
guard dogs in lifelike mosaics retrieved from their jaws, favored by the 19th-century
from the ashes of Pompeii. In later ages landed shooting fraternity.
slender sight hounds pursued deer and Before dogs became accepted as the norm
in ordinary homes during the 19th century,
Rock carving
they were usually painted as pets only in
From the Neolithic period to the 21st century, dogs have portraits commissioned by the wealthy—
been enjoyed as art subjects. This petroglyph in Youf
Ahakit Tassili Ahaggar, Sahara Desert, Algeria, is one of
as companions of aristocrats or in the arms
the earliest depictions. of small beribboned children. But dogs

Ringwood, a Brocklesby Foxhound

This anatomically accurate portrait of a Foxhound painted
by English painter George Stubbs in 1792 reveals how
Foxhounds looked at the time.

Bayeux Tapestry
This section of the Bayeux Tapestry from the 11th century
depicts three large dogs and two smaller ones running
ahead of a huntsman.

22
 DOGS IN ART AND ADVERTISING

A king’s companion Equally long survivors are the black Scottie

This portrait of Emperor Charles V by Tiziano
Vecelli (Titian) subtly suggests the emperor’s
(see p.189) and the West Highland White
power as he is depicted restraining one of his Terrier (see p.188), famous since the 1890s as
large dogs.
the trademark for a brand of Scotch whisky.
Original bar figurines, jugs, and ashtrays
painted dogs innumerable times, featuring the “Black and White” pair are now
sitting on laps, going for walks, and collectors’ items.
at picnics. Amid the crowded scene With the arrival of commercial television,
of one of his most famous works, dogs started appearing on screen in
The Boating Party (1880–81), a small advertisements promoting almost anything
dog shares the limelight in the from cans of paint to credit cards. Since
foreground. Another artist who the 1970s, hundreds of huggable Labrador
enjoyed painting dogs was Pierre Retriever (see pp.260) puppies have taken
Bonnard (1867–1947); from street on the role as mascot for a best-selling toilet
mutts to family pets, he showed them tissue, gamboling amid unraveling toilet-
bursting with real character. paper rolls. Naturally, dogs are used to
More disturbing are the dogs used advertise their own products, too. Bright-
as obscure symbols in the surreal eyed and bouncing, they testify to the
paintings of Salvador Dali. The excellence of various canned and packaged
starving hound chewing a carcass in pet foods—although the biggest hit, Henry
Dali’s Metamorphosis of Narcissis the bloodhound in a much-loved television
(1937) possibly reflects death and advertisement of the 1960s and 70s, simply
decay. Just as enigmatic is fellow sat and looked doleful.
surrealist Joan Miro’s cartoonish In the world of fashion, dogs are also
little dog baying at an uncaring often used on the principle that “cute sells.”
Moon in a largely barren canvas Alongside leggy models in haute couture
(Dog Barking at the Moon, 1926). clothes or advertising luxury goods, dogs
Dog-lover Picasso’s simple sketch of work particularly well as accessories. Today’s
his dog, Lump, captures the essence upmarket fashion magazines are full of
of the Dachshund (see p.170) in a photoshoots featuring Pugs (see p.268)
few graceful lines and has become and Chihuahuas (see p.282) wearing a
one of his most popular prints. small fortune in designer jewelry around
Lucien Freud included his beloved their necks or poking their heads out of
portrayed as a fact of life, desirable or whippets, Eli and Pluto, in several of his expensive handbags.
otherwise, have been common in art for powerful human portraits—in his Girl with
centuries. William Hogarth (1697–1764), a White Dog (1950–51) the bull terrier is as
who posed with his pet pug, Trump, in a much a focal point of the picture as the
self-portrait, included dogs as part of the female model, Freud’s first wife.
social commentary implicit in his work.
Hogarth’s dogs go about their canine affairs COMMERCIAL ICONS
largely unregarded, stealing food scraps or Dog appeal has proved immensely valuable
lifting a leg to urinate. Dogs began to be in the field of commercial advertising. In
painted as a subject in their own right in the much the same way as artists sometimes
late 18th century by painters such as George portray dogs symbolically, so marketing
Stubbs. A more sentimental attitude to dogs managers find dogs useful for putting their
crept in with the Victorian artists, famously messages across: bulldogs, strong and
Sir Edwin Landseer (1802–73), whose reliable, sell insurance; large, shaggy dogs
portraits of self-sacrificing Newfoundlands suggest a family-friendly product; small,
(see p.79), pert terriers, and noble deerhounds fluffy breeds have the right image for
embody the virtues and emotions of his era. beauty aids.
Some of the greatest pictures in the world One of the best-known advertising icons of His Master’s Voice
include a dog or two—variously interpreted all time is the painting of the terrier Used as a logo since 1899 by the music company HMV,
Nipper, the terrier gazing transfixed into the trumpet of a
by impressionists, post-impressionists, “Nipper,” used as a logo since 1899 by the windup gramophone, has survived into the 21st century
surrealists, modernists, and others. Renoir music company HMV (His Master’s Voice). despite the advent of new technology.

23
INTRODUC TION TO DOGS | DOGS IN SPORTS AND SERVICE

Dogs in sports and service

From the dawn of their relationship, dogs and humans have worked and played
together successfully. Most dogs are natural enthusiasts for chasing and running, and
people the world over learned early on how to exploit these inclinations for hunting
and sports. Canine intelligence has also proved more than equal to the numerous
demands made on dogs as work partners. Most are eager to please and have readily
taken on duties as guardians, herders, guides, trackers, and even home helpers.

HUNTING FOR PLEASURE In later centuries, pack-hunting dogs shooting of waterfowl and game birds such as
Primitive peoples used dogs to help them developed into distinctly recognizable pheasant and grouse. Among the breeds still
catch game for food, but with the rise of breeds, such as foxhounds, staghounds, bred and trained today are pointers and setters
civilizations, hunting with dogs developed and otterhounds. Hunting of live game with that direct the guns to their targets, spaniels
into a sport as well, although usually only hounds is now illegal in some countries, but for working in undergrowth to flush out
for the wealthier members of society. As the excitement of the chase lives on in drag- game, and retrievers to bring back fallen birds.
paintings dating back nearly 3,000 years hunting, in which the pack follows a trail of
depict, the Ancient Egyptians hunted with artificial scent. Hunting dogs with highly SPORTING DOGS
dogs very similar to some of today’s big-eared specialized roles were developed when the Hunting is by no means the only way
sight hounds, such as the Pharaoh Hound (see invention of guns led to the growth of sports humans have used dogs for their own
p.32) and Ibizan Hound (see p.33) In China amusement. One of the earliest, and most
the tombs of the Han dynasty (206BCE – brutal, “entertainments” was pit fighting,
220CE), have yielded realistic figurines of in which powerful dogs, such as the mastiffs
heftily built mastiff-type hunting dogs that once seen in the arenas of Ancient Rome,
appear to be “pointing” at game. were set against bears, bulls, and sometimes
By medieval times in Europe, hunting each other. The battles were bloody, and
with dogs of various types was the passion of victory for one combatant meant death or
kings and landowning nobility. Swift-running mutilation for the other. On a smaller scale,
hounds, resembling modern greyhounds and pit fights between terriers and rats once had
harriers, were sent after smaller game; but a widespread following.
dangerous quarry such as bear and wild boar People have come up with many other
required larger hounds, hunting in varied Tracking and chasing
ways of using dogs in sports, among which
packs that included the now-extinct types Early hunters appreciated the ability of hounds to follow trials of speed have been the most enduring.
a scent as well as their speed when chasing quarry so
known as alaunts and lymers, which were worked with them to increase their hunting success, as
Coursing, in which competing pairs of fast
broadly similar to mastiffs and bloodhounds. seen in this Roman relief of Hercules hunting. sight hounds such as Greyhounds, Whippets,
or Salukis are sent in pursuit of hares, was
popular for nearly 2,000 years before being
made illegal in most European countries.
Greyhound racing has attracted big crowds
for hundreds of years; and since the 20th
century some of the most challenging races
in terms of speed and endurance have
been for teams of sled dogs—tough,
cold-weather breeds such as Greenland
Dogs (see p.100) and Siberian Huskies
(see p.101)—competing over hundreds
of miles in harsh northern territories.

Afghan Hounds racing

Dog racing has been a popular means of entertainment
for centuries. Several breeds, including Afghan Hounds,
race as they chase an artificial lure around a track until
they cross the finish line.

24
 DOGS IN SPORTS AND SERVICE

Gathering the flock the thick-coated shepherd dogs still seen in bloodhounds pursue fleeing suspects, and
Sheepdogs are trained to round up and herd flocks and are
hardy enough to work in severe climate conditions. Here a
eastern Europe, were developed to deal with specially trained dogs are also invaluable
Border Collie herds sheep in Twizel, New Zealand. dangerous predators. in such work as detecting drugs or locating
Harnessing canine strength has sometimes survivors in areas of devastation.
Among the gentler sports are trials in which been taken literally, with larger dogs used as Dogs have often made life in the home
dogs display their agility, intelligence, and draft animals, whether for hauling sleds over easier, too. The Ancient Aztecs used hairless
obedience by negotiating tricky obstacle polar ice, drawing milk carts, or taking small dogs as hot-water bottles on cold nights,
courses. Agility trials are often highly children for rides in traps. In the past even but in the modern world canine partners
competitive affairs; but many are no more small dogs were sometimes used for sometimes have to be more active. Guide
than low-key local events, in which anyone’s providing motive power: unfortunate terriers dogs help people with impaired sight to
pet with a zest for leaping over jumps or could be found in the sweltering kitchens of safely negotiate hazards such as traffic and
wriggling through pipes can take part. large houses and inns, running endlessly in stairs. Many people with other disabilities
treadwheels to turn roasting spits. or illnesses also rely on dogs trained to
DOGS IN SERVICE Dogs have gone to war for centuries, and perform such tasks as warning of impending
Another of the early occupations for dogs in World Wars I and II were employed to epileptic seizures or even loading the
in the service of humans was as guardians carry messages, first aid, and ammunition washing machine. In hospitals, hospices,
and herders of livestock, and the tradition across no-go zones. Today dogs trained to and nursing homes dogs chosen carefully for
continues in many parts of the world. Pastoral sniff out explosive devices are important their amenable temperaments are brought in
work is not always peaceful where bears and members of the armed forces. A dog’s ability to provide comfort and distraction, and
wolves live, and so large, powerful breeds to scent trouble has also proved helpful to their services as a very real form of therapy
with fiercely protective instincts, such as police and security forces. Baying are widely acknowledged.

25
GUIDE TO
CHAPTER 2

BREEDS
A primitive dog of many talents
Today the Peruvian Hairless is kept mainly
as a pet, but for hundreds of years this
athletic breed was used for hunting
and guarding as well as for therapeutic
purposes and companionship.
 PRIMITIVE DOGS

PRIMITIVE
DOGS
Many modern dog breeds are the result of hundreds of years of breeding for particular
characteristics, but a few, commonly regarded as primitive dogs, have remained close to the
original “blueprint” of their wolf ancestors. As a group, primitive dogs are not clearly defined,
and not all authorities agree that such a category should be recognized.

As variously listed, primitive dogs include the Carolina Dog (see p.35) Other examples are hairless dogs
are a diverse group, but many of of North America and the rare New from Mexico and South America,
them share typically wolflike Guinea Singing Dog (see p.32), which genetic mutations of coated breeds
characteristics. These include erect is genetically very close to the dingo that resemble dogs depicted in the art
ears, a wedge-shaped head with a of Australia. Such dogs have evolved and artifacts of ancient civilizations.
pointed muzzle, and a tendency to naturally rather than through breeding Recent genetic investigations suggest
howl rather than bark. Their coats for temperament or appearance and that two dogs included in this section—
are usually short but vary in color and cannot be considered completely the Pharaoh Hound (see p.32) and the
density according to the region from domesticated. The New Guinea Ibizan Hound (see p.33)—should no
which the dog originates. Most Singing Dog, which is on the verge longer be considered primitive. These
primitive dogs come into season only of extinction, is more likely to be breeds are popularly supposed to be
once a year, unlike other domestic seen in zoos than in homes. the direct descendants of big-eared
dogs, which have two cycles of Several dogs are included in Egyptian hounds pictured in drawings
estrus a year. the primitive group because they dating back 3,000 years. However,
Canine specialists are now taking are believed to be uninfluenced there is genetic evidence that the line
an interest in dogs that have had little by any other types over thousands of descent may not have remained
to do with humans and nothing to do of years. Among them is the Basenji unbroken down the centuries. It is
with breed development programs. (see p.30) from Africa, long used probable that the Pharaoh and Ibizan
These primitive dogs, which come for hunting in its native country Hounds are in fact modern re-creations
from various parts of the world, before becoming a popular pet. of ancient breeds.

29
C ATALOG OF BREEDS | PRIMITIVE DOGS

30
 PRIMITIVE DOGS

Basenji DEDICATED BREEDER

Veronica Tudor-Williams (below) was one of the
HEIGHT WEIGHT LIFE SPAN Variety of colors first people to import the Basenji to the UK from
16–17in 22–24lb Over 10 years White markings may appear on Africa in the late 1930s. She continued breeding
(40–43cm) (10–11kg) chest, feet, and tail tip. her dogs during the food shortages of World
War II and exported puppies to North America,
helping to establish the breed there. In 1959 she
This neat and graceful dog is always on the alert and ready traveled to southern Sudan in search of native
Basenji dogs that could be used to improve
to protect, but instead of barking it yodels the breed. She returned with two. One of them,
a red and white female named Fula, was never
One of the most primitive breeds, the most other dogs. Instead, the dogs howl presented at shows but was still extremely
Basenji is a hunting dog from Central Africa. or yodel; some of the African tribespeople influential and appears in the pedigrees of
Like the Canaan Dog (see p.32), it belongs who use them refer to them as “talking nearly all registered Basenjis.
to a group known as Schensi dogs—breeds dogs.” Another notable feature is that
that have not been completely domesticated. the females come into season only once
Basenjis are traditionally used by pygmy a year, like wolves, rather than twice,
hunters; they live semi-independently in a as with domestic dogs.
pack alongside the tribe, but are employed The Basenji is affectionate and fun-
for driving big game into nets. The dogs loving, and is a popular house dog. Although
are fitted with bells around their necks to loyal to its family, it is rather independent-
scare their prey. Western explorers originally minded, so may need careful training to
encountered these dogs in the 17th century follow orders. These dogs are fast, agile,
and used names such as “Congo Terrier” and intelligent; they locate their prey by
or “Bush Dog” to describe them. In the both sight and scent, and enjoy chasing
1930s the first dogs were imported into and tracking activities. They need plenty
the UK, and the breed was named basenji of mental and physical exercise if they are
(meaning “little things from the bush” not to become bored.
or “villagers’ dogs” in one of the languages
of the Congo region of Africa).
An unusual feature of the Basenji is Forehead wrinkles Flat-topped
when alert skull
that it does not bark—the larynx (voice
box) is shaped differently from that of

Tail carried in tight Smooth,

curl over back short coat

Finely
chiseled
features Long,
elegant
neck

Very long
forearms

Red

PUPPY

31
C ATALOG OF BREEDS | PRIMITIVE DOGS

New Guinea Singing Dog Canaan Dog

HEIGHT 16–18in (40–45cm) Sable Black and tan HEIGHT 20–24in (50–60cm) White Black
WEIGHT 18–31lb (8–14kg) White markings are common with all color WEIGHT 40–55lb (18–25kg) Red and Black and
LIFE SPAN 15–20 years types. LIFE SPAN Over 10 years white spotted white spotted

This rare dingolike breed is a native of New Guinea, where Bred in Israel as a watchdog and herder, the Canaan Dog has
it lives feral or in semidomestication. The Singing Dog Wedge-
strong protective instincts that do not usually turn into aggression.
is kept as a curiosity in zoos worldwide but has become shaped It is highly intelligent, and with steady training makes a reliable
head
a challenging pet for a few dedicated owners. It has and affectionate companion. Not a common breed,
the extraordinary ability to vary the notes of it has yet to achieve widespread popularity.
its howl, hence the name. Dark, slightly
Red
Brushlike, slanting eyes
thick tail, carried
high and curled
Short, thick,
plush coat
Dense,
harsh coat
Low-set,
Small, broad ears
erect ears

Moderately
tucked-up White
belly Tucked-up chest
belly markings

Sandy

Pharaoh Hound
HEIGHT 21–25in (53–63cm)
WEIGHT 44–55lb (20–25kg)
LIFE SPAN Over 10 years

Although the modern Pharaoh Hound was developed in Malta,

Arched,
this graceful breed bears a strong resemblance to the prick-eared long neck
hunting dogs illustrated in the art and artifacts of Ancient Egypt. Slender,
Dark tan
The Pharaoh Hound is calm-tempered but needs a lot of exercise elegant body

and unless restrained outdoors

will fly off in pursuit of small Large,
erect ears
animals, including other pets.
Whipped tail, White markings
carried in a on chest
high curve common
when active

Amber-colored eyes
Short, glossy,
slightly harsh coat

Toes often
marked white

32
 PRIMITIVE DOGS

Canarian Warren Hound Cirneco dell’Etna

HEIGHT 21-25in (53–64cm) HEIGHT 17–20in (42–52cm) Isabella, light sand
WEIGHT 35-49lb (16–22kg) WEIGHT 18–26lb (8–12kg)
LIFE SPAN 12–13 years LIFE SPAN 12–14 years

Also known as the Podenco Canario, this hound— This Sicilian breed, which may have originated in Narrow,
almost
found on all the Canary Islands—has Egyptian roots the area immediately around Mount Etna, is rare flat skull
dating back thousands of years. The breed is used as outside its native country. Lithe and strong, the
a rabbit-hunter and is highly valued for its speed, Cirneco dell’Etna is built to run and hunt. Although
keen sight, and excellent nose. Sensitive and restless, good-natured, this dog is not an ideal option
Strong,
it is unlikely to adapt well to a quiet life indoors. for owners who want a placid house pet. arched neck

Red Flesh-
Low-set, slightly colored
tapered tail nose Short,
glossy coat
Erect, rigid
ears set high
Small, amber- on head
colored Slender, White
eyes athletic body markings
White Fawn
markings on chest
on chest
Sleek,
smooth coat

Ibizan Hound
HEIGHT 22–29in (56–74cm) Lion
WEIGHT 44–51lb (20–23kg)
LIFE SPAN 10–12 years Flat skull

Used in Spain as a pack dog for hunting rabbits, the Ibizan Hound can
cover the roughest ground at a “raking trot” characteristic of the breed. Large, tan,
pointed ears
This dog also has an enormous jump and can easily leap over a garden Lean,
fence. As long as an owner bears security in mind, the Ibizan Hound muscular body Long,
is not difficult to keep, but it is an all-action dog that needs relentless slender
muzzle
exercise. The breed has a charming temperament and fits in well
with family life. There are two coat types—smooth and
rough—both of which are easy to maintain.
White

Clear, Narrow
amber eyes head

Chestnut
Long forearms

SMOOTH-COATED ROUGH-COATED
White chest
and collar Slender,
strong toes

33
C ATALOG OF BREEDS | PRIMITIVE DOGS

Portuguese Podengo WIREHAIRED

PEQUENO

HEIGHT WEIGHT LIFE SPAN White, yellow

Pequeno: 8–12in (20–30cm) Pequeno: 9–11lb (4–5kg) Over 12 years Black
Medio: 16–21in (40–54cm) Medio: 35–44lb (16–20kg) White dogs have patches of yellow, black,
Grande: 22–28in (55–70cm) Grande: 44–66lb (20–30kg) or fawn. Pequeno dogs may be brown.

An all-purpose hunter that makes an entertaining companion SUITABLY SIZED

given sufficient mental and physical activity Bred primarily to hunt hare and rabbit, the
Portuguese Podengo is a primitive sight hound.
The national dog of Portugal, the to control vermin during the voyages. On It was bred in three sizes so it could work in any
Portuguese Podengo is said to have originated reaching new lands, the dogs were put back type of terrain. The Grande dog was developed
from dogs brought to the Iberian Peninsula to their usual work. However, as podengo in south central Portugal to hunt in open areas
by the Phoenicians over 2,000 years ago. is a general Portuguese term that refers to where speed is important. The Medio, being a
Today there are three different varieties: any prick-eared hound, these early exports smaller and more maneuverable dog, was found
farther north where there is more cover for game.
small (Pequeno), medium (Medio), and large were probably very different from the breed The smallest, the Pequeno, hunts in very dense
(Grande). Smooth-haired Podengos are more recognized today. undergrowth that would be too difficult for
commonly found in the north of the country The modern Portuguese Podengo, and larger dogs to work in effectively.
where the climate is damp, since their in particular the Pequeno variety, is rapidly
quick-drying coat is suited to wet weather. growing in popularity as a companion dog,
Wirehaired types are more commonly found having been imported to both the UK and
in the drier south. All varieties were the US. In contrast, the Podengo Grande has
traditionally bred for hunting, and in become increasingly rare since the 1970s,
Portugal some are still used for that purpose. although efforts are being made to increase
The Portuguese, being seafaring people, its numbers again. Regardless of size, the
were among the first Europeans to Podengo’s intelligence and alertness make
explore and colonize the it an excellent watchdog.
Americas in the 15th and 16th
centuries, laying claim to parts
White blaze
of Canada and Brazil. It is said on face
that the ships used for these
explorations carried Podengos, Large, triangular,
erect ears
a useful asset because they helped

Fawn with Short

white markings coat

Fawn

Strong
hindquarters

SMOOTH-HAIRED MEDIO SMOOTH-HAIRED PEQUENO

Rounded feet with

well arched toes
 PRIMITIVE DOGS

Carolina Dog
HEIGHT 18–20in (45–50cm) Deep red-ginger
WEIGHT 33–44lb (15–20kg) Black and tan
LIFE SPAN 12–14 years

Also known as the “American Dingo,”

Triangular,
this dog’s ancestors are thought to have been erect ears
domesticated and brought into North America
by early settlers from Asia. In America’s
southeastern states, some still live Wheaten

semi-wild. Naturally wary, this dog

needs early socializing to make it
Longer
an acceptable pet. hairs on
neck

Short,
dense coat

Lighter-colored
chest

Tail carried in
distinctive hook
when alert

Peruvian Inca Orchid

HEIGHT 20–26in (50–65cm) Any color
WEIGHT 26–51lb (12–23kg) Hairless dogs always have pink skin
LIFE SPAN 11–12 years but the color of mottling can vary.

The true origins of the Peruvian Crest of hair

Ears become
Inca Orchid are lost in time, but semierect on head
dogs of this type are known to have when alert

been important in Inca civilizations.

There are two varieties of this
breed: hairless and coated. The Straight back
hairless Inca Orchid is better
suited to indoor rather than
outdoor life because of
its delicate skin.

Pink with
darker
mottling
HAIRLESS INCA
ORCHID
Tail sometimes
carried tucked
under belly
Front feet longer
than hind feet

35
C ATALOG OF BREEDS | PRIMITIVE DOGS

Peruvian Hairless
HEIGHT WEIGHT LIFE SPAN Blonde
Miniature: 10–16in (25–40cm) Miniature: 9–18lb (4–8kg) 11–12 years Dark brown
Medio: 16–20in (40–50cm) Medio: 18–26lb (8–12kg) Black
Grande: 20–26in (50–65cm) Grande: 26–55lb (12–25kg) GRANDE

This gentle, bright, and agile dog is affectionate with LOST IN TIME
owners but may be shy when around strangers The pre-Inca Nazca civilization of coastal Peru
is famous for producing the massive geoglyphs,
Records of hairless dogs in South America National Patrimony of Peru. In 2008 known collectively as the Nazca Lines. Among
date back to pre-Inca times; images of a Peruvian Hairless was offered to the various designs and shapes, there are over
them are found on pottery dating from President Obama as a family pet. 70 different animals, including a dog. Created
750 BCE . These lively and graceful dogs were Peruvian Hairless dogs come in three between 100–800CE and measuring 167ft (51m)
often seen in the homes of Incan nobility. sizes—miniature, medio, and grande. in length, the dog’s outline was produced by
removing surface gravel to expose the lighter rocks
The Andean peoples believed these Hairlessness—often accompanied by the below. It is possible that the dog depicted (below)
companion dogs brought good luck and absence of some molar and premolar represents an ancestor of the Peruvian Hairless.
promoted health, and would hug them to teeth—is produced by a particular recessive
relieve aches and pains. The dogs’ urine and gene, but occasionally dogs with coats do
feces may have been used in medicines. occur in litters. The fine skin needs some
When a person died, artifacts of hairless protection since these dogs are susceptible
dogs were sometimes buried with them to to the cold and easily sunburned.
keep the person company in the afterlife.
After the Spanish Conquest of Peru in the Crest of hairs
16th century, hairless dogs were persecuted
almost to extinction. However, some did
Rose ears
survive and since 2001 the Peruvian Hairless
has been a protected breed—part of the

Elephant-gray
Eyes match
skin color

Fine, elastic skin

Tucked-up belly

MEDIO MINIATURE
Pink patches
on legs
Long feet

36
 Xoloitzcuintli
HEIGHT WEIGHT LIFE SPAN Red
Miniature: 10–14in (25–35cm) Miniature: 5–15lb (2–7kg) Over 10 years Liver or Bronze (right)
Intermediate: 14–18in (36–45cm) Intermediate: 15–31lb (7–14kg)
Standard: 18–24in (46–60cm) Standard: 24–40lb (11–18kg) MINIATURE (PUPPY)

This calm-natured, alert dog is easy to care for and USEFUL COMPANION
makes a delightful and entertaining companion Mexican Hairless dogs feel warm to the touch
because, lacking fur, they radiate their body heat.
Also known as the Mexican Hairless or Three sizes are now recognized: miniature, In the past this attribute was appreciated by
Xolo (pronounced sholo), hairless dogs have intermediate, and standard. Like all hairless farmers who used the dogs as bed-warmers.
featured in ceramic paintings and figurines dogs, this breed has limited general appeal The practice supposedly gave rise to the phrase
dating from over 3,000 years ago and been and remains a rarity. Nonetheless, the “three dog nights” for very cold
found in the tombs of Aztec, Mayan, and Mexican Hairless is good-tempered, evenings. The dog’s body heat
was also thought to have healing
other Central American peoples. affectionate, and highly intelligent. The properties and it would be held
In pre-Conquest Mexico hairless dogs dogs are good companions and watchdogs, against painful areas of the body
were valued companions and bed-warmers. and are starting to be used as service dogs to provide a warm compress.
In addition, the dogs had sacred significance. to provide relief for chronic pain—an echo
The animals were used as guard dogs to of their traditional role. In addition,
protect the home from evil spirits as well being hairless makes them good pets
as intruders, and they were thought to for allergy sufferers.
guide the soul through the underworld. MEXICAN
EARTHENWARE DOG
Some dogs were sacrificed or ritually eaten 100BCE–300CE
Tufts of
in religious ceremonies; because of these hair on
forehead
practices, hairless dogs barely escaped Large, long ears,
extinction. It was not until the mid-20th erect when alert
century that breeders began to work
toward the dog’s recovery.

Dark gray Head has slight stop

and tapering muzzle
Traces of dark
hair on tail

Firm, slender neck

Black

INTERMEDIATE STANDARD

37
Rescue work
Baerli, a German Shepherd Dog,
explores a hole in the snow as part of
his training for avalanche search and
rescue work.
 WORKING DOGS

WORKING
DOGS
The list of jobs that humans ask dogs to perform is almost endless. In the thousands of years since
dogs were domesticated, canine helpers have guarded homes, rescued people in danger, gone to
war, and looked after the sick and disabled—to give just a few examples. In this book the working
group is represented by breeds traditionally developed for pastoral work and guard duties.

In general, the dogs in this highly Australian Cattle Dog (see p.62) security forces and for guarding
diverse group tend to be large, though nip at heels, and some herders bark property. Typically, these dogs are
there are a few small but nonetheless as they work. Guardian sheepdogs, massively built and powerful, with
robust exceptions. Working dogs are which include mountain breeds such small ears (often cropped in countries
bred for strength and stamina, and as the Maremma (see p.69) and the where the practice is still legal) and
many of them are capable of living Great Pyrenees (see p.78), are pendulous flews (lips).
outdoors in all weathers. designed to protect their flocks from Many working breeds are excellent
A collie rounding up its flock is for predators such as wolves. Usually very as companion dogs. Pastoral herders
most people the archetypal shepherd large, many of these dogs are white, are extremely intelligent and generally
dog, but many other types of dog heavy-coated, and scarcely easy to train, and often enjoy using
are used to work with livestock. distinguishable from the sheep they their skills in agility trials and other
These pastoral breeds, as they are live with and protect all their lives. canine competitions. Livestock
known, are used for both herding Guard duties of another kind are guardian dogs, because of their size
and guarding. Herding dogs have often carried out by dogs of the mastiff and protective nature, are less likely
a natural instinct for driving stock, type, recognizable as descendants of to be suited to family life. In recent
though not all of them work in the the enormous molossus dogs seen in decades a number of the mastiff-type
same way. Border Collies (see p.51), friezes and artifacts from the ancient breeds have achieved great popularity
for example, keep their sheep in world. Such breeds as the Bullmastiff as companions. Although some were
order by stalking and staring, while (see p.94), the Dogue de Bordeaux (see produced originally for fighting, if
the traditional cattle herders such as p.89), and the Neapolitan Mastiff reared in the home and socialized
Welsh Corgis (see pp.58, 60) and the (see p.92) are used worldwide by early they adapt to life as a pet.

39
C ATALOG OF BREEDS | WORKING DOGS

Wedge-shaped,

Saarloos Wolfdog wolflike head

HEIGHT 24–30in (60–75cm) Cream

WEIGHT 77–88lb (35–40kg) Bos (brown)
LIFE SPAN Over 10 years

The Saarloos Wolfdog is the result of selective crossbreeding to

produce a German Shepherd-type dog with natural traits closer Triangular ears with
rounded tips
to those of its wolf ancestors. Although it was suggested that
this new breed could be useful as a guide dog,
the Saarloos Wolfdog Almond-
shaped
has proved better eyes
suited to life as a
pet and companion.
However, it needs
sensitive handling. Wolf-gray

Body longer than

leg length

Long,
arched feet
Heavy-coated,
broad tail

Czechoslovakian King Shepherd

Wolfdog HEIGHT 25–29in (64–74cm)
WEIGHT 90–145lb (41–66kg)
Black
Sable with
Black dogs may
have red, gold, or
LIFE SPAN 10–11 years black markings cream markings.
HEIGHT 24–26in (60–65cm)
WEIGHT 44–57lb (20–26kg)
LIFE SPAN 12–16 years Developed in the US and recognized since the late 1990s, this
large and handsome dog clearly shows the German Shepherd
Created through breeding programs that initially crossed Dog (see p.42) in its breeding history. King Shepherds love to
German Shepherd Dogs with wolves, the Czechoslovakian work as herders or guard dogs, but have a placid and tolerant
Wolfdog has inherited many of the traits of its wild ancestors. nature that allows them to fit in well with a family. There are
This breed is quick, fearless, resilient, and wary of two coat types: smooth and rough.
strangers. It is also faithful and obedient with
Ruff of longer hair
familiar handlers, qualities that make Black saddle around neck
with tan
it an excellent house dog. Predominately
black muzzle
Yellowish gray
Distinctive lighter
area on face

Straight
coat
Plumed tail White
Dark nails
Weather-resistant, marking
thick coat on chest

ROUGH-COATED

40
 WORKING DOGS

Laekenois Belgian Sheepdog

HEIGHT 22–26in (56–66cm) HEIGHT 22–26in (56–66cm)
WEIGHT 55–65lb (25–29kg) WEIGHT 51–75lb (23–34kg)
LIFE SPAN Over 10 years LIFE SPAN Over 10 years

Of the four breeds of Belgian Shepherd Dog, this From 1893 black-coated Belgian Sheepdogs were selectively
wiry-coated variety was the first to be developed, bred at a kennel in the village of Groenendael, near Brussels.
Head carried
in the 1880s. The Laekenois is named after the high with alert This handsome variety is now extremely popular. Like
expression Finely shaped
Château de Laeken, near Antwerp, and was once most herding dogs, the Belgian Sheepdog needs an muzzle
much favored by the Belgian royal family. Rarely owner who understands the importance of early
seen, this delightful dog deserves to be more socializing and firm but kindly control.
widely appreciated. Long, straight
Wiry coat
coat
Area of darker
High-set, shading Slightly
erect ears Ruff of sloping rump
longer hair
around neck

Reddish
fawn Black
Long
Body powerful feathering
but not heavy on legs
Round feet

Belgian Malinois Belgian Tervuren

HEIGHT 22–26in (56–66cm) Gray HEIGHT 22–26in (56–66cm) Gray
WEIGHT 60–65lb (27–29kg) Red WEIGHT 40–65lb (18–29kg)
LIFE SPAN Over 10 years All colors have black overlay. LIFE SPAN Over 10 years All colors have black overlay.

Believed to have originated in Malines, in Belgium, the The most popular of the Belgian Shepherd Dogs worldwide,
Malinois is a short-haired variety of the Belgian Shepherd Dog. this variety was named after the village where it was developed
Like its fellow breeds, it is a natural guard dog. Although its by a local breeder. The Belgian Tervuren has strong protective
behavior may be unpredictable, with responsible instincts and is frequently used for guarding and police
training the Malinois socializes well and makes work. Its beautiful, black-tipped coat sheds regularly
a loyal companion. and needs plenty of grooming.
Short, straight coat Triangular ears,
Strongly muscled back
with black tips mostly black
to the hairs
Fawn with
black overlay
Almond- Black ears
shaped, and mask
brown
eyes
Abundant
breeches on
Distinctive hindquarters
black mask
Fawn
Rich, long
coat

Darker tip
on bushy tail

41
 WORKING DOGS

German Shepherd Dog CANINE SUPERSTAR

Rescued from a WWI battlefield by US Marine
HEIGHT WEIGHT LIFE SPAN Sable Lee Duncan, Rin Tin Tin (below) was taken to
23–25in 49–88lb Over 10 years Black California where Duncan trained him for film
(58–63cm) (22–40kg) work. He starred in 28 Hollywood films and
became so popular that in 1929 he received the
most votes for the Best Actor Oscar. However,
One of the most popular breeds worldwide, this intelligent the Academy, fearing that giving the award to
an animal would undermine their credibility,
and versatile herding dog makes a faithful companion instead gave it to the runner-up. Rin Tin Tin
died in 1932, but some of his descendants,
This breed was developed by a German dog and tracker, and is used by police and trained by Duncan, also appeared in movies.
cavalry captain, Max von Stephanitz, from armed forces worldwide. It is also employed
dogs used to guard and herd livestock. The as a search and rescue dog and as a guide dog
first examples appeared in the 1880s, and for blind people.
the breed was registered in Germany as the The modern breed has a coat that can
Deutsche Schäferhund (German Shepherd vary from long to short. The German
Dog) in 1899; the first registered individual Shepherd Dog has a reputation for being
dog was a male named Horand von Grafrath. fierce, but dogs produced by reputable
During World War I the dog’s name was breeders usually have a steady temperament.
changed in the UK to Alsatian. This new These dogs need to be handled in a calm,
name was chosen because the first dogs authoritative way so that they will not
were brought back from Alsace-Lorraine become overly dominant, but they are brave
by soldiers that had served there, and also and willing to learn. They need plenty of
because the name avoided reference to exercise and do well at jobs such as protecting
Germany; for the same reason, in the US the home. If responsibly handled, they will
its name was changed to Shepherd Dog. become loyal, faithful members
Soldiers from both countries were impressed of the family.
by the breed’s abilities.
Highly adaptable and obedient, Head has clean-cut
the German Shepherd Dog has appearance

proved valuable as a guard

Large, firm,
erect ears
PUPPY

Bicolor
Croup Black and tan
slopes slightly
downward to tail

Dense coat with

thick undercoat

Strong
hindquarters

Long forelegs
Black blanket straight to
elbow
LONG-
SHORT-HAIRED HAIRED
Bushy tail

43
Other documents randomly have
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The Project Gutenberg eBook of The life
and times of John Kelly, tribune of the
people
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Title: The life and times of John Kelly, tribune of the people

Author: J. Fairfax McLaughlin

Release date: December 31, 2023 [eBook #72557]

Language: English

Original publication: United States: The American News

Company, 1885

Credits: ellinora, Bryan Ness, Bob Taylor, and the Online

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*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE LIFE AND

TIMES OF JOHN KELLY, TRIBUNE OF THE PEOPLE ***
Accept for yourself my esteem
and affection, yours truly
John Kelly
 THE

LIFE AND TIMES

OF

JOHN KELLY,

Tribune of the People.

BY

J. FAIRFAX McLAUGHLIN, A. M.
Author of “Sketches of Daniel Webster,” “A Life of A. H.
Stephens,” etc., etc.

“I regard John Kelly as theAblest, Purest, and Truest Statesman

that I have ever met with from New York.”—Alexander H.
Stephens.
 WITH PORTRAITS IN ARTOTYPE.
Taken at 35, 50, and 58 Years of Age.

NEW YORK:
THE AMERICAN NEWS COMPANY.
1885.
 Copyright, 1885, by J. Fairfax McLaughlin.

All rights reserved.

Electrotyped and Printed

By the N. Y. Economical Printing Company,
New York.
 PREFACE.

The life of John Kelly, written without partisan bias, and to

promote no other object but the vindication of the truth of history, is
presented to the reader in the following pages.
The narrative is associated with three great epochs in American
history, in each of which John Kelly has acted a prominent and
conservative part. If he appears in the foreground of the picture
which the author has attempted to sketch of those epochs, it is
because no true history of them can be written without according to
him such a place. He was the champion of civil and religious liberty
during the era of Know-Nothingism, and contributed as powerfully to
the overthrow of the Know-Nothing party as any man in the United
States, with the single exception of Henry A. Wise, of Virginia, who
slew the monster outright.
In the fierce war between Barnburner and Hunker, and Hard Shell
and Soft Shell Democrats, which broke out in 1848, and continued to
rage throughout the State of New York with intense bitterness for
eight years, John Kelly, in 1856, played the conspicuous part of
pacificator both in the State and National Conventions of his party.
The re-union which then took place between the Hards and Softs
resulted in the nomination of Buchanan and Breckenridge at
Cincinnati, who were elected President and Vice-President of the
United States.
The third epoch covers the contest with the Tweed Ring, and the
expulsion of the Ring from Tammany Hall in 1872, when the
Reformers were led by John Kelly. Grand Sachem Tweed had to give
place to Grand Sachem Augustus Schell; and Sachems Peter B.
Sweeny, A. Oakey Hall, and Richard B. Connolly were succeeded by
Sachems Horatio Seymour, Samuel J. Tilden and John Kelly. It was
not merely a change, but a revolution.
 To achieve the results reached in 1872, and in the few years
immediately following, a leader of consummate power was
necessary. Honesty, courage, and sagacity in the highest degree
were required in that leader. A man of action—not a visionary in the
closet, was what the times demanded. Upon John Kelly, who sought
not the position, but had it thrust upon him, then devolved the
leadership of the Democratic party in New York. The events of that
period have passed into history, and although there were some who
at the time called Kelly a dictator, posterity will be more apt to
remember him as a benefactor.
For years the subject of this memoir has been the target of
calumny and misrepresentation. His whole life from childhood to the
present hour is here laid before the reader, as the best answer to his
maligners.
J. F. McL.
 THE ILLUSTRATIONS.

The author has been at much pains to procure good pictures of

Mr. Kelly. The caricaturists have taken so many liberties with his face,
and presented it in so many ridiculous lights, that public curiosity is
felt in every part of the United States to know exactly how John Kelly
does look in propria persona. To gratify this curiosity the book has
been embellished by three excellent likenesses of Mr. Kelly, taken at
the ages respectively of thirty-five, fifty, and fifty-eight. To Mr.
Edward Bierstadt, whose picture of President Garfield has been
much admired, the reproduction in artotype of the pictures for this
volume was intrusted. Fine engravings were used to get the likeness,
and the artotypist has executed his work with great success.
 CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.
Page.
tisan Abuse.—Jackson also subjected to it.—The First detailed
Narrative of Life of John Kelly, Author’s long Acquaintance with,
Popular Misconception of his Character.—Anti-Kelly Crusade in
the Press.—Compared to Nathaniel Macon.—Kelly a Safe Leader. 3
CHAPTER II.
hplace and Parentage.—A Good Mother.—Anecdote of the Son.— 9
Chastises a Larger Boy.—Narrow circumstances of his Youth.—
School Days.—Loses his Father.—Employed by James Gordon
Bennett in the Herald Office.—At Night School.—The Future Man
as Sketched in the Utica Observer.—Discusses Political Economy
with Bonamy Price of Oxford.—Relations of the Boy with Mr.
Bennett.—Their Friendship.—Leaves the Herald.—Apprenticed to
Jacob B. Creamer.—Encounters a Factory Bully.—A Prosperous
Young Man.—Loses his Mother.—Provides for his Sisters and
Brother.—No Thought of Politics.—A Glimpse at his Future Life.
—Interviewed by a World Reporter.—Utica Observer upon
Hostility between Kelly and Tweed.—Tweed Talks of Kelly to
Herald Reporter.—The Ivy Green.—David C. Broderick.—Kelly
Fond of Athletic Sports.—Becomes Captain of Emmet Guards.—
A Fire Laddie.—His Intrepidity.—His Life Threatened.—Fondness
for Private Theatricals.—Plays Macbeth, Othello and Hamlet.—
Essays Comic Role as Toodles, &c.—Religious Strife.—
Persecution of Catholics.—The Incendiary’s Torch.—St. Patrick’s
Cathedral Threatened.—Bishop Dubois.—Native American Riots.
—An Outbreak Imminent in New York.—Bishop Hughes Calls on
the Mayor.—Election Frauds.—A Battle at the Polls.—Kelly as
Leader.—Ascendency Over Others.—Enters Upon His Public
 Career.—Kelly, Stephens, and Wise, an Anti-Know-Nothing
Triumvirate.
CHAPTER III.
xander H. Stephens Resolves to Withdraw from Congress.—
Taunted With Cowardice by Know-Nothings.—Re-enters the
Field as a Candidate.—Letter to Judge Thomas.—His Great Anti-
Know-Nothing Speech at Augusta, Georgia.—His Re-election.—
Perversion, After His Death, of the Sentiments and Language of
His Augusta Speech.—The Virginia Campaign of 1855.—Letter
of Henry A. Wise, of Accomac.—His Famous Alexandria Speech.
—His Wonderful Anti-Know-Nothing Campaign.—A Contest of
National Importance.—A Second Patrick Henry.—His Election a
Death Blow to the Know-Nothings.—Large Number of that Party
in the 34th Congress.—Sketch of Henry Winter Davis, the
Maryland Know-Nothing.—John Kelly Meets Davis in Debate in
Congress.—Their Speeches.—The Irish Brigade Attacked and
Defended.—Kelly’s Speech Published on Satin.—Anecdote of
Andrew Jackson and Col. Hayne.—The Debate Becomes
General.—Kelly, Akers and Campbell Take Part in it.—Minnesota
and the Naturalization Laws.—John Sherman, Muscoe Garnett
and John Kelly in a Lively Debate.—Sherman Insists On the
Order of the Day to Cut Kelly Off.—Elihu B. Washburne
Demands that Kelly be Heard.—Objection Made.—Kelly
Postpones His Speech.—His Influence in New York and
Congress Exerted Against Know-Nothingism.—High Estimate of
His Character Expressed by Lewis Cass, James Gordon Bennett
and Alexander H. Stephens.—Kelly Urges Augustus Schell’s
Appointment as Collector of New York.—Kelly at Washington.—
How Received.—His Simplicity of Character.—Rugged Strength.
—Attracts Friends On All Sides.—Devotion of His Constituents to
the Man.—They Regard Him as Another Daniel O’Connell.—
Large Personal following in New York. 45
CHAPTER IV.
view of Political Parties in the United States.—Federalists and
Democrats.—Maximum and Minimum Theories of Hamilton and
Jefferson.—Blue Lights at New London.—Decatur and Jackson.
—Massachusetts the Birthplace of the Secession Doctrine.—
Speech of Josiah Quincy.—Hartford Convention.—Essex Junto.—
John Quincy Adams the First Protectionist President.—The
Whigs.—Harrison.—Taylor.—Whig Party Buried in the Graves of
Webster and Clay.—The Know-Nothing Dementia.—Federalists
At Last Succeed.—Origin and Extraordinary Development of
Political Abolitionism—The Jeffersonians Routed at every Point.
—The Disciples of Hamilton Again in Possession of the
Government.—Unfortunate Bolt of Martin Van Buren in 1848.—
Tilden and Lucius Robinson Follow the Sage of Kinderhook.—
Kelly Follows William L. Marcy and Horatio Seymour.—The
Abolition National Conventions.—Webster Attacks the Free
Soilers.—Benton on Van Buren.—Blair Invents Fremont for Wm.
H. Seward.—Tilden and Kelly again in Harmony.—Robinson
Governor.—His Extraordinary Crusade Against Tammany in
1879.—Hereditary Feuds.—Quarrels Between De Witt Clinton
and Van Buren.—Between Wright and Marcy.—Between Tilden
and Kelly.—Contrarieties of Races in New York.—Jackson and
Calhoun Fall Out.—Kelly Thinks Slavery to be gotten Rid of by
Emancipation.—The Fathers Thought the Same Way.—Ingalls on
Brown.—Lucas on Randolph.—Pierce’s Administration.—Hards
and Softs.—Kelly’s Statesmanship Displayed in Syracuse
Convention of 1855.—Debate with “Prince John” Van Buren.—
Kelly’s Sagacious Speech.—He lays down the Plan which
brought the Rival Wings into Harmony at Cincinnati in 1856.—
Fatal Mistake of Pierce in choosing New York Leaders.—Marcy
Desired Kelly.—Death of Marcy.—Buchanan elected President.—
Kelly wins a National Reputation at the Syracuse Convention. 102
CHAPTER V.
rative Resumed in Chronological Order.—Kelly Elected Alderman. 142
—Strong Men in the Board.—His Standing as a Member.—
Competitor of Mike Walsh for Congress.—Sketch of Mike Walsh.
 —Story of the Life of a Wayward Genius.—His Sad Death.—Kelly
Elected to Congress.—Great Struggle for the Speakership.—The
Candidates.—A Nine Weeks Fight.—Speeches of Joshua R.
Giddings, Cullen, Kelly, Howell Cobb, &c.—Sharp Words
Between Giddings and Edmundson.—The Debate Assumes a
Sectarian Complexion.—Attack on the Catholics.—Kelly in
Defense.—He is the Only Catholic in Congress.—His Speech
Interrupted by Know-Nothings Demanding the Previous
Question.—Important Letter of Lafayette, in regard to the
Catholic Clergy Read by Kelly.
CHAPTER VI.
ward Summons Republican Leaders to Washington to Aid Their 174
Party in Speakership Struggle.—Horace Greeley, Thurlow Weed
and James Watson Webb Repair to the Seat of Government.—
Alexander H. Stephens, John Kelly and Howell Cobb, with
Stephen A. Douglas, Lewis Cass, C. C. Clay and Other
Democrats Oppose the Republicans.—Kelly Names Aiken for
Speaker.—Aiken would have Defeated Banks but for the Blunder
of a Democrat.—Banks Chosen Speaker.—A Stormy Period in
Congress.—Sketch of William H. Seward.—A Historic Quarrel.—
It Destroys the Whig Party.—James G. Blaine, in his Recent
Work, Fails to Mention this Quarrel.—Its Momentous
Consequences.—Fillmore and Seward, Taylor and Preston.—A
Death at the White House Leaves Seward and Scott Amid the
Ruins of the Whig Party, and Places the Sceptre in Fillmore’s
Hand.—Seward Founds the Republican Party.—Election of Banks
Places Seward again in the Ascendant.—The Stormy Days of
1855-60.—Democratic Weakness.—Its Causes.—Impracticables.
—Dissipation in Congress.—Fire-Eaters.—Altercations and Fist
Fights in the House.—Sharp Debate between John Kelly and
Humphrey Marshall.—Both Get Angry.—A Collision Avoided.—
Kelly’s Popularity in the House.—Devoted Friendship of
Stephens and Kelly.—Charity and Benevolence of Each.—An
Estimate of Kelly by Stephens in a Letter to the Author.—Kelly’s
 Tribute to His Departed Friend.—Declares the Georgia
Statesman the Purest Man In His Intentions he had ever met.
CHAPTER VII.
eview of Mr. Kelly’s Congressional Career.—His Speeches.—He 207
Addresses the House upon the State of Parties in New York.—
Historical Account of Democratic Divisions in that State.—
Hunkers and Barnburners.—Hards and Softs.—Know-Nothings
and Republicans.—Pierce’s Blunder in Choosing for
Administration Leaders the Opponents of the Compromise of
1850.—Jefferson Davis Secretary of War.—Famine in the Cape
de Verde Islands.—Twenty Thousand People on the Point of
Perishing.—Archbishop Hughes Appealed to by Bishop Patricio.
—The Archbishop Intrusts the Appeal to John Kelly, who Lays it
before Congress.—Eloquent Speech of Mr. Kelly in behalf of the
Sufferers.—A Vessel Ordered to Carry Food to the Afflicted
Islanders.—Kelly Re-elected to Congress by an Immense
Majority.—A Know-Nothing Riot in Washington in 1857.—The
Mayor Powerless.—The President Calls out the Marines.—
Congress Asked to Establish an Auxiliary Guard to Protect Life
and Property.—Mayor Swan’s Baltimore Know-Nothings and
Henry Winter Davis’s Plug Uglies.—George P. Kane, Marshal of
Police Redeems Baltimore from the Rule of Assassins.—His
Character and Services.—John Kelly Favors the Auxiliary Guard
Bill.—His Speech Upon it.—He Rebukes Maynard of Tennessee
for a Know-Nothing Sneer at a “Parcel of Irish Waiters.”—A
Drunken Congressman Murders a Waiter at Willard’s Hotel.—
Kelly Corrects Stanton of Ohio upon a Point of New York
Political History.—The Empire Club in the Polk and Dallas
Campaign.—Bill Poole’s Club.—Poole Killed.—Mr. Kelly Replies to
General Quitman of Mississippi.—Pays a High Tribute to the
Gallant Mississippian.—Describes the Riotous Scenes at the
June Election in Washington.—The Bill Defeated.—Nichols and
Washburne Attack the Bureau of Statistics in the State
Department.—John Kelly Replies and Turns the Tables Upon the
Attacking Members.—Edmund Flagg a Man With a Grievance.—
 Nichols Drops Flagg and Beats a Hasty Retreat.—The Naval
Appropriation Bill.—A Disagreement.—Senate and House
Appoint Conference Committees.—Kelly One of the Managers
on the Part of the House.—His Speech on the Appropriation for
the Brooklyn Navy Yard.—An Irish Tory’s Book, “The American
Irish.”—John Kelly Traduced by the Author.—Bagenal’s Calumny
Refuted.—Mr. Kelly’s Great Speech on the Homestead Bill, May
25, 1858.—Advocates Colonization in the West.—A Life-long
Enemy of Monopolies.—Especially of the Railroad Land-
Grabbers.—Demands that the Public Domain Shall Be Reserved
for the People.—John Kelly’s Standing in Congress.—His
Remarkable Ability Early Recognized.—His Rapid Rise in the
House.—Confronts Seward in Speakership Struggle, and in that
over Collectorship of the Port of New York.—Mr. Schell
Advocated by Kelly and Made Collector.—Personal and Political
Relations of Kelly and Schell.—A Beautiful Picture of Friendship.
—The Two New Yorkers as Devoted Friends as Gales and
Seaton of the National Intelligencer, or the Cheeryble Brothers
of Romance.—Society in Washington in Former Days.—Frugality
and Simplicity the Rule.—Some Ancient Magnates.—Marshall
and Webster Go to Market with Baskets on their Arms.—
Chancellor Bibb as a Fisherman, and John Quincy Adams a
Swimmer in the Potomac.—John C. Calhoun Talks Philosophy
with a Georgetown College Professor.—Monroe Dies Poor.—Clay
Would Rather Be Right than President.—Webster an Old School
Patriot.—Calhoun Loses Jackson’s Friendship Because Mrs.
Calhoun will not Visit Mrs. Eaton.—Old School Manners Still
Flourish During Kelly’s Terms in Congress.
CHAPTER VIII.
n Kelly Elected Sheriff of New York.—Difficult Duties of the 244
Office.—He Masters Them.—The Sheriff’s Jury.—Rosewell G.
Rolston.—His Opinion of John Kelly.—The Sheriff Becomes a
Favorite Among Lawyers.—Kelly the Only Sheriff Ever Re-
elected.—Nominated for Mayor.—Supported by Nelson J.
Waterbury.—The Herald upon Kelly and A. Oakey Hall.—The
Tweed Ring.—Kelly and Tilden Oppose it Vigorously.—Kelly’s
Health Fails.—Loses His Family by Death.—Goes to Europe.—
Visits Holy Land.—Allegory On the Cross.—Kelly No Longer
Interested in the Busy Trifles of Politicians.—Enjoys a
Contemplative Life.—Rumors of his Retirement from the World.
—How They Originated.—His Inner Life.—His Charities and
Munificent Gifts.—Bishop Ireland upon John Kelly’s Noble
Character.—His Conduct During the War Between the States.—
Visits the Army of the Potomac.—Harsh Treatment and
Sufferings of the Waring Family.—John Kelly Petitions for Justice
and Mercy.—Stanton Obdurate.—Montgomery Blair Co-operates
with Kelly.—Returns to New York from Europe.—Becomes
Leader of Tammany Hall.—Greatest Work of His Life.—O’Conor,
Tilden and Kelly Destroy the Tweed Ring.—Tammany Sachems
for 1871 and 1872.—The Story of a Great Revolution.—Death of
His Two Daughters.—Declines Chairmanship of National
Democratic Committee in 1872.—Mayor Havemeyer.—
Commissioners Charlick and Gardner.—The Mayor’s Death.—
Unfortunate Faction Fights in New York Politics.—Kelly the First
Man to Bring out Tilden for Governor.—The Truth of History
Vindicated.—Tilden Calls upon Kelly in 1876 Immediately Before
the St. Louis Convention.—Kelly’s Pledges at the Convention.—
The Election of Tilden. He Declares Tammany “the Right Wing
of the Democratic Army.”—John Kelly Comptroller of New York.
—Comments of the Press upon His Appointment.—His Second
Marriage.—His Witty Speech at the Lotos Club Dinner.—The
Presidential Election of 1884.—Kelly Holds His Forces in Hand
Magnificently at the Decisive Point of the Battle, and Does for
Cleveland What he had Done Before for Tilden.—A Democratic
President at Last.—Kelly’s Health Impaired.—New York Times on
John Kelly’s Political Shoes.—Conclusion.
 INTRODUCTORY CHAPTER.

John Kelly is the best abused man in America. Fifty or sixty years
ago Andrew Jackson was subjected to similar treatment. The hero of
New Orleans lived down the slanders which were hurled thick and
fast upon him by political opponents. Mr. Kelly will do the same
thing, for the people, though easily imposed upon for the moment
by artful men, soon correct their own misconceptions, and invariably
render justice to public characters. The malice which invents
slanders is incapable of transmitting them into history.
Fugitive and imperfect sketches of John Kelly’s career have
appeared from time to time in the newspapers. No detailed narrative
of his life has hitherto been submitted to the public. The writer of
these pages is conscious of the difficulty of portraying the character
of a living man. Appreciation of merit should not run into panegyric;
condemnation of faults should not be spared where faults are found.
The advantages possessed by the present writer to discharge the
task he has undertaken have been derived from an acquaintance
with Mr. Kelly extending over thirty years, and from participation in
public affairs in which that gentleman has been a conspicuous actor.
Mr. Kelly has figured in transactions which will form an interesting
chapter in the history of the present times. The testimony of a
contemporary who preserves a distinct recollection of the events he
describes will always be an aid to the historian of the next age, who
must sift evidence in order to get at the truth, and who should reject
whatever falls below that standard. There would not be so many
fictions in American biography, if those who have participated in the
scenes would record their honest recollection of them. The
testimony of an eye-witness is in the nature of primary evidence,
and the historian can have no more helpful auxiliary than such a
reminiscent. The following pages are offered to the public as the
contribution to American biography of one who has enjoyed unusual
advantages of knowing the man he writes about.
Mr. Kelly is one of the few remarkable men the present political
generation has produced. The public has read so much about him
both of pure fiction and coarse abuse, that an outline sketch of his
life will no doubt prove acceptable to candid readers, and furnish, at
the same time, a corrective of current misrepresentations. It might
seem strange to those who do not stop to consider the causes of it,
that a life-long citizen of New York, who has acted a prominent part
in its affairs, should have come to be misunderstood by so many
people. But to those who look into the matter more closely the
explanation is not difficult to find. Mr. Kelly is a man of very positive
character. He has antagonized powerful men, and on several
memorable occasions thwarted their schemes of ambition and self-
aggrandizement. He has thus excited resentments, and in their
disappointment his opponents have sought revenge. Some of these
gentlemen control great combinations of corporate wealth, and
possess enormous private fortunes. They have not found it difficult
to enlist a large section of the press into a species of anti-Kelly
crusade. The weapons of partisan warfare are not very choice, and
this crusade has been carried on without much regard to the
amenities of journalism, but with a resolute and persistent attention
to the main idea, namely, the elimination of Mr. Kelly as a political
leader, by proclaiming him to be the representative of one of the
worst elements of American politics. But this mode of attack, while it
may answer a temporary purpose, is always in the end a weak one.
Intelligent people become interested to know more of a man who
excites his opponents into storms of abuse, torrents of invective, and
hurricanes, as it were, of rage. Is it all real, or does it cover a
purpose? That becomes the question which the public soon ask, and
its answer is always favorable to truth, and fatal to the manipulators
of an artificial excitement, for intelligent people have an independent
way of getting at the truth the moment they suspect it is being kept
back, and get at it they will, and they do.
 In this manner John Kelly’s political opponents have really done
him a service. The universal gaze has been directed towards the
man, and the monster painted by reckless partisans of other and
rival politicians has been found to be no monster at all, but a plain,
quiet man, honest and straightforward as old Nat. Macon himself—to
whom he was once likened by the late Alexander H. Stephens—of
very original and rugged order of mind, of powers of command
scarcely equalled by any other statesmen in the United States to-
day, a foe to humbug, a terror to corruptionists—one, in short, to
inspire love and respect rather than hatred and ill-will in the minds
of disinterested people.
The writer thinks he knows John Kelly intimately and thoroughly.
His mind is powerful, without the acuteness of a Calhoun, or the
imagination of a Webster, but as far as he sees his objects he sees
with the eye of a statesman, and no judgment was ever sounder. Of
ideas in their simplicity men in general have but a partial cognition,
an apperception of consciousness, as philosophers term it, and not
the clear perception. But the perceptive faculty is Mr. Kelly’s pre-
eminent feature. He is deliberate in mental operation, trusting
nothing to fancy or imagination, and not distinguished for impulsive
celerity of action, but almost invariably sure in his conclusions. Thus
it has been sometimes, that his plans, when suddenly deranged in
action by unforeseen circumstances, were not rapidly reformed, and
defeat came upon him. But when he is in rest, and left to himself to
devise and map out movements, his judicious arrangement and skill
in deciding upon what is best to do have proved almost faultless.
Incapable of fear, he has seemed to some to go forward to his
objects with blind obstinacy. But those who think so have a
superficial knowledge of the man, for prudence is his controlling
quality. Before he reaches a decision, every circumstance and
consideration is maturely weighed, all suggestions are patiently
heard, all doubts exert restraint upon him. Indeed, his prudence has
exposed him to the charge by more hot-headed men of being a
plodder, so carefully does he labor to mature plans. It is only when
he has reached a decision that his purpose becomes fixed and
immovable, and he goes through with it, no matter what obstacles
beset his path, or what less courageous friends may advise to
change his resolution. Mr. Kelly has, in fine, granite firmness, and
there is a broad distinction between firmness and doggedness.
Nature has given him a high temper, but reflection and habits of
self-command have reduced it to almost perfect subjection. If
aroused, however, and goaded to passion, he is one of the most
tremendous men in his wrath, and one of the most formidable in his
mode of delivering battle. A man of warm affections and
commanding presence, his personal magnetism is simply wonderful.
His name, wherever he is well-known, is never mentioned at public
meetings without storms of applause immediately breaking forth. His
appearance at public gatherings is always the signal for hand
clapping and expressions of welcome of that unmistakable sort only
bestowed on a favorite. In this respect John Kelly almost rivals Henry
Clay, and since the death of the illustrious Mill Boy of the Slashes no
other man in America has had such an enthusiastic personal
following.
While his liberality is great it is unpretentious. Publicity in well-
doing is repulsive to his nature. His charity, which is almost
ceaseless, is consequently always silent. The solidest kind of man in
build and character, he delights in action more than words, and is
known in New York as the safe leader. His natural ascendency over
men is instinctively recognized. For these and kindred qualities his
influence in American politics is as potent as that of any other
statesman in public life, and the reader of the following pages will
find, it is believed, that this influence has been always beneficially
exerted.
 CHAPTER II.
HIS PARENTAGE AND EARLY LIFE—SCHOOL DAYS—EMPLOYED BY
JAMES GORDON BENNETT—APPRENTICED TO JACOB B.
CREAMER—DAVID C. BRODERICK—KELLY, CAPTAIN OF EMMET
GUARDS—ATHLETIC SPORTS—HIS FONDNESS FOR PRIVATE
THEATRICALS—RELIGIOUS STRIFE—A BATTLE AT THE POLLS—
KELLY AS LEADER—THE KNOW-NOTHING PARTY.
John Kelly was born in the city of New York, April 20, 1822. The
home of his parents and spot of his nativity was in Hester Street
near Mott, in the old Sixth, afterwards changed into the Fourteenth
Ward, famous for its politicians. He springs from that stalwart race of
men who have played so conspicuous a part in the history of the
United States—Tyrone County Irishmen. From Tyrone County came
Richard Montgomery, whom Bancroft places second only to
Washington as the military genius of the Revolutionary War; thence
also came Alexander Porter, the illustrious Louisiana statesman, and
one of the great lights of the United States Senate in its palmiest
days. Archbishop Hughes, who left his impress on the age in which
he lived as one of its most remarkable men, and General James
Shields, one of the heroes of two American wars, who enjoyed the
unprecedented distinction of having been elected to the United
States Senate at various times by three great States of the Union,
were both emigrants from Tyrone County, Ireland. Out of this
Milesian hive, seeking his fortunes in the New World in the early part
of the present century, came Hugh Kelly, father of the subject of this
memoir. He married Sarah Donnelly, of County Fermanagh, a small
county adjoining Tyrone. The marriage took place in Ireland. There
were seven children born to the parents, of whom John was the
fourth. The others were five daughters and a son, the last named
after the father, Hugh. Old New Yorkers, who were acquainted with
the mother of John Kelly, have informed the writer of this memoir
that she was a woman of remarkable force of character, a devout
Christian, and a mother who brought up her children in the love and
fear of God. The children were all vivacious, and very communicative
among themselves in the family circle, with the exception of John,
who was quiet and thoughtful, and a better listener than talker. On
one occasion a neighbor paid a visit to the Kellys, and brought news
of an excursion, a pic-nic, or some such affair, that pleased and
greatly excited the little ones, each of whom, save John, had
something to say about it. At length the neighbor looked over at
John, who had remained a silent listener, and exclaimed, “Look at
John there, with his big head, taking it all in, and not saying a word.”
“Oh, yes,” said the mother, “that is his way; he thinks a great deal
more than he talks, but be sure he is not dumb.” A New York
newspaper once cynically characterized him as an ox, but the dumb
ox, to use the figure of Albertus Magnus, has given a bellow which
has been heard round the world. The devotion of Mrs. Kelly to her
elder son was peculiarly tender. At one time, when he was a small
boy, he had to cross the East River daily. The mother would often
accompany him to the boat in the morning, and always went to
meet him on his return in the afternoon. Other boys going and
returning at the same time observed that young Kelly’s mother never
failed to be at the landing in the afternoon to accompany her son
home. The mischievous boys sometimes cracked jokes at his
expense, and teased him about his mother’s apron strings. He stood
the bantering well enough for a time, but at length grew tired of it.
One of the tallest and strongest of the boys hearing that Kelly had
threatened to thrash the next fellow that annoyed him on the
subject, took it into his head to try his mettle. “Say, Kelly,” exclaimed
this one, “how’s your mother? Boys, he’s got a good mother, sure.
She won’t let him go running about the streets with the gang for
fear he might learn something wicked, but comes for him and takes
her little boy home every night. Come along, Johnny, and be tucked
in your little bed. Bah!” A flushed face and clenched fist told that
Kelly would stand no more raillery of that sort. A smart battle took
place on the spot between the two youngsters, and ended in the
discomfiture of the larger boy. Kelly’s victory made him a favorite
among his companions, and they all soon came to look upon him as
a sort of leader, although he would not loiter with the crowd at
street corners of evenings, nor haunt the purlieus of the city where
youth loses its innocence, and flaunting vice slopes the way to ruin.
Such a mother is a guardian angel to her children, and Mrs. Kelly’s
afternoon escort to her son provoked no more jibes at the expense
of the latter. This incident affords an insight into the methods of his
boyhood, and shows how, under the fostering hand of his mother,
the character of the future man was moulded. The American sin of
cursing and swearing is first picked up by children running idly about
the streets into all sorts of company. John Kelly was never addicted
to this bad habit, and it may be doubted whether his most intimate
friend of to-day ever heard him utter a profane oath. The Psalmist’s
aspiration to walk soberly and chastely in the day before the Divine
Face should be the aim of the rising generation. With that object in
view children should be kept out of temptation in the pitfalls of a
great city. After awhile, when the habits of a promising youth are
formed on the right side, temptation assails him in vain, and
whether it be from the cot of poverty or the mansion of wealth, a
hero steps forth for life’s battle, who may be depended upon to
make his way, and render a good account of himself.
In the case of young Kelly, it was from the cot of poverty he
emerged. His father’s and mother’s business of a small retail grocery
store afforded the family a modest but comfortable living. But while
John was still a small boy of eight years his father died, and the
widow and her elder son had to become the bread-winners—the
former managing the store, and the latter, when about ten years old,
going out in quest of employment. John had attended for some two
or three years the parochial school attached to old St. Patrick’s
Cathedral in Mott Street. Now he had to give up the school and go to
work. It was a sore trial to him, for he was ambitious of book
learning, and the dream of his life was to get a good education. But
he started out with a brave resolution to seek employment. For a
long time the search was tedious and unsuccessful. He had to take
many surly replies from ill-bred people, and often went home tired at
night after a fruitless day’s rounds, to begin the work over again in
the morning. But he told his disappointments to no one, unless
indeed to whisper them to the fond mother whose strong heart went
out in such sympathy with his own, and whose sound practical sense
helped him to form some new plan for the morrow. It is probable
that the lesson he learned then of “man’s inhumanity to man” during
his first humble trials to make his way in life was never forgotten.
When the day came for himself to mount to power, and to be called
upon by many young and old seeking a friendly hand to help them
to their feet, John Kelly proved to be a real philanthropist, uttering
the gentle word, cheering the drooping heart by the overflowing
generosity and charity of his own, and never allowing a human being
to pass out of his doorway without feeling better and stronger for
having carried his sorrow to him.
One day John went into the Herald office, then in its infancy, and
asked James Gordon Bennett whether he wanted an office boy. Mr.
Bennett scanned the boy over from head to foot without making a
reply. Seemingly satisfied with the first scrutiny, he began a
conversation with him, which continued for five or ten minutes.
There was no better judge of character than the elder Bennett, and
he was always quick in making a decision. “Come in here, my lad,
and take off your hat and get to work,” said he, and John Kelly found
himself an employé forthwith of the great editor. No two men have
ever made their mark more thoroughly in the metropolis of the
United States than James Gordon Bennett and John Kelly. Did the
editor descry in that first glance at the boy the latent powers which
ultimately have made Kelly so distinguished? “It is said,” remarked
the editor of the Utica Observer, in a notice of Mr. John Kelly in that
paper, “that old James Gordon Bennett took a great fancy to him.
This speaks much in his praise, for the founder of the Herald was
quick to see the possibilities of greatness or usefulness in an
undeveloped youth.”[1]
Evening schools then but recently had been established in New
York, and the youth was quick to avail himself of the advantages
they afforded to boys in his situation for acquiring an education. He
became a regular attendant at one of those night schools, was a
diligent and close student, and, like the great Sir Thomas More,
“rather greedily devoured than leisurely chewed his grammar rules.”
The editor of the Utica Observer, one of Mr. Kelly’s most energetic
opponents and Governor Robinson’s ablest advocate in the press,
during the celebrated New York gubernatorial struggle of 1879,
declared of Kelly, in the heat of that campaign, and in an article
containing an attack upon him, “that there is a great deal to admire
in the character of John Kelly.” Of his education the editor added:
“His thirst for learning had not been satisfied in his youth, and he
proceeded by study to enlarge the scope of his understanding. He
became a good scholar in French, as well as in English, and for
twenty years he has devoted several hours of every day to the
pursuit of literature and science. If anybody has imbibed the
impression that Mr. Kelly is an ignorant man, he does not want to
confront that delusion with an actual examination of Mr. Kelly’s
acquirements. A Utica man who met him once in the presence of
Prof. Bonamy Price, of Oxford, says that he held his own in a
discussion on Political Economy with England’s foremost teacher of
that science.”[2] He proved to be an excellent office-boy, was always
at his post, and was as punctual as the clock in fulfilling
engagements. He became a great favorite with Mr. Bennett, and
when, at length, as he grew older he resolved to give up his
employment in the Herald office in order to learn some regular
business or trade, Mr. Bennett tried to dissuade him from his
purpose, and offered additional compensation as an inducement for
him to remain. But while greatly appreciating his employer’s
kindness, young Kelly replied that his mother and her large family
mainly looked to him, the elder brother, for support, and that it had
always been his intention to go into business on his own account.
The time had now come to carry out that purpose. Mr. Bennett, in
his brusque but kindly Scotch voice, gave John some parting advice
and wished him well, predicting that success awaited him in his
future career. The boy now apprenticed himself to Jacob B. Creamer,
a grate-setter and soap-stone cutter at 346 Broome Street, then on
the corner of Broome and Elizabeth, and speedily learned that trade.
He had grown to be a large boy, with the thews and sinews of a
young Hercules, and although he was not quarrelsome, he was high
spirited and courageous, and would brook no insult from anyone. In
the factory where he worked there was another young man, three or
four years older than himself, a dark complexioned powerful fellow,
of a domineering temper, with a reputation for fisticuffs. One day
this person got angry with Kelly and struck him. Kelly returned the
blow. The men in the establishment separated them, but the blood
of both was up, and a fight was agreed upon between them as soon
as the bell should be rung for dinner. They went into the factory yard
and prepared for battle. The hands about the establishment finding
the boys meant to fight, undertook to secure fair play in the
encounter. Kelly was much shorter than his antagonist, and no one
supposed he had any chance to win. At it they went pell mell, with a
lively interchange of heavy thuds. The older youth fought rapidly,
and brought Kelly down several times with furious blows. Fighting
was not allowed while either of the boys was on the ground, and in
this way matters progressed for fifteen or twenty minutes, Kelly
getting the worst of it all the time, but showing great endurance,
and urging that no one should interfere. He had made thus far but
very little impression on his antagonist. He observed, however, that
one of his chance blows had caused the other to wince with pain.
From that moment he took all the punishment the larger boy could
inflict, and made the battle one of strategy, reserving himself to give
a blow in the same place, which he found to be the other’s weak
spot. The tide now began to turn, and it soon became evident to the
onlookers that the big swarthy fellow was no match either in
courage or endurance for Kelly. The latter, selecting the weak spot,
laid his antagonist on his back several times by well-directed blows.
The last time he fell both his strength and courage collapsed, and he
bellowed out crying that he was whipped and would fight no more.
One of the men who had witnessed the encounter with the closest
attention from beginning to end, and saw that Kelly had won it by
superior intelligence, now rushed up to him, and taking his hand
exclaimed, “Well Johnny, my boy, you are a born general sure, and
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