A Fictional Dog

Let’s start at the beginning….

The "Dandie Dinmont" (first picture) is a terrier named after a character in a Walter Scott novel (Guy Mannering), which was first published in 1815.  

Dandie Dinmont was a border farmer from Liddesdale who was said to have terriers by the name of "Mustard" and "Pepper" which he trained for work the same as dogs are still trained today:

“I had them a’ regularly entered, first wi’ rottens — then wi’ stots or weasels — and then wi’ the tods and brocks— and now they fear naething that ever cam wi’ a hairy skin on ’t.’”

The novel itself is a very bad romantic tale supposedly taking place between 1760 and 1780 in Scotland, but it *does* mention fox hunting -- the first real mention in British literature, and the timing is not a coincidence, as the Enclosure Movement, which did so much to drive the rise of fox hunting and the development of dogs, was starting to roar along at this time.

So, to begin, we start with a fictional dog.

How fictional?

Nearly 20 years ago, I challenged anyone to show a picture of ANY Dandie Dinmont, ANYWHERE, that had actually been worked to ground by ANYONE in the preceding 50 years.  

That post is here, and worth a read >> https://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/2006/11/more-on-dandie-dinmonts-and-small.html?

Guess what?  No takers.  

So now we have 70 years of … nothing.

In fact, I can find scant evidence that a Dandie Dinmont has ever worked anything underground EVER.  

This is, well and truly, a dog created by fiction.

Why do I bring this up?

Well, it seems the Dandie Dinmont breeders think the sway back and short legs of their strange-looking and unpopular dog is necessary for work (see appended sign-on form letter being circulated in the UK)

They are?  

That’s news to me and everyone else who has dug a thousand holes over hundreds of animals over several decades.

And, of course, it’s complete nonsense and pure fantasy untempered by actual experience with shovel in hand and locator collar on dog.

As for the rest of the letter, I have no idea what it means, and I suspect the author does not either.  

What is incontestable is that Dandies have health issues and a very small gene pool.

Is continuing to breed this exaggerated and non-working dog, with fairly serious morphological issues, in a small, closed gene pool a good idea?

Nope.  The good news is that, whatever happens next with this dog, the world has voted with its feet and its pocketbook.  

Or, as I once wrote about this and several other rare breeds:  DANGER — Market Forces at Work.

The Mate of the Nesting Bald Eagles

Tales From An Afghan War

This is the cover of one of the 16 $5 books I purchased the other day.

Published in 1906 or 1907, “With Roberts to Candahar: A Tale of the Third Afghan War,” is a historical fiction adventure novel by Captain F.S. Brereton, published by Blackie and Son Limited, and illustrated by William Rainey. The book is set during the period between the Second and Third Afghan Wars, detailing a young protagonist's adventures during the British campaign. The title refers to the historic 1880 forced march by British General Frederick Roberts, who moved approximately 10,000 troops 300 miles from Kabul to Kandahar in 23 days to relieve besieged forces, defeating Ayub Khan on September 1, 1880.

The Second Afghan War shows up several times in British fiction; it was the political and historical subplot in Rudyard Kipling’s “Kim,” as well as the conflict in which Dr. John Watson served as a medical officer before making the acquaintance of Sherlock Holmes.   

The author of “With Roberts to Candahar,”Captain F.S. Brereton, CBE, was a prolific writer (over 36 books!) of boy's adventure fiction in the early 20th century, most of which celebrated heroic acts done in the name of British imperialism.

Brereton was commissioned into the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) as a surgeon-lieutenant in January 1896, and was attached as a medical officer to the Scots Guards during the Second Boer War (1899-1902) in South Africa between the British Empire and the dutch-speaking Boer republics.

William Rainey was a prolific illustrator of both books and magazines, as well as an exhibited oil painter and water colorist.  Rainey illustrated about 200 books during his career.

The Wire Fox Terrier With a Wikipedia Page

From Wikipedia: 

“Ch. Matford Vic (1912–??), a Wire Fox Terrier, was best known for being one of only five dogs to have won the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show on more than one occasion.  She was originally purchased for the sum of £2 before changing hands twice prior to winning Best in Show at Westminster for the first time in 1915.

“Vic was purchased from an English barnyard for the sum of £2.  Upon bringing the dog home, her first owner tried to give it to each of his two sons, who told him that they did not want that kind of dog.

“Vic was brought along to a dog show where her owner was showing his Cocker Spaniels. A terrier fancier happened to catch sight of the dog and said to him ‘That is a fine dog that you have there. Why don't you exhibit it here?’ He entered the dog in the classes, and Vic would end up winning her classes. An offer of $500 was made for Vic, which was turned down but eventually a higher offer of $1,000 was made, and the dog changed hands, being sold to Mr. H Trimble. George W. Quintard's agent then purchased the dog, along with another named Ruby Dazzler for the sum of $5,000 which brought them to the United States

“The first show of the Wire Fox Terrier Association of the United Kingdom was held at the Corn Exchange, Leicester, England on 28 October 1913. The prize for "Best Exhibit in Show" was won by Matford Vic, being handled by her second owner, Mr H. Trimble. She was sold shortly afterwards.

“Vic travelled to America several months before the Westminster competition in 1914. She had an unbeaten record and had won a major competition at Boston. Following a win in the Wire Fox Terrier Bitch class, she was paired with the winner of the Dog class, Vickery Fast Freight, and was eliminated. Vickery Fast Freight would end up placing third, with former champion Bulldog Strathtay Prince Albert placing second to new champion best in show Slumber, an Old English Sheepdog. 

“In June 1914, she became best in show at the annual Ladies' Kennel Association of America at the Mineola Fair Grounds. However her 1914 would end in defeat in late December as she was beaten into reserve by a Japanese Spaniel named Omija at the annual show of the Toy Spaniel Club of America. It caused a considerable amount of surprise as Vic was much favoured for the win as earlier in the year at a show in Albany, she had beaten Omija. An impression was made that the judges were influenced in their choice as while a part of the show, Fox Terriers don't come under the designation of a toy dog.

“In 1915, Vic was entered in the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. She was first judged best Fox Terrier before going on to become Best in Show for her owner George W. Quintard. Quintard would also win ‘Best Reserve’ with Wireboy of Paignton. Wireboy and Vic also won the ‘Brace Special’ before teaming with Ruby Dazzler and Holmbury Reve to win the "Best Team Special".

“Following her victory at Westminster, she was expected to be entered at the show in Devon, however she was held back so that Wireboy of Paignton would have the opportunity of gaining the honor. In the end, Wireboy placed best in show, with Holmbury Reve placing in reserve. The show was noted for the members of the Sealyham Terrier Club withdrawing their entries following the election of Mrs. Marie Willets as a judge, even though Mrs. Willets was the first person in America to own a Sealyham Terrier. She lost at the Ladies' Kennel Association of America show to another Fox Terrier, Vickery Gypsy Moth, and even lost in her own breed class to Vickery Greenbank Selection.  

“For her victory in 1916, Vic's breed was judged by Winthrop Rutherford. Rutherford was the owner of Warren's Remedy, a Smooth Fox Terrier who won the Westminster on three occasions previously. Vic repeated her successes of 1915, taking the ‘Brace Special’ again with Wireboy of Paignton again and with Wireboy, Ruby Dazzler and Holmbury Reve for the ‘Best Team Special’.”

A Rabid Local Groundhog

“A groundhog found near a busy Maryland roadway has tested positive for rabies, triggering a public health alert for anyone who may have come into contact with the animal.

“The Frederick County Health Department said it was notified on Tuesday, Jan. 13, that the groundhog recovered near the intersection of West Patrick Street and McCain Drive tested positive for the rabies virus, according to the department.”

More >> https://dailyvoice.com/md/elkton/rabies-positive-groundhog-found-near-maryland-intersection-health-officials-say/

Solar-Powered Flashtags to Deter Predation

FlashTags are motion-activated, solar-powered ear tags developed by Utah State University to protect sheep and cattle from predators like wolves, coyotes, and grizzly bears. They emit random light patterns at night to mimic human presence, significantly reducing livestock mortality. Trials show reduced attacks. 

Notice that red fox are not even mentioned as sheep predators.  Guess why?

More information here >> https://shorturl.at/Wcq1p

Theory vs Practice

"I love the pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ: I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of this land" 

— Frederick Douglass

The Face of Mystery

Pictured is the cover of one of the 16 $5 books I purchased earlier this week.

Published in 1899, Mystery of the Pacific, by William Henry Oliphant Smeaton, is an adventure novel about a British schooner crew that discovers a mysterious, uncharted island inhabited by a lost, technologically advanced civilization with Roman-like customs, forcing the sailors to confront cultural clashes and unravel the island's secrets while dealing with internal mutiny. It's a work of adventure fiction, considered an early example of science fiction, and “is known for its exploration themes, vivid descriptions, and cultural misunderstandings”. 

Mystery of the Pacific was illustrated by Walter Paget, who was a popular illustrator of serialized novels, and there’s an interesting story here.  It seems Walter Paget was the original choice of publisher George Newnes to illustrate Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories in The Strand Magazine, but through a misunderstanding the commission went to his brother, Sidney.When Sidney came to draw Sherlock Holmes, he is said to have used Walter as his model.  Photo of Walter Paget, below, and Sidney Paget’s illustration of Sherlock Holmes.

Bald Eagle Eggs Under the Snow

Last week, this Bald Eagle was buried under snow, but she’s cleared that off since then

I missed the mate both days; he flies off as soon as I show up, even though I’m a long way off..

Before Indiana Jones

THE COVER of one of the 16 $5 books I purchased yesterday.

Published in 1910, "The Rival Treasure Hunters: A Tale of the Debatable Frontier of British Guiana" by Robert M. MacDonald is a classic adventure tale.  Its general plot centers on:

▪️Exploration and Discovery: The story follows a journey into the wild, "debatable" frontier regions of British Guiana (modern-day Guyana).

▪️Lost Race Fiction: As a notable entry in the Lost Race genre, the characters encounter hidden civilizations or ancient, isolated peoples while searching for treasure.

▪️Rivalry: The narrative features a dramatic competition between opposing groups of treasure hunters as they navigate the perils of the South American jungle. 

Does that sound like the beginning of “Indiana Jones and the Lost Ark”?  That not an accident; in the Indiana Jones trilogy, George Lucas was trying to recreate and modernize the serial films of the early 20th century which drew heavily on books like “The Rival Treasure Hunters”.

The price for this book on Abebooks:  $226.

Sixteen Books Bought At Once

I walked into a book store in Mount Airy, Maryland, and walked out with 16 books. They cost $5 each, and were bought for their cover art and spines — books from an era of adventure, romance, and gold leaf.  Fronts later.

Daughter and Wee Men

A Very Small Drone With an Excellent Camera

The DJI Neo drone, pictured, is far smaller than my Nikon P90 point and shoot camera, and it not only flies, follows, and has five or six programmed flight patterns, it can fly free and be steered with my iPhone.

The video, below, was done with the “follow” function on the DJI Neo, with the drone on “flat” flight due to the ceiling height of the covered bridge.  Even though a car met me on the bridge exit, the drone followed close and, with object detection, easily avoided the vehicle.

Loy’s Station Covered Bridge spans Owens Creek, which is frozen over. Owens Creek, which originates in Catoctin Mountain National Park, a few miles away, has both wild and hatchery brook trout as well as hatchery rainbow and brown trout.

There Are Only Three Kinds of Neighbors

:

▪️Those that would turn you in.

▪️Those who would watch and do nothing.

▪️Those who will fight for you.

What side are you on, brother?  What side are you on? 

Designer Dogs You Say?

Complete with blue prints.

You Wouldn’t Like It, They Say

Shining a Little Light on Nonsense

BREED LONGEVITY CLAIMS remind me of this packaging, which says this expensive lightbulb is good for 22+ years — *but is guaranteed for only 10.

And you better have the receipt and the box. 

And with the dog, there is no warranty.

Drone in the Snow on the Driveway

Snow Tracks in the Yard

From  the top:  Fox, Coyote, and Deer

Flying Immigrants Named After Stars

Big flocks of Starlings are fairly common this time of year. All of them are descendants of birds released in Central Park, New York City, by a group that wanted every bird named in Shakespeare’s sonnets to be found in that Park.  

Starlings are named after the iridescent star pattens that speckle their mostly-black plumage.   See >> https://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/2005/01/shakespeare-in-park.html for a bit more info.

The Strength of Common Virtue

THIS ILLUMINATING AND IMPORTANT PARAGRAPH can be found in this Atlantic piece >> https://shorturl.at/oBNCp

Drone on Driveway and Adjacent Forest

Down the Driveway

Before the plow came.

Capitalism Went Wrong Quite Early

Bunkering On a Snowy Day

The house dogs entertain themselves in the sun room watching the actiom at the bird feeders. The two terriers are in and out of the basement and their own fenced yard which is half-sheltered from the snow by a large deck.

Beautiful Music

Two separate violins crafted by French instrument maker Joseph Gaffino in 1748.  From “Museum of Artifacts”.

Before the Snow Begins to Fall