DOFFER (doff, to put off), a small and slowly revolving cylinder, which strips the cotton or wool from the cards on the main cylinder of a carding machine.
DOG, a mammal of the order Carnivore, family Canider. The origin of the domesti cated dog is unknown, but probably it is of com posite descent. (See Docs, WILD.) When the different tribes and races of men drifted about the earth's surface they took their dogs with them and no doubt breeds were mixed and races exchanged. By naturalists and writers in times gone by, dogs have been divided into groups, but for practical purposes at the present time they are divided into two classes—sporting dogs and non-sporting dogs. Controversies still rage as to the origin of certain classes of dogs, but almost all hounds that run by scent and the greyhound that runs by sight, were of Per sian, or at any rate Asiatic origin. The pointer in scientific parlance is the same dog as the hound, and the setter is a large spaniel. The Molossus of the ancient Greeks may be the same as the Thibet mastiff and progenitor of the Great Dane, boarhounds, mastiffs and pos sibly the bulldog.
The main characteristic of the dog is his re liance on man, upon whom he looks as head of the pack.
In enumerating the breeds we have to deal with at the present day the following comprises the category as met with at the leading dog shows held under the auspices of recognized kennel clubs, or that are used in the ordinary vocations or sports of life: The interests of the dog and its betterment in breed and those qualities that make the ani mal valuable are looked after by clubs and as sociations principally in the United States, Eng land, France, Germany, Austria, Russia, Italy, Australia and South Africa, in which countries official shows are held at stated times and the rules governing these organizations are recog nized so far as breeds are concerned by these governments. A large number of illustrated magazines and journals in all parts of the world are devoted to the interests of the canine race. The principal ones in England are Our Dogs; Stock-keeper; Illustrated Kennel News; and The Field; in the United States Rider and Driver; Field and Fancy; Dog Fancier; The Kennel; The Sportsman's Review; Stock keeper; The Field; and The Dog.
In general appearance this noble animal impresses one as the most digni fied of any dog. The head is long and clean with tremendous wrinkles and pendulous ears, the eye is small and deeply set, and shows much of the haw. The old fallacy of bloodhounds
being ferocious is absurd; they hunt or trail persons by scent and on finding their quarry do not attack, but stand baying until the pursuers arrive.
Standard.— Skull long, narrow and very much peaked; muzzle deep and square; ears set on very low, thin and hanging in graceful folds close to the face; deep-set eyes, with triangular lids showing the red haw; flews long, thin and pendulous, the upper lip overhanging the lower one; neck long, with profuse dewlap; skin of face very loose and wrinkled; coat close; skin thin down; shoulders deep and sloping; brisket well let down; loins broad and muscular; powerful thighs and second thighs; good legs; round feet; hocks well bent; tapering stern. Colors: black and tan, red and tan, and tawny.
Saint This magnificent dog takes its name from the monastery of Mount Saint Bernard, Switzerland, and is remarkable for its high order of intelligence. It was used by the monks for rescuing travelers lost in the snow. The old type which was small and some what plain in head is fast dying out, the pres ent show specimens being more on the mastiff type of head.
Standard.— Head very massive and large, showing great depth from eye to lower jaw ; face rather short, muzzle wide, deep and cut off square; lips hanging down well and rather loose, the stop well defined, but not too abrupt; skull massive and well rounded; eyes dark in color, of medium size, rather deeply set, the lower eyelid drooping slightly, so as to show a little of the red haw; ears rather small, lying well to the check, and very slightly feathered in the rough variety; nose black in color, wide and deep, legs straight, with great bone and muscle; hocks and stifle well bent; feet large and compact; body rather long, broad, straight and ribs well rounded. The coat of the smooth or short-coated variety should be very close, thick and slightly broken-haired. In the rough variety the coat should be dense and flat, of medium length, not woolly, rather long on the neck, thighs and tail. Color and markings: orange, orange-tawny and all shades of brin dle and red. The markings should be as fol lows: White muzzle, white blaze on face, shaded with black, black shadings on the ears, white collar round neck and white on chest, legs and tip of tail. The body may be white with patches of any of the above colors.