"The loin should be short, very broad and muscular. . . . A little extra
length of loin is not, in my opinion, much of a fault provided it is very muscular, but a
short thin loin is particularly obnoxious for a dog so made is sailing under false
pretences. He is complying with the letter of the law, but breaking it in effect, more
especially obnoxious because there are so many people about who know a Scottish Terrier
ought to have a short back, but who could neither tell you what the object is, nor even
what constitutes a short back. They judge only by the eye, and have no knowledge of
anatomy. A dog whose ribs extend well back, and who has a slightly long but very muscular
loin, might measure more from neck to stern than a dog too short in barrel and with a
longish, weak loin, and in all probability the ordinary dog show judge would commend the
latter dog for his short back over the dog that complied much closer with the real
requirements, merely because the term 'short back' is readily acquired by the novice as a
recognized virtue; and so many people, even among those who have kept the breed for years,
never acquire a greater knowledge than is to be obtained from stereotyped phrases. If the
loin is broad and muscular, a little extra length is a very minor fault." |
