Читать книгу Pomeranian - Juliette Cunliffe - Страница 10

By the turn of the 20th century the Pomeranian was, however, a different dog in many ways.

Certainly it was no longer pulling sledges or herding sheep. By way of introduction to the breed, Herbert Compton’s description of the Pomeranian makes fascinating reading: “We weigh about 6 lb as a rule, and the only mutton we take care of is roasted, and on a plate. Moreover, the modern Pom, in conformity with the fashionable circles it has entered, has elaborated its wardrobe, and you shall find it wearing coats of many colors, to wit—white, black, gray, fawn, red, blue, chocolate, brown, beaver, sable, orange and particolored. Like a star-rocket, it has ascended aloft and burst into many tints, and very, very small splashes of them. It is no longer Brobdingnangian and blood-thirsting for the wolf, but Lilliputian and addicted to the lap. Moreover it has learned good manners and ceased to labor under the imputation of being snappish, untrustworthy and dangerous to children, as was its character not so long ago, being deemed affectionate, gentle and well-behaved. It has but to moderate the rancor of its tongue—in other words, to be less feverishly noisy—to become in every way a pattern for pet-dogs.”

The Schipperke of Belgium also derives from the spitz family of dogs. The breed is usually seen in solid black, though other colors such as fawn and cream also occur.

FROM WOLF TO WOLFSPITZ

Dogs and wolves are members of the genus Canis. Wolves are known scientifically as Canis lupus while dogs are known as Canis domesticus. Dogs and wolves are known to interbreed. The term canine derives from the Latin-derived word Canis. The term dog has no scientific basis but has been used for thousands of years. The origin of the word dog has never been authoritatively ascertained.