Japanese Spaniel breed info 1915

Color: Black and white, or red and white. The term red includes all shades of sable, brindle, lemon and orange, but the brighter and clearer the red the better. The white should be clear white and whatever color the patches are they should be evenly distributed over the body, cheeks and ears.

This is a lively, highly bred little dog, of dainty, smart appearance, compact carriage, profuse coat, and very stylish in movement. The head should be large, broad, and slightly rounded, with strong and wide muzzle, very short from eyes to nose. The under-jaw should be slightly turned up, but the teeth should not be shown. The nose should be wide and open, and must be the color of the dog's markings. The eyes are large, dark, lustrous, prominent and set wide apart. Ears small, nicely feathered and set high on the head. The body is very compact and squarely built with short cobby back. In fact the length of the dog should be about equal to his total height. The tail is carried in a tight curl over the back and should be profusely feathered, so as to give the appearance of a beautiful plume.

During the last thirty years the popular taste for the Japanese Spaniel has called for smaller and smaller specimens, until now the more diminutive they are the more valuable have they become. In Japan they are affected by the ladies as "sleeve" dogs, such being almost priceless. It is not now uncommon to find them 2½ lbs. weight, though fully matured. These small specimens are now also freely bred in England, the climate of which country appears to suit them very well.