It is interesting to note, on looking over a catalogue of the Kennel Club Show, that in 1884 the classes for Toy Spaniels numbered five, with two championship prizes, one each for Blenheims and Black and Tans, and the total entries were 19.  At this date neither Tricolours nor Rubies were recognised as a separate variety by the Kennel Club, and they had no place in the register of breeds until the year 1902.  At the Kennel Club show in 1904 thirty-one classes were provided and eight challenge certificate prizes were given, the entries numbering 109.

The formation of the Toy Spaniel Club in 1885, and the impetus given to breeders and exhibitors by the numerous shows with good classification, have caused this beautiful breed to become more popular year by year.  Fifty years ago the owners might be almost counted on the fingers of one’s hands; now probably the days of the year would hardly cover them.

Among the most successful exhibitors of late years have been the Hon. Mrs. McLaren Morrison, the Hon. Mrs. Lytton, Mrs. Graves, Mrs. L. H. Thompson, Miss Young, Mrs. H. B. Looker, Mrs. Privette, Miss Hall, the Misses Clarkson and Grantham, Mrs. Dean, Mr. H. Taylor, Mrs. Bright, Mrs. Adamson, Miss Spofforth, Mrs. Hope Paterson, Mrs. Lydia Jenkins, and Miss E. Taylor.

The novice fancier, desirous of breeding for profit, exhibition, or pleasure, when price is an object for consideration, is often better advised to purchase a healthy puppy from a breeder of repute rather than to be deluded with the notion that a good adult can be purchased for a few pounds, or to be carried away with the idea that a cheap, indifferently bred specimen will produce first-class stock.  It takes years to breed out bad points, but good blood will tell.

When you are purchasing a bitch with the intention of breeding, many inquiries should be made as to the stock from which she comes.  This will influence the selection of the sire to whom she is to be mated, and he should excel in the points in which she is deficient.  It is absolutely necessary to have perfectly healthy animals, and if the female be young, and small stock is desired, her mate should be several years her senior.  A plain specimen of the right blood is quite likely to produce good results to the breeder; for example, should there be two female puppies in a well-bred litter, one remarkable as promising to have all the requirements for a coming champion, the other large and plain, this latter should be selected for breeding purposes as, being stronger, she will make a better and more useful mother than her handsome sister, who should be kept for exhibition, or for sale at a remunerative price.

The modern craze for small specimens makes them quite unsuitable for procreation.  A brood bitch should not be less than 9 lb. in weight, and even heavier is preferable.  A sire the same size will produce small and far more typical stock than one of 5 lb. or 6 lb., as the tendency is to degenerate, especially in head points; but small size can be obtained by suitably selecting the parents.