Shepherds' Dogs. 165 desperate fighter, and would tackle a dog twice. his size. I remember, in one of his duels, when he fought a big dog of mine in the porch of our house, and got his teeth fixed deep in his enemy's throat, taking the big dog up, and loosening Curry's hold by knocking him (he was as tough as india-rubber) against the door-post. I I never had much to do with shepherds' and drovers' dogs, but have always considered them, intellectually, an ornament to their race. suppose my reader knows the theory which accounts for some sheep-dogs having no tails: they take it out, or absorb it, at the other end, in brains. By the way, what an odd thing that same wagging of the tail is! I have several times tried whether the sensation could be reversed, and the dog made happy by having his tail wagged for him; but, like most forced attempts at fun, the experiment always failed. I have heard it said of some dogs, that they could do everything but talk. I knew two or three who did even that not that I could always understand them, but there was a rude attempt at speech in the modulation of their whines, quite distinct from barking or growling. They evidently had something particular to say, and were giving it, as they thought, an intelligible utterance. But whether dogs can 166 Dogs never peach. speak or not, be sure they understand what is spoken. Would they be companions if this were not so? As it is, they are sometimes the safest. When I have told my troubles to Smith, how do I know that at some unguarded moment he may not repeat what I am sure he intended to have kept sacredly to himself? Now, doggie may be utterly trusted; you may tell him all you think about any one, and he will not only take the liveliest interest in the communication, but never peach. In Hood's Bachelor's Dream, we see the gradual confession of the master expand in the discreet sympathetic society of his dumb friends, beginning thus: My pipe is lit, my grog is mixed, My curtain drawn, and all is snug; What d'ye think of that, my dog? I have, however, met with inconsiderate people -grown-up people, I mean-who have laughed at the animal pets of old maids. Poor ladies! depend upon it, in many a case their seemingly excessive care and affection for a dumb brute is but the outpouring of love turned back upon Wholesome Love for Dumb Animals. 167 themselves, or never led in the right human direction. They must have something to caress and fondle. Mateless, childless, brought up in a prim artificial way, and yet withal conscious of affection, yearning for some living thing of their own they can care for, what wonder they dote upon a poodle, being denied all else! To them a dog is a merciful safety-valve; and, so far from thinking an old maid with a pet spaniel indifferent to the graver, truer ties of love, I believe she is just the person to do good to others, if only she could be shown how to do it. Love for dumb animals by no means excludes that for our kin, while a man whom no animal can be brought to like, will always, in my eyes at least, be a suspicious character. Generally, if disliked by dogs, he is disliked by children too, which is horrible. Of course there are persons who can see nothing to admire in dogs. I knew of one old gentleman who persistently refused ever to pat one, because they are never spoken well of in Scripture. The dogs there mentioned are mostly, perhaps entirely, the wild animals of the street, which indeed produce anything but a pleasing impression. They grin and run about through the city. But they are very useful for all that, and act as scavengers where sanitary laws are despised. Indeed, dogs are such foul feeders that house-pets have often to be watched and dieted, lest their coats at last should betray the coarseness of their victual. Dogs bolt their food without more mastication than is needed to get bones and pieces small enough to pass down the throat. Instinct does not always tell them when they have had enough. As pike have been known to swallow fish nearly as long as themselves, and indeed sometimes show the tail of a dinner sticking out of their mouths, so I have heard of dogs obliged to let a remnant of some long tough piece they have swallowed hang from their lips. We had, so our gardener told me, a horrible illustration of this one day. A little dog of ours in the country got and nearly swallowed a meal in one dainty strip, which, however, he could not bite through this was unfortunate, as he hadn't room enough for it all, and so was obliged to leave off with a pendant of about four inches from his chaps. Up came a big roomy dog, and laying hold of this, succeeded in securing the whole slippery meal himself, little dog growing meanwhile perceptibly lank! What a situation! to realize the gradual return Dogs Learn-and Teach. 169 of hunger, and see your enemy, nose to nose, absorb the late-won prize. Every one knows anecdotes recording the dog's special excellence over many other animals; we have, however, yet to hear of one dog teaching another; when that comes to pass, we may expect the strangest progress in the world of brutes. Hitherto, animals have only learned; teaching is of man. But there are some things, such as patience, attachment, and courage, in which some men might take a lesson even from my friends the dogs. |