The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1844-08-22
Fsom The ams,irsa asrieul,s,is,.
NEIIrIs sHEPHERD.DoG.

MEXICAN sIIPHIRD-DoG.
Although Mr. Kendall and some olher
srilers have described This wonderlnl ami
NAL ns cross on the Nra foundlsnd dog.
such. ! think. cannot be the fact; on The
contrary. ! have M doubt lie j. genuine
descendant of the alpine MaslilT. or more
properly. spanish shrpherd-deg inlro-
ducsd BY them Il the time OF the cum
quest lie il only 10 be found in Tie
shrep-raising districts 81 New Mexico.
The other Mexican dags. which number
mere than q thousand TO one Of lhrse
noble animals, are the results Of q cross
Of everything under The sun having any
affinity 90 the canine rzer, and even Of a
still nobler class of animals il Mexican
slories are 10 be credited. Il is believed
in Mexicn, that the countless mongrels Of
that country awe their origin 10 The as
sislance Of the various kinds OF wolves.
mountain cats, lynxrs, and 20 almost if
E.i every fout-iooled class Of esrnivorous'
animals. Re this as il may, those Who have
not seen them can believe as much a. they
like: but The eye-wilnesses can assert. that
there never Mss country blessed with q
greater and more abundant variety Of mise.
rable. snarling, eowardly packs, than the
mongrel dogs of Mexico. That country of
q surety would be the plagur-spnl Of this
beautiful world. were !, not Tor the redeem.
ing characIerof The truly noble shepherd.
dog. endowed a. II is with almost human in,
ie!lect. have oilen thought. when observ.
ing the sagacily Of this animal, that IL very
many Of the human race possessed one
half Of .he powers Of induciiye reasoning
winch ssems to be the gift Of This animal,
that IL would be Car better for themselves
and fur their fellow.crea,ures.
The peculiar education Of these dogs
Is one of The mos, impoF,an, and Interests
ing steps pursued BY the shepherd. Ills
method is TO select from multitude of
pups few Of the heallhiest and finest.
looking. and to put them To a sucking
eve. frs, depriving her Of her owr lamb
by force, as well as from a natural desire
she has TO be relieved Of the contents Of her
udder. she soon learns to lonk upon the
liule inlerlopers with all The affection she
would manifest for her own natural ofi.
spring. For the first few days the pups
are kept in the hut. the eve sucking
them morning and evening only; hut gra-
duly, a. she becomes accustomed 10 their
sight. she is allowed 10 run in small en-
closure with them, until she be"omes so
perfectly familiar with their appearance
as to take entire charge oi them After
this they are folded with the whole flock
lor a fortnight or 50. they then run abou.
during The day with the flock. which al
ter while becomes 50 accustomed to
them, as to be abe 10 distinguish them
from other dogs--even from The sane
litter which have not been nnrsrd among
them. The shepherds usually allow the
slut to keep one Of litter for her own
particular benefit, the BALANCE are general
ly destroyed.
After the pups are wcaned, they never
leave the particular drove among which
they have been reared Not even the Voice
OF their master can enlice them heyo d
sight Of the flock; neither hunger nor
thirst can do ii. Iheve been cTedihlv in.
formed Of an instance where single dug
having charge Of a small anock Of sheep
was allowed to wander with them about
the mountains, while The shepherd return.
ed 10 his village for few days, having
peFfec, confidence in The ability Of his dog
10 look after the flock during his absence,
but with a strange want Of fnreslgh. as to
the provision Of the dog Tor his (nnd. Up.
on his return tn the flock. he found il Sc
Veral miles from where he left. but on the
rod teating TO the ritioge an the poor
iu'hful animal in the agonies Of death,
dyI g Of Starvation, even in the mids, of
pte"iy. A reciprocal affection exists be-
tween them which may put To blush ma
ny"f the human family. The poor dog
recognised them only as brothers and dear
loved friends; he was ready at all times
TO lay down his life for them; to attack
no. only wolves and'mnuntain-cats, with
,ne confidence of victory, bn, even the
pear, when there could be no hope. Of
late wears, when The shepherds Of New
Mexico have suffered so mach from In
alan marauders, instances have frequenl.
" occurred where the dog has nothesi,a-
"d To attack his human foes, and although
uanshxed with arrows. his indomilable
courage and falhfulness have been such as
" compel his assailants 10 pin him to the
earth with spears, and hold him there un-
III despatched with stones.
In the above instance the starving dog
Soul! have helped himself to one Of his
m'tt brother lambs. or could have desert
~ The sheep, aud very soon have reached