The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1875-05-13
Certain Way to Preserve Sheep from Dogs

A correspondent of the Atlanta Constitution,
writing from Louisville, Kentucky, says
While travelling in South America, l was
amused with what heard of the shepherd
dogs of the country. 1t is common thing to
meet large flock of sheep, guarded by one or
two dogs, at the distance of some miles from
any house or man. often wondered how so
firm O. friendship had been established The
method of education consists in separating the
puppy, while very young, from the mother,
and in accustoming it to its future companions.
A eve is held three or four times day for the
little thing to suck, and nest of wool is made
for it in the sheep pen-at no time is it allow
ed to associate with other dogs, or with the
children of the family. The puppy is, how
ever, generally castrated-so that when grown
up it can scarcely have any feelings in COM
mon with the rest of its kind. From this ed
ucation it has no wish to leave the flock, and
lust as another dog will defend its master
iman, so it will these, the sheep.
It is amusing to observe, when approaching
flock, how the dog, Immediately advances
barking, and the sheep ali close in the rear, as
if round the oldest ram. These dogs are easily
taught to bring home the flock, at certain
hour in the evening Their most troublesome
fault, when young, is their desire OF playing
with the sheep-for in their sport they some
times gallop their poor subjects most unmerci-
fully. The shepherd dog comes to the house
eyery day for some meat, and as soon as it is
given him, he skulks away as if ashamed of
himself. On these occasions the house dogs
are very tyrannical, and the least of them will
attack and pursue the stranger. The minute,
however, the latter has reached the dock, he
turns around and begins to bark, and then all
the house dogs take to their heels In siml-
lar manner, whole pack of the hungry wild
dogs will scarcely ever land l was told by some
never venture to attack flock guarded by
one of these faithful shepherds. 1t appears to
me curious instance of the pliability of the
affections in the dog, and yet wild or however
educated, he has feeling of respect or fear
for those that are fulfilling their instincts of
association. Fer we can understand on no
principle, the wild dogs being driven away by
the single one with its flock, except that they
consider. from confused notion, that the one
thus associated gains power as if in company
with its own kind. 1t has been observed that
all animals that readily enter into domestica-
ton. consider man as a member: of their own
society, and thus fulfill their instinct of asso-
citation.
In the above case the shepherd dog ranks
the sheep asits ellow-brethren, and thus gains
confidence, and the wild dogs, though knowing
that the individual sheep are not dogs, but are
good to eat yet partly consent to this view
When seeing them in a flock with a shepherd
dog at their head.
p it not worth while to try this experiment
of these shepherd dogs in this country There
is no reason why it should not succeed here as
in South America A dog is dog, wherever
YOU find him; and educated and trained, as
above. there would be no need of dog laws.
Scotland also has found out the worth OF
shepherd dogs. Let our farmers think of this
It's never too late to learn