Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1880-11-19
Trial OF Shepherd Dogs at the PhiIa
delphIa sheep Show.

The average dog is more of nuisance on
the farm than anything useful. He generally
makes more work than he saves, besides wor
rying the cattle. A good fence is better than
a dog to keep them in their places. A we'll
trained shepherd dog is however, sometimes
a valuable assistant. Below we give an in
teresting account, from the Philadelphia Press,
of the trial of some of the shepherd dogs OK
hibited at the international sheep show lately
hold in Philadelphia
George Taylor, late of Sheffield, England,
put his Collie and English shepherd dog, Lad,
first to the test. 1t was hardly fair, as the
sheep were frightened by the ring of specta-
tors and the dog could hardly distinguish his
master among the judges and privileged spec
tators who crowded inside the ring. The test
was to take five sheep around the ring and
pen them after nearly mile drive. The five
ewes assigned TO Lad had evidently seen dogs
before, and, instead of being driven, turned
drivers, chasing the dog, then coming to bay
and butting at him vciously, thereby increas-
ing the time necessary for performing the
prescribed feat After the dog got them in
driving humor, he speedily put them in the
pen, showing what he might have done with
better dispositioned sheep.
Tweed, Jr., DIR. Downey's imported Collie,
had even worse luck with the five assigned to
his herding. He got along with them well
enough until the spectators were moved to
applaud, when sprightly young buck broke
away from his companions through the ring
fence, and ran to where a low cut window en-
tiers the secretary's Office. Crashing through
this, the sheep surprised Messrs. Seller and
McCOnkey, and got in among the mineral ex-
hibits before Tweed regained control of him,
having followed him persistently therefor.
The dog guided the sheep back to the ring,
herded him again, and finally succeeded in
penning him along with the others, although
the judges found cuts which looked suspi-
ciously like the marks of dogs teeth in the
hooks of the truant sheep.
II. S. Coopers Oscar was either more fortu-
nate in his sheep, or was better trained and
handled. The five assigned to him were driv-
en- around the ring, past thousands of specta-
tors, without break or turn until they had
been fairly penned. The performance elicit
ed loud applause, which frightened the newly
penned sheep, four of which broke out, and
Oscar was required to reopen them. They
separated, two and two, but the trained dog,
guided by his masters hand alone, brought
them together and penned them again sue
cessfully.
Charles Pugh, although not sheep-raiser
prides himself on his trained dog, Tom, who
was next put to the test. Pugh first took his
dog around the track to show him what was
expected, and then five sheep were put in hi
charge. He drove them down the inside
track with as much skill and judgment as
man could have shown, although that was the
side lined with spectators. After they had
been turned into the upper track, Pugh tool
the lead of the sheep, leaving the dog to drive
them, and the animals followed him with al
much confidence as though he had been the
accustomed shepherd leaving the dog moth
ing to do, and thereby decreasing his mark
of excellence in the esteem of the judges.
W. H. Blackhurst then brought out his pc
culiar looking dog, Shep. He is a cross be
tween a Collie and common cayote or prai
RE wolf, and resembles the latter in build AM
general appearance. He is of a dirty nous
color, almost hairless on the back and sides
but with heavy, coarse growth on the hea
aud rump. A head moderately small, 10y
poll, and II long, thin nose, gives tho dog
very wolhsh appearance. He is ton year
Old, and shows considerable sagacity in obey
ing his masters commands, which are b
word of mouth, very few directions bein
given by the hand. The sheep were littl
wild, and scattered as soon as they were rt
leased from the pen. After chasing ther
pretty hard the dog finally succeeded in gel
ting his charge into something like order, an
trotted them up the inside track. Near tn
turn one OF tue animals became frightened
dashed into the crowd and through an ope
door in the main building. Sheep like, til
rest followed, and it took fully quarter of a
hour to coax or force the animals in agaiI
When this was accomplished, the dog ra
them rapidly down the outside and into IL
pen without any further trouble.
DIR. Downey's dog, Tweed second, followed
and fully confirmed the good opinion whic
had been formed of him ON Tuesday TIE
sheep We're assigned to the care of PwoeC
and he drove them leisurely up the insiG
track without break, turned the corner
the eastern end in clever style, and brougl
his charge down the outside track TO the ives
ern end, without having single sheep stra,
The performance ELECTED loud applause, al
it was repeated with equally satisfactory r
suits.
After Tweed had retired the most interes
ing test of the day took place in the exhit
ton of c. Pugh's dog Tom, who on Tuesdt
attracted very little attention and was col
paratively unknown. Every movement
Tom proclaims him TO be an adept in driviI
and herding sheep. He seems to know tn
the sheep must not be frightened, and is al
to trot within few feet of the hindermo