The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1882-10-13
sheep and Dogs.


What shall we do with the dogsp
This is question which is always agi-
tating the minds of our sheep-breeders
and wool-growers, and really it does
not seem to be any nearer permanent
settlement than it was when it first
arose. Sheep are being killed. and the
owner gets no compensation or COM
pensation that is totally inadequate.
Pay for the sheep that are slaughtered
does not cover the damages under any
circumstances. If all the flock were
killed, full pay for them would not rec
ompense for the disappointment and
Encouragement caused. while if only a
portion of the flock is killed, the dam
age of the fright to those remaining
cannot be compensated, and the disap-
pointment and Encouragement comes
in for consideration besides. Our laws
upon the subject are, therefore, mop
erative. and yet it is serious evil calling
for thorough remedy. Kill the
dogs" is the frequent advice. But
when and by whom are they to be
killed? We cannot expect that the own
er of valuable dog or pet dog that
has never been known to crafty his ap-
petite for mutton in an Legitimate way,
is going to get down his gun and shoot
the canine for our special pleasure.
And yet that same dog may be only
waiting for good opportunity to make
our focks distressingly smaller. In
deed if we could be assured that the
owner of every NANCY cur that could not
under any possible circumstances be es-
teemed worth anything, and the owner
of every dog that we know would kill
sheep if it had the opportunity, should
kill their brutes, we should have reason
to be satisfied, instead of going so far
as to demand that every dog should be
killed. But apparently the most worth
less dog in the world has as much affec-
ton lavished upon him as the best one
has. And there are good dogs and val
liable dogs, a fact which it is idle to
deny.
/, But if the owners will not kill them,
who is to? If we actually found dog
killing our sheep, of course we should
kill him and should not stop to inquire
what the owner would say. To walk
around, however, with o shot gun on our
shoulder to shoot every neighbours dog
that happened to come on our premises
would be sort of business which most
of us would not like to indulge in. Men
do not care to thus incur the enmity of
all those about them, for a neighborly
feeling is usually valuable, and some
times as valuable as flock of sheep.
If we could only arrive at the conclu-
sion that the place for our dogis at
home, and that it is our duty to keep
him there, the entire difficulty which is
presented in this matter, would be set
tied. There is no more legitimate Ii
cense for dog rowing over the commu-
nifty than there is for bull, or horse or
hog, and the fact that many never pay
the least attention to the whereabouts
of their dogs, is proof positive that they
do not esteem them of much value, and
would not miss them much if they were
killed. The owner of a really valuable
Cog always knows where he is, Just as
the owner of valuable horse or COW
knows where they are. 1t is every
mans duty to keep his dog from tres
passing, and the same neighborly feel
ing that prevents trespassing dogs
from getting killed, ought to actuate
their owners to keep them at home.
OF course it is easy enough to keep a
dog at home. If he has not been
taught to stay there, he should be
chained.
Various remedies have been suggest
ed for the evil here mentioned. The
State Legislature usually has a turn at
the subject in these DAYS, and there is
no objection to that. A good many i'm
practical enactmentS have been made,
but we confess that of late there has
been some improvement in that class of
legislation. 1t is good subject for leg
islators to practice on anyhow, and SO
we commend it to the attention of all
State Legislatures at their coming ses-
sions. As 10 home remedies. a plenti-
full supply of bells through the flock,
has been frequently recommended. This
is an easily applied remedy, but for
some reason if fails of universal adop-
ton. We have never tried it and so
cannot say from experience what effect
the bell would have. 1t is said that the
dog is naturally coward
and that the ringing of the bells fright
ems him. We know that it is usual to
attribute cowardice to this kind of a cur,
but whether that trait is so universal as
TO make the bell a perfect safeguard we
are not prepared to say. There is no
doubt, however, that it has proved a
success in certain cases. At least those
who have tried it say it has. Another
remedy is to place few Angora goats
in the flock. 1t is said they are sure
protection. Personally, however, we
had rather do without sheep than have
a goat on the farm. We think that 9TH
ers would feel the same way after hav-
ing some experience in that direction.
Still another remedy is to provide pois-
oned meat in the pasture. That would
certainly prove efiectual. if the dog got
It But we do believe that our sugges-
ton that every man keep his dog at
home is the easiest way out of the diff
Guilty, and any man will do that when
ne does as he would be done by. In
he meantime, we ought to rigidly en-
orce whatever laws we have upon the |
subject, and earnestly seek to get better
mes. Western Rural