The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1885-09-10
ST. BERNARD DOGS.


The Noblest and Best Of the Canine Race.
To speak of ST. Bernard dog as an
exhibit" seems somewhat derogatory
to such q noble creature. Even as
compared with other dogs, they have
exceptional claims upon the regard of
human beings-a superiority which
only the Newfoundland and the true
Shepherd dog can in any way be said
to share with them. The instinct of
the Newfoundland to save life and the
amazing intelligence which it shows
whenever it attempts to rescue the
drowning have suggested to the Cont
mental River Police the formation of
brigade OF these brave animals to CO.
operate with the regular Human So
ciety." and the experiments as reported
by,our emotional neighbors, the French,
gave some surprising results. 1t was APP
parently proved that the dogs discovered
at once for themselves the actual de-
gree of danger of the immersed person,
and acted accordingly. If a man pre-
tended to fall out of boat they pricked
mp their ears and wagged their tails.
But nothing more If he called out for
help they looked much puzzled, but
still refrained from Offering assistance
They saw that he was within arms
length Of the boat; that the other man
In it did nothing to help his unfortu-
nate comrade, so they put their saga
cious black heads together and said one
to another, "That drowner there is
either fool or an impostor. In either
case we had better let him alone" And
they did. But no experiment when the
accident happened to man or woman's
clothes failed to send the dogs splash
ing in at once, md if the object was o
child the competition TO save it was
Immediately furious. Ordinary pro-
perity failed to attract their interest,
but hat floating down. the stream
made them at once uneasy, and the
older dogs would go in and paddle up
current and quarter" the water, as if
the association Of O mans hat with his
head were too strong for the New
foundland mind to disconnect the two,
and as If the animal thought that if the
one was there the other would proba-
bly, be not far of.
With the sheep dog, again, there is
an analogous discrimination of circum-
stances If sudden storm comes on
it first sets about herding those sheep
which run the greatest risk and scour-
ing places where peril is the most like
ly to be fatal. For the sake of single
straggler which it knows to have gone
Off it leaves the whole flock, and as
soon as it has got the whole number
complete the tone of its voice, its ges-
lures change so significantly that the
shepherd knows that all his charges
are safe. On the homeward way the
colley devotes all his best attention to
the lame and weaklings, urging them
on with benevolent ferocity which
the sheep thoroughly understands, and
bestowing upon the rest only per-
functory care. Arrived at the fold it
Immediately surrenders all responsible
tiles. 1t says to the shepherd, Il know
you are not good for much as shep-
herd without me, but at any rate you
can surely shut the sheep up fer the
night and count them by yourself. I
am going to have my supper"
The intelligence of the st. Bernard
moves In the same arc. 1t is of the
same degree. No dog is less frivolous
less addicted to canine vanities.
Even as puppies they find out their
strength and weight, and the natural
generosity of their character, so amply
expressed in the broad, deep set of the
forehead, the expression of Thoughtful
dignity in the eye, makes them far more
tolerant OF trivial affronts, more patient
under small provocations, than their
interiors in size and sinew. When
they grow up they carry themselves
admirably in any scene" with which
they may happen to get mixed up.
Their presence often suffcies to put
stop to street brawL. The gravity
with which they approach the cause of
quarrel, the ponderous air of judicial
impartiality with which they seem
to investigate it, are too much for the
little dogs of low degree or the vulgar
types. Such dignity Of bearing is In
tolerable to the canaille They stink
off in various directions, overpowered
by the suavity of the giants address.
the imperturable courtesy CT his man.
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