Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1889-12-14
DOGS IN eELeluM.


Forced 10 Do Mneh Labor and Ia~n AL
most starved Ia Death.
Now II must not be thought that dogs
In carts ARE only to be seen now aud
then in Belgium. Quito the reverse,
for the dog seems. especially in Brus-
sells, to be the chief beast OF burden.
Here ! must state, think the loads put
after the poor brutes are at times out
of all reason too heavy. Brussels is in
places deucedly hilly and steep, and to
put 400. 800 or 600 pounds after dog
Is too much Of good thing. Again.
the dogs are not overfed. The Flemish
farmers are as a rule very close livers
Most OF them drink their coffee with
out milk. so as TO be able TO convert the
latter. which. of course they produce,
into King Leopold's coin. Now these
farmers live an next To nothing. so we
can imagine that the dogs do not come
In for much grub OF any strengthening
nature. believe their food consists
OF buttermilk and potato parings all
boiled up together. and often not.
They feed their dogs like store pigs.
! and it's no wonder the poor animal $
loins are thin and their rib bones are
very prominent. Still they toll on.
willing creatures to degree.
II is "A wonder TO me how their legs
stand the work so well. All are sound,
or perhaps had better write compara-
lively sound. Their bone is great for
their bodies, and the feet seem 10 stand
the strain well. These dogs really
take the place OF asses in Belgium,
where few OF the latter are seen. A
good working dog fetches $50 or $40.
and considering the amount OF work
he gets Though he Is not a dear dog
at that sum. | saw several on sale In
the Brussels market on Sunday morn
Ing last
The working dog is generally Of n
sturdy build. II AN American or En-
giishman were asked how the dogs
were bred. his reply would be: Prob
ably between a msstiff and a smooth
sheep dog and AS there seems to be
no distinct breed Of these dogs, the
foregoing might be generally accepted
as definition OF the appearance of the
breed. All bakers use dogs for their
carts. There are. however. n0 shafts
10 these concerns. but the dog works
underneath. There is crossbar
placed just under the handles OF
the cart and by means OF a
bent axletree the dog can work
under the cart and between the wheels.
IL will be seen he is closer 10 his work
than the dogs In the usual fashion to
be seen In milk aud vegetable carts.
The attendant simply steers the cart
with the handles. excepting where the
hill is steep. and then le bonlanqer
lends but little help TO the painting dog.
Therefore. on the whole, do not
think the working dogs in Belgium are
treated with the amount of kindness.
good treatment and nourishing food
they thoroughly deserve. | am not
one OF those who are of an opinion a
dog should not work. believe they
prefer ordinary labor to being chained
up IN dirty. sinking yard, with but
little than pail OF stale water before
them Let the Belgians feed their dogs
better. put smaller loads after them
and have water troughs placed AT reg
uiar intervals about the streets, and
there will not be much To grumble at:
and should think the ST. Hubert So.
ciety-that Is the kennel club of Bal
gium-could do a lot TO manage things
little better on the side of the dogs.
Turf, Field and Farm.