The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-04-16
SETTING ON The DOG.
How rhis IA Done BY Boys in Different Lo-
cnlIiIne.


callties.
When a boy in New England has oc-
casion to set his dog upon any one OF
anything, he exclaims, as rule, "Stig
'iml Stig 'im" The New York boy, or
the boy of the West, generally says,
''Sic i'm! Sic mi" To the Western boy
the command "Stig imp sounds absurd;
1t provoltes his laughter; but his own
command is equally amusing TO the
New England boy. This little differ
ence illustrates the beginning of local
dialect. Probably neither boy thinks of
the exact meaning of what he says. He
is merely repeating words which he
has heard others use, and which he is
sure, from their frequent repetition,
that the dog will understand.
The boy who says "sic i'm" is repeat
ing a corruption, but one degree re-
moved of the words Seek him!" which
are very old command.
"Stig i'm" is a corruption one degree
further removed from its original than
"sic i'm" 1t began with take him."
which was varied by the use of 80" be-
fore it--"So take him!' From this to
IS take him, "was an easy step, and the
more easily pronounced "stig i'm" was
the next corruption.
The word 80" is often used as kind
of intensive expression in all sorts of
commands to animals. Probably the
apparently unmeaning expression which
is often used in urging on dog, in the
eastern part Of the country, "Steboy!"
is no more than greatly compressed
and corrupted form of $50 take 'em
boy" although Emerson seems to have
looked upon it as an abbreviation of
Hist! boyl'
The farmer, by the way, is very fond
of calling his animals "boy." He says,
Whoa, boyp and "Go on, boy" to his
horse; but it is worthy of notice that he
never calls his horse "boy' unless he
feels In a good humor with it. The
word is always to be regarded as a COM
pliment or expression of affection.
Often the possessor Of dog does not
use any set phrase in commanding his
animal to attack He may say, Catch
himl" or "Go for himp' or "Seize himp'
or anything else which he chooses. 1t
is well known that the command to at
tack is the one which dog most easily
learns. Almost anything will serve for
the purpose; for most dogs, as we are
truly told, delight to bark and bite. -
But they also delight to obey; and no
properly trained dog will attack with
out a command, except on his masters
premises at night.
BY q seeming perversion of terms, the
command which most naturally signi-
ties to attack, "Chargel" has come to
mean just the opposite thing, namely,
to lie down.
Many owners Of dogs, in order to rem
der the animals useful to themselves
only, train them to obey special COM
mands, invented by the master. case
is known in which man taught his dog
to obey in reverse order, as it were.
When he said, Come here" the dog
ran away, and "Get out" was his COM
mand to the dog to approach.
No dog can be regarded as of much
use unless he understands and obeys at
least seven commands, namely: Here,
for Come here" with which every
young dogs education should begin
and which is the most important com
mand of all; "Sic 'em," or take 'em;'
"charge," or "lie down." "heel,n or fol
low close behind; "go home" ""get out,
and don't touch it."-Youth's Com
panion.