The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-01-16
SMART ALASKAN DOGS.
A Traveller Testifies to Their Shrewd-
ness and Fidelity.

"a kLdN GlCA W SWd"
ness and Fidelity.
Milwaukee Sentinel.
Mr.. Alfred b. SchanZ, who headed an
exploring expedition through Alaska, has
told reporter something about the dogs of
that country:
The Esquimau dog from his birth TO his
death, which in many instances is violent
one, never knows the luxury of shelter or
bed. He spends his existence outdoors, and
appears to be tar more comfortable in win
ter than in summer. The pups. when
hardly able to toddle, instinctiyely show
an ambition to run with sleighs and join
with their treble squeals the enthusiastic
chorus of bowls with which the EsQuimau
dog invariably greets the first fall of snow.
| may say here that the Esqumau dog
never barks. The ambition OF the young
dogs is soon taken advantage of by the Es-
quimaG. The little fellows are hitched to
sleds in company with full-grOwn dogs, and
TO prevent them from being run over they
are tied by the neck TO the tow line, so that
when the run starts out they are compelled
to keep up or be dragged by the team. This
simple though brutal method oil training Is
very affective, and after one or two runs the
young dog understands what is wanted OF
him. Even before he is full grown he is
thoroughly conversant with his duties.
The much-referred-to intelligence of the
Scotch collie, which is a sort of first cousin
of the ESQuimau dog, is undoubtedly even
surpassed by that OF his Arctic relative
Some of the characteristics Of the Esqui-
mau draft dog are almost Incredible. Anv
one who has observed them finds it difficult
to deny him the credit of reasoning power
] had one dog which persisted in feigning
lameness or sickness in order to shrk duty.
He would suddenly begin to limp dread
fully and look back at his driver with
nit 10 "a Aa6
several times in arOusing my sympathy and
being released from the harness until one
of my EsquimauX assured me that it was all
trickery. After that punished him when
ever he tried TO shirk, and in every case it
Worl6 be DAYS before any sign of lamenPss
would be seen. He had a trick of slipping
out OF the harness. III which he was an ex-
pert and made his escape from the ropes
in manner that would make a spiritual
aStic medium green with envy. This dog,
through Sinking his work, lad incurred
enmity of the lest of the team, and they
resented repeatedly his unwilipgness to
meet his part of the teams obligations. |
saved him several times from the fierce
onslaught OF his colleagues after lie had run
away from the sled.
A good E>Quimau leader dog is a wonder
of intelligence. He is not guided by line or
whip. but merely by words and motions of
the hands. III. when the team is rapidly
moving, lie be suddenly called upon TO halt,
il stands to reason that ii he stopped
abruptly the rest of the team aud the sled
would run over him, or would become en-
tangled IN Il smart. He therefore, when
commanded to halt. makes a curve to tue
right or left and faces to the rear, moving
slowly until the sled can be stopped. He
then looks with bright eyes at the conf
mander. waiting orders, and motion of his
hand sufices to make him change the direc-
ton In which the outfit Is going. The
leader, at least in some instances L have
observed. is extremely proud Of his re-
spOnsibillty, and, as consequence, main
tains an exclusive demeanor toward his
colleagues. lis sleeps by himself and
growls when approached by what he con-
sders his inferior. 1t is customary to feed
him separately and encourage him in his
vanity, and 1t is a conventional rule never
to submit him to physical punishment.
The worst punishmentthat can be inflicted
upon a conscientious leader dog is to reduce
him to the ranks, and his abject demeanor
as he sorrowfully sinks along with his tail
between his legs is almost hearlrendng. On
the other hand, the dog that has been pro-
NOTED at once assumes a self-eOnscious
strut. The adage that dog will not eat dog
was proven repeatedly on my trip. On one
occasion a dog received no food for nearly
five days because we bad, through the
bunglimg Of lying guide, underestimate
the length of march and had run out OF
the supply OF dried salmon which forms the
sole diet of the Esquimau dog. In conse-
quence we lost hall dozen OF our faithful
animals by starvation, trial which to me
was more ag0niZing than any personal SUI
fering. / never saw during this period Of
misery single sign shown by any one of the
team to satisfy his cravings upon the body
of his fellow.