Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1893-05-19
Smart Alaskan Dogs.

the dogs of this country:
The Esquimau dog from his birth
to his death, which in many instances
i violent one. never knows the lux
ury Of shelter or a bed. He spends
his existence outdoors and appears to
/ be far more comfortable in winter
than in summer. The pups, when
| hardly able 10 toddle. inStinctively
show an ambition to run with sleShs
and join with their treble squeals the
enthusiastic chorus of howlS with
which The Esquimau dog invariably
greets the first fall of the snow. |
may say here that the Esquimau dog
never barks.
The ambition of the young dogs Is
soon taken advantage of by the Is
quimau. The little fellows are hitched
to sleds in company with full grown
dogs, aud to prevent them from be
ing run over they are tied by the
neck to the tow line, So that when
the run starts ont they are compelled
to keep up or be dragged by the team.
This simple though brutal method OF
training is very effective, and after
one or two runs the young dog under
stands what is wanted OF him. Even
before he is full grown he is thorough
" conver,and with his duties.
The much-referrrd to intelligence Of
the Scotch collie, which is sort of
first cousin Of the Esquimau dogs Is
undoubtedly even surpassed by that
Of his Artic relative. Some Of the
characteristics Of the ESquimau
draught dog are almost incredible.
ANY one who has observed them finds
it difficult 10 deny him the credit OF
reasoning power | had one dog
which persisted in feigning lameness
or sicknes, in order to shirk duty.
He would suddenly begin TO Imp
dreadfuiIy and look back at hi, driver
with most pitiabIe expression. lie
succeeded several times in arousing
my sympathy and being released
from the harness until one of my Is
quimauy assured me that il was all
trickery After that | punished him
whenever he tried TO shirk, aud in
every case it would be days before
any sign Of lameness would be seen.
He had trick Of slipping ont Of the
harness. in which he was an expert,
and made his escape from the ropes
i'm a manner which would make "A
>piritualistir medium green with
envy. This dog. through shirking
hi, work. had Incurred the enlnity OF
the rest of the team, and they resent
ed repeatedly his un"illingness TO
meet his part Of the teams obisa-
tions. | saved him several times from
the fierce ousaughter Of his colIea-
CUES after he had run away from the
sled
\ good Esquimau leader dog is
wonder Of intelligence. He is not
guided by line or whip, but merely
bv words and motions Of the hands.
If, when the team is rapidly moving,
he be suddenly called upon TO halt, it
stands to reason that if he stopped
abruptly the rest Of the team and the
sled would run over him, or would
become entangled in II snarI. He,
therefore, when commanded to halt,
makes curve to the right or left and
faces to the rear, moving slowly until
the sled can be stopped. He then
looks with bright eyes at the com
mauder, waiting orders and motion
of his hand sulIices to make him
change the direction in which the
outfit Is going The leader, at least
in some instances ! have observed, j.
extremely proud Of his responsibility,
and. a consequence, maintains an
exclusive demeanor toward his col
leagues He sleeps by himself aud
growls when approached by what he
considers his inferior. 1t is cn-to-
mary 70 feed him separately aud en-
courage him in his vanity, and it Is
conventional rule never 20 submit
him to physical punishment.
The worst punishment that can be
inflicted upon conscientious leader
doy Is to reduce him to the ranks,
and his abject dem"anor a he sorrow
fully sinks along with his tail be-
tween his legs j. almost hsartrendins.
On the other hand, the dog that has
been promoted at once assumes self
conscious strut. The old adage that
dog will not Eat dog was proven re-
peatedIy on my trip. Ga one occa-
sion dog received no food for five
days because we had through the
bungling Of lying guide underesti-
mated the length Of II march and had
run out Of the supply Of dried salmon
which forms the sole diet OF the E.
/ quimau dog. Ia consequence We lost
T half a dozen Of our faithful animals
/ by starvation, trial which 10 NE
was more agonizing than any per
sonal suffering. | never saw during
thi. period of misery a single sign
shown by any one Of the team to sat
i,fv his cravings uoon the body Of his
fellow.
Fidelity j. the chief virtue Of the
Esqumau dog One OF ny leaders,
when crippled by starvation and over
work. had 10 be abandoned because
he refused TO be- carried on the sled.
| left him behind, feeling a il were
tearing myself away from a dear
friend. but before We continued our
way | gave him the last fish We had,
deprivibg ourselves Of that much
food Three davs afterward. while
We were encamping al the Esquimau