The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1893-06-10
Smart Alaskan Dogs.

exploring expedition through Alaska, says
the Milwaukee Sentinel, has told a reporter
something about the dogs of that country
The Esquimau dog from his birth to his
death, which in many instances is a violent
one, never knows the luxury of shelter or
bed. He spends his existence outdoors
and appears to be far more comfortable in
winter than in summer. The pups, when
hardly able to toddle, instinctively show
an ambition to run with sleighs 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 Esquimau. 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 of training is very
effective, 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, ) >. idoubtedly even
surpassed by that of n,s Arctic relative.
Some of the characteristics of the Esquimau
draught dog are almost incredible. ANY
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 shirk duty.
He would suddenly begin TO limp dread
fully and look back at his driver with a
most pitable expression. He succeeded
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 l punished
him whenever he tried to shirk, and IA
every case it would be days before any
sign of lameness would be SEEN He had
a trick of slipping out Of the harness, ir
which he was an expert, and made his
escape from the ropes in manner which
would make a spiritualistic medium green
with envy This dog, through shirking his
work, had incurred the enmity of the rest
of the team, and they resented repeatedly
his unwillingness to meet his part of the
teams obligations. saved him several
times from the fierce onslaught of his
colleagues after he had run away from the
sled
A good Esquimau leader dog is a wonder
of intelligence He is not guided by line
or whip, but merely by 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 snarl. 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
mander, waiting orders, and motion of
his hand sufices to make him change the
direction in which outfit is going. The
leader, at least in some instances have OBJ
served, is sextremely proud Of his responsible
ity, and, as consequence, maintains an ex-
elusive demeanor toward his colleagues. He
sleeps by himself and growls when approach
ed by what he considers his inferior. 1t is
customary to feed him separately and en-
courage him in his vanity and it is con
yentional rule never to submit him to-
physical punishment,
The worst punishment that can be in
ficted upon conscientious leader dog is
to reduce him to the ranks, and his abiect
demeanor as he sorrowfully sinks along
with his tail between his legs is almost
heartrending. On the other hand, the dog
that has been promoted at osce assumes
self-conscious strut. The old adage that
dog will not eat dog was proven repeatedly
on my trip. On one occasion a dog re-
ceived no food for fve days because we had
through the bungling of lying guide un-
derestimated the length of march aud
had run out of the supply of dried salmon,
which forms the sole diet of the Esquimau
dog, In consequence We lost half dozen
of our faithful animals by starvation, a trial
which to me was more agonizing than any
personal suffering. | never saw during
this period of misery a single sign shown
by any one of the team to satisfy his cray
ings upon the body of his fellow.
Fidelity is the chief virtue of the Es-
quimau dog. One Of my leaders, when
crippled by starvation and overwork, had
to be abandoned because he refused to be
carried on'the sled. l left him behind,
feeling as if were tearing myself away
from dear friend, but before we continued
our way gave him the last fish we had,
depriving ourselves Of that much food.
Three days afterward, while we were en-
camping at the Esquimau village of Ka-
houak, the dog reached US, having followed
our trail with bleeding feet and emaciated
body for eighty-fve miles, forty-fve Of
which consisted Of crossing the surface Of
the great Lake Hanna in a "poorga q
| .......-.,l,d s.,onio. of hlizzard