Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1893-10-21
DOGS AS DRAFT ANIMALS.
An American Consul Suggests That They
BE So Employed.

An American Consul Suggests That They
BE So Employed.
In report to the State Depart
ment, dated June 3, 1893. says the
Chicago Herald. Nicholas Smith,
American Consul at Licge, treats of
the dog as draft amman in Belgium.
The Consul presumes that thirty
years ago dog in harness would have
excited as much remark in Liege as
he would now in an American city.
But to-day the dog is no longer an
aristocratic loafer Liege is a city of
great industurlal activity, ''possess-
Ing she largest mandatory of ma
chimes aud machinery in the world,
and employing as many horses as any
other town of it's size in Europe, and
yet for every horse at least two dogs
are to be seen in harness on the
streets"
OF course they are used only for
the lighter kinds Of traffic, and yet
their employment is greatly diversi-
lied. Mr.. Smith assures us that not
only the market gardener, but also
the butcher, the baker, the grocer.
the porter, the expressman-commo
carriers Of all kinds. indeed-engage
his services" And it is no trifiing
service, either. that he renders. The
usual draft of an ordinary dog is
stated at 600 pounds, though a mas
tiff often draws 1900 pounds. We
may infer that good double dog
team can haul ton, especially if his
master puts shoulder to the vehicle
in emergencies
Various things are said in favor Of
making dogs earn their living in this
way. For e thing, the expense of
feeding is SMALL or cents a day
where the animals are "boarded, +"
while the maintenance of one or two
in family costs practically moth
ing. For another thing, they have
no hoofs to clatter on the pavements
to the annoyance of sick or nervous
| people. or to wear the pavements out.
And again they do not litter the
streets like horses, and their use re-
duces the cost of cleaning as well as
repairs to a minimum. And further,
| they will cover a greater distance in
| given time when stops are made
from house to house and haul a
heavier load in proportion to size. OF
| course, there is no outlay for shoes.
And finally, to omit items of minor
Importance, their industrial training
subdues their belligerent instincts
and completely eradicates their sheep
killing propensity. In fact, it not
only makes them useful, buU also
| quiet, civil and innocuous.
Consul Smith thinks it time for
Americans to take hint from the
Belgians and turn their hereditary
| quadruped loafers to good account
And just here he makes little com
putatiOn to show us how much power
we have running to waste and aching
to be employed. Estimating the
canine population at 1000. 900 and
their average strength at 500 pounds,
which he regards as low, we have an
available force of 3, 500, 900, 900 pounds
now unemployed.
1t will take considerable time ia
bring the mass of our dog population
into harness for various reasons Per.
hapS half the animals are merely or.
namental and untitled for service OF
this kind. Many that are fit are
household pets and their owners will
never set them at work, and many
are too old to learn new tricks readily.
But much greater obstacle. to the
employment of dogs as draft animals
in this country is to be found in the
fact thai most Americans would look
npon the hauling of dog loads as a
small and trifling business, quite be-
meath their dignity and out of accord
with their notions of an economical
use of their time.
Possibly, however, if a beginning
! could be made the use of the dog as a
beast of burden would be gradually
extended. For some lines of service
he is we'll adapted and he might come
to be pretty freely employed as ex-
| perience should open up for him new
fields of activity. But we may not
expect the gardener who has to haul
his 'truck" six or eight miles to the
Chicago market to employ dogs. He
wants an animal able to draw not
only the truck but himself, and get
over the ground fast enough to be in
good season in the market