The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-12-05
DOGS INSTEAD OF HORSES
INCREASING USE or THE DOG AS A
DRAUGHT ANIMAL ABROAD.
Humane Societies object, but to Little
ing--POIice Regulations.
washington Letter in New York Post.


Switzerland and the Netherlands. according
to recent consular reports, in spite of the
strenuous opposition of the rocety for the
Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and not
withstanding the severe discrimination
against the dog owner in all highway privi-
leges and expenditures. The dog has proved
to be so peculiarly adapted to the needs of
the small farmer and the tradesman. and.
Withal, so easily acquired and so willing
and cheap a servant, that the transportation
of small quantities of merchandise through
short distances is chiefly done by him in
those countries. In the cities he hauls the
delivery carts of the butcher, the grocer,
the baker, the milkman and the shop
keeper; in the rural districts he draws the
peasants farm produce to the market, and
does many an odd service that commonly
falls to the lot of a donkey Or "a horse His
usefulness is, of course, strictly limited, by
his strength no less than by the police reg
ulations, to small teaming," out his worth
is evident in his persistent numerical in
crease. 1t costs nothing to train draught
dog, little to feed him, and but little more
to possess him; he is housed without incon-
venience or expense; ne does his work faith
fully and well, and in these potent consider
atoms lies the explanation of his widespread
use.
The draught dogs are harnessed from two
to six abreast to d two or four-wheeled
cart When a single dog is used, he is
hitched to a shaft underneath the cart, and
merely aids the driver, who, pushing from
behind, does the greater part of the work.
The harness is simple, consisting of a
broad strap, or breast collar, of leather,
passing around the breast and taperlng
back about three feet on each side, length
ened by traces of cord or leather, which are
attached to the whifietree. The collar is
held in place by a back-band and g1rtn,
and the leather muzzle, which all dogs, in
or out of harness, are required to wear at
all seasons when outside their owners
premises, serves as a bride, and completes
the working gear. The two-wheeled cart is
about four feet high, weighs some two hum
dred and fifty pounds, and is provided with
long handles, which are held by the driver,
who guides and balances it, while the dogs,
hitched to an iron bracket, trot beneath.
The four-wheeled cart, which is used al
most exclusively in the country and remote
villages, is two and one-half feet high,
weighs about one hundred and fifty pounds
and is usually drawn by four or more dogs
harnessed abreast in front.
The cost of a draught dog varies consid-
naturally being important factors in deter
mining IL. In Client young dog of ordi-
nary promise may be bought for Sc or 81;
well-trained dog between one and three
years old will cost from $40 to $12, while SIS
is asked for very fine dog. In Brussels
good draught dog sells at from 60 to 125
francs (S11.5S to $2412) In Antwerp the
prices are about the same, a well-traned
strong young dog costing from SIS to $40,
while a six-year-old dog can be bought for
a sum between So and $10 In Frankfort,
Germany, the values range from SIS to $25;
in Lucerne, from 20 to $50 francs ($13.51 to
$28.95)
Food and maintenance are trif1ing items
of expense, as full-grown dog can be kept
strong and healthy on the kitchen waste of
a household of five or six. In the country
districts the food is milk, bread and vege-
tables exclusively, and, although it is APP
parently insufficient, the dogs thrive. If the
food must be bought, a stable of six dogs
can be kept at expenditure of about
cents per day each. Carts and harness may
be had to suit the purses of the purchaser.
The PEASANTS four-wheIed cart, the crude
product of the village Smithy, and a make
shift harness. roughly pieced together from
odd scraps of leather and Irvine, costs little
or nothing, while the two-wheeled delivery
cart of the prosperous shopkeeper brightly
painted and gayly decorated, and a harness
studded with polished brass rivets, cost
from $50 to SIS. 1t must not be supposed
that the PEASANTS cart and team cost any
considerable sum. He is content to press a
stray cur into the service whenever it may
be his good fortune to find one, to make his
own harness from the material he may
gather from the roadside, to construct his
own rude cart, and to let his dogs forage
for themselves.
The plains of western Belgium and Hol-
land are especially suited to the use of
dogs as draught animals, while few are to
be seen in the mountainous districts of
Switzerland where their use is confined to
drawing messengers from village to village
and to haul the ragpickerS' carts. But even
in gently rolling districts a team of dogs,
strong and spirited, attached to lightly
loaded cart, can outdistance as many horses
on long hauls. For instance a team of
draught horses will make the journey from
Client to Brussels, a distance of thirty
four miles, in four hours, while a team of
dogs viii travel the same road in three
hours without apparent fatigue 1t is inn
possible, however, to determine even an APP
proximate average of the weight a single
dog can draw through given distance in a
given time. Somewhat indefinitely, it may
be said that six dogs can draw a load of
500 pounds during several consecutive hours
without sign of distress. 1t is fact also
that two dogs can draw a peddler's load
from o'clock in the morning until o'clock
in the evening, with only such rest as the
intervals of sale may offer, and that they
will then be less fatigued than their mas
ter at the end OF the days work. One dog
alone generally has strength enough to
draw a milkman'S cart and sixty gallons
OF milk over long route in a rolling coun-
try.
LENGTH OF LIFE.
The average working life of these faith
ful animals is ten years. They reach their
fun strength at three years. and from then
until they are nine years old should be at
their best. With good care and sufficient
food most dogs are capable of service even
until fifteen years DID, and many trot their
daily round with cheerful alacrity, although
bearing the weight of twenty years. It is
the frequency of accidents insufficient food
and overlooking that reduce the average of
life. The dog takes to his work, after a
few days perfunctory training, very readily,
rarely, under ordinary circumstances, hav-
ing to be urged to greater exertion. Indeed,
if spoken to at all, it is to restrain him
from drawing the cart faster than the driver
cares to walk The preparation of the
wagon for a trip affects the trained dog
much as the sight of a gun or shooting
costume does a setter or foXhound, and.
when harnessed, he trots to his place I'M
der the wagon with tail wagging. If en-
ployed on a milk route or in like service
he soon learns the way the places and the
duration of each stop well as his master
in whose absence he guards the wagon with
Ii fidelity which no wheedling can corrupt
or fatigue impair.
Notwithstanding that the dogs have been
used for clearly defined purpose through
a long period of years, no systematic con-
tinued effort has been made to develop, by
iudicious selection, a breed that should
combine the physical characteristics, such
as breadth of breast and strength of flank,
most needed for the work. The strongest
dog for the least money and for immediate
service has been the demand, and conse-