The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-11-28
DOGS AS DRAUGHT ANIMALS
Interesting Facts About Their Increased Use
Their Cost and Training Stringent
Police Regulations.
From the New York Evening Post.


The use of he deg as a draught animal
is steadily increasing in Belgium Ger
many, tzeiland, and ths' Netherlands,
according to recent consular reports, in
spite of the strenuous opposition of the
Soclety for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals, and Notwithstanding the severe.
discrimination against thu, d.g-owner in
all highway privileges and expenditures.
The dog has proved to be 50 peculiarly
adapted ito the needs of the small far
mer and the tradesman, and, withal,
SO easily acquired and so willing and
cheap a servant, that this transpor.a-
ton of small quantities of merchandise
through short distances is chiefly done
by him in those countries. In the cites
he hauls the delivery carts Of ths, butcher,
the grocer, the baker, the milkman. and
the shopke per; in the rural districts
he draws the peasants farm produces to
the market, and does many an odd SER
vice that commonly falls to the lot of a
donkey or a horse. His usefulne IS IS, Of
course, strictly Limited, by his strength
no less than by this police regulations,
to small teaming," but his worth is e1t-
dent in HIS persistent numerical sncrsass.
1t costs nothing to train a draugllt dog,
little to feed him.. and but little more
TO POSSESS him; he Is housed without in
convenience or exp. mss; he does his work
FAITHFULLY and well, ard n thesa pstent
considerations lies the explanation of his
widespread use.
The draught dogs are harms ssed from
two or six abreast to d two.
or four wheer-1 cart. When
single dog is used he is hitch
ed to shaft underneath the cart,
and merely aids the driver, who, pushing
from behind, does tbs greater part of
tbs work. The harness LIS simple, con-
ststing of a broad strap, or breast coll
lar, of leather, passing around the breast
and tapering back about thrse feet on
each side, heightened by tracts of cord
or leather, which are attached to the
whiifietree. The collar IS held in place
by backband and gllth, and the leath-
er muzzle, which all dogs, in or out of
harness, ara required to wear ait al sea-
sons when outside their owners premi-
SEES, serves as a bride, and completes
the working gear. The wo-wlheeled cart
is about four feet high, weights some
$50 pounds, and is provided with long
handles, which are held by the driver,
who guides and balances it, while the
dogs hltched to an iron bracket, iuot
beneath. This four-wheelsd cart, which
is used almost exclusively in the oomn-
try and remote villages, Is two and ONE
half feet high, weighs about $50 pounds,
and Is usually drawn by four or more
QOSS ndEnCSSCQ GDft9SI In front.
The cost of a draught dog wares con-
siderably, age, health, strength, and spir-
1T naturally being Important factors in
determining 1t. In Client a young deg
of ordinary promise may be bought fcr
Sc or 81; wsll-trarned dog, b. tween one
and three years old will cost from $40 to
$12, while $15 is asked for a very fine dog.
In Brussels a gccdS draught dog sells at
from so Ito 125 francs ($11.5S to $24.12). In
Antwerp the prices are about the samsl
a well trains d. strong young dog cost g
from SIS to $20 while a 6-year-old dog can
be bought for a sum between So and $40.
In Frankfort. Germany, the value ranges
from SIS to- $25; in Lucerns, from 20 to $50
francs C$1351 to- $2S95).
Food and maintenance are trfiing
items of expense, as a full grown dog
cam 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 veg tables exclusive
ly and although it is apparently in
suffic' emit. the dogs thrive. If the food
must be bought, a stable of six dogs can
be kept at an expenditure of about six
cents each day. Carts and harness may
be had to suit the purse of tbs: purchaser.
The peazants four-wheeled cart, the
crude pre,ill1t of the village smithy, and
a makeshift harness, roughly Ireced to-
gethsr from odd scraps eff lsathcr and
Irvine, costs little or nothing, while the
two-wheeled delivery cart of the pros
jerous shopkeepsr, brightly painted and
gayly decorated and a HARNESS studded
with polished brass r.vets cost from $50
to SIS. 1t must not be supposed that the
peasants cart and team ceSt any con-
siderable sum. He is content to press
a stray cur into the service WHENEVER 1t
may be his good fortune to find cns, to
make has own HARNESS from the mate
rial 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 mails 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.
Blu. even in gently r"l ing districts team
of dogs, strong and spirited, attached to |
lightly loaded cart, can outdistance as
many horses on long hauls For in
stance, team of draught horscis will |
make the journey from Client to Brus- |
sells. a distance of thirsy-four miles. in !
four hours, while a team off dogs Will !
travel the same road in three hours |
without apparent fatigue. 1t Is impcfS-
sihls. however, to determine even am
approximate average of the weight
s 'ngle dog can draw through a given
distanoe in given time. Somewhat in
definitely 1T may be said that six dogs
can draw load of 800 pounds during
several consecutive hours without sign
of distress. Lit rs a fact also that TWO
dogs can draw a peddler's load from
O'Clock in tho morning until 8 O'clock in
thu evening, with only such rest as the IN
tervals of sale may Offer and that thsy
will then be less fatigued than their
master at the end of the days work. Ons
dog alone generally has strength enough
to draw a mlkman's cant and sixty gal
Ions Of milk over a long route in rolling
The average working life of tlnsse faith
full animals IS ten YEARS. They reach
th:ir full strength at three years. and
from then until they are nina years old
should be at their best. with good
care and sufficient feed most dogs are
capable of s,rvice even until fifteen ysars
old, and many trot their daily round with
cheerful a1acrity although bearing the
weight Of twenty years. Il is the fire.
qusncy of accid snts, insufficient food, and Z
overlooking that reduce the average of
life. The dog takes to his work. after
a few days perfunctory training, very