The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-01
THE RISE OF THE DOG.
when lie Becomes Mans Partner lie
Is Faithful


There is quite as much in the improved
conditions Of quadrupeds-esp specially those
that are classed as domestic auimaIs-to
indicate the progressive purpose that runs
through creation. as in the advance Of
man himself From the beginning or so
near the beginning that il is not worth
while to 90 farther back, man has associat-
ed with himself certain dumb creatures
and among the earliest was the dog.
II is said that the dog in his original
form, was a wolf and that he was picked
up somewhere or brought from his native
den by a human creature not many re
moves from a wolf himself Strange stO-
ries are told Of a mysterious tendency OF
dogs long domesticated to revert 10 the
original type in disposition. and for q night
at least to run and howl and prey with
wolves. However the partnership between
the dog and the man came about. the con
tract was faithfully kept as a rule by one
Of the parties-namely. the dog. The dog
even if he was once wolf. consented to
tend the flock on Which il was his original
nature to prey. II he was once free. he
gave up his liberty to follow at his mas
ter's heels to lie by the hour in one place
and watch his masters property. to guard
his owner while he slept. and often to keep
up his vigil beside the grave whence every
other friend had gone. or perchance nc
other friend had ever come.
The other party to the agreement does
rot seem to have been so mindful Of the
obligation Very early records make men
ton of dogs keeping watch over fiOcks. but
there is no reference to gratitude displayed
for that service. Dog early became term
of opprobrium. rs thy servant a dog that
he should do this thing" "Spurned like a
cur" is the extreme Of injury and insult
1t would be a curious, but probably a
vain search, to find when the change for
the better in the reputation Of the dog be-
gan. 1t must have been when the ancient
maxim, Love me- love my dog. was in
vented. and it was the great Alexander
Pope who recognized the belief of Lo. tle
poor Indian that in another aud better
world than this his faithful dog shall
bear him company As the world came to
know itself better as people discovered
that beyond the mountains there are men
also" it was found that there were dogs
likewise. From the mysterious white north
word came OF a region where dogs are the
only work animals History began to FL
up with stories OF famous dogs, the Hound
of Gelert. the Dog OF Moutargis The IA
nous dogs Of St. Bernard went forth On
their eTrands Of mercy and their story
went over all the world. With the spread
Of civilization and enlightenment the lot Of
the dog improved and his importance in
society was increased The savage is cruel
to his wife and his dog: the civilized man
Cherishes both
In our time the dog. once regarded as the
kiusman Of the wild wolf has reached his
highest estate. Kansas City will soon hold
an exhibition at which the remarkable de
veopment Of the dog will be made mani
fest There will be great Danes mastiffS
and Newfoundlands. and lap dogs and
spaniels. mere canine midgets There will
be dogs for all stations and conditions
dogs for the chase and dogs for the par
lCr. There will be dogs with a pedigree
like a thoroughbred. and which have sold
in a direct line for generations for thou
sands of dollars. There will be hundreds
of dogs. and yet not one to class as mon
grol, puppy. whelp. or hound. or eur Of low
degree. hut every animal a dog Of charac-
ter and family.