The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1900-04-21
THE COLLIE AS A FARM DOG.
How He Should be Trained to Secure
the Highest Usefulness.


the Highest Usefulness.
By long odds, the best farm dog is
the Scotch collie, sometimes called the
shepherd" dog Nine-tenths Of the
dogs in the country are valueless from
the financial standpoint, to say the
least; and perhaps a majority are
worse. l have no quarrel with those
who keep a dog because they are the
children love or want a dog. But I
have In mind the dog whose labor pays
! for his keep, an more. on the average
! farm. Such dog is the well trained
collie. / have sometimes heard 1t said
that to have good farm dog, even
though he is a collie, he must not be
petted, especially by the children. I
am sure this is incorrect as to the col
| lie. He ought to be petted. But the
god farm dog, be he collie or something
else, should spend most Of the day
about the farm and feed lots, and not
about the house. His work, and if he
| is properly trained. his inclination, will
keep him among the farm animals. The
| collie likes farm animals; l suppose
| that Is why it will handle them better
than any other dog. + have had much
experience in driving and herdng cat
tie, and can testify that in this work
man and well trained collie with
sheep is even superior in its work with
cattle / know 1t will drive hogs WE'LL
and 1T is practically tn comfy dog that
win. 1t is surprising how 7any steps
the we'll trained collie will save on the
average farm, and steps mean money.
I know of no better watch dog than
the collie. 1t is very alert and cour-
ageous. It's kennel should be in the
yard, near the houhe, should be made
warm, placed in some sheltered corner,
and well supplied with hay and "old
clo'es" Nearly every collie Is very
kind to children, and may be made
their pet, without hurt to the dog. The
care and thoughtfuness Of some collies
that I have known, exercised toward
their little friends, was pathetic.
know of no other beast nearly so af-
fectionate; I kno wof no other beast
so intelligent. He will soon learn every
animation the farm, detect an intruder
in minute, notice If one of the ami
mails Is missing, and give the alarm if
one is in distress. There is not more
Oloi
the cost, in keeping any animal on the
average farm, than there is in keeping |
a good collie.
To train the collie is not difficult One
must be firm, kind and patient. I
have never seen a pup of any breed or
no breed that did not want to drive |
at the head at the beginning. AS soon
as it goes to the head of an animal, call |
it back and start it out again. If it |
again goes to the head. call 1t back a
little sharply. If it persists in going
to the head, give it a sharp tap or two |
with your hand. Usually that will be |
sufficient punishment. When it does
start in to drive right-behind the ami
mals--call 1t to you in kind voice
and pat it's head, and let it know that
it is doing right. 1t Is fully as import |
ant to commend the pup for good |
works as to scold it for poor work. In
rare cases, 1t will be necessary to give
the pup it's first few lessons with a
long, light cord around its neck, so [
persistent will it be going to the head.
When 1t goes to the head of an animal,
pull it back behind and hold it there.
1t will soon "catch on to what is the
proper position.
, Some pups are disposed to use their
teeth. This must be corrected at the
very beginning. When the pup uses its
teeth call it sharply. If it does not de-
sist, call it back and scold it. Send it
forward, and if it again uses its teeth,
call it back and cuff its mouth. An
intelligent pup will soon understand
that it is not to use it's teeth In driving.
Use your hand much, pointing always
toward where you wish the dog to go.
when training a pup. This will aid
him greatly in understanding what you
want and when he is trained he will
kepe a watch on your hand and be
quick to obey it's commands. AS dog
trained to observe the hand as well as
the voice is worth nearly twice as much
as if trained to observe the voice only.
While I prefer the female to the male
cat on the farm, there is no doubt that
the male is far superior than the female
dog The female is sure to bring about
the place nondescript males, whose
presence is at least undesirable, and
may be dangerous to the peace and
safety of the animals The bitch will
be incapacitated for any good
work for six weeks at least once a
year. A bitch is arter to become cross
and unsafe, and she is not so good a
for children. She is more
nervous and is more easily irritated
and worried and tagged out.
Finally. If the dog is well fed-enough
clean, wholesome food to keep him in
good flesh-and is given the exercise
that the work of a well trained dog
will afford, he will keep in good flesh,
and foods" and medicines will not
be needed. But do not let him suffer
with the mango or superabundanoe of
fieas; it is only humane to get the
proper remedies at once And remem-
Der that good dog is too valuable for