New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-11-08
SOME WAYS OF 4 DOG.
A Reputation of the Belief that
Poodles Are INTELLIGENT.

Z
language, a deep and sincere affection for
Number One-are they to be regarded in the
night OF virtues? IF not then Of virtue, I fear.
Moroo had none" says "Blackwood's." Nor
again had he many positive or at least actively
Objectionable vices Nay. rather. his intense
and grotesque ugliness his whimsical dispo-
sition, the unfailing readiness with which he
lent himself TO be made fool OF on every pos
slble occasion. were so many points in his favor.
Nothing in the way Of food ever did come
aIlss to that dog-not the richest cake. the
strongest cheese, the cats meat the garbage in
the pig bucket, or even a brand-nex leg Of NUT
ton- The last certainly did not come out Of our
larder.
IN ADDITION to sundry unauthorized snacks.
as may call them. MoroO managed to get 4
share Of six meals at least besides his own
dinner, being a regular and importunate Wis
liant at every regular meal. both in our dining
room and the servants hail. and filing UP odd
chlnks BY periodical attacks on the pig bucket
II Is hardly to be wondered at then. that he
suffered from chronic dyspepsia, and OCCASION
ally used language which-mutatis mutandis-
was worthy Of a equity invalid In the Georgian
era At certain period Of each day. e. be-
tween II and o'clock when meals were tempo
rariy Oft was his common habit in fine
weather 70 sit down by the front gate and at
N'1~~ N4c dLlcullOu OF passing QOgS Dy pro-
longed whining
ANY stranger who, attracted by the sound
stopped to pass the time Of day then had the
pleasure Of hearing some plain home truths
about his own personal appearance. moral char
acter and everything else connected with him.
If one might Judge from the transports Of rage
into which the animal on the wrong side Of the
gate was commonly driven, nothing IN the way
Of vituperation came auiss to Moroo, and am
convinced that each newcomer was informed
that not only he himself was outside the pale OF
civilization, but that his female ancestors Up
to the third and fourth generation were no bet
ter than they should be- and his male progeni-
tors. if possible. worse That was a real fool OF
a dog which, goaded into positive fury thrust
its nose under the gate. For this was the very
thing which Moroo was evidently playing up for.
and the nipping Of the aforesaid nose being
safely accomplished. and acting him like
sherry and bitters, he would trot back TO the
house in better heart for the next meal
Never, under any circumstances did I know
Moroo study any ones comfort or amusement
but his own. Accident however. coming to the
rescue Of incapacity and unwiIlingness TO
oblige. often rendered him invountarily anus
ing For, having just sufficient sagacity to dis
cover that other dogs in the establishment were
rewarded for doing tricks by biscuits, Moroo
become trick dog
Here are two Of his best and most classical
tricks. After watching two coIlies. excellent
jumpers, clear my stick at a considerable height,
Moroo by loud parking and general display Of
excitement, signifed his intention Of entering
the lists and showing how the thing really
should be done. The stick was accordingly held
UP, and Moroo. taking tremendous run. after
two three balks and false starts would gall
lop furious y-underueath. and then ClamOr for
his biscuit II the stick was held foot of the
ground he would blunder over it somehow; at
six inches he would actually clear it,
I have heard people who profess to be know
ing about dogs declare that OF IT dog comes
near poodle in the point OF intelligence. Mo
roo then, l imagine, must be mum bered among
the exceptions that prove the rule. For, apart
from natural gift for looking after his own
cOmmissariat. never found in him glimmer
ing Of intelligence and if he had auv Of that
commodity he kept il religiously 70 himself.
What an egregious fool he really was may be
into the ground, and then invited MOrOO 70 in
spect the hole. he would at once declare that
there was rat about, and spend the rest Of the
afternoon IN digging de never. 20 ny Know
edge, really did kill or wish TO kill a rat. but he
once wrecked a mousetrap set in my wife's bed
room in pursuit Of-the cheese
Now and again temporary fits OF intense and
most exigeant affection for some one member
Of the household would overcome him And as
he preferred TO utilize the powers OF scent
rather than OF sight in recognizing his friend
for the time being. I have seen a stranger lit
orally bound on his seat II alarm Wnen AOTOO
came up behind him and shifted audibly at his
calves during his search for the person he
wanted to talk to.
When we let our house Moroo formed part
" the fixtures, and accepted the situation grace
fully-so much so. indeed. that he more than
once managed to induce the tenants 10 believe
that he was an unappreciated and underfed
animal But. though people used TO pet nlh
end fatten him up. I never had subsequent
application for his character with a view 70 a
change OF situation As he once trotted man
fully for two miles along the railway in pursuit
Of a train which was conveying the temporary
object of his affections 10 market town and
on another occasion. having been taken for
drive in a high doKcart. went to sleeD, and fell
off the front seat into the road, his life was not
entirely devoid OF a healthy excitement He
died at a good old age, leaving. fear, many
enemies and no friends Of his own species and
of the human race more who wondered why he
had ever been born than OF those who nourned
his loss