The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-24
DOGS VOCABULARY.
How Many Words Can an Intelligent
Animal Understand.

a a4Ae4A - AAC4I LdA
How many words are there in the
vocabulary Of the average dog2'' asked
the man who takes considerable interest
in the canine tribe. and more particu-
larly in that class of dogs having some
training Here is a question no man
can answer certainly. and yet / believe
we may get within reasonable range
of the truth by a little reflection Pet
dogs as a rule have a much larger
vocabulary than any other kind Train
ed dogs, the kind we md with circuses
and on the stage, prOba bly, come second.
and the others are ranged along &c
cording to the lives they lead. Dogs
learn words much more rapidly than We
suppose. In the first place this animal is
an awfully close observer Hearing a
sound repeatedly it soon learns to as
sociate it with a certain object Take
the well-trained hound for instance.
and he soon learns what IS meant BIZ a
gun, shoot. hunt. deer. fox. chase and
so on. Experienced hunters can furnish
many evidences of the understanding of
dogs when it comes to the words and
phrases most frequently used in con-
nectiOn with the sport. of course. all
dogs become familiar with the com
mands used in directing them during
the hunt. and under other circumstan-
ces. A pretty example of this fact is
found in the ease and accuracy with
which pointers and settlers do their
work on the field. While II cannot be
claimed for hunting dogs that they have
a very extensive NOca buidry, they un-
derstand enough words to go about
their work intelligently and at times
with precision that is little less than
marvellous. Pet dogs. poodle, fox ter
riers and animals of this kind have
more extensive vocabulary. An Illus
tration of this IS found in q fox terrier
belonging to Manager Bray, of the
Orpheum TheateT, a terrier of royal
lineage, having come from the kings
kennels at BUDAPEST Few words, in
common use around the house are be-
yond the understanding OF this pet of
Manager Bray and his wife The pet
knows the name of every article OF
furniture and clothing in the house A
few evening ago a test was made for
curacy of the terriers understanding OF
words. I want you to walk on your
hind feet to the front room and bite
MI Bray on the ear said a member
of the household to the pet. Forthwith
the terrier was off, and before Mr.. Bray
knew anything about the plan the dog
was playfully pulling at his car. Here
was rather intricate command 1t was
not simply a command TO go. It is said
how to 20, where to go. what to do and
to whom But the terrier understood
perfectly. Now here is a dog having
an extraordinary vocabulary. under
standing. no doubt. ne less than $50
words This one case Will show that
the pet dog has wider understanding
of words than dogs belonging to any
other class and there is a reason for
it. of course. They are talked TO all
the tine. and ma turally learn to- asso-
tiate certain sounds with certain Oh
jects 1t would be interesting to know
what the average vocabulary is among
dogs, and I would Ike to see some ex-
pert take up the matter for the pur-
pose of deteE mining more definitely lust
how many words dogs definitely under
stand New Orleans Times Democrat.