The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1903-02-02

i "Iiow many words are there In tn
vocabulary Of the ayeragadog 7" asket
the man who takes considerable inter
est in the canine tribe, and more par
ticularly in that class OF dogs having
some training, reports the New Or
leans Times-D Democrat. Here is
/ question no man can answer certainly
and yet 1 believe you may get within
reasonable range of the truth by lit
tie reflection. Pet dogs al a rule have
much larger vocabulary than any
other kind. Trained dogs, the kind we
find with circuses and on the. stage
probably come second, and the others
are ranged along according to the lives
they lead. Dogs learn words much
more rapidly than we suppose. In
| the first place, this animal is an aw'
| fully close observer. Hearing sound
repeatedly It soon learns to associate Il
with certain object Take the we'll
| trained hound, for instance, and he
soon learns what is meant by 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
connection with the sport.
"Of course, all dogs become familiar
with the commands used in directing
them during the hunt, and under other
circumstances. A pretty example Of
/ this fact is found in the ease and ac-
curacy with which pointers and set
ters do their work on the field. While
It cannot be claimed for hunting dogs
that they have very extensive vo-
cabulary, they understand enough
words to GO about their work intelli-
gently, and At times with precision
that is little less than marvellous. Pet
dogs, poodles, fox terriers and animals
of this kind have more extensive vo-
cabulary. An illustration of this is
found in fox terrier belonging to
Manager Bray, OF the Orpheum the
ater, terrier Of royal lineage, hav-
ing come from the kings kennels at
Buda-Pesth. Few words in common
use around the. house are beyond the
understanding Of this pet Of Manager
Bray and his wife. The pet knows the
name OF every article of furniture and
clothino in the house.
"A ~ evenings 4 % a test was n ade
~ III nurnose ~ determining the
acc,,racv ~ the terriers understand
inc "a words. Il want vou to walk on
vour hind feet to the front room. and
':Sits NJ Brav On fhe ear.' said a. mem,
ber ~ the household 70 the net
Tortbw;tb tbe terrier was off and he
fore M. Brav knew ANYTHING about
sth~ nlan tbe net dor was pIavfullv
rrIl;nr "a NJ Ear sHere ,vas 4 rath.
srIntricate commend II was not simply
\ ! communal 70 %. X said how to 10.
wb ere ~ - what - Al. ana tn vb ON
put the terrier understood nerfectlv.
Nav here Is : dor having an extraor.
dinarv vocabularv. understanding. no
donbt no les. than 2so words. This
0ne esse will .bov that the net doc
has wider sunderxtan ndirr at words
y IN !. 8ops be1on oins IL 4 4, y other class.
~ 4 thers y ! rea son. for M ~ coprse.
They are talked Is All 4he time. and
nats1rallv learn TO - ocIste certain
sounds with certain objects. II would
sbe interestine "a know what the aver
: % vocabularv Is among dops. and
would IKE 10 see some expert take the
M III up Tor the purpose Of determir,-
M nore definit<iv inst how manvl
words doer definifelv understand \,
"That reminds me Of another inter.
eating thing IN connection with dos
slife.,s mid = listener "apd that is the
Ane sense Of humor found In some
8oes Here again we have to turn 10
the net do5 ne being tbe highest tvpe
a. humorist. botb IN the matter ~
originating ana III apnreciating the
humorous thinrs am not sneakino
.of the clownish docs which we tind on
the stage. and with trained animal
shows. Dogs of this kind are trained
for Ftbe . nr,rnose and often mass
through these funny maneuvers with.
out feeling. They do II indifferentlv
,,,a.ban;callv cnop+ano;tv ~ an