The Bossier banner., 1903-03-12
VOCABULARIES OF DOGS.
A Terrier That is Believed to Know
$50 Words, as Many as Some
Men Have.

How many words are there in the
vocabulary of the average dog?" asked
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-Democrat. Here is a
question no man can answer certainly,
and yet believe you may get within
reasonable range of the truth by lit
tie reflection. Pet dogs as rule have
a much larger voca abulary 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 it
with a 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 a 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 a 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
clothing in the house.
"a few evenings ago test was made
for the purpose of determining the
| accuracy of the terriers understand
ing of words. Il want you to walk on
your hind feet to the front room, and
bite Mr.. Bray on the ear said a mem
Der of the household to the pet.
Forthwith the terrier was off, and be-
fore Mr.. Bray knew anything about
the plan the pet dog was playfully
| pulling at his ear. Here was a rath-
| erintricate command. 1t was not simply
command to go. 1t said how to go,
where to 60, what to do, and to whom.
But the terrier understood perfectly.
Now here is dog having an extraor-
| dinary vocabulary, understanding, no
doubt, no 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 time, and
naturally learn to associate certain
sounds with certain objects. It would
be interesting to know what the aver
age vocabulary is among dogs, and
would like to see some expert take the
matter up for thepurpose of determin-
ing more definitely just how many
words dogs definitely understand"