The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1905-09-02
WORK DOGS AND THEIR WAYS.

AS WORK animal the QOS Is ScCOuO
to the borse in many parts of the
world, and his achievements in rem
dering mans burden lighter would fill
many chapters of unwritten history.
From the Arctic regions, where the
dog is trained to drag heavy pack sleds
across the endless fields of snow and
ice, to the great sheep ranches of Ar
gentina and Patagonia, the dog has as
sumed a role in the development of
the country that should forever entitle
him to consideration and kind treat
ment. The unemployed dog i'll our
towns and cities has naturally spread
the impression among some that he
has no mission in life other than to
serve as pampered pet, and therefore
his usefulness is of rather doubtful
nature. But even among these gen.
teel, tax-paying city dogs there are
many who live strenuous and active
life during a part of each year, and,
possessed OF brains, keen instincts and
well-developed habits, they do yeo-
man service in the cause of humanity.
The unemployed dog is undoubted-
ly the least happy of all the canine
race. The more developed and trained
through inheritance and association,
the more eager is the creature to serve
some useful purpose in life, and con-
slant restraint from performing his
duties creates restlessness and unsat-
isfied longing. The irksome life of
some pet dogs that were bred for an
active life in the fields or woods is al
most as pathetic as that of country
bred boy shut up in city with never
chance to crafty an innate longing
for sight of green trees and grass.
1t is therefore more than probable that
the unemployed city dog is about as
hopelessly dissatisfied as the idle rich
or poor among men or women.
The training of dogs to work gives
pleasure and excitement to them that
can never be quite equalled in any
other way. The retriever follows his
vocation with a zest and animation
that demonstrates keen interest in
the work, and the pointer or setter is
never so happy as when ranging the
woods or fields on the scent of game.
1t is the exercise of brain and body
that exhilerates them, and even if the
work is occasionally strenuous and
exhausting. there are ample compen-
sations in it. So eager is the dog to
do the work allotted to him, and so
unhagging his zeal to accomplish the
end, that obstacles can rarely deter
him.
The blood hound on the scent of his
human victim becomes absolutely
/ needless of danger in the desire to fol-
low the trail to the end, and the shep-
herd dog in the work of protecting
his flock will face wild animals twice
his size and strength. Retrievers
have been known to swim around
through swampy lagoons after wound
ed animals until completely exhaust
ed, refusing to return to shore with
out their game unless sharply recall
ed by their masters. In the crest
Arctic barrens, the half-wild, savage
huskies have dragged the sleds of
their owners over the ice and snow
until too exhausted to stand, and then
licked the hand that forced them on
ward.
In spite of the intense cold of the
far North, the typical Indian huskies
are impatient each day to do their
work, and when rested from a long
journey, they grow restless and dis
satisfied. They prefer work to the
idleness of campo village life. Work
also keeps them out Of mischief, and
prevents them from degenerating.
The return to the wild, or reversal to
the original type, comes through idle
ness and inactivity. The dogs are
happier when they are held under
proper restraint and compelled to do
their allotted day s work with regular
ity and system.
The dogs Of the great cattle and
sheep ranges of South America make
their living a dozen times over, but
they are satisfied with the pay-a
kind master, decent sleeping place
at night. and food enough to eat. The
dogs are brought up among the sheep,
the puppies often being sucked by
the ewes, and never having known
any other life they feel at home and
satisfied among the animals. When
away from their f1ocks, the South
America sheep dog seldom exhibits
his ordinary fighting qualities. A
pack of cheap farm dogs and mongrels
can chase him but when once back
among the sheep, change transforms
the sheep dog into veritable fight
ing machine. Without a moments
hesitation he will attact dozen ma
rauding animals, and fight so tena-
ciously and vigorously that the strug-
gle soon terminates. His sense of
duty is so powerful, and his love for
work so instilled in his whole life, that
he is never really happy except when
among the sheep.
Corraling the sheep during snow
storms and fierce billiards is difficult
and dangerous work; but at such
times the sheep dog displayed his
highest qualities of self-sacri6ce.
With almost human power, the ami
NAL numbers the sheep as they flock
into the corral" and if some are
missing, back to the range the dog
flies to hunt up the lost. For SO hours
without food or water young sheep
dogs have stood, guarding remnants
of their focks that they had driven
into sheltered gullies. while the bliz-
zard ragged too fercely TO permit their
being driven back to the corral. !"
A good sheep dog saves hundreds of
his charges every year, and it is esti-
mated that millions of sheep today
owe their lives to the sagacity, faith
fulness and intelligence of the dog.
Such dogs work for their living, and
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