Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1906-12-21
MOST INTELLIGENT ANIMAL.
There is Meaning In the Dogs Every
Bark.

There is Meaning In the Dogs Every
Bark.
Every once in while see a COM
ment somewhere or hear 1t spoken
about the horse being the most intelli-
gent of animals" said man connect
ed with the Smithsonian institute to
a Washington Star reporter. land II
am at loss to understand how such
a sentiment should even be slightly
entertained.
THE horse, from a scientific stand
point, possesses a certain amount OF
instinct and memory.
but not intelligence. as the word Is un-
derstood as applies to the animal
kingdom. The most intelligent of ami
mails is the dog. Mans most faithful
friend not only possesses intelligence
as contradistinguished from mere in
stinct, but his reasoning faculties are
better developed than any Of the 9TH
er dumb animals.
1.-The dog has been longer and more
constantly at the side of man than any
other animal. having been, in fact.
mans closest companion for many
centuries. and this attachment and af-
hnity will be greater as the centuries
roll on. A fine-looking horse appears
Intelligent and thus the word has
stuck to him, but as a matter Of fact
the horse takes on the characteristics
Of all hoof animals. and, aside from
his faculty Of memory-and even that
is not especially developed-he may
be said to be dull. He is taught few
things by man. and he remembers
them. However, the horse Is another
story: it is the dog now.
ITO the average person the bark of
dog is simply his bark and nothing
more. The dogs first instinct Is the
preservation of his master and the
latters household, and in the fulfill
ment of this fine devotional trait he
is willing and at times appears by de-
sign to be anxious to surrender his
life. Injuries and wounds. even
though he later expires therefrom. do
not diminish the splendid character
istic. And to other people dogs
growl is simply his growl,' but there
Is a difference, as I'm his bark.
Dogs have an interrogatory growl,
a warning growl, a menacing growl,
and a fighting growl, which are just
m 1iOprininA
students of dogs habits as are the
tones of a human being in their vari-
Gus pitches, indicating the state of the
temper. Their bark possesses the
same variations. indicating very clear
ly to the observant student the exact
condition of the dog mind, while their
bark Of happiness is individual and
distinct from their other tones.
THE emotions of a dog may be ap-
pealed to in precisely the same man
ner as those of the human being. In
fact. your own dog Is more sensitive
to the change in your own emotions
and feelings very often than the men,
bers of your own family. and will Oft
en- sympathize with you by a peculiar
sympathetic light in his eyes: by COM
ing very close TO you placing his head
against your hand or licking it long
before any other member of the hu-
man kind in the family has caught on
that there is something wrong with
you.
"The dog manifests and clearly de-
lineates the emotions Of joy, indiffer-
ence, sorrow. grief, injury and slight,
and for each of these emotions he has
a different attitude and expression.
When he stands between his master
and possible adversary or enemy,
his attitude of alertness and willing
ness to fight for the former upon the
word of comand Is as clear to the dog
student as is the opposite one of grief,
or self-conscious shame. when he has
been reproved by the hand. voice or
even the eye of the one whom he Is
anxious to defend so readily when
asked.
Their faculty of reasoning might
be shown in many ways did space ar
ford, but a single illustration will suf-
flee, and / will take the setter. whose
intelligence has been shown to be very
marked. His master will send him in
to field to flush the game. The dog
every few minutes looks back at him.
If his master waves his hand to the
the right the dog never goes to the left
and vice versa. II he throws the palm
of his hand forward outwardly the dog
again changes his position, and never
makes mistake by responding to the
backward call. But sometimes the
master is mistaken as to the wherea-
bouts Of the birds. but the dog knows
so he has been known to run back to
his master and by dog talk i'm barking
tell his master this. The master at
once understands this talk, and allows
the dog to proceed without further di-
rection. Some specimens of this breed
are too intelligent to hunt with man
who cannot hunt, so they tell him of
their disgust by making scornfully
for home by the nearest route. The
hunters intelligent horse would re-
driven home"
~ A lady being twitted about her
ugly shaped nose, made 1t all right by
wing II was "a birthday Dregent