The Washington herald., 1910-12-04
Dogs HAVE CONTEST
CANNES Are Principals in
Unique Exhibition.
SHOW HUMAN INTELLIGENCE
Al the Annual Trial of sheep Dogs
I'm England, CANNES show Their
Training in Spirited COntests-Ani-
mails obey Every Whistle and
Gesture of Their Masters.

One Of the sheep dog trials which are
famous occasions in England is described
in the Youths Companion by a spectator.
In one corner OF a big meadow number
of wild sheep were confined In small tenn
porary pens, -or the trials are. made with
sheep that have never before been folded.
A double line of flags defined the course
over which the sheep were to be driven
by the dogs This course was circular In
shape, and at one end was a fenced in
closure. in the center of which was a pen.
At a signal from the judge Of the trials
one OF the shepherds took his place at
stake which had been driven IN the ground
near this Enclosure. To the stake was
fastened a rope with loop through
which the contestant passed his left arm,
The rules governing the contests are
that no word shall be spoken by the shep
herd, nor may he move from the stake.
He is expected 20 control the movements
Of his dog entirely by Whistles or gestures
Of his free right arm. And thus instructed
it is the dogs business. within specified
time to drive the sheep between each
pair of flags TO the Enclosure and into the
pen.
Of the temporary pens was opened and
three sheep were liberated. Sheep are
proverbially hard to drive, bat when they
have passed their days far up on the
feils, never hearing any sound but the
voice of their shepherd and the bark Of
the sheepdog. and are suddenly intro
duced into the presence Of noisy crowd,
many carriages. several motors, and a
brass band, the task becomes doubly diff
fcult
Task l. Not Easy.
The first dog had things much his own
way, for the sheep. thoroughly fright
ened, ran straight up the course between
the flags until they had covered half the
distance; then they swerved and bolted
in different directions. The shepherd
now began 10 instruct the dog as TO the
best way TO get them back into the
course at the point where they had
left IT,
With admirable tact. stopping every
few seconds 10 listen for orders, the dog
gently urged them back into the way
they should 90, betraying no undue haste,
although the shepherd saw that they
were kept In constant motion Presently
they were in the course again, and the
dog nursed them alo.g between the flags.
but the moments were flying. and before
they had reached the goal time was
called
Il was much the same with two other
trials, both fun OF excitement, bat unsuc-
cessfuL II seemed such an impossible
feat that we abandoned the idea that it
could be- accomplished and expressed our
disappointment
4 farmer standing near us turned and
said: Don't ye gle up now; wait for
DAVIS dog"
As he spoke fourth shepherd took
his place al the stake with his dog az his
side The dog was small and OF a dirty
slate color. with shaggy coat and hair
hanging about his very bright eyes, and
he seemed TO have a SPECIAL appreciation
of what was expected of him. Probably
he remembered former trials
He sat beside his master his little red
tongue hanging out in his excitement and