American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1911-09-28

keep Volumes have been written regarding the
remarkable intelligence and judgment displayed
by the shepherd dogs of this and other countries
in minding focks of sheep and thousands of dogs
are today doing mems VOL k In this field. Similar.
ly efficient service is performed very frequently
by dogs in assisting to drive cattle to market or
to the railroad yards and even In the more deli
cate work OF rounding up" poultry. Finally there
are a hundred minor services as, for example, that
performed by the numerous farm dogs that have
been taught by their masters to meet the rural
free delivery carrier each day and to bring to the
farm house the mail and the daily paper. This
Is a big time-saver for the farmer when, as Ia so
often the case, the K. F. D. box is located a con-
siderable distance from the dwelling.
Some persons have even predicted that the
time will come In America when some of our
farmers will employ dogs as they do in Holland
and other foreign countries to draw the carts OF
milk to the creameries and do other work that we
now entrust to horses, but this prediction is not
generally accepted because OF the great distances
involved in this country. However, there is no
reason why the usefulness Of intelligent CANNES
should not be still further developed and certain
ty as the automobile habit" spreads in the rural
communities the farmers are going to find dogs in.
dispensable in one more d Erection. for 1t has been
proven that there is no deterrent like a dog that
looks as though he meant business for warning of
the joy riders who are wont to appropriate auto
mobiles that they find standing unguarded in the
reefs or In a market space or at a picnic.
All the above has reference, of course. to the
value as helpers on the farm, but this by no means
exhausts the possibilities of the subject. On an
increasing number OF farms IT has been found
that dogs can be made a source of actual revenue.
This is accomplished by breeding blooded dogs
for the market 1t is of necessity a side line"
to be sure. but 1t can be made a most profitable
one, for fine dogs bring big prices and the farmer
has the facilities for breeding dogs under the best
conditions without a fraction of the investment
that would be required OF a man who established
a kennel on a tract of land used for no other pur-
pose. Moreover the farmers wife and children
can do most of the work Of caring for the dogs.
Just as they do in SO many instances in the case
Of the poultry. There is not much danger that
1t will prove irksome either, for there is nothing
more amusing than the average puppy. and he
does not as a rule require that extreme solicitous
care that must be bestowed upon some other
classes of pet stock
The species of dogs which may most advan-
tageously be selected as farm helpers Is, of course,
a matter OF individual opinion and there are al
most as many different opinions on the subject as
with the regard to the age at which people Should
marry. Naturally. personal preferences. on the
part OF the farmer and the members OF his family
Outlines have much to do with a choice and then
again the sort Of assistance that Is desired from