Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1916-02-20
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Feed Him

M MANI interesting QuebClOnS COn'
M corning the intelligence of the dog
AV@ have been raised by episodes of
the present war In which this animal has
figured
The extensive use of dogs to draw
light guns and other military vehicles
their services in rescuing the wounded
and their remarkable devotion to the
soldiers have given unusual opportunities
for observing the behavior Of this friend
of man.
Does a dog know when his master is
dead2
Does a dog really feel grief?
Does a dog rescue the wounded from
love of mankind?
Does a dog employed for fighting pur-
poses feel hatred of the enemy?
These are a few of the interesting
questions that have been raised by the
war and are being debated. At time
when the actions of animals have been
made the subject of closer study than
ever before in America and when body
of scientists known as the American Ami
NAL Behavior Society is constantly
gathering material, these war dog stories
will be of special value and interest.
One incident has been made the sub
ject of a poem by Miguel Zamacois, who
is one of the most popular poets OF the
day in France. He refers to the I'M
doubted fact that a dog was found watch
ing day after day over the grave, near
Esternay, of ten French soldiers, one of
whom had picked him up when homeless
and taken care of him. M. Zamacois
only dwells on the pathetic aspect of the
incident and leaves the analysis of the
dogs feelings to scientists.
That dogs frequently linger near the
bodies Of their dead owners is a fact
that cannot be doubted, for II has been
reported numberless times by reliable
witnesses. For instance, 1t happened in
connection with the tragic death of @. r.
Watson, the leader of the seventeen
Americans who were recently slaughtered
in Mexico. After Mr.. Watson's body was
buried at FL Paso, his faithful dog
watched all day by the grave. But was the
dog really mourning7
In connection with the incident at
Esternay one observer has asserted that
this dog showed genuine grief, emotion
of high order, in waiting over the grave
of its dead friend. Another student of
dog behavior, argued that perhaps the
animal did not know that his master was
dead, and was simply waiting for the
man who had fed him to return.
What reason is there TO say that this
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kind?" asks the first observer.
There is no doubt, according to this
friend of the dog, that the animal knew
that his master was dead. The dog, with
the keenness OF it's senses, is able to
tell much more quickly than a man that
another creature is dead, 1t could prob
ably perceive the fact even though the
dead person or animal were buried many
feet below the ground. 1t Is we'll known
that the dog often detects the presence
OF an animal it is hunting beneath the
ground.
The dog. it is argued, must be familiar
with the nature of death, because this is
as common among those of its own race
as among men. There is no need to
argue that the dog has as complete an
idea of all that death implies as a man,
but there is reason to believe that he
knows that it means the end of a mans
or an animals earthly activities. 1t is
therefore unreasonable to say that a dog
watching over his masters grave does
not know that he is dead and Is expect
ing him TO come up and feed him.
But il the dog knows that his master is
dead, some one may ask why he should
finger over his grave. That is simply an