Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-09-04
WAR AND DOGS-By Frederic j. Haskin

animal psychology than in any other country In
the world and he believes that in addition to the
training of the dogs, valuable research and expert
ment bearing upon the of animals in war could
thus be made. He would have the training sta
tions located chiefly at several great universities
where these animal psychologists are employed,
and would have regular army men to cooperate
in the work of training.
His somewhat astonishing claim that street
ours would make the best military dogs he sup
ports by the statement that these dogs have de-
veloped their wits in trying to get a living, while
thoroughbreds are bred for certain physical quail
ties that have nothing to do with intelligence.
About ten thousand dogs are now in use on the
battlefelds of Europe Besides the Red Cross
dogs, that seek out the wounded and help them
dogs are used for sentry work and scouting where
their keen noses often detect enemies concealed
from human eyes The British have Just taken up
the use of dogs, it is reported. In the Boer war
they found that the Beers had considerable ao-
vantage in their dogs especially in guarding pris-
oners Germany is now using them extensively
for that purpose, too
is having an important effect upon the dog, not all
for his immediate good In all of the belligerent
countries the keeping of dogs has been discour-
aged because of the amount of food they consume,
and the English government has just put stop
for the period of The war to the breeding of pedi-
greed dogs.
This is a momentous step to be taken in Eng
land, which is the greatest dog breeding country
in the world. One of the first effects has been the
shipment of great numbers of thoroughbred dogs
to the United States large percentage OF the
best English bulldogs in the world are now IN this
country.
In general, the effect Of the has been in
other countries and doubtless will be in this coun-
try to discourage the breeding of useless dogs anu
promote the destruction of ours. The advantages
of the latter effect will be disputed by no one The
toy dog, on the other hand, is extremely popular
in America, and opinion concerning him is very
sharply divided. Owners of these useless little
pets are very devoted to them, while most other
people seem to regard them with a certain aver
sion. At any rate, breeders Of the larger and
more useful varieties already prophesying In
their advertisements that the popularity of USE
less dogs is about to decline Military and police
dogs stock dogs and hunting dogs will continue to
. be bred and kept because they useful
Whatever the merits Of the cases for and
against the useless dog may be, it would certainly
seem desirable that the degeneratfve breeding
which produces them should be stopped Nearly
all of the toy and ornamental varieties are the
descendants of larger and more useful breeds
The Pomeranian, for example, which is now re-
garded as an ideal apartment house dog because
of his very small size, is descended from larger
breed which was much used for hunting. The de-
generative process may be witnessed In the case
of the cocker spaniel. This dog takes his name
from the fact that he has been long and success
fully used for hunting wood cock. In Europe, he
is considered the ideal dog for covers containing
mixed game, and he runs rabbits as we'll as put
ting up birds.