The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-12-12
FIRESIDE SCIENCE
Dear Miss Dix. About ninetee'
By RANSOME SUTTON
The Sheep Dog

My uncle, As-G. Poplins owned
shepherd dog named Jack, whose in
stinctive behavior aptly Illustrates
the peculiar nature of the sheep dog
race. Jacks sire and mother were
not collies (another breed of good
shepherds), but English sheep dogs.
From the parents Jack learned little,
puppy and raised on goats milk, on
a western ranch. But he needed
neither instruction nor training. At
the first sight of stock he knew as
we'll what to do as pointers know
how to freeze" at sight of game
Jack began his life work by driv-
ing chickens around the ranch.
Somewhat clumsily at first. he would
round UP flock and drive them
here and there, giving them no rest
until called off He learned that
they were not allowed in the garden
or barn, and took it upon himself to
keep them in their proper scratch
ing grounds. If a chicken found it's
way into the barn, he rushed in and
brought it out. The only chicken he
ever killed was one upon which the
barn door closed; unable to drive 1t
out, he killed 1t and carried 1t out.
One of the hardest lessons Jack had
to learn was to leave the chickens
alone after the garden products had
been gathered in the fall and the
grounds were thrown open to them.
If he had had his way, the chickens
would have been kept in the hem
house all day.
Quite early in his career Jack as
sumed a dictatorship over the pigs.
1t was customary to turn them out
in the fields by day and to pen them
up at night. Nothing pleased the
growing puppy more than to be told
to Bring in the pigs" In time he
acquired the habit OF going for the
pigs without being told. his worst
fault being that he brought them in
too early in the afternoon. Once,
when the family was away, he
brought in the pigs shortly after
noon.
As a young dog, Jack learned to
bring in the cows at night and to
drive them from the corral to the
ranges in the morning. When the
afternoon shadows began to lengthen
he became very restless, waiting for
the word which meant go for the
cows. Then up the mountainside
Jack would race to the far side of
tho herd and round up the stragglers
If perchance he overlooked one, a
word from the owner through meg
aphone would send him searching
through the underbrush until it was
found. In case a stray COW happened
to be in the herd Jack never failed
to discover her presence and cut
her out.
To test Jacks intelligence and 10y
atty the carcass of a sheep was hung
to a limb, at some distance from the
ranch house, and he was told to
Keep watch" For two days, with
out food or water, he remained on
guard without touching the meat. At
another time a carcass was hung up
and he was told that it belonged to
him, whereupon he was left in charge
of flock Of sheep. Day by day he
acted as the shepherd of the sheep,
eating of the carcass whenever hun
cry. Not once did he return to the
ranch until relieved.
When the owner went to the city
he usually took Jack along, leaving
him lying on the sidewalk with his
eyes on the door whenever he entered
q building. On one such occasion the.
rancher emerged from the building
by a back door and, forgetting the
dog, drove home. Remembering the
dog at length, he drove back to the
city and found him still watching the
door.
At the sound Of his masters voice,
Jack leaped to his feet ana appeared
greatly bewildered: he had seen the
master go in, had not seen him come
out, and could not understand what
had happened.
Jack lived ten years. which was a
fair old age for dogs. then one night
he came home acting queerly. His
eyelids dropped, his jaws seemed to
be locked apart and were flecked
with froth, his gait was staggery--he
had been bitten by mad dog. As If
seeking relief from his sufferings, he
came straight up to his master, and
the master, still trusting the dog de-