Western news and the Libby times. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1920-1933, 1931-02-26
Ranch Dog
Asks FOrTAn
Education
And Larry Trimble Plans
the Course for the Pups
Owner, George Koebel.
STORY rs TOLD IN
THE AMERICAN BOY

~ ~ ~ LIZ WILL LIN
THE AMERICAN BOY
Editors Note-As recited by this
paper a week or two ago, most in
teresting article appeared in the Feb
ruary number Of The American Boy,
in response to letter written by Geo.
Koebel, rancher of McGinnis Mead
ows district. The letter was written to
Larry Trimble of the American Boy
staff and asked for advice regarding the
training Of pup. Trimble answers the
letter and uses II as the basis of an
article under the caption, "A Ranch
Dog Asks for an Education" BY spe-
cial permission of the publishers Of The
American Boy, the Western News is
enabled to reprint this interesting ar
ticle that will appeal to all boys and
all lovers Of dogs. The article follows.)
Dear A. B. Readers:
Out on a Montana ranch there's an
ambitious young German shepherd dog
who has wheedled his master West
ern cattleman, into writing me about
his education. And his master writes
the kind Of letter you cant help want
ing to share.
So I've dismissed lively class Of
my own German shepherd pups, great
grandchildren of Strongheart-the fla
nous dog had the fun of training for
the movies-and am sitting down at
my desk up here on our private island
in the st. Lawrence to send you the
letter about this up-and-coming young
Montana dog, and also my answer to
it,
Here's what the ranch pups master
wrote to me.
Il read with great interest your let
ter in the August American Boy, tell
ing about the kindly attention you gave
to the case of Don. the German shep-
herd friend of William T. Oldaker, Of
Madison. Indiana. have a German
shepherd pup eight months old, and
when | told him about what you are
doing for this other dog, he barked
You write to Larry and see if you
can't get a bunch or two about my
education. My pup tells me he wants to
be head herdsman and chief of police
on my cattle ranch. He tells me he
would do anything under the sun for
me if could just learn to talk his
language so | could make him under
stand what | want.
7 used to be school executive and
| know how to educate children. but
here on the busy ranch, find it very
very slow work to learn how to under
stand my dog and to make him under
stand me. This pup is SO intelligent and
SO loyal that he must not be ruined
by poor education. Can you help u.s.
| have the German rules for police
training, but they don't fill the bill
How can | make this pup under
stand that | don't like to have him
pick up dung and filth about the
stables?
How can make him understand
that sometimes shall have to leave
him at home when | 60 away
How can ! make him understand
that ! want him to give me notice when
strange person appears, but that he
must be still and polite and not growl
after that2
How can make him understand
that if he wants to be chief herds
man he must be more serious and not
SO playful? That he must walk along
quietly behind the cattle and not run
them2 Il am getting some results by
means of thirty-foot leash, but it
doesn't seem quite rightly
How can / make him understand
that~ want him to go round bunch
of cattle and stand in an open gate to
keep themfrom going into field as
| drive them along the road? Or that
! want to leave him at an open gate
to keep cattle out?
This pup is named Siegfried He
says he can live up to his name If
give him a chance. He certainly is
teaching me some wonderful things,
and if you can help him little, be-
lieve | can give him this chance he
wants. He is a great grandson of pair
of the dogs in the German battle fields;
and is said to be cousin OF two dogs
you bought in Spokane, but / have
always doubted this.
Cordially yours,
GEO. p KOEBEL. =
(Of Manicke, Montana }
This is what | wrote back to Mr.
Koebel:
I'm glad you enjoyed my August
letter to the readers of The American
Boy-but I'll bet you didn't get as big
kick out Of it as got in reading
yours to me.
well, you certainly have begun tc
train your dog in the best possible way
that is by being eager to learn from
him. What l have been able to learr
about dogs has come through being
tutored by them. I've not found any
books that were any real help. Now
what you two, you and your dog, neec
most in working out your joint educa-
ton is time. Fortunately you'll havs
that.
"Don't worry because your pup i.