112 THE SHEPHERD'S DOG. 



the herd obey his voice : he conducts and guards them, and con- 

 siders their enemies as his own ; and is equally useful when the 

 sound of the horn, or the voice of the huntsman, calls him to the 

 field. 



In his original state of wildness, the dog may probably have 

 been a formidable enemy to man ; although he now seems only 

 desirous to please, and actually possesses all the qualifications, 

 and uses all the insinuating complacences, whereby an animal 

 can conciliate human affection. 



In America, especially in those parts which are under the 

 dominion of Spain, wild dogs are exceedingly numerous, and go 

 in large packs, attacking almost every creature that comes in 

 their way. These were originally introduced by the Spaniards, 

 as the dog was not known in any part of that continent before 

 their arrival. The wild dogs, however, when taken, are easily 

 tamed, and soon become obedient and familiar. 



To describe, or even to enumerate, all the different kinds of 

 dogs, or the discriminating marks by which each is distinguished, 

 would be not only useless, but impossible. The different breeds 

 are not only innumerable, but, by constant intermixture, perpet- 

 ually varying ; so that every individual displays something pecu- 

 Jiar to itself, in shape, colour, or character. No animal in the 

 creation is so susceptible of change, nor so easily modified by 

 climate, food, and education. We have already observed, that 

 those animals which have been long under human management, 

 never preserve the stamp of Nature in its original purity, like 

 those which enjoy their original independence : as the dog is the 

 constant attendant on man, accompanies him into different cli- 

 mates, and in his society adopts more different modes of living 

 than any other creature, it is not a matter of wonder that this 

 animal should exhibit a greater variety than any other ; and that 

 the influences of so many different circumstances, with the in- 

 cessant intermixture of breeds, should preclude every possibility 

 of systematic arrangement. We shall therefore content our- 

 selves with pointing out a few of the most striking varieties. 



THE SHEPHERD'S DOG 



Is generally considered as the parent stock of the canine race. 

 This faithful animal, ever attentive to his charge, reigns over the 

 flock ; and is of the utmost importance in many parts of Great 

 Britain, where extensive tracts of land are solely appropriated 

 to the feeding of sheep and other cattle. This sagacious animal 

 is so obedient to the voice of the shepherd, and so ready to exe- 

 cute his commands ; that in conducting the flock from one place 

 to another, and preventing the sheep from straggling, the ser- 

 vices of one well-trained dog will be more effectual than all that 



