I taught Jock not to touch food in camp until he 

 was told to ' take it.' The lesson began when he got 

 his saucer of porridge in the morning ; and he must 

 have thought it cruel to have that put in front of him, 

 and then to be held back or tapped with a ringer on 

 the nose each time he tried to dive into it. At first 

 he struggled and fought to get at it ; then he tried 

 to back away and dodge round the other side ; then 

 he became dazed, and, thinking it was not for him at 

 all, wanted to walk off and have nothing more to do 

 with it. In a few days, however, I got him to lie still 

 and take it only when I patted him and pushed him 

 towards it ; and in a very little time he got on so well 

 that I could put his food down without saying any- 

 thing and let him wait for permission. He would lie 

 down with his head on his paws and his nose right 

 up against the saucer, so as to lose no time when the 

 order came ; but he would not touch it until he 

 heard ' Take it.' He never moved his head, but his 

 little browny dark eyes, full of childlike eagerness, 

 used to be turned up sideways and fixed on mine. I 

 believe he watched my lips ; he was so quick to obey 

 the order when it came. 



When he grew up and had learned his lessons there 

 was no need for these exercises. He got to under- 

 stand me so well that if I nodded or moved my hand 

 in a way that meant * all right,' he would go ahead : 

 by that time too he was dignified and patient ; and 

 it was only in his puppyhood that he used to crouch 

 up close to his food and tremble with impatience 

 and excitement. 

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