62 



OUR DOMESTIC ANIMALS 



individuals who do not soon learn their lessons 

 by heart. Thus, for example, we can teach a 

 simple domestic dog not to take anything from 



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L LMiiMUDL si: Oiiii:i;ks and tiu;ik Dc 



the left hand by offering him a certain number 

 of times something in a spoon held between 

 the thumb and forefinger of that hand, and 

 then tapping him on the nose with the 

 other end of the spoon when he tries to 

 take what is in it. If we repeat the 

 same thing with the right hand and gi\e 

 him the dainty, speaking caressingly, 

 he will learn veiy quickly to know the 

 difTerence ; and even if the hands are 

 crossed, he will know which is which. 



If a dog has his basket in a certain 

 room, he must never be allowed to seek 

 a lair elsewhere, and he should be taught 

 not to leave his basket at every noise. 

 He ought to follow his master when he 

 leaves the house, and not rush out in his 

 joy, often between the legs of the passers. 

 His master can teach him to walk after 

 or beside him by walking thus regular!) 

 up and down a room daily for a c|uartcr 

 of an hour. If the dog persists upon 

 running before your feet, step upon his toes, 

 calling out, " Back ! " Animals always learn 

 by experience, which is more than can be said 

 of human beings. 



Sporting dogs of all kinds are subjected to 

 a much more severe discipline ; it is sometimes 

 necessary to use a spiked collar, while the 

 trainer must possess a patience 

 equal to any test. The sportsman 

 must be absolutely sure that his 

 orders will be precisely executed ; 

 consequently a plan of precise in- 

 struction should be carefully laid 

 out in advance, as the training of 

 sporting or hunting dogs requires 

 perpetual repetition of what has 

 been taught and learned, with im- 

 mense caution not to spoil the dog. 

 An animal is easily frightened by 

 rough words and the use of the 

 whip at the wrong moment. He 

 soon loses all confidence in his 

 master if he receives blows on the 

 slightest occasion. An angry or 

 a thoughtless man may obtain a 

 servile submission by striking his 

 dog on the head or nose, but he will never bring 

 him to learn willingly or to take pleasure in 

 obeying him. This fault is committed hundreds 



.\\ .\kui;st 



of times by the masters, which shows how dif- 

 ficult it is to punish a misdemeanor justly and 

 firmly, but no farther. We are, moreover, ab- 

 solutely convinced that more can be obtained, 



