THE DOG 



65 



A Spdki im, I j 



in Paris ? Can you count ? " The answers were 

 said very clearly though a little haltingl)'. The 

 clog could pronounce seventy words. At the 

 close of the exhibition he always said, 

 "Adieu, Messieurs ! " Marvelous 

 as it was, careful examination 

 showed that there was no 

 ventriloquism in it. There 

 was one fact, however, 

 which we ought not to 

 omit, to save any would- 

 be imitators of M. 

 Bertrand from disap- 

 pointment: Papillon's 

 performances occurred at the time of the " silly 

 season " in journalism, — a fact which may not 

 be precisely in his favor. 



The training of watchdogs, police dogs, war 

 dogs, and, in general, of all those dogs required 

 to perform special services demands infinite 

 patience and perseverance in making the ani- 

 mal go over and over again what he has learned, 

 with as little punishment as possible. Watch- 

 dogs are sometimes taught to attack persons 

 at the word of command. This is very danger- 

 ous and cannot be too highly disapproved ; it 

 has already caused many misfortunes. The 

 training is done by putting a straw figure 

 behind a fence or hedge ; the figure is moved 

 by a servant, and when it is made to jump the 

 hedge the door is opened and the dog is taught 

 to spring upon it and hold it. But in some 

 cases he bites ; and if the order is given has- 

 tily, or if it is not fully understood, accidents 

 happen. This proceeding should never be 

 taught to any but old dogs whom we can abso- 

 lutely trust, — dogs who do not run much at 



large and are perfectly safe among their own 

 surroundings. It is well to state here that if 

 a dog comes at you with an evident inten- 

 tion to attack and bite, it is dangerous 

 to defend yourself with a cane or 

 umbrella, which will onl\' make 

 him more furious. If you 

 want to save the calves of 

 your legs, it is better to let 

 him bite the cane or the 

 umbrella, and hit him 

 with your fist as hard as 

 you can on the nasal 

 bone. He will let go 

 immediately and run away. 



While giving dogs good habits it is well to 

 break them of bad ones. Many dogs will gnaw 



>L1/1. I AL lliiLM.V 



Charging after the Shot is fired 



Rl-.TRIKX lN(i KKliM THIC Rl\ l-.K 



furniture and carpets, but this annoyance will 

 cease if, from time to time, they are given 

 bones to gnaw. They should be sternly for- 

 bidden to lie on chairs and sofas. This can be 

 prevented at night by laying the chairs 

 on their sides and putting hard things 

 on the sofa. A dog who begs at the 

 table is also very annoying. He ought 

 not to be allowed to enter the room dur- 

 ing dinner, or, if he is, should be tied in 

 some corner that belongs to him. The 

 leaps he makes in his joy at going out 

 with his master are often prejudicial to 

 the coat and trousers of the latter, espe- 

 cially in rainy weather. It will usually 



