No. 9. 



The Shepherd's Dog. 



281 



For the Farmers' Cabinet. 

 The Shepherd's Dog. 



This dog — Canis familiar is domesticus — 

 is one of the most interesting and intelligent 

 of the various kinds which make themselves 

 useful, or that are a source of amusement 

 among- us. As many of our enterprising 

 citizens in various parts of the country, are 

 contemplating the Expediency of establish- 

 ing sheep-walks upon an extensive scale, on 

 our Western lands, I have supposed a col- 

 umn of the Cabinet devoted to this dog, 

 might claim a notice from its readers. The 

 English Shepherd's dog, is said to exhibit 

 the example of one of the purest races of 

 this domesticated animal. The sagacity 

 and fidelity with which he performs the du- 

 ties peculiar to his department, are well 

 known, and are illustrated by many inte- 

 resting anecdotes. " It is a curious fact," 

 says the Farmer's Encyclopedia, " that the 

 brain of the Shepherd's dog is larger than 

 that of any other of the race : but how far 

 this is connected with his superior sagacity" 

 is not so easily determined. The Shepherd's 

 dog, though very extensively diffused over 

 different parts of the globe, is remarkable 

 for preserving the characteristics of his race. 

 One of these is the great quantity of his co- 

 vering, particularly about the neck. "The 

 collie of Scotland, is a very sagacious dog, 

 and highly prized, though much smaller 

 than either the English sheep dog, or the 

 Drover's cattle dog. The prevailing colour 

 is very generally gray, more or less dark ; 

 the tail is bushy, somewhat pendant, and re- 

 curved." 



It is stated in the American Agricultu- 

 rist, by T. C. Peters, that he " purchased a 

 female of the tailless species, known as the 

 English drover dog in Smithfield market, 

 some two years ago. That species is much 

 used upon the downs, and is a larger and 

 fleeter dog than tlie collie. We raised two 

 litters from her, got by Jack, and I thmk the 

 cross will make a very valuable dog for all 



the purposes of the farmer. They learn 

 easily, are very active, and so far, they 

 fully answer our expectations. 



"A neighbour to whom we gave a female 

 of the first litter, would tell her to go into 

 such a lot, and see if there were any stray 

 cattle there ; and she would go over the 

 field, and if there were any there, detect 

 them, and drive them down to the house. 

 He kept his cattle in the lot, and it was full 

 eighty rods from the house. The dog was 

 not then a year old. We had one of the 

 same litter, which we taught to go after 

 cows so well, that we had only to tell him 

 it was time to bring the cows, and he would 

 set off for them from any part of the farm, 

 and bring them into the yard as well as a 

 boy. I think they would be invaluable to a 

 farmer on the prairies. After raising two 

 litters we sent the mother to Illinois. I 

 hope farmers will take more pains in getting 

 the Shepherd's dog. There is no difficulty 

 in training. Our old one, we obtained when 

 a pup, and trained him without any trouble, 

 and without the help of another dog. Any 

 man who has patience, and any dog-know- 

 ledge at all, can train one of this breed to 

 do all that he can desire of a dog." 



The writer of this article, does not know 

 that he ever saw the Shepherd's Dog, but 

 he believes it would be of great value on 

 our farms generally. Among large flocks 

 of sheep in many situations, his intelligence 

 and sagacity would enable him to save to 

 his keeper, abundance of labour. And fur- 

 ther, a well trained dog is one of the most 

 interesting companions afforded by the brute 

 creation. His proverbial remembrance of 

 kindnesses bestowed, and forgetfulness of 

 injuries received, and readiness at all times 

 to do your bidding, make him an object of 

 strong attachment. Who has not felt the 

 delight of seeing his dog at rest upon his 

 haunches, watching the conversation of his 

 master, and evidencing by his eye, that he 

 almost understood every word that was 

 said! M. J. 



