190 British War Dogs 



I have frequently found also, that the dogs trained like 

 this, become very interested in their work, and that if 

 they, by any chance, escape from their wires at night, they 

 do not attempt to stray away, but remain close at hand. 



Did people sufficiently realize the fact, it would be found 

 that the guarding habit in dogs, which, as I have shown 

 elsewhere, seems to have been instinctive since prehistoric 

 times, is as valuable to humanity as is the power of traction 

 in horses. This last-named attribute is admitted, and, 

 therefore man derives great assistance and benefit from 

 it ; but this much more inherently natural gift in the dog, 

 which can be adapted so marvellously to the needs of man, 

 is only recognized and employed in a desultory fashion. 

 The very prevalent outbreak of burglary and crime, which 

 has been apparent since the war ceased, has been made 

 largely possible by the exclusion of dogs from the household 

 life. This was due, first of all, to the shortage of food 

 during the war, when many people, who preferred their 

 own appetite to that of the faithful family friend, had their 

 good dog destroyed, and also to the exaggerated panic 

 that swept over the country, when one or two dogs exhibited 

 signs of excitement, hurriedly attributed to rabies. I 

 would here mention, that there are several kinds of dog 

 madness or excitement, which the ignorant and mischievous 

 attribute at once to rabies, but which are not so at all. 



Anything more deplorable than the spectacle of the poor, 

 homeless, harassed, starving dogs that fled about the 

 country, when the panic was at its height, has seldom 

 been seen in this country, which prides itself on its humanity, 

 and the treacherous, faithless, and cowardly qualities in the 

 human mind, which introduced and permitted this brutal 

 persecution of a" helpless animal, well deserves to receive 

 punishment, which is even now seen, in increased unde- 



