-64 THE ART OF TRAINING ANIMALS. 



If the same paw is always given, as it will be if during the 

 training that one be always taken, the dog may be taught to 

 offer the other one when you ask for the " other paw/' by 

 merely taking it a few times when you make the request. By 

 using "paw" for one and "other paw" for the other — "paw" 

 first — the dog will seldom get them confused. It is preferable 

 and makes the performance seem better, while it is really no 

 more difficult, if the words "right" and "left" are used in 

 connection with the commands. It is just as easy for a dog to 

 learn the difference between "right paw" and "left paw," as 

 between "paw" and "other paw." It is well to lay extra 

 stress upon " right " and " left " while training, and these words 

 p,hould be pronounced very distinctly. Should the dog offer the 

 wrong paw merely repeat your former command until he 

 changes it, then take it in your hand, call him " good dog," and 

 j^at his head to let him know he has done right. 



A little boy of our acquaintance had a very handsome New- 

 foundland dog, and having often heard the family physician 

 desire members of the family to let him feel their pulse, he 

 thought it would be a capital idea, and having coaxed'the cook 

 to give him some choice bits of beef-steak, he commenced prac- 

 tice. "Let me feel your pulse, Bruno," says he, and taking 

 Bruno's paw in his fingers he imitated the doctor with a comical 

 childish assumption of professional gravity. He scarcely in- 

 tended, when he commenced, to make Bruno qfcr his pulse for 

 examination at his desire, but Bruno was an intelligent dog and 

 the beef-steak was very good, and before, long he would stick 

 his paw out as nicely as could be desired. Our little fi'iend 

 delighted with the result of his efforts, lost no opportunity of 

 showing off Bruno's accomplishment, and the dog was contin- 

 ually holding out his "pulse" for the examination of visitors. 

 The doctor calling some time after was somewhat amused at 

 our little friend's request to Bruno to " let the doctor feel your 

 pulse," and Bruno's ready compliance therewith. 



We had a "half-grown puppy of one of the larger breeds' some 

 years since, which by constant training became so used to offer- 

 ing his paw that he would do so to visitors or others without 

 being ordered to. One day a strange cat intruded upon the 

 premises, and puppy made a rush at it with every .token of 

 hostility. When near it, however, habit appeared to gain a 

 mastery, for he held out his paw as usual. The cat being 

 iiTitated by his previous threatening aspect merely struck at 

 him with her claws, inflicting quite a severe scratch, whereupon 

 puppy, perceiving politeness to be at a discount, pitched in and 

 routed the enemy gallantly. 



