96 THE ART OF TRAINING ANIMALS. 



CHAPTER XI. 



IVONDERFUL FEATS PERFORMED BY DOGS — MOST CELEBRATED 

 DOGS OF THE WORLD — LEARNING THE ALPHABET — TO 

 PLAT CARDS AND DOMINOES— TO SELECT ANY ARTI- 

 CLE DESIRED AND PUT IT ANYWHERE DIRECTED. 



OUR last chapter gave a wide range of tricks performed by 

 dogs, most of which can be taught by the amateur trainer. 

 There is another class of tricks, requiring great intelligence on 

 the part of the dog, and rare skill and patience on the part of the 

 trainer, for theii- successful mastery. Though these may be 

 beyond the abilities of ordinary dogs and ordinary trainers — for 

 such feats are very rare, even in public exhibitions, and when 

 performed, are looked upon almost as miracles — they cannot 

 fail to prove interesting to our readers, and it is barely possible 

 that some reader of this book may yet astonish the world with 

 some equally proficient animal, to rival those whose deeds are 

 herein recorded. 



The French trainers have probably brought the education of 

 the dog to a point achieved in no other country, and several of 

 these canine celebrities have become subjects of history. Emil 

 de Tarade gives a very interesting account of two of these, the 

 principal part of which account we translate, as follows : 



"In 1840 I was" acquainted with M. Leonard, of Lisle, (an 

 inspector of the revenue) who possessed two well taught dogs, 

 Braque and Philax, as they were named, were two grayhounds, 

 with large brown ears. Their eyes alone would tell you how 

 much intelligence had been developed in these interesting ani- 

 mals. Words were fixed in their memory with a positive 

 meaning. These dogs knew as well as we do the meaning of 

 ' above,' '• below,' ' before,' ^ behind,' etc. They made a proper 

 application of the name of a color, of a number up to a certain 

 point ; knew what was meant by ' parlor,' ^ corridor,' ^ stairs ;' 

 knew the furniture, utensils, small objects of the pocket and 

 toilet J and when one bade these dogs perform in the ahscnce of 

 their master, one was seized with astonishment and admira- 

 tion. 



'^ If you said to one : ' Go sit down in front of the lady in 

 the rose-colored dress,' the dog went immediately to seek the 

 lady so designated, seated himself upon his haunches, wagging 

 his tail, and regarding the lady with a very expressive look. 

 ^ Ask the lady for her thimble.' The lady offered successively 

 her handkerchief; gloves^ etc.; but the animal did not move. 



