WONDERFUL FEATS OF DOGS. 101 



tide from those- placed on the ground, hide one of thcni, and, 

 calling the hidden article hy name, order him to bring it. If, 

 after examining the objects before him, he shows by his; dis- 

 tressed looks that he knows the article required is not among 

 the others, you may be assured he has thoroughly acquired his 

 lesson. If he brings a tvrong article, it is certain that either he 

 is careless, or not sufficiently drilled. 



Differences of color come next. Take, for example, a red, 

 white, or blue handkerchief, and placing it on the ground, di- 

 rect the dog to bring it, calling it by color as well as name. At 

 first he will bring it, because he knows what the woud " hand- 

 kerchief" means, and without giving consideration to the color j 

 but when you add a handkerchief of a different color, still order- 

 ing him to bring the former one, he will remember the new 

 word and its application to the right handkerchief Supposing 

 you have commenced with the red one, and have added the 

 white, should he bring the white, you say sternly, '' No ! the 

 red handkerchief," making him replace the white, and bring the 

 red. Now repeat the lesson, calling at will for first one and 

 then the other, until he makes no mistakes. Then add the blue 

 handkerchief, and repeat the lesson. Gloves of various colors 

 may then be added, one by one, in all cases naming the color as 

 well as the article when directing him to bring it. The number 

 of objects may be increased to whatever extent the patience of 

 the trainer and the capacity of the pupil will admiit of. 



After that it will be found convenient to teach him the. names 

 of the more common articles of furniture. Pointing to a table, 

 you will say to him : '' Go to the table.'^ . The motion of your 

 hand will probably direct him to the designated spot ; and by 

 repeating the lesson, he will learn to .associate the name of 

 " table " with that article. Of course, " chair," " sofa," and 

 other objects may be added as he progresses. 



Then he may be taught to distinguish between the meanings 

 of such words as '^ on," ^^ under," etc. This is done by empha- 

 sizing the prepositions as : " Put the glove ow the chair ;" ^' Put 

 the handkerchief under the table," etc., in each case repeating 

 the order until he obeys coiTcctly. If all preceding lessons 

 have been thorough, he will readily comprehend all of the or- 

 der but the new part, and as his attention will only be required 

 by that, he will soon learn it. Then the titles of individuals, as 

 "lady," "gentleman," and "child," may be taught in the same 

 manner, reproving his failures and rewarding his successful at- 

 tempts. 



To secure a valuable dog against accidental or malicious in- 

 jury from poisonous or improper food_, it is well to accustom 



