

VARIETIES OF THE DOG. 59 



THE LAPLAND DOG. 



Captain Clarke thus describes the Lapland dog: " We had a valuable 

 companion in a dog belonging to one of the boatmen. It was of the true 

 Lapland breed, and in all respects similar to a wolf, excepting the tail, 

 which was bushy and curled like those of the Pomeranian race. This 

 dog, swimming after the boat, if his master merely waved his hand, would 

 cross the lake as often as he pleased, carrying half his body and the whole 

 of his head and tail out of the water. Wherever he landed, he scoured all 

 the long grass by the side of the lake in search of wild-fowl, and came 

 back to us, bringing wild-ducks in his mouth to the boat, and then, having 

 delivered his prey to his master, he would instantly set off again in search 

 of more." 



But we pass on to another and more valuable species of the dog 



THE SHEEP-DOG. 



The origin of the sheep-dog is somewhat various ; but the predominant, 

 breed is that of the intelligent and docile spaniel. Although it is now 

 found in every civilized country in which the sheep is cultivated, it is not 

 coeval with the domestication of that animal. When the pastures were in 

 a manner open to the first occupant, and every shepherd had a common 

 property in them, it was not so necessary to restrain the wandering of the 

 sheep, and the voice of the shepherd was usually sufficient to collect and 

 to guide them. He preceded the flock, and they " followed him whither- 

 soever he went." In process of time, however, man availed himself of the 

 sagacity of the dog to diminish his own labour and fatigue, and this useful 

 servitor became the guide and defender of the flock. 



The sheep-dog possesses much of the same form and character in every 

 country. The muzzle is sharp, the ears are short and erect, and the animal 

 is covered, particularly about the neck, with thick and shaggy hair. He 

 has usually two dew claws on each of the hind legs ; not, however, as in 

 the one claw of other dogs, having a jointed attachment to the limb, but 

 merely connected by the skin and some slight cellular substance. These 

 excrescences should be cut off when the dog is young. The tail is slightly 

 turned upwards and long, and almost as bushy as that of a fox, even in 

 that variety whose coat is almost smooth. He is of a black colour, or black 

 prevails, mixed with gray or brown. 



Professor Grognier gives the following account of this dog as he is 

 found in France : " The shepherd's dog, the least removed from the 

 natural type of the dog, is of a middle size ; his ears short and straight ; 

 the hair long, principally on the tail, and of a dark colour ; the tail is 

 carried horizontally or a little elevated. He is very indifferent to ca- 

 resses, possessed of much intelligence and activity to discharge the duties 

 for which he was designed. In one or other of its varieties it is found in 

 every part of France. Sometimes there is but a single breed, in others 

 there are several varieties. It lives and maintains its proper character- 

 istics, while other races often degenerate. Everywhere it preserves its 

 proper distinguishing type. It is the servant of man, while other breeds 

 vary with a thousand circumstances. It has one appropriate mission, and 



* Clarke's Scandinavia, vol. i. p. 432. 



