About Dogs 



The prevalent belief at 

 the present day regarding 

 the origin of the domestic 

 dog, is that it is the result of 

 the crossing of various spe- 

 cies of wild animals, notably 

 the wolf and jackal, which 

 the Savages were wont to 

 capture when young, confine 

 and train for their own uses. 

 Darwin has shown us that 

 the fear of man in all ani- 

 15^ mals is an acquired instinct, 

 for it is a well known fact, of which the writer can 

 testify to from personal observations in the Arctic 

 regions, that both birds and animals at times, in 

 interior portions of that country, were so unused 

 to man, that they permitted so near approach that 

 they could almost be caught by hand. 



The Savages have been known in all parts of the 

 world, to cross their captured or tamed semi-wild 

 dogs with wild animals, to improve the species. 

 The American Indian's dog or that of the Esqui- 

 maux is known to be a species of the wild wolf, 

 and it has been said that the species of stag-deer or 

 sheep hounds, have been crossed with the animals 

 they have been named after. The wolves of Hun- 

 gary, India, even America are hardly distinguish- 

 able to-day from the dogs of these countries; and 

 there are tamed wolves, that in their gentleness, 

 love of their masters, and intelligence shows the 

 true dog-like capacity. Their period of gestation 

 (63 days) agrees; and wolves and jackals when 

 tamed evince the same points, when carressed or 

 petted by their masters; jumping about for joy, 

 wagging their tails, lower their ears, and lick the 

 hands, crouch down, and even throw themselves on 

 the ground belly upwards; or carry their tails be- 

 tween their legs, and howl when hurt or frightened. 

 The habit of barking however, is more or less culti- 

 vated, and appears to be capable of being lost and 

 again acquired. The Egyptians, Greeks and Ro- 

 mans bred their war dogs thus; and like the wild 

 animals mentioned, the dog of to-day is mostly 



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