ON SHEPHERDS' DOGS. 15 



Q. When a dog is well trained, can he instruct 

 another ? 



A. It requires less time and trouble to teach a 

 young dog, when he has the example of one, which 

 knows how to drive the flock : the young dog will 

 take the same gait, but he is often deceived; he would, 

 perhaps, be never well taught, if the shepherd did not 

 learn him such things, as the example of the other 

 dog could not make him understand. 



Q. What kind of dogs, and how many, are proper 

 for the service of flocks ? 



A. All active docile dogs are good for training to 

 the service ; those are called dogs of the true breed, 

 whose fathers and mothers are well practised in con- 

 ducting flocks ; it is thought, that dogs, thus bred, are 

 more easily trained, than others. In parts of the coun- 

 try, where the lands are rarely exposed to be injured 

 by sheep, a single dog is sufficient for an hundred 

 sheep ; but when they are so exposed, and are near 

 to sheep walks, which the flock often approaches, 

 two, and even three and four dogs are necessary ; 

 because two could not stand for the whole day, or 

 for many successive days, the almost continual run- 

 ning, which they are obligecbto make, to keep the 

 sheep from the prohibited lands ; it would therefore be 

 necessary to have otrJer dogs to relieve, and to give 

 them rest, when much fatigued. In countries where 

 wolves are to be apprehended, it is necessary, that the 

 dogs should be strong enough to resist, and bold 

 enough to hunt them. Dogs well covered with hair, 

 support cold and rain better than others. 



