208 ANIMAL ARTISANS 



we may be very certain that all the dogs on the 

 canvases of Cuyp and Teniers were equally familiar 

 with the dog language of double Dutch. 



" Don't say that before l Snap/ ' Snap ' don't know 

 he's only a dog. He thinks he's folks ! " was an 

 American appreciation of the quickness with which 

 dogs understand and resent anything rude said about 

 themselves. The degree to which they comprehend 

 doubtless differs, and is probably in most cases limited 

 to the perception that their name is associated with 

 laughter or a censorious tone of voice when mentioned 

 to others. Also the range of conversation, and of 

 activities to which it refers, is so large in the average 

 gentleman's house that a dog often gives up the effort 

 at understanding more than actually concerns its daily 

 comfort. It becomes bored by the demands on its 

 attention the more so as it has as a rule nothing to 

 do to keep it busy. But any one who has spent any 

 time, let us say, in fishing quarters in a Northern 

 farmer's house, cannot fail to notice how simple and 

 few are the items which make up the routine of the 

 day, and how completely the dog there is always a 

 dog, and that a collie understands all that is going 

 on, and probably most of what is said. These farmers 

 are a very silent people as a rule, speaking seldom, and 

 then only about practical matters. When happy and 

 comfortable their practice is to sit quiet, not to talk. 

 So the dog takes very special notice when a remark is 

 made, knowing that it is usually connected with the 

 doing of something by other people or by itself. It is 

 quite used to being told to "mind the baby" or to 



