a 3* ANIMAL ARTISANS 



he settled that all dogs which were allowed to u run 

 in the road " were to be considered six months old, 

 that being the minimum time in which a careful 

 owner would think a puppy could learn to avoid 

 being run over. But some dogs never learn caution, 

 or how to " keep their heads " when even carts are 

 passing. These nearly always end by being run over. 

 This is especially the case with spaniels, which seem 

 least apt at learning, and apparently feel a kind of 

 impulse to drift across the road just under the wheels 

 of a passing carriage. 



On the other hand, there are certain breeds of dog 

 which have the same delight in attending on a cart as 

 certain men feel in assisting in working any piece of 

 machinery. It is always pleasant to be able to say 

 a good word for a discredited race of animals, and in 

 this connection too great praise cannot be given to 

 the now discarded " carriage-dog." These spotted, 

 pointer-like dogs were generally considered as a use- 

 less breed, kept merely for show, as part of the old- 

 fashioned parade once considered appropriate to a 

 grand equipage. The real purpose in keeping these 

 dogs was originally to keep off footpads and wig- 

 stealers, and later to serve as companions to the 

 horses, both in the stable and during the early days 

 of training to harness. The young horse, otherwise 

 constantly on the look-out for objects to shy at, 

 transferred his whole attention to his stable com- 

 panion the carriage-dog, which, trotting beside him 

 or just in front, acted as the best possible guide 

 and example of steadiness. Always attached to the 



