224 DOGS AND DOG LOVERS 



the passionate love (not for mankind, but for one 

 special person) which burns in the heart of a dog. 

 It is a singular omission — and I cannot but think 

 it intentional. If so he was wise, for it certainly 

 does not lend itself to the manner which Stevenson 

 adopts towards dogs. No doubt I may be led into 

 sentimentality and general wearifulness in attempt- 

 ing to describe what seems to me the most striking 

 characteristic of dogs — their great and enduring 

 power of loving. It may be that "the day of an 

 intelligent small dog is passed in the manufacture 

 and laborious communication of falsehood." But 

 he does not lie when he says quite plainly how 

 greatly he loves his master. Nor do I agree that 

 a small spoiled dog would prate interminably, and 

 still about himself, I think he would say, " I 

 love you" rather often, but that bears repetition. 

 I know a Schipperke whose main interest in life 

 is his dinner, but when his mistress was ill he 

 had only two desires, to lie on her bed and to bite 

 the doctor for approaching her. He had to be 

 dragged out for a walk instead of eagerly begging 

 for one. Was this an elaborate falsehood ? Was 

 it pretence ? Was it conventionality ? 



A dog can hardly be expected to plead guilty 

 when detected in crime. He jumps off the for- 

 bidden bed when he hears someone coming, and, 

 being unaware that the warm place on the counter- 

 pane will betray him, he assumes a calm and happy 

 air. But this is a lie so natural that I for one 

 cannot blame the liar. 



In my life with dogs I have felt much more 

 clearly their desire to speak, and to speak truth, 



