258 THE BOOK OF A NATURALIST 



be somewhat numerous. For how otherwise can 

 the fact be explained that some dogs, however 

 ready and anxious to go for a walk they may be, 

 will, on catching sight of the muzzle, turn away 

 with tail between their legs and the expression of 

 a dog that has been kicked or unjustly rebuked ? 

 My experience is that this attitude towards the 

 muzzle of some dogs, which was quite common 

 in the early muzzling days, is now rare and is dying 

 out. The explanation, I think, is that as the 

 muzzle is at first keenly felt as a restraint, imposed 

 for no cause that the dog sees, it is in fact taken 

 as a punishment, and resented as much as an 

 undeserved blow or angry word would be. Every 

 one who observes dogs must be familiar with the 

 fact that they do very often experience the feeling 

 of injury and resentment towards their human 

 masters and companions. As a rule this feeling 

 vanishes with the exciting cause ; unfortunately, 

 in some cases the sight of the muzzle becomes 

 associated with the feeling and is slow to disappear. 

 But if dogs still exist in this city of dogs that 

 show any sign of such a feeling when a muzzle is 

 held up before them, we can see that even in these 

 super-sensitive ones it vanishes the instant they 

 are out of doors. Again, let any person watch the 

 scores and hundreds of dogs that disport themselves 

 in our grassy parks on any fine day, and he will 

 quickly be convinced that not only are they happy 

 but that they are far happier than any company 

 of unmuzzled dogs thrown casually together. They 



