Dog and Sheep
You never know how intelligent an animal is
till you treat it with kindness. All animals are easily
frightened by human beings, and fear makes them stupid.
Children naturally love animals, but sometimes a foolish boy
loves to show his power over them, and so learns to be cruel.
A little boy of my acquaintance, when he was told that he
might ask some friends to pass his birthday with him, and was
asked who should be invited, named over all the dogs in the
neighborhood, and was much grieved when his choice was greeted
with laughter.
I have seen a little fellow of three years of age with his
hand in the mouth of a large, hungry dog, trying to get a
piece of bread out of it, and the dog not resenting the
liberty at all, but merely trying to retain his share of the
bread, and allowing the child to take a part.
We all know that dogs have chosen to die upon the graves of
their masters, refusing food even when it was brought to them.
We look at such animals as if we saw in them an angel in
prison. We feel as if such a nature could not die.
There is no doubt that dogs understand language. My friend,
Mr. S. P. Miles, who was remarkable for his tender love for
animals, as well as for many other noble and lovely qualities,
told me some remarkable facts which came under his own
personal observation, and which I am, therefore, sure are
true, showing that intelligent dogs understand language.
He said that in his father's house was an old dog, to whom
they were much attached, who however became liable to fits.
The dog was very fond of hunting, and the moment he saw any
one take the gun, to go into the woods, he would show his
ecstasy by leaping about.
Mr. Miles's mother one day, when caressing the dog and
lamenting that he was subject to these fits, told her son that
he had better shoot him the next time that he went out hunting
with him. A few days after, Mr. Miles went hunting; but the
moment he reached up for his gun, which was laid up on hooks
in the wall, the dog, instead of showing joy by jumping about,
ran directly to the good lady who had condemned him to death,
got under the table at which she was sitting, looked up in her
face, and would not move from that place. Never after could
the poor fellow be induced to go out with any one who had a
gun in his hand.
The same friend told me of a still more remarkable instance of
intelligence in a dog, though I confess it does not prove that
this dog had much conscience.
Mr. Miles said that he knew the man who owned the dog, and
knew the truth of the whole story. He said that a neighbor had
an uncommonly fine dog, well trained, and, as it seemed,
perfect in all things.
One day, a man came and complained that the dog killed his
sheep. The owner said he was sure that it was impossible. Hero
was so well trained, he was always in his kennel at the right
hour, and he knew that he must not kill sheep. After a while,
the neighbor came again with the accusation. The dog was then
tied in the barn. The man came again with the same charge
against the dog.
Hero's master now told the accuser that the dog was tied in
the barn on the very night when the sheep were killed. He now
made much of his dumb favorite from the feeling that he was
unjustly suspected.
He was, however, much surprised when the owner of the sheep
came again and declared that he had seen his dog kill a sheep
that very night; that he knew the dog, and was sure of the
fact. He, of course, thought he must be mistaken; but said he
would watch the dog. He did so.
At a certain hour of the night, when the dog supposed no one
saw him, the cunning fellow put up his two fore paws, pushed
off the collar to which a chain was attached, darted through
the open window close by, and made for the sheep pasture. He
returned in good season, put his nose into his collar, pushed
it down into its place with his paws, and lay down to sleep.
The master returned to his bed with the painful conviction
that he must kill his intelligent but unprincipled four-footed
friend. It is said nothing will cure a dog of the habit of
sheep killing.
In the morning the sorrowful master went to the stable. As he
approached, he said, "O, Hero, how could you do so wrong? I
must have you killed." Quick as thought, the dog pushed his
collar over his ears, darted through the window, and flew like
lightning away. No one in that town ever saw him again.
Creatures that show such intelligence, who can understand our
language, and are capable of what is best in our nature, that
is, of self-forgetting love, should be treated with the
greatest tenderness. We know not what they may be capable of
till we have tried the influence of constant justice and
kindness. It is questionable whether poor Hero could have been
cured of his fault. But I would give all a chance."
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