All About Dogs: A Book for Doggy People

by Charles Henry Lane

Some time after I was out with the same dog, wild fowl shooting. We had both been hard at work and I left him behind me, while I went to a neighbouring town to get a supply of gunpowder. A man in a drunken frolic had pushed off in a boat with a girl in it, the tide running out, carried the boat quickly away, and the man being unable to swim, became frightened and jumped overboard. Bagsman was near the spot, heard the splash, jumped in, swam to the man, caught hold of him and brought him twenty or thirty yards towards shore, when the drunken fellow clasped the dog tightly round the body, and they both went down together. The girl was saved by a boat going to her assistance. The body of the man was recovered about an hour afterward with that of the dog, tightly clasped in his arms, thus dragging both to the bottom."

The sagacity of the Poodle is well known, and their aptitude to learn tricks. Mr. Wilkie, of Ladiethorn, in Northumberland, had one he had instructed to go through all the apparent agonies of death. He would fall on his side, stretch himself out and move his hind legs as if he were in great pain; he would next simulate the convulsive throbs of departing life, and then stretch out his limbs, and thus seem as if he had expired; in this position he would remain motionless, until he heard his master's command to rise.

Jesse, in his "Gleanings in Natural History," gives another illustration of the intelligence of this breed. A friend of his had one that was not always under proper command. To keep him in better order he purchased a small whip, with which he, once or twice, corrected him during a walk. On his return the whip was put on a table in the hall, but the next morning it was missing. Soon afterwards it was found concealed in an outhouse, and again used in correcting the dog. Once more it would have been lost, but on a strict watch being kept upon the suspected dog, he was seen to take it away from the hall table in order to once more hide it away.

There are endless stories told of the life saving qualities of Newfoundland dogs. I will here mention two of them. A German was travelling one evening on foot through the Dyke country in Holland, accompanied by a large specimen of this breed, walking on a high bank which formed one side of a dyke, his foot slipped and he was precipitated into the water, and being unable to swim soon lost his senses. When he recovered consciousness, he found himself in a cottage on the other side of the dyke, surrounded by peasants, who had been using the means for the recovery of drowned persons. The account given him by one of them was, that returning home from work he observed, some distance off, a large dog in the water, swimming and dragging, and sometimes pushing along something that he seemed to have great difficulty in supporting, but which he at length succeeded in getting into a small creek on the opposite side. When the animal had pulled what he had hitherto supported, as far out of the water as he was able, the peasant was able to discover that it was the body of a man, whose face and hands the dog was industriously licking. He hastened to a bridge across the dyke, and having obtained assistance, the body was conveyed to a neighbouring house, where proper means soon restored the drowning man to life. Two very considerable bruises, with the marks of teeth, appeared one on his shoulder and the other on his poll, hence it was presumed the faithful beast had first seized his master by the shoulder and swam with him in this manner for sometime, but that his sagacity had prompted him to quit this hold and to shift it to the nape of the neck, by which he had been enabled to support the head out of the water and in this way he had conveyed him, nearly a quarter of a mile, before he had brought him to the creek where the banks were low and accessible.

Another story runs as follows: A vessel was driven on the beach at Lydd in Kent. The surf was rolling furiously. Eight poor fellows were crying for help, but no boat could be got off for their assistance. At length a gentleman came down to the beach accompanied by a fine Newfoundland dog, he directed the attention of the animal to the vessel and put a short stick into his mouth. The intelligent and courageous fellow at once understood his meaning, sprang into the sea, and fought his way through the waves. He could not, however, on account of the high seas running, get close enough to the vessel to deliver that with which he was charged, but the crew understood what was meant, made fast a rope to another piece of wood and threw it towards him. The noble beast dropped his own piece of wood, and seized that which had been cast to him, and then, with a degree of strength and determination scarcely credible, for he was again and again lost sight of in the roaring sea, he dragged it through the surge and delivered it to his master. A line of communication was thus formed, and every man on board was rescued.

Referring to some of the breeds peculiar to northern climes the following is told: A man named Chabert had a beautiful Siberian dog, who would draw him in a light carriage twenty miles a day. He asked £200 for him, and sold him for nearly that amount, for he was a most beautiful specimen of his breed, and as docile as he was beautiful. Between the sale and the delivery, the dog had an accident and broke his leg. Chabert, to whom the money was an object of immense importance, was in despair. He took the dog at night to a leading veterinary surgeon. He formally introduced them to each other, he talked to the dog, pointed to his leg, limped round the room, then requested the surgeon to apply some bandages, etc., round the leg and then seemed to walk sound and well, he patted the dog on the head, who was looking alternately at him and the surgeon, desired the surgeon to pat him and offer him his hand to lick, and then holding up his finger to the dog and gently shaking his head, quitted the room and the house. The dog immediately laid himself down, and submitted to a reduction of the fracture and the bandaging of the limb, without a motion, except once or twice, licking the hand of the operator. He was quite docile, and remained in a manner motionless, day after day, until at the expiration of a month, the limb was sound. Not a trace of the fracture was to be detected and the purchaser knew nothing of it.

Many years ago, the following scene took place in a street adjoining Hanover Square. It was an exhibition of a highly interesting character, worthy to be recorded. The then editor of the "Lancet" having heard that a French gentleman, Mr. Leonard, who had for some time been engaged in instructing two dogs in various performances, that required the exercise, not merely of the natural instincts of the animals and the power of imitation, but of a higher intellect and degrees of reflection and judgment far greater than is commonly developed in dogs, was then residing in London, obtained an introduction, and was obligingly favoured by Mr. Leonard, with an appointment to witness the performance of his extraordinary pupils, and he thus describes the interview:

Two fine dogs of the Spanish breed were introduced by Mr. Leonard, with the customary French politeness, the largest by the name of Philax, the other as Brac (or Spot), the former had been in training three, the latter two years. They were in vigourous health, and having bowed gracefully, took their seats on the hearth rug side by side. Mr. Leonard then gave a lively description of the means he had employed to develop the brain power of these animals, how from being fond of the chase and anxious to possess the best trained dogs, he had employed the usual course of training, how the conviction had been impressed on his mind, that by gentle usage and steady perseverance in making the animal repeat over and over again, what was wanted, not only would he be capable of performing the act required, but the part of the brain which was brought into mental activity by the effort, would become more fully developed and a permanent increase of power obtained.

After this introduction, Mr. Leonard spoke to his dogs in French in his usual tone, ordering one to walk, the other to lie down, to run, gallop, halt, crouch, etc., which they did as promptly and correctly as the most docile children. Then he put them through the usual exercises of the circus rings, which they performed as well as the best trained ponies at any high class circus. He then placed six cards of different colours on the floor, and sitting with his back to the dogs, directed one to pick up the blue card, and the other the white one, etc., etc., varying his orders rapidly, and speaking in such a manner that unless the dogs had a perfect knowledge of the words used, they could not have carried out his commands. For example, he said, "Philax, take the red card and give it to Brac," and "Brac, take the white card and give it to Philax." The dogs instantly did this and exchanged cards with each other. He then said, "Philax, put your card on the green," and "Brac, put yours on the blue," and this was immediately done. Pieces of bread and meat were placed on the floor, also figured cards and varied directions and instructions were given to the dogs, so as severely to test their memories, obedience and intelligence. They brought the bread, meat, or cards, as commanded, but did not attempt to eat any of the two former, unless ordered to do so. Philax was then desired to fetch a piece of meat and give it to Brac, and then Brac was told to give it back to Philax, who was to return it to its place. Philax was next told he might bring a piece of bread and eat it, but before he had time to swallow it, his master forbade him and desired him to show he had obeyed orders, and the dog instantly protruded the crust between his lips. While some of these feats were being performed, Mr. Leonard loudly cracked a whip occasionally, to prove that the animals were so completely under discipline that they would give no heed to any noises or interruptions.

After many other performances Mr. Leonard invited Mr. Blanc, a gentleman present, to play a game of dominoes with one of his dogs, which he consented to do. The younger dog, Brac, seated himself on a chair at the table and Messrs. Leonard and Blanc seated themselves opposite. Six dominoes were placed on their edges, in the usual way, before the dog and the same number before Mr. Blanc. The dog having amongst its numbers a double number, took it up in its mouth and dropped it in the centre of the table, Mr. Blanc added a single number to one side of it, the dog at once played another correctly, and so on, till all the pieces were used up. A fresh lot of six dominoes were then served out to each competitor and Mr. Blanc (just to test the dog) intentionally put a wrong number in the course of the game. The dog looked surprised and excited, stared hard at Mr. Blanc, growled, and finally barked loudly. Finding no notice taken of his remonstrances, he then pushed away the wrong domino, with his nose, and put a right number, from amongst his own, in its place. Mr. Blanc afterwards continued the play correctly and the game was won by the dog. Not the slightest hint or information appeared to be given by Mr. Leonard to the dog. This method of playing a game of dominoes must have been entirely the result of his individual observation and judgment. The performance was strictly private throughout, the owner of the dogs was a gentleman of independent fortune, and had taken up the instruction of his dogs merely as a curious and amusing investigation as to the cultivated intelligence of animals.