DOG TAUGHT TO CARRY BASKET.
This accomplishment may often be put to great practical use, and it is an excellent plan to teach all dogs, which are large enough to be of any service in this manner, to carry baskets or parcels when accompanying their masters. The mode of training is very simple, consisting of merely placing the article in the dog’s mouth, and when he lets go of it give him a slight box on the ear and replace the article in his mouth. Whatever is given him to carry should be of such a form as to be grasped easily by him without hurting his mouth or teeth. The weight should at first be very light and never more than he can easily carry. Most dogs will take a real pleasure in carrying articles in this manner, and they seem to feel the responsibility attached to their duty, for they will carry their own or their master’s dinner without attempting to appropriate any portion of it until the proper time when their share shall be given them. In teaching dogs to carry food, however, it is necessary to take a little special pains to overcome their instinctive inclinations to eat it. A good plan is to place the article in a covered basket which they cannot open, and when the dog has learned to carry an ordinary parcel give him this. If he attempts to get at the food, which he readily detects by his sense of smell, box his ears. By-and-by reward him with the food, and then try him with a basket from which he can abstract the contents; if he tries to do so punish him slightly, never permitting him to steal the food. If a dog ever deserves a reward for well doing he certainly does in this case, for it is too bad to tantalize him with the smell of some dainty and then not to let him finally have something for his good conduct.
To make a dog carry articles from one person to another it is only necessary for two persons to take their position at some distance from one another. One gives the dog some article saying, “go, sir,” at the same time. As the first says this let the other person call or whistle to the dog. Now let this one give the dog some thing and let the other one call him, and so on back and forth until he will go from one to the other at the command, “go, sir.” The distance between the parties may be increased from time to time, and the trick may be varied by one of them hiding himself, this will teach the dog to hunt for the person to whom he is to deliver the article, which will prove useful when you by-and-by desire to send him on an actual errand to a distance.
The extent to which any dog may be educated in this matter depends very much upon his natural intelligence and the skill and perseverance of his teacher. Many anecdotes are told of dogs going on errands. In some cases they go to the post-office for letters, in other cases to the store for groceries, etc., and we recollect several instances cited where dogs would, on being given a piece of money, go to the baker’s and purchase cake on their own account. The baker, in one of these instances, is said to have one day palmed a stale bun upon a dog who had been in the habit of coming to him regularly with pennies, and the animal, to show he was not to be imposed upon, transferred his custom to a rival establishment. In none of these accounts have we ever seen any mention of the dogs having been subjected to any special training, and it is more than likely that they never were. Animals, like men, are creatures of habit. If a man becomes accustomed to a certain routine it is difficult for him to change. Many merchants, retired from business, continue to pay a daily visit to their old offices, their brokers or lawyers, just because not to do so would make them uncomfortable and restless. So a dog who has become used to accompanying his master on any regular round of duties will often show that he understands where it is they are going by running ahead and stopping at the accustomed place. We call to mind a dog belonging to a gentleman residing some miles from this city, who will serve as an example of what we have stated, though probably all of our readers are familiar with instances equally, if not more, remarkable. The gentleman was accustomed to walk from his residence some half mile to take the morning train for the city, and to return by a particular train in the evening. The dog accompanied him to the cars in the morning, and would again meet him on the arrival of the train at night. It took him some weeks to learn when to expect his master, but after that he never made any mistakes.
A writer in one of the magazines mentions a poodle who was in the habit of going to church with his master and sitting with him in the pew during the whole service. Sometimes his owner did not come, but the poodle was always promptly in his place, remaining during the service and departing with the rest of the congregation. One Sunday the dam at the head of a lake in the neighborhood gave way, and the whole road was inundated. The attendance at church that morning was therefore restricted to a few individuals who came from near by. But by the time the clergyman had commenced, he saw our friend the poodle coming slowly up the aisle dripping with water, having been obliged to swim a quarter of a mile to get there.
It is not very difficult to teach a dog to go on errands. Suppose you wish him to go to market for you of a morning; take him with you regularly for a few mornings, letting him carry the basket. In a few days he will understand when you start where it is you propose to go, and will, perhaps, run on ahead and arrive there some minutes before you. It would be well on all occasions before starting to give the command, “Go to market,” which will accustom him to it.
We do not vouch for the truth of the story of the dog who, on being given—when purchasing one time on his own account, with money given him for that purpose—a piece of meat inferior to what he considered his due, went and brought a policeman.
TO BRING HIS TAIL IN HIS MOUTH.
The dog having been taught to fetch and carry, an amusing application of this knowledge can be made by having him bring his own tail in his mouth. This trick is exceedingly funny and is always hailed with roars of laughter. The feat is rather difficult for while his tail is in his mouth, the dog can only advance in something like crab fashion, or sideways, with an almost irresistible tendency to go around in a circle without getting ahead any. To attain success in teaching this trick the dog must be gifted with a good deal of tail, and the trainer with a good deal of patience. Dogs will in play grasp their tails, and most persons have noticed while frolicking with a dog that if the dog’s tail be taken hold of with one’s hand, the dog will attempt to seize the hand with his mouth, and if his tail be now dexterously placed in his way, he will seize that. This perhaps first suggested the idea of the trick, and this is the initial step of the training. When the dog takes hold of his tail praise him, and after he has held it a little while bid him “let go,” and reward him. Should he relinquish his hold before you order him to, speak sharply to him and commence again. When he has learned to retain hold of his tail until ordered to relinquish it, the more difficult part of his lesson may be taught—the bringing it to the trainer. The trainer at first takes his place a few feet from the dog in the direction in which the dog can most easily advance, and calls the dog; should he let go his tail to come, he is to be scolded, and the tail replaced in his mouth. When he comes without letting go, he should be rewarded. Gradually the distance he is required to come may be increased, but it would be cruel to make this distance more than half a dozen yards. When the tail is placed in his mouth it is well to say, “Bring me your tail,” to accustom him to the order. By-and-by when you give this order merely hold his tail for him to grasp, and at last let him seize it without any assistance from you.