“Nor must it be supposed that Poodle’s instinct was limited to forming a judgment of the execution only. His intelligence, trained by hearing classical works, seemed to have penetrated some of the secrets of composition. An abrupt modulation, a false resolution, would produce symptoms of doubt on Poodle’s muzzle; consecutive fifths made him shudder, and a halting melody set his teeth on edge. Sometimes Herr Schwartz and his intimate friends, in the privacy of a snug little quartette party, would amuse themselves by producing discordant sounds, for the sake of tormenting the sensitive animal. On such occasions Poodle lost all self-command: his hair stood on end, his eyes became bloodshot, and frightful howlings answered to the discord produced by the fiddles of the mystificators. Moreover, they were obliged to keep within certain bounds. Poodle possessed only a limited stock of forbearance. If the cacophony was too intense or too prolonged, Poodle, carrying out his sense of duty, upset everything. Music-stands, music-stools, and instruments, were strewed in confusion about the room.”
THE LUMP OF SUGAR TRICK.
This consists in placing a lump of sugar on the dog’s nose, and having him toss it up and catch it in his mouth. It is not essential that sugar should be used; any other dainty will do as well, indeed a piece of meat will answer better in teaching the trick. In teaching, hold your switch under the dog’s chin, and tap him whenever he tries to lower his head to let the meat drop. If he does not presently jerk his head up, and so throw the morsel into the air, you should strike him under the chin a pretty smart rap to make him do so. When it leaves his nose there will be no instruction required to make him seize it promptly before it has a chance to reach the ground; should it, however, touch the ground, it is well to take it from him, and make him toss it again.
TO FEIGN DEATH.
A dog may be placed on his back or in almost any other posture, and by speaking sharply to him and threatening him with your forefinger, you can prevent his changing his position. In this manner the trick of feigning death is taught. If a special word of command be used when placing him, he will learn to take the position on hearing that command.
CHAPTER XI.
WONDERFUL FEATS PERFORMED BY DOGS—MOST CELEBRATED DOGS OF THE WORLD—LEARNING THE ALPHABET—TO PLAY CARDS AND DOMINOES—TO SELECT ANY ARTICLE DESIRED AND PUT IT ANYWHERE DIRECTED.
Our last chapter gave a wide range of tricks performed by dogs, most of which can be taught by the amateur trainer. There is another class of tricks, requiring great intelligence on the part of the dog, and rare skill and patience on the part of the trainer, for their successful mastery. Though these may be beyond the abilities of ordinary dogs and ordinary trainers—for such feats are very rare, even in public exhibitions, and when performed, are looked upon almost as miracles—they cannot fail to prove interesting to our readers, and it is barely possible that some reader of this book may yet astonish the world with some equally proficient animal, to rival those whose deeds are herein recorded.
The French trainers have probably brought the education of the dog to a point achieved in no other country, and several of these canine celebrities have become subjects of history. Emil de Tarade gives a very interesting account of two of these, the principal part of which account we translate, as follows:
“In 1840 I was acquainted with M. Leonard, of Lisle, (an inspector of the revenue) who possessed two well taught dogs. Braque and Philax, as they were named, were two grayhounds, with large brown ears. Their eyes alone would tell you how much intelligence had been developed in these interesting animals. Words were fixed in their memory with a positive meaning. These dogs knew as well as we do the meaning of ‘above,’ ‘below,’ ‘before,’ ‘behind,’ etc. They made a proper application of the name of a color, of a number up to a certain point; knew what was meant by ‘parlor,’ ‘corridor,’ ‘stairs;’ knew the furniture, utensils, small objects of the pocket and toilet; and when one bade these dogs perform in the absence of their master, one was seized with astonishment and admiration.
“If you said to one: ‘Go sit down in front of the lady in the rose-colored dress,’ the dog went immediately to seek the lady so designated, seated himself upon his haunches, wagging his tail, and regarding the lady with a very expressive look. ‘Ask the lady for her thimble.’ The lady offered successively her handkerchief, gloves, etc., but the animal did not move. As soon as she presented the thimble, he ran off, making a thousand gambols at having obtained it. After this he passed gravely about the room, as if to say: ‘What shall I do with it?’ On saying to him: ‘Go to the sofa in front of the fireplace—there is a hat upon it—put the thimble in the hat, and carry it to the lady in blue,’ the dog would strictly carry out the order.