Show USEFUL FARM HAlqDS Dogs That Saye Much Labor on the Farm WHICH ARE OF THE BEST KIND What They Should Do and Row to Make Them Do It Tlio Shepherd Shep-herd Dog Copyright 1892 There is now a movement going > on for the benefit of the useful order of dogs particularly those that are of service on the farm S Emerson said itA weed isa plant whose usefulness has not been discovered and the farmers dog in all parts of the country may be defined in a similar manner Farmers as a CRSS are not very quick to adopt what is of practical importance to them especially when it is something that cannot be brought to their door consequently conse-quently what is common to every other I 5 THE SHEPHERD DOG DEFENDING HIS FLOCK agricultural community in the world is uncommon un-common in America for a good useful farmers dog would be difficult to find Occasionally Oc-casionally you hear of Farmer Brown having hav-ing a good one that came from the old country but lack of a mate of his kind prevented the substitution of such dogs While American farmers would give 85 for a dog which would save tho sum in wages in a week 5000 can be readily obtained ob-tained for a superior ornamental St Bernard Ber-nard and half that lora poodle trimmed ala a-la Francalse trotting behind a belle or a saucy bulldog at the heels of a chappie It was left to New Jersey to effect a muchneeded chancre when at the late in ternational fair at Qrenton sheep dog trials were given under the auspices of the New Jersey Kennel league Some enterprising members of this state club sent to England for cracks when it was learned that not one out of a hundred of the bench show collies which were generally gen-erally supposed to be shepherd dogs were of any use to the farmer About a week before the trials there landed from a White Star steamship two very ordinary looking dogs which someone some-one said were not worth their freight Wallace was one of these a large black and white dog combining the good qualities of the old Welsh driving sheep dog and the Scottish rounding dog called a collie The other was a daughter of Champion Turk the dog Queen Victoria praised when she attended the sheep dog trials in Wales There was but little competition for the purse of 150 offered at Trenton ao these dogs divided it and before tnelr work was finished one of tho spectators said that Wallace Wal-lace who to tho citybred man did not look worth his freight was worth a flock of sheep Now farmers from far and near want to know something of the new dogs and it may interest them to know that they Will Drive and fetch cattle f < Drive or go In front and lead sheep Drop at command or on the lifting of tho I hand Search for cattle or sheep on command alter their course as directed by whistle or wave of hand Remain with injured animals bring sheep after their master if he is on horseback Head off sheep or cattle by jumping wall or fence Keep them in road or let them pass one by one Fetch sheep or cattle out of water Take sheep or cattle to water and bring them back without assistance Watch the flock or cattle at night and keep curs away Catch sheep by holding on to the wool by the side of the head without injuring them and many other things requiring both intelligence and training That such doss would be invaluable on a farm is bayond question That it is time some encouragement should be given for their importation has finally been decided and the numerous agricultural societies throughout the country will doubtless second sec-ond the motion of the InterState fair to constitute trials for farmers dogs a necessary neces-sary part of every country fair The shepherds of Scotland arc justly proud oE their dogs which are called collies col-lies Any of this kind from strains that have been kept at work are invariably remarkably re-markably intelligent easily taught and managed without difficulty whereas those kept far away from the folds as household pets are as olton valueless to the shepherd and the farmer Latterly their showy appearance ap-pearance has induced some owners to take them from their vocation and by carefully mating have brought out conspicuously the attractive points in the appearance of this dog but in too many Instances it has been done at the sacrifice of intelligence and working qualities so that by purchasing a collie you are not sure of getting a useful farmers dog The shepherds of Wales have splendid dogs bred for generations at hard work on the mountains These fine Welsh animals are sure to be thoroughly trained and make excellent dogs for the farm There Is another kind of shepherd dog also used on the Welsh hills and in many parts of England called tho bobtailed sheep dog When in old England everything else including windows were taxed mans best friend was not overlooked but tho poor shepherds were allowed ono dog free provided they cut his tail short which was supposed to interfere with his chances of catching hares After being prevented bylaw by-law from enjoying the usual caudal appendage append-age eventually they were born a la Btatuto and they have been born so ever since Knowing wideawake fallows they S S ilTh SCOTCH COLLIE THE SCOTCHMANS FUIEXD are when you can get them straight from stock that inherited this peculiarity always al-ways resolute and determined not quarrelsome quarrel-some except when bin flock or anything belonging to his master is molested and then woe to the venturesome offender be he human or canine If canine it Is ton to ono he never recovers from tho attack for bobtailed sheep dogs do not appreciate the quality of mercy For hard work native intelligence faithfulness faith-fulness sagacity and genorable adaptability adapta-bility they have no superior It is but seldom sel-dom however that they can be made to gather the flock or round in the collie fashion and this is probably the reason why a cross between these two varieties generally makes the best farmers dog American farmers often say the reason they do not buy such dogo is because of their cost and the difficulty of getting youngsters trained in this country yet now that the best prizewinning stock has been Introduced from England one disadvantage disad-vantage may be counted out When it Is remembered that it is a comparatively easy task to train a dog from anon stock the other excuse also vanishes Of course unless the dog Invariably inherits in-herits native intelligence from the right stock it is a useless tosli to try to teach him to be of service on alarm He may chase the cattle and sheep but he will not fetch them Supposing a pup from the right stock is procured one of thofamily should have charge of his education if the farmer cannot attend to it The pup should not bo taken into the house to be petted and spoiled and mado unfit for outdoor life but should be kept in the barn near the stock His first lesson should be obedience and if he who has charge of his education always feeds him and lets him out for a scamper it will be found that the pup will readily show his gratitude for these two chief delights and will soon learn to obey At first it will be well to foster his love of approbation and attend to his mental devolopemont rather than to teach tricks without a purpose Then as ho learns his name and comes when called he may be taught to come in at the word heel or to heel remaining just behind until encouraged to go forward by a cheerful tone which assures him he i 5 tpdr Ivt THE OLD ENGLISH BOBTAIL BHEPHElfD DOG may continue his romp After a while when quite cerlain he has mastered this direction he should be taught to drop at the word down The pupil should be called by name as formerly when ho will run up expecting the word heel when the trainer should advance and gently but firmly preSs the dog to tho ground I then with hand uplifted repeat down I After a time and as he I understands the rising of the hand goes with tho word down he may be taught to drop at a distance by motion of the hand alone and afterwards remain where he is while tho trainer moves bin position When obedience may be depended on he should be taken out with the flock or cattle and will probably learn much of what is required re-quired by imitation First the sheep maybe may-be taken into a corner and kept from breaking away he will follow tho movements move-ments of his master and will soon try to do it himself Every effort of this sort should be duly recognized and after awhile a-while the dog should be taught to drop and remain in charge while his trainer walks away a few steps This will prepare him for keeping sheep < ogether in the centre of the field or tin the road and If the trainer will in all cases go round and not directly up to the stock when he wants to change positions the dog will learn to po round instead of splitting up a very necessary lessen One thing at a time should be the rule and now the pupil should ho ordered to fetch and maybe may-be more easily taught by some of Jhe flock being allowed to wander from the rest than by rounding them at the word fetch Later on while ho is thus bringing them together the trainer may go to another part of the field or out at the gate when the dog will readily learn to drive for he will himself be anxious to get to hia master and will not know what to do with the sheep and will consequently drive them where his master is To work to whistle or to band may be done in the same manner and the tame sheep may be substituted for wilder ones as he progresses just as the open country may later on become the place for his trainIng train-Ing ground instead of an inclosure It will be surprising to find how easy and how pleasant a task it is to educate the ordinary ordin-ary looking dog into one worth a flock of S sheepJ i > < 4 if > r 1 > t j > T i T |