A CASE FOR THE ALSATIAN

Dominion, Volume 29, Issue 202, 23 May 1936, Page 23

A CASE FOR THE ALSATIAN

“Beowulf.” by Ernest Lewis (London Constable).

Who more lilted Io plead the cause of the much-discussed Alsatian than Mr. Lewis, with his deep feeling for all dogs and his wonderful understanding of the dog-mind, an understanding not arrived at hastily, but the result of long ami patient observation? Beowulf, a magnificent-looking and exceptionally intelligent dog began his working life in Germany as a trained assistant to a frontier-guardsman. On his master’s death he was sold to an English tourist with so little understanding that he changed the dog's name to “.Sandy,” a name which conveyed nothing to the German "Beowulf.” There followed a dark, but probably exciting, period in the dog's life when deserted by. his master he became a wild sheep-killer in the English hills. His defence is now put into the mouth of Alan Stuart, a young clergyman, into whose devoted care Beowulf next passed for the remainder of his life. Stuart says:—

. . The English dogs, or many of them, have been bred almost entirely for show, and in the process they have largely lost the sheep instinct, but not entirely, so that the sight and smell of sheep excites them and they feel that they ought to do something with them. Lot they don’t know quite what. They ahvavs tell me that no dog is so ii'kely to kid sheep as one with a bit of sheep (log • « him, for it Is the sheep instinct which. If it becomes perverted,'leads to worrying.

Through an accident Alan loses his .sight, and because of his groat friendship for his own dog, decides to have him trained instead of accepting the service, of a dog already trained and probably more naturally suited for the work. A second training is not easy for any dog, especially a highly-intelligent creature like Beowulf. At first the experiment does not promise 100 well, but in the end the dog's deep love for his master overcomes all difficulties, and the story of I heir .subsequent association is tin amazing and most moving one. Few people in New Zealand are aware of the work done by these trained guidedogs, and tlie stories connected with them are among the most interesting in the book. There are also to be found descriptions of sheep dog and police dog trials, and stories of stag and game hunting. One feels safe in prophesying that the true dog-lover will not be content merely to read this book. He will want to own it, and dip into it again and again. As for the man who professes indifference to all dogs, and a dislike of the Alsatian in particular, lie will probably in all fair-mindedness read the book from cover to cover, and at least give the case his thought and consideration.