THE MIND OF A DOG

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 124, 26 May 1923, Page 14

THE MIND OF A DOG

CANINE ATTEMPTS AT DIGNITY.

. Once past their puppyhooS all dogs have a sense of dignity and self-respect, The other day, writes Donovan Pedelty in the "Daily Mail," I watched a small boy tickle a terrier's nose with a straw. The dog snuffled, sneezed, and turned his head aside. .When the operation was repeated he rose, stretched himself languidly—as if he was moving merely of his own accord—and slowly walked away. There was contemptuous disdain in every movement. ■ It 'is this ever-present sense of dignity which inuuces "bluff" in a dog, a quality which one might think belonged solely to man.

The arrant cowards of the canine race, with^ the exception of "pampered darlings" and broken-spirited pariahs, are not so shameless as to ignore the 'opinions of others. Even though clearly anxious to avoid a fight they make some pretence of bravery or disdain. All this may be seen any clay in the street when dogs meet to "take stock" of each other. But the best illustration possible was afforded recently by a litter of beagle puppies. Rajah, a big strong PuPPy, was secretly chicken-hearted. Restless was small and weak, but indomitably ferocious. In the first clash of arms Rajah "put up a show" and got severely handled. Now if Restless openly covets Rajah's bone the last-named seems suddenly to lose interest in it. He deserts the bone, but retains his dignity. ' ; '

No, one wKo givea a dog's nature the smallest amount of study can fail to be struck by its resemblance to man's. The value set on public opinion is only one example of many. A dog can be anxious, amazed, hopeful, frightened, inquisitive, ashamed, sad, loving, jealous, , interested—even amused. The human gamut of emotions is not much greater.

That a dog has a sense of humour is most widely doubted. But there has been a terrier who could actually smile, oaring his teeth in a manner quite different from a snarl. He was chained up in a yard where a number of fowls infuriated him by stealing his food. One day their feeding times coincided and he had cleaned out his high pot before the ; fowls arrived. He then lay motionless in the sun with one eye half open, watching a cockerel nervously approach. At last, with great effort and much trembling, the cockerel craned his neck and_ poked 1 down into the pot. The terrier tapped the ground twice with Tiis tail, smileci, and'closed his eye.,