DOGS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 8149, 21 April 1887, Page 3

DOGS.

Inspired by recent “ Anecdotes of dogs/* a correspondent of a home journal sends the following account of his own canine progidy:— THE last new thing. “ I have a pug dog by name Sue, about ten or twelve years old. Some few montha back, as he appeared to be suffering from toothache, my manservant extracted a tooth, by which he was relieved. My mart: came to me yesterday and said—‘Sue hasdone a curious thing to-day, sir. He came up to me, sat up and begged ; thinking he wanted a bit of toast I offered him some; he refused, and still kept on begging. I then offered him some water; he refused the water. It struck me that he might have a toothache. I looked at his mouth and found he had a tooth very loose. I took it out, but still Sue kept begging. I looked in his mouth again and found another tooth loose. I got a pair of pincers and pulled it out; when this was done. Sue immediately began capering about, showing his delight in every way hecould—having got what he begged for. During the whole time of the operation th» dog kept peifeetly steady, and instead of resisting, suffered all to be done without objection.’ ” We remember to have once heard a theory started that canine rabies was caused by toothache. Possibly we are here within measurable distance of a discovery which will throw M. Pasteur into the shade, and render a dental hospital for dogs a necessary institution. The suggestion is offered to Sir Charles Warren as aoalternative for the regulation muzzle andcanine leading strings. COLLIES. The following on the above moot question has been contriouted to the StockKeeper : Sir, —I have seen several letters on the above sulgect in your paper. Since then I have made enquiries from a shepherd whoworks my young dog. Wolf 111., by Champion Wolf ex Euby 111. I shall be very glad if you can find room in your paper for my remarks and those o£ my friend on this subject, which must be interesting to Collie breeders. I may say that my young dog, when a puppy of four months old, would of his own. accord go up to a brood of young ducks which I had and drive them very carefully round the farmyard, always keeping them well together. The sight was very amusing indeed; he never offered to catch, them in his moutb, but treated them as an old dog would a flock of sheep. Seeing that the dog had the working nature in him naturally, I thought I could not do better than have him tried. T. C. Jackson. P.S. Enclosed is a copy from the shepherd’s letter. “ Mr T. C. Jackson. “ Dear Sir, —I gob your note, and have been so busy that I could not answer ib sooner. “ You say that your paper does not think that pure-bred collies are good workers; I must differ with them. “ I have had a few pure bred dogs through my hands, and they have been much easier learned than the common collie. I can speak in particular about two-pure-bred dogs which I have at present. Your own dog. Wolf 111., is about as good a dog as I ever had, and if I had plenty o£ work for him to do he would be a better dog than he is. “ I can send him on a hillside and gather sheep as far as the eye can see him. He will also herd a lot, and I will go home todinner, and when I return I find him where I left him. " I have seen this dog herding a lot of sheep for four hours when I am working half a mile from him. 'As for driving on the road, he is second to none; I will go before the lot, he coming behind, and not losing a sheep. He is very anxious to work —he has not a lazy bone in his body; as to his wisdom, he knows every turn as wellaa Ido myself; he is the best tempered dog ever I had; he is a kind and sure follower. If he were mine money should not buy him. “ I have a young bitch by Champion Chance, and she is a splendid worker, considering her age—one and a-half years. “ If you or any of your friends doubt any of my statements, come here, and I will easily show and prove what I have said. “ My opinion is that pure-bred dogs are far before the common collie in everything they try.—Yours faithfully, “ (Signed) Dan Paton. “ Perthshire.” FIDELITY. A farmer living at Castelnaudary, in the Department of the Aude, has had, owing to the fidelity of his dog, a narrow escape from being murdeied. The details of the case read like a chapter of a dramatic tale by Sue or Dumas. The farmer had just returned with his dog from the fields as night was beginning to fall. His wife told him on his entering the house that she had given a glass of wine to a strange man, who had come to her pleading thirst, and that the person had then gone away. The dog, however, began sniffing about the place, and, suddenly barking aloud with savage fury, it flew under its master’s bed and seized the strange man, who was hiding there, by the throat. The fellow tried in vain to throw off the animal, but it tore out his windpipe and killed him. The gendarmes were then sent for, and they fonnd a dagger, a revolver, and a thieves’ whistle in the pockets of the deceased. Ridding everybody to go quietly into a room and to remain quiet, one of the gendarmes blew the whistle with all his might at an open window. The device succeeded admirably, for in leas than ten minutes four ruffians appeared on the scene and entered the house. They were immediately arrested, and did not offer the slightest resistance. A GHOST. The women and children of Eossett, near Chester, have been greatly alarmed by an apparition in white in country lanes. Terror also reigned in neighbouring villages, where the repute of the ghost’s moonlight Sittings had become noised abroad. One night the ghost solemnly approached, a gentleman returning home. His large dog, whi -h accompanied him, at once bounded for Yard and seized the apparition, which yelled lustily with pain. The gentleman released the ghost, who turned out to be a villager not over fond of wore, tricked out in white clothes.