THE ALSATIAN DOG

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21868, 2 August 1934, Page 13

THE ALSATIAN DOG

Sir, —To say that all dogs,, including sheep and cattle dogs, are liable at times to become sheep-worriers is no plea for the Alsatian. Up to the present the Alsatian, either purebred or crossbred, is the most deadly worrier the sheep farmer has ever had to contend with. No matter what his intelligence, he is the most cunning and uncertain of all dogs, and, like his progenitor tho wolf, is never to be trusted. As an allround and faithful companion, the med-ium-sized good old sheep dog beardie has got no equal, and as a watchdog the blue Australian cattle cog or the German collie is hard to beat, and, what is more, these dogs are both chums and workers. 010 Hand.

Sir, —I have had 5000 sheep worried by dogs during the last 30 years of sheep farming and have never beon able to claim one penny for all that loss. All breeds of dogs are to blame. I have oaught St. Bernards, Newfoundlands, fox terriers, even a Pom., sheep-worry-ing, though mostly gun dogs and sheep dogs. I have even caught my own [ trained dogs. Collie sheep dogs have done the most. The difficult}' is the magistrates seem to hold that you have actually to see dogs killing before you can claim. When you catch the dogs or shoot them, you can seldom find an owner. I have even had to pay €SO for useless dogs destroyed, because they were not actually seen worrying. For many years I gave a bonus to my shepherd for destroying dogs among the sheep, and for 10 years, 1900 to 1910, averaged over 50 dogs a year. Only one had a collar, and it was an old one, and all were shot or destroyed after sunset and before sunrise. Anyone owning a dog, if they value it, should keep it chained up at night. My opinion is all dogs trespassing without collar or muzzle to be subject to destruction, and all dogs with or without a collar found running among sheep be destroyed at any time at discretion of sheep owner. The Alsatian man-eater question could be settled by muzzling at all times when not on chain or owner's own property. W. G. Butcher.