THE SHEEP DOG—PAST AND PRESENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3292, 18 April 1917, Page 38

THE SHEEP DOG—PAST AND PRESENT.

By Black-and White. A few generations buck —even o. r the romparatively sbort-llved dosr—there often wero to be met with dogs "£K*t knew as much as a man" —"One could trust him with his very life"—phrases that plainly indicated the absolute trust that the speaker had in his dog. These dogs often could not boast, as far as their proud possessor knew, of any lengthy genealogical record; nor need he mind much. There could be no questioning the fact that the dog came of intelligent stock, and possessed the requisite qualifications to stand practically any test of trustworthiness. And was it not descended from that fine race of dogs brought out from Home —clogs brought out by their masters for their actual working worth, or dogs that had been "sent back for" by practical men after they had become possessed of the requirements of the situation. Under these

circumstances there could be no gainsaying-; none but the best were availed of. These intelligent importations were the foundation of what in duo time unquestionably developed into the finest class of sheepdogs in the world, as was only natural, seeing the great field .and scope that obtained for the development of their characteristic sagacity; wide tracts of country, strong, vigorous sheep, wild as deer, that took the dog far from the domination of its master, begetting in timo. a resourcefulness or initiativeness foreign to the environments of his progenitors—just as with the latter-day colonial, who has been afforded the scope for expansion compared with his Homo cousin. In due time the colonial creation could bo sent off after sheep that wcro far strayed, and on picking up its quarry would exhibit an intelligence worthy his best ancestors. If need be ho could be trusted to hold safo charge of the sheep for hours —yea, even through a whole night—tand in manv other ways had great scope for tho development of its vast source of intelligence; and. undoubtedly, so great was that development that in latter years it is little wonder that so many practical men, on revisiting their native land, had perforce to relinquish tho idea of "bringing something good" back with them, being satisfied that the colonial dog had developed far and away more satisfactorily than its Home counterpart. Nowadays it is rarely suggested—the importation of a working collie by a shepherd or shecp-ownor, with tho view to improving the working dogs of the Dominion, it being generally allowed that for practical intelligent work the Antipodeans can more than hold their own. And many are the amusing experiences of incredulous wonderment raised at Home when told of the various feats the colonial dog is capable of, owing to such proffered opportunities of development so distinct from those of its Homo contemporaries, whoso brain .had become comatose, so to speak, for tho want of developing exercise. It possibly was this very lying in the old ruck, and allowing their emigrated relations to get so far ahead of them, that roused their masters — especially of younger generations—to get a m'oye on, and make the great mistako of trying to improve tho breed instead of developing the material they had. And no doubt there arc still some who affirm that tho breed has been improved. "In what way?" one may well ask. In constitution, m intelligence, or even hi type. For though it must be allowed that there has always been a great variance in the matter of typo. Formerly, no matter whether the dog was rough-haired, short-coated, beardie, or oven stumpy-tailed, there generally was a characteristic lock of trusty intelligence that quo has more and more to look for nowadays. In their feverish desire to retrieve lost ground breeders would appear to have seized upon any chance vagary that mad© its appearance—as, possibly, tho form of some super-intelligence or ability—only too often with mischievous results. Both as regards intelligence and stamina, how often do we find dogs of tho present-day creation in evidence after a few years; whereas, of tho old school, dogs stood up to their workstrenuous work, too—until quite advanced years. Quite of recent years dogs of the old breeds that had been preserved were to be met with working keenly at nine, 10, or even 12 years of age. And therein lies a vast field for thought, for does not that selfsame trait —or whatever it is—suggest an evolution begotten by Master Time's directing infhience in the matter of stamina as well as intelligence, and fastens on us tho persistent query, "Why is it so hard to get a decent, reliable sheepdog nowadays?" Is the answer to bo met by another question, "Does tho remedy lie in the introduction of new blood ?"'

"Blaek-and-White" asks: "Why is it so hard to get a decent, reliable sheepdog nowadays?" Judging by what I have seen and heard and by what I have read, I marvel at the question. Assuming, evidently, that his question was a legitimate one, 8.-and-W. - further asks: "Does the remedy lie in the introduction of new blood?" I"hope my correspondent will forgive me the insinuation, but in view of many letters of his which have appeared m these columns, I fancy that he really wishes to insinuate that not the "remedy" but the '•evil" lies in the new blood which has been introduced; and, if I may be allowed an opinion—a perfectly unbiased one, for I am not a shepherd or owner of a sheepdog —I would say that the evil, if there is any, lies not in the dogs, imported or locally bred, but in the poor capacity of some individual shepherds—owners or workers ! Is it not the old story, "A poor carpenter complaining of his tool*"? May not a good dog, like a good saw, bo snoiled by bad handling? There are, I have not the slightest doubt, just as good dogs to be had now as ever there were. Indeed, the probabilities, are that the present-day sheepdog is an improvement, on those of the past, if only for the reason that he comes from a longer lino of ancestors bred for a given purpose. In his last coummnieation 8.-and-W. spoke of the old-time dog, which could work all clay out of sight, and then guard his master all night. I don't deny that there were —or are now —dogs capable of such intelligence and devotion, but I ask, "Whore do the shepherds (the human variety) come in from the owner's standpoint?" I for one cannot imagine a runholder of the New Zealand stamp employing shepherds simply that his dogs could guard them by night. I say this not to absurdly deprecate the housing and feeding of shepherds, but to suggest that much depends upon his power to handle his dog. Dogs undoubtedly do wonderful things and show marvellous sagacity so long as their master knows his business in relation to them, but, all said and done, the master-handler and not the dog is No. I.—Tereoe.