DOG LORE.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 62, 8 March 1912, Page 6

DOG LORE.

i - (By Lav-erack.) The four Wit annual competition of the East Road Sheep Bog Trial Club eventuated on the 29th and 30th of March. I have’no hesitation in recommending every hoy, .girl, and man, woman and child in Stratford to take advantage .of tin's opportunity to spend a day in the country, and journey to To- Wera. on the above dates arid participate-in the extreme felicity afforded by watching dogs competing from all parts of New Zealand. The management of the East Road Club is unequalled in Australia, every official having had considerable experience with the hard working collie.

Few townsfoll know a collie dog when they have v,Jio honour of viewing one, “but shock you, while wandering in the wild sluep land, happen on field or in market upon a very perfect gentle knight, clothed in many coloured ha-bit, splashed hero and there with rays of moon; free by right divine of the guild of gentleman, strenuous as a prince, lithe as a rowan,graceful as a girl, with high king carriage, motions and manners of a fairy queen; should he have a noble breadth of brow, an air of 'still strength born of right confidence, all unassuming; last and most unfailing test of all, should you look into two snow clad eyes, wistful, inscrutable, their soft depths clothed on with eternal sad-ness-yearning, as is said, for the soul tliat is not theirs—know then that you look upon one of the lino of the most illustrious sheep dogs of Taranaki. <lt has been stated that the Collie is a treacherous dog. He is nothing of the kind, or I have never found him so. On the contrary, lie is, in my opinion, of all dogs most faithful. It may l>o said of him, however, that hc( is. disposed to concentrate his affections upon one person rather than to lavish it upon many. ...Certainly no dog shows in the expression of his face more kindness, more sagacity, or more alert eagerness. Peculiarly shy in disposition, the Collie is slow to make " friends with strangers, hut once .he gains confidence under proper treatment, his attachment surpasses that of any animal. Ho' is thoroughly devoted to his master, and happiest when' engaged in helping him among sheep; work-in which ho is most painstaking arid honest. We will ■suppose that we now have a- likely, pup, arid w© want to break him in. The first thing to dotermijffi is what oni* pup is likely to •make—a heading dog, a huntaway, or an all-round dbg. By knowing the pup’s parents we should have a fair idea what the pup is likely to he, or failing this, we can take the-pnp 'out amongst sheep, and endeavour to get him going after them. Let him have has own way for a few minutes, and see haw'lie sliapesU' If 'he casts well but arid heads quietly, or even rings his sheep, we can safer ly say that our pup is the makings of a heading dog. Should ho run straight at his sheep and make plenty of noise, ho will probably prove a good huntaway. An all-ro’nnd dog is generally made out of a rather rowdy pup, showing neither any particular desire to head or huntaway, hut attunes does fyoth. First, then, we sliall deal with a heading dog: Supposing our pup to shape this way. It is important not to start and work a heading pnp too soon. He'must he old enough to lie able to run swiftly—a great many heading dogs .have - hern spoiled through starting to -work too young. Not lieifig aide to head■ f.rst sheep, if he does not initi-rally umbowide “cast”, ho is apt to get into the Habit of “yapping” up,, behind lr;r- sjfeep, a very had fault., Never allow your heading pup by giving him an easy “short hoad” if he is inclined to work too close in the paddock. On the other hand, should lie ho inclined to he .“slack,” y.Vrd work will tend to make him firmer. Start the heading pup by giving him any short heads: -should ho not he inclined to go out too keenly, don’t try and force him by harsh words or throats. An old dog c,s often of use in teaching the pnp to' go out at command : hut do not let/ the pup get into the habit of following another dog, and allowing them to work together. It is a. had practice and if allowed to continue is very hard to chock. Try your pnp at the command: “Get away for’ard.” If ho hesitates and does not understand you give the command tb your other dog, always mentioning the dog’s name first : “Jack, get away for’ard.” The pup will naturally start off too, and you can then repeat the command to the pnp: “Shot, got away for’ard.” When once started the pnp will generally dart away ahead of the old dog, and this will give you a chance of stopping the old dog and bringing him hack. When wo have got our pup outi. we want him to bead his sheep, which Ji e will naturally do if ho is a horn header. When at the head wo must make him “stand.” Never lot the pup or any dog “coino on” his sheep immediately he heads. Pie must ho made to stand at the head of his sheep waiting your next command to “come on.” Make him “pull” very steadily, always making him stand when getting too (rash. He should pull as straight as the country will allow him, but at the same time he must ho sufficiently under command to “pull” zig-zag should it bo necessary. When ho has got them at your feet, endeavour to get him to "stand aip” to his sheep and not “skit©”- about too much, for you might want him to yard his sheep, and at this point, after perhaps half a mile of a “pull,” the sheep often get a bit obstinate, and turn round and face your dog. He must “stand up” to thorn and not flinch, arid should he he able to turn them without biting, bo much the better; hut I do not

consider it a fault in a dog if he just nips the nose of a sheep that turns round on him. As I have said before never give your young dog long and difficult heads, always pick, out the short and easy turns for him, and keep him well under command. Don’t be too hard on him at first; you can improve the “command” when he gets more confidence in his work. If your loader is inclined to he slack on no account allow him to lead; should ho he rather too firm, leading will slacken him a little. Under no circumstances sir oil’d the trainer lose Iris temper. To some I know this is more difficult than the detachment of a kaitpo spider from the head’of a treackled trigge/'. By closely adhering to that which I have written tire beginner may yet have his name arrd fame of his dog handed down to posterity by winning the magnificent crip now on exhibition in'tiro goldsmiths’ window irr Broadway.