This section is from the book "Breeding, Training, Management, Diseases Of Dogs", by Francis Butler. Also available from Amazon: Breeding, training, management, diseases.
"Juno" was a dog in which were mingled the blood of the spaniel and Newfoundland, and descended from a family remarkable for intelligence ; for with dogs, even more than with men, talents are hereditary. This playful, intelligent creature, without any instruction, performed so many feats that she won a wide celebrity. So fond was she of her reasoning playmates, that she would at any time abandon her puppies to have a romp with the children. As a nurse, she took care of " the baby," and would follow it about, pick up its playthings, rock its cradle, and carefully restore to its hands the " chicken bone," for the moment dropped on the floor. Having once accompanied her master on a fishing excursion, she afterward would dig angleworms, draw the fishing-rod from its hooks, and insist in the stable that the horse should be saddled, and then lead the animal by the bridle up to the door. Her kind care extended to the chickens and ducks, and if any of the little ones were lamed or died, she at nightfall took them to their respective owners, and thrust them under the maternal wing. When the garden was made Juno seemed to admire the nicely-arranged beds, and throughout the whole summer, looked through the palings with indignation at what she supposed to be the intruding plants in the nicely-prepared ground.
Juno never would allow the servants to possess in peace any property once belonging to her master, mistress, or their children, which was not formally given away in her presence; in that case, she never noticed the articles at all. In New Orleans this dog attracted a great deal of attention, because she would not touch the poisoned sausages thrown into the street. She did not confine her useful labors exclusively to those who owned her, but would restore lost property, when she met with it, that belonged to any of the neighbors. She appeared to understand the meaning of words, and would instautly show by her manner how perfectly she comprehended the passing conversation. If any subject was alluded to in which she took an interest, she would bark and caper about, and designate as far as possible the different things alluded to. She would remain perfectly quiet, with an affectionate eye alone upon her master, through long discussions on politics or philosophy ; but let anything be said about angling or hunting, about the poultry in the yard, or kindred subjects, and she would go almost crazy with delight This dog, combining within her-self the qualities of the two most intelligent breeds of her kind, seemed but little removed from a reasoning, intelligent being; there were, at times, expressions in her eye, of affection, of thought, of sorrow, of joy, so very human that it was painful, and startled the imagination for the moment with the idea that Pythagoras was indeed correct, and that the souls of former men were imprisoned in the bodies of animals ; for it was easy, in contemplating this remarkable dog. to suppose that she was possessed of a hi Men intelligence not properly belonging to brute life. And yet Juno was only one of the many intelligent beings so frequently to be met with among the dogs, who. in their humble sphere, teach us lessons of devotion, disinterestedness, and friendship.
India is remarkable for wild dogs, among which is the poor Pariah, an inhabitant of the confines of civilization, and yet is never fairly adopted into human society. This dog, naturally gentle, a British officer relates, was caught by the natives in great numbers, and used to feed a tiger, kept in the garrison for the amusement of visitors. On one occasion, a pariah? instead of yielding to fear, stood on the defensive, and as the tiger approached he siezed him by the upper lip. This continued to be done several days, when the tiger not only ceased his attacks but divided his food with the poor dog, and became his friend, and the two animals occupied the same cage for many years. An old lion, in the Tower of London, conceived a liking for a little dog that accidentally got into his cage, and the two animals became inseparable. It was a source of great amusement to observe the impudence of the little puppy, who would bark at visitors while the old lion would look dignifiedly on, seemingly determined to assist his little friend out of any difficulties his presumption might lead to.
Some years ago, it was not uncommon in Connecticut to employ dogs as motive-power to light machinery. A Mr. Brill had a pair of dogs which he employed together on a sort of tread-mill. After a while the motion of the machinery was noticed from time to time to he considerably retarded, when the tender would go to the mill to see if the dogs were doing their duty, and every thing appeared to be right. Another and another interruption would occur, and so continued, until the owner began to suspect that his dogs were playing some trick upon him. Accordingly he placed an observer where all the movements of the animals could be seen, and the mystery was thus explained. After the two dogs had wrought together for some time, one of them was seen to step off the treadmill and seat himself where he could catch the first warning of any approaching foot-step. After he had rested awhile he took his place at the wheel again, and allowed his associate to rest: thus these sagacious creatures continued to bear each other's burdens.
An unfortunate dog, in order to make sport for some fools, had a pan tied to his tail, and was sent off on his travels to a neighboring town. He reached his place of destination perfectly exhausted, and lay down before the steps of a tavern, eyeing most anxiously the horrid annoyance fastened behind him, but unable to move a step farther to rid himself of the torment. Another dog, a Scotch shepherd, laid himself down beside him, and, by a few caresses, gaining the confidence of the afflicted cur, proceeded to gnaw the string by which the noisy appendage was attached to his friend's tail, and with about a quarter of an hour's exertion, severed the cord, and started to his legs, with the pan hanging from the string in his mouth, and after a few joyful capers, departed on his travels in the highest glee at his success.
 
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