Imagens das páginas
PDF
ePub

the fowls, unless he be trained to silence. The females admit the males before they are twelve months old. They remain in season ten, twelve, or even fifteen days, during which time they admit a variety of males. They come in season generally twice a-year, and more frequently in the cold than in the not months. The female goes with young about nine weeks. They generally bring forth from six to twelve puppies. Those of a small size bring forth four or five, sometimes but two. The whelps are commonly blind, and cannot open their eyes till the tenth or twelfth day the males resemble the dog, the females the bitch. In the fourth month, they lose some of their teeth, which are soon succeeded by others.

Buffon has given a genealogical table of all the known dogs, in which he makes the chien de berger, or shepherd's dog, the origin of the whole species, because it is naturally the most sensible. See plate, Dogs and DRAINS. This table is intended not only to exhibit the different kinds of dogs, but to give an idea of their varieties as arising from a degeneration in particular climates, and from a commixture of the different races. The chien de berger, or shepherd's dog,' says Buffon, is the root of the tree. This dog, when transported into Lapland, or other very cold climates, assumes an ugly appearance, and shrinks into a smaller size; but in Russia, Iceland, and Siberia, where the climate is less rigorous, and the people a little more advanced in civilisation, he seems to be better accomplished. These changes are occasioned solely by the influence of those climates, which produce no great alteration on the figure of this dog; for, in each of these climates his ears are erect, his hair thick and long, his aspect wild, and he barks less frequently, and in a different manner, than in more favorable climates, where he acquires a finer polish. The Iceland dog is the only one that has not his ears entirely erect; for their extremities are a little inclined; and Iceland, of all the northern regions, has been longest inhabited by half-civilised men. The shepherd's dog, when brought into temperate climates, and among a people perfectly civilised, as Britain, France, Germany, would, by the mere influence of the climate, lose his savage aspect, his erect ears, his rude, thick, long hair, and assume the figure of the bull-dog, the hound, and the Irish greyhound. The bull-dog and the Irish grey-hound have their ears still partly erect, and very much resemble, both in their manners and sanguinary temper, the dog from which they derive their origin. The hound is farthest removed from the shepherd's dog; for his ears are long, and entirely pendulous. The gentleness, docility, and even timidity of the hound, are proofs of his great degeneration, or rather of the great perfection he has acquired by the long and careful education bestowed on him by man. The hound, the harrier, and the terrier, constitute but one race; for, it has been remarked, that in the same litter, hounds, harriers, and terriers, have been brought forth, though the female hound had been covered by only one of these three dogs. I have joined the common harrier to the Dalmatian dog, or harrier of Bengal, because they differ only in

having more or fewer spots on their coat. I have also linked the turnspit, or terrier with crooked legs, with the common terrier; because the defect of the legs of the former has originally proceeded from a disease similar to the rickets, with which some individuals had been affected, and transmitted the deformity to their descendants.'

We shall now proceed to describe more particularly the principal varieties of this animal :1. The Beagle, the smallest hunting-dog used in this country, is chiefly employed in chasing the hare, and is remarkable for the melody of its tone. Huntsmen distinguish the rough and smooth beagle, but they are both the same species.

2. The Bull-dog derives its natne from the barbarous diversion of bull-baiting in which it is used. It is of the mastiff kind, but is smaller with a somewhat flatter snout, the lower jaw projecting considerably beyond the upper one. Its aspect is very ferocious, and its courage and obstinacy in attacking the bull are well known. It generally seizes on the lip or other part of the face, pinning the bull, as it is called, to the ground, and maintaining its hold in spite of every effort of the animal to disengage himself. Goldsmith relates, that, at a bull-bait in the North of England, a young man wagered that his dog would attack the bull after his feet were cut off one by one. The cruel experiment was tried, and the dog seized the bull as eagerly as ever!

3. Dalmatian, or Coach-dog, is an animal of great beauty, being of a white color, elegantly marked on all parts with numerous round black spots. The native country of this breed is uncertain; it is commonly termed the Danish dog, and is usually kept by gentlemen as an attendant on the carriage.

4. Greenland, or Kamtschatdale dog: Dogs of this species have a long sharp nose, erect pointed ears, and a long tail, and are more like the shepherd's dog of various parts of Europe than any other. They are of different colors, and many of them curiously spotted. In summer they scratch a hole in the earth in which they lie, as being cooler, and in the winter they bury themselves in the snow in the same way, as a shelter from the frost. They can bear any degree of cold better than heat; and in spring, when the weather begins to be warm, they pant as f come off a long journey. As soon as these dogs can eat, their training begins. They are then tied to a stake, and plenteously fed with soup made of fish, by which means they grow stronger and larger than if suffered to be loose. A dark place or pit is considered best for their confinement, as this makes them timid, and afraid of surrounding objects, and they exert their strength more effectually to avoid them. All those designed for the draught are castrated, and have their tails cropped, and such as have large bones, a broad foot, a wide mouth, and are thick made at the back of the head and in the breast, are considered as the best adapted for work. Each dog has a particular name, as with us, which is of great use in driving them, as the whole set is managed by the voice, neither reins nor whip being used for this purpose. They are

fed on fish, which is given them in all possible forms; raw, dressed, dried, fresh, frozen, or putrid. After they are full grown they are suffered to range at large during the summer, as their services are not then wanted, and they provide their own food without any trouble to their owners. They frequent the shore, and lurk on the banks of the rivers, often standing up to the belly in water catching the fish, at which they snap with such a certain aim, that they seldom miss it if within reach. When the salmon ascend the rivers in great numbers, their food is abundant, and they only eat the heads, as being the finest flavored. In autumn, want of food obliges them to return to the dwellings of their masters, where they are tied up, that they may be ready for use when wanted. They are then very fat, so that a small piece of dried fish is all that is given them, and this very sparingly, that they may be the sooner fit for work, as a fat heavy dog is never a good traveller. They do not bark like the European dogs, but make a sort of howl, and at this season they express the most piteous lamentations day and night for the loss of their liberty. The villages generally consist of fifteen or twenty houses, each of which has at least six dogs belonging to it, and when one dog sets up a howl, all the rest immediately follow, and make the most horrible noise imaginable.

Six of these dogs are the usual number yoked to a sledge, and they are capable of drawing a weight of 600 or 700 pounds, at the rate of ten or twelve versts an hour; the best dogs, however, will often go fifteen versts or more, which is from eight to ten miles. With about half a dried or frozen fish given them in the morning, they will run sixty or eighty, and sometimes even a hundred versts a day; after which they are well fed. At other times food is very sparingly administered to them. The price of the common dogs is from thirty to forty rubles, but a good leader will sometimes sell for 100

rubles.

5. The greyhound is remarkable for the slenderness of its form, its elongated snout, and the extreme swiftness of its course. It is indeed esteemed the fleetest of all the hunting dogs, but, as it wants the faculty of scent, follows by the eye. Formerly, the greyhound was held in such esteem, that, by the laws of king Canute, it was enacted that no one under the degree of a gentleman should presume to keep one.

6. Irish greyhound. This is the largest of the dog kind, and in its appearance the most beantiful and majestic. The breed is peculiar to Ireland, where it was formerly of great use in destroying the wolves, with which that country was much infested, but is now extremely rare. These dogs are generally of a white or cinnamon color, and more robust than the greyhound, their aspect mild, and their disposition gentle and peaceable. It is said that their strength is so great, that in combat the mastiff or bull dog is far from being equal to them. They commonly seize their antagonists by the back, and shake them to

death.

7. Italian greyhound, has the body arched and the snout tapering, but its size is only half that

of the common greyhound. It is a beautiful and delicate animal, not common in this country, the climate being too cold.

8. Harrier, another of the hunting dogs, closely allied to the beagle, and like that kind comprehending several varieties. This is larger than the beagle, more nimble, and better adapted to endure the labor of the chase. In the pursuit of the hare it evinces the warmest ardor, and frequently outstrips the speed of the fleetest sportsman. A hybrid breed between this and the terrier, is sometimes kept for hunting the otter. 9. Blood-hound or Sleuth dog. This sort of hound was held in high request among our ancestors, and as it was remarkable for the most exquisite sense of smelling, was frequently employed in recovering game that had escaped from the hunter. It could follow, with great certainty, the footsteps of a man to a considerable distance, and was therefore of the utmost utility in those barbarous and uncivilised times, in tracing murderers and other felons through the most secret coverts. In many districts, infested with robbers, a certain number of these hounds were maintained at the public charge, and in general proved the means of discovering the perpetrators of crimes when every other endeavour failed of success. The breed of this kind of dog is not very generally cultivated at this time. Some few are kept for the pursuit of deer which have been previously wounded by a shot to draw blood, the scent of which enables the dog to pursue with the greatest certainty. During the American war numbers of them were sent to that country, and employed in discovering fugitives concealed in the woods and other secret places: they were in use also, for a similar purpose, during the late revolts in the West-India islands, and likewise in Ireland at the time of the last rebellion. They are sometimes employed in discovering deer-stealers, whom they infallibly trace by the blood that issues from the wounds of their victims. They are also said to be kept in convents situated in the lonely mountainous countries of Switzerland, both as a guard to the sacred mansions, and to find out the bodies of men who have been unfortunately lost in crossing those wild and dreary tracts.

10. Old English hound is distinguished by its great size and strength: the body is long, with a deep chest, its ears long and sweeping, and the tone of its voice peculiarly deep and mellow. It possesses the most exquisite sense of smelling, and can often discover the scent an hour after the beagles have given it up. Dogs of this kind were once common in Britain, and are said to have been formerly much larger than at present.

11. Fox-hound. The breeding and training of this kind of dog is attended to with so much care in this country, that they are superior in strength, agility, and swiftness, to those of every other part of the world. It is affirmed, that the⚫ fox-hounds reared in this country lose much of their native vigor, on being transported into any other climate. In choosing these animals, such as stand high and appear light in their make are deemed preferable. The fox-hound is not limited to the pursuit of the fox only, but is instructed also to hunt the stag and other deer, and is found

equal to the most arduous contests of the chase. A chase of six or eight hours has been sustained by these hounds on many occasions; and in 1795, Merkin, a celebrated fox-hound bitch, was challenged to run any hound of her years, five miles over Newmarket, giving 220 yards, for 10,000 guineas, and as a run for trial, performed a race of four miles in seven minutes and a half.

12. King Charles's dog, a variety of the most elegant kind, and which is sufficiently known in this country under the appellation above-mentioned. The head is small and rounded, with the snout short, and the tail curved back; its ears are long, hair curled, and feet webbed.. Its name is derived from its being a favorite of Charles II., who was always accompanied by some of these beautiful animals.

13. Lion-dog, an animal generally of small size, having the head and fore part of the body covered with shaggy hair, while the hind part is quite smooth, except a tuft at the end of the tail. 14. Lurcher, the usual attendant on the poacher, is a dog of smaller size than the greyhound, and stouter in proportion; its hair rough and commonly of a pale yellowish color, and the aspect of its visage remarkable for its sullenness. As this dog possesses the advantage of a fine scent, it is most commonly employed in killing hares and rabbits during the night-time. When turned into the warren it lurks about with the utmost precaution, and darts upon the rabbits, while feeding, without barking or making the least noise; and then conveys his booty in silence to his master.

15. Maltese dog, a variety with long soft and silky hair, appertaining to the spaniel kind, very small, and of a white color in general. This is one of the most elegant of the lap-dog kind, and in some varieties, as in the shock, is almost concealed in the hair which covers it from head to foot.

16. Mastiff. This is the size of a wolf, very robust in its form, and having the sides of the lips pendulous. Its aspect is sullen, its bark loud and terrific; and he appears every way formed for the important trust of guarding property committed to his care. As a house or yard dog, he may be perhaps more valuable than the Newfoundland breed, which is more commonly kept for this purpose. The mastiff, in its pure state, is seldom met with. The generality of dogs, distinguished by that name, are crossed breeds between the mastiff and bull-dog, or the ban-dog.

17. Newfoundland dog, a variety of large size, superior strength, sagacity, and docile disposition. The feet of this kind of dog are more palmated than usual, and the animal is remarkably partial to the water. The breed of Newfoundland dogs was originally brought from the country of which they bear the name, where they are extremely useful to the settlers on those coasts, who employ them as animals of burden, to bring wood from the interior of the country to the sea side: three or four of them yoked to a sledge will draw two or three hundred weight of wood piled upon it for several miles with great ease.

18. Pointer, originally a native of Spain, but long since naturalised in this country. This dog

is remarkably apt at receiving instruction, and is chiefly employed in finding partridges, pheasants, &c., for the dog or gun.

19. Pug-dog has the nose turned upwards, the ears pendulous, and body square. In its outward appearance this animal resembles the bull-dog in miniature: it was formerly very common in England, but has of late years become

scarce.

20. Setter, a nardy, nimble, and handsome dog, possessed of an exquisite scent and sagacity in discovering various kinds of game, especially birds, and esteemed one of the most valuable of our hunting dogs.

21. Shepherd's dog, canis domesticus of Linnæus, and le chien de berger of Buffon, is distinguished by its upright ears and remarkable velocity of the tail beneath; and stands at the head of the first class of farm dogs. This breed of dogs is said to be preserved in the greatest purity in the northern parts of Scotland. In driving a number of sheep to any distant part, a well-trained dog never fails to confine them to the road; he watches every avenue that leads from it, and pursues the stragglers, if any should escape, and forces them into order without doing them the least injury. If the herdsman be at any time absent from the flock, he depends upon his dog to keep them together; and, as soon as he gives the well-known signal, this faithful creature conducts them to his master, though at a considerable distance.

22. The Spaniel is known by its curled hair, and propensity to the water. It is far more elegant than the water dog, and its aspect more sagacious and mild: the ears are long and pendulous, and the hair beautifully crisped. It is chiefly used in discovering the haunts of waterfowl, and in finding birds that have been shot in marshy places.

23. Terrier, a small thickset dog, of which there are two kinds, one with the legs short, the back long, and most commonly of a black or yellowish color mixed with white; the other of more sprightly appearance, with the body shorter, and the color reddish-brown or black. In both the disposition is nearly the same; it has an acute smell, is generally an attendant on every pack of hounds, and is very expert in forcing foxes and other game out of their coverts.

24. Turnspit, a spirited and active dog, once an indispensable attendant on the spit. The turnspit is distinguished by having the body long, the legs very short, and the tail curled on the back; its usual color is grayish, with black spots. Gmelin has three varieties of this family of dogs, one of which has the feet straight, another the feet curved, and the third having the body covered with long curly hair.

25. Water dog, a variety, distinguished by its curly hair, which much resembles wool. The webs between the tocs are larger than in most other dogs, which sufficiently accounts for the ease with which it swims, and renders it useful in hunting ducks and other water-fowl. Dogs of this breed are also frequently kept on board ships, for the purpose of sending into the water after any small article that may chance to fall overboard.

morning they are to be taken out, but a little milk; but if you stop for your own refreshment in the day, the dogs should also get a little bread and milk. A pointer ought not to be hunted oftener than two or three days in a week; and unless you take care of his feet, and give him good lodging as well as proper food, he will not be able to perform that through the season. You should therefore, after a day's hard hunting, wash his feet with warm water and salt; and when dry, wash them with warm broth, or beer and butter, which will heal their soreness, and prevent a settled stiffness from fixing. It has been already observed, that dogs are of a hot constitution; the greatest relief to them in summer is twitch grass, sometimes called dog grass. It will therefore be proper to plant some of it in a place into which the dogs may be turned every morning; and by feeding freely on it, they will be cured of the sickness they are subject to, as well as of any extraordinary heat of the blood; but unless the grass be of this sort, it will have no effect. Dogs are exposed to different casualties, such as bites, blows, poison, &c. If dogs are bitten by any venomous creatures, as snakes, adders, &c., squeeze out the blood, and wash the place with salt and urine; then lay a plaster to it made of calamine, pounded in a mor tar, with turpentine and yellow wax, till it come to a salve. If you give your dog some of the juice of calamine to drink in milk, it will be of service; or an ounce of treacle dissolved in sweet wine. If a dog has received any little wounds by forcing through hedges, or gets any lameness from a blow or strain, bathe the wound or grieved part with salt and cold vinegar (for warming it only evaporates the fine spirit); and when dry, if a wound, you may pour in it a little friar's balsam, which will perform the cure sooner than any method hitherto experienced.

In order to choose a dog and bitch for good whelps, take care that the bitch come of a generous kind, be well proportioned, having large ribs and flanks; and likewise that the dog be of a good breed and young; for a young dog and an old bitch breed excellent whelps. The best time for hounds to be lined in, are the months of January, February, or March. The bitch should be used to a kennel, that she may like it after her whelping, and she ought to be kept warm. Let the whelps be weaned after two months old; and though it be somewhat difficult to choose a whelp under the dam that will prove the best of the litter, yet some approve that which is last, and account him to be the best. Others remove the whelps from the kennel, and lay them severally and apart one from the other; then they watch which of them the bitch first takes and carries into her kennel again, and that they suppose to be the best. Others again imagine that which weighs least when it sucks to be the best: this is certain, that the lighter whelp will prove the swifter. As soon as the bitch is littered, it is proper to choose them you mean to preserve, and drown the rest: keep the black, brown, or of one color, for the spotted are not much to be esteemed, though of hounds the spotted are to be valued. Hounds for chase are to be chosen by their colors. The white, with black ears, and a spot at the setting on of the tail, are the principal to compose a kennel of, if of good scent and condition. The black hound, or the black tanned, or the all liver-colored, or all white: the true talbots are the best of the stronger line; the grizzled, whether mixed or unmixed, so they be shag-haired, are the best verminers, and a couple of these are proper for a kennel. In short, take these marks of a good hound: that his head be a middle proportion, rather long than round his nostrils wide, his ears large, his back bowed; his fillet great, his haunches large, thighs well trussed, ham straight, tail big near the reins, the rest slender, the leg big, the sole of the foot dry, and in the form of that of a fox, with large claws. As pointers and spaniels, when good of their kinds, and well broken, are very valuable to sportsmen, it is worth while to take some care to preserve them in health. This very much depends on their diet and lodging; frequent cleaning their kennels, and giving them fresh straw to lie on, is very necessary; or, DOGS, DISEASES OF. Dogs are subject to in summer time, deal shavings or sand, instead various diseases: the principal are thus deof straw, will check the breeding of fleas. A scribed by Blaine, with the method of their cure. dog is of a very hot nature; he should therefore never be without clean water by him, that he may drink when he is thirsty. In regard to their food, carrion is by no means proper for them it must hurt their sense of smelling, on which the excellence of these dogs greatly depends. Barleymeal, the dross of wheat flour, or both mixed together, with broth or skimmed milk, is very proper food. For change, a small quantity of greaves, from which the tallow is pressed by the chandlers, mixed with flour, or sheep's feet well baked or boiled, are a very good diet: and when you indulge them with flesh, it should always be boiled. In the season of hunting, it is proper to feed the dogs in the evening before, and give them nothing in the

For stealing a dog a man is to forfeit to the king, for the first offence, not less than £30, nor more than £50, with the charges attendant on his conviction, or be imprisoned not less than six, or more than twelve, months. Any person keeping a dog accustomed to bite, is liable to be indicted for a common nuisance; and an action will lie against any person for any sheep, horse, &c, torn by a dog, if it is proved that the animal has done so before

The canine asthma is hardly ever observed to attack any but either old dogs, or those who, by confinement, too full living, and want of exercise, may be supposed to have become diseased by these deviations from a state of nature. It is hardly possible to keep a dog very fat for any great length of time, without bringing it on. This cough is frequently confounded with the cough that precedes and accompanies distemper, but it may be readily distinguished from this by an attention to circumstances, as the age of the animal, its not affecting the general health, nor producing immediate emaciation, and its less readily giving way to medicine. The cure is often very difficult, because the disease has in general been long neglected before it is sufficiently

noticed by the owners. As it is in general brought on by confinement, too much warmth, and over-feeding; so it is evident the cure must be begun by a steady persevering alteration in these particulars. The medicines most useful, are alteratives, and of these occasional emetics are the best. One grain of tartarised antimony (i. e. tartar emetic), with two, three, or four grains of calomel, is a very useful and valuable emetic. This dose is sufficient for a small dog, and may be repeated twice a week with great success always with palliation.

Of diseases of the eyes dogs are subject to almost as great a variety as ourselves, many of which end in blindness. No treatment yet discovered will remove or prevent this complaint. Sore eyes, though not in general ending in blindness, are very common among dogs. It is an affection of the eyelids, is not unlike the scrofulous affection of the human eyelids, and is equally benefited by the same treatment: an unguent made of equal parts of nitrated quicksilver ointment, prepared tutty and lard, very lightly applied. Dropsy of the eyeball is likewise sometimes met with, but is incurable.

Cancer. The virulent dreadful ulcer, that is so fatal in the human subject, and is called cancer, is unknown in dogs; yet there is very commonly a large schirrous swelling of the teats in bitches, and of the testicles (though less frequent) in dogs, that as it sometimes becomes ulcerated, so it may be characterised by this name. In the early state of the disease discutients prove useful, as vinegar with salt, and camphor and Spanish flies, with mercurial ointment, have sometimes succeeded; taking care to avoid irritating the part so much as to produce blister. But when the swelling is detached from the belly, and hangs pendulous in the skin, it had better be removed, and as a future preventive suffer the bitch to breed. Schirrous testicles are likewise sometimes met with; for these no treatment yet discovered succeeds but the removal of the part, and that before the spermatic chord becomes much affected, or it will be useless.

Distemper. This is by far the most common and most fatal among the diseases of dogs; hardly any young dog escaping it; and of the few who do escape it in their youth, threefourths are attacked with it at some period afterwards it being a mistake that young dogs only have it. It, however, generally attacks before the animal arrives at eighteen months old. When it comes on very early, the chances of recovery are very small. It is peculiarly fatal to greyhounds, much more so than to any other kind of dog generally carrying them off by excessive scouring. It is very contagious: but it is by no means necessary that there should be contagion present to produce it; on the contrary, the constitutional liability to it is such, that any cold taken may bring it on: and hence it is very common to date its commencement from dogs being thrown into water, or shut out on a rainy day, &c. There is no disease which presents such varieties as this, either in its mode of attack or during its continuance. In some cases it commences by purging, in others by fits. Some have cough only, some waste, and others have moisture from the eyes and nose, without any other active symptom. Moist eyes, dulness, wasting, with slight cough, and sickness, are the common symptoms that betoken its approach. Then purging comes on, and the moisture from the eyes and nose from mere mucus becomes pus, or matter. There is also frequently sneezing, with a weakness in the loins. When the disease in this latter case is not speedily removed, universal palsy comes on. During the progress of the complaint, some dogs have fits. When one fit succeeds another quickly, the recovery is extremely doubtful. Many dogs are carried off rapidly by the fits, or by purging; others waste gradually from the running from the nose and eyes, and these cases are always accompanied with great marks of putridity. stages of the complaint give emetics; they are peculiarly useful. A large spoonful of common salt, dissolved in three spoonfuls of warm water, has been recommended; the quantity of salt being increased according to the size of the dog, and the difficulty of making him to vomit. While a dog remains strong, one every other day is not too much: the bowels,should be kept open, but active purging should be avoided. In case the complaint should be accompanied with excessive looseness, it should be immediately stopped by balls made of equal parts of gum arabic, prepared chalk, and conserve of roses, with ricemilk as food. Two or three grains of James's powder may be advantageously given at night, in cases where the bowels are not affected, and in the cases where the matter from the nose and eyes betokens much putridity, we have witnessed great benefit from balls made of what is termed friars' balsam, gum guaiacum, and chamomile flowers in powder: but the most popular remedy is a powder prepared and vended under the name of Distemper Powder, with instructions for the use of it. Dogs, in every stage of the disease, should be particularly well fed. A seton we have not found so useful as is generally supposed; where the nose is much stopped, rubbing tar on the upper pa is useful, and when there

Colic. Dogs are subject to two kinds of colic; one arising from constipation of the bowels, the other is of a kind peculiar to dogs, apparently partaking of the nature of rheumatism, and also of spasm. From a sudden or violent exposure to cold, dogs become sometimes suddenly paralytic, particularly in the hinder parts; having great tenderness and pain, and every appearance of lumbago. In every instance of this kind there is considerable affection of the bowels, generally costiveness, always great pain. A warm bath, external stimulants, but more particularly active aperients, remove the colic. Colic, arising from costiveness, is not in general violently acute from the pain it produces; sometimes it appears accompanied with more spasm than is immediately dependent on the confinement of the bowels. In the former give active aperients, as calomel with pil. cochic, i. e. aloetic pill and glysters; in the latter castor oil, with laudanum and ether.

Cough. Two kinds of cough are common among dogs, one accompanying distemper, the other in an asthmatic affection of the chest. See Canine Asthma.

In the early

« AnteriorContinuar »