How to Train Dogs.
First of all teach your dog that you mean exactly what you say, and that he must obey you. To do this you should never give a foolish command; but if a thoughtless order be once given, even though you repent it as soon as it has escaped from your lips, do not hesitate, but insist upon your pupil instantly obeying—that is, if the dog, in your judgment, understands the order. Never, under any circumstances, allow him to shirk, and even a naturally stupid pup will learn to look upon your word as law and not think of disobeying.
Strict obedience to your word, whistle or slightest gesture once obtained, it is an easy task to finish the dog’s education. Bear in mind that there is about as great a difference in the character and natural intelligence of dogs as there is in boys. Not only does this exist between the distinct varieties of dogs, but also between the different individuals of the same variety. All Newfoundlands possess similar characteristics, but each individual varies considerably in intelligence, amiability, and all those little traits that go to make up a dog’s character. I mention this fact that you may not be disappointed, or make your poor dog suffer because it cannot learn as fast or as much as some one you may know of. And here let me say, and impress upon your mind, that to make your dog obey, or to teach it the most difficult trick or feat, it is seldom necessary to use the whip. If the dog, as he sometimes will do, knowingly and wilfully disobeys, the whip may be used sparingly; one sharp blow is generally sufficient; it should be accompanied with a reprimand in words. Never lose your patience and beat an animal in anger. To successfully train a dog it is necessary to place the greatest restraint upon your own feelings, for if you once give way to anger the dog will know it, and one-half your influence is gone. To be sure the special line of education depends upon the kind of a dog you have, and what you want him to do.
The pointer or setter you may commence to teach to “stand,” at a very early age, using first a piece of meat, praising and petting him when he does well, and reprimanding when required. Do not tire your pup out, but if he does well once let him play and sleep before trying again. As he grows older, replace the meat with a dead bird. The best sportsmen of today do not allow their bird dogs to retrieve, saying that the “mouthing” of the dead and bloody birds affects the fineness of their noses. To bring in birds, the sportsman has following at his heels a cocker spaniel, large poodle, or almost any kind of dog, who is taught to follow patiently and obediently until game is killed and he receives the order to “fetch.”
To Teach a Dog to Retrieve.
Commence with the young pup. Almost any dog will chase a ball and very soon learn to bring it to his master. When you have taught your dog to “fetch,” he may be tried with game. It is very probable that the first bird he brings will be badly “mouthed;” that is, bitten and mangled; to break him of this, prepare a ball of yarn so wound over pins that the slightest pressure will cause the points to protrude and prick any object pressed against the ball. After the dog has pricked his mouth once or twice with this ball he will learn to pick it up and carry it in the most delicate manner; he may then be tried again with a bird. This time he will probably bring it to you without so much as ruffling a feather; but if notwithstanding his experience with a ball of pins your dog still “mouths” the game, you must skin a bird and arrange the ball and pins inside the bird skin so as to prick sharply upon a light pressure; make the dog “fetch” the bird skin until he is completely broken of his bad habit of biting or “mouthing” game.
Pointers and Setters.
At first you will have to give your commands by word of mouth, but if you accompany each command by an appropriate gesture, the pup will soon learn to understand and obey the slightest motion of the hand or head. The less noise there is the greater is the chance of killing game. Nothing is more unsportsmanlike than shouting in a loud voice to your dog while in the field.
After teaching a dog to “heel,” “down charge,” and to “hi on” at command, you may show him game and teach him to “quarter” his ground by moving yourself in the direction you wish the dog to go. The dog will not be long in understanding and obeying.
When your pointer comes to a point teach him to be steady by repeating softly, “steady, boy, steady,” at the same time holding up your hand. In course of time the words may be omitted; the hand raised as a caution will keep the dog steady; but should he break point and flush the game, as a young dog is more than liable to do, you may give him the whip and at the same time use some appropriate words that the dog will remember; the next time the word without the whip will correct him. After your dog has been taught to obey, it is well to put him in the field with an old, well-trained dog.
As every sportsman has a peculiar system of his own for breaking a dog, it is scarcely necessary for me to give more than these few hints; only let me again caution you against using the whip too often. Spare the lash and keep a good stock of patience on hand; otherwise in breaking the dog you will also break his spirit and have a mean, treacherous animal that will slink and cringe at your slightest look, but seldom obey you when he thinks he is out of reach of the dreaded whip.
Pet Dogs.
All dogs, whether intended for the field, for pets, or for companions, should be taught to follow at their master’s heels at the command of “heel,” to run ahead at the command of “hi on,” and to drop at the command of “charge” or “down charge.” When your dog learns to obey these simple commands, it will be found an easy matter to extricate and keep your canine friend out of scrapes. Suppose you have a small but pugnacious dog and in your walk you meet a large, ugly-tempered brute much too powerful for your own dog to master in the fight that is certain to ensue unless by some command you can prevent it. The strange dog will not obey you, but if you give the order to “heel” to your own dog he will follow with his nose at your heels, and the enemy will seldom if ever attack a dog while so near his master.
Study the characteristics of your dog, and by taking advantage of its peculiarities it may be taught many amusing tricks. I have a little dog called Monad, and whether his master walks, drives, sails or rows Monad always accompanies him, even sitting in front of the sliding seat of a single shell boat for hours at a time, perfectly happy and apparently conscious of the attention he attracts from all people on the shore or in the passing boats; the latter he generally salutes with a bark. Monad will, when requested to do so, close a door, sneeze, bark, or sit upon his haunches and rub his nose, besides numerous other amusing tricks.
One day Monad smelled of a lighted cigar; the smoke inhaled caused him to sneeze; this gave me an idea; lighting a match I held it toward him, at the same time repeating, “sneeze! sneeze, sir!” The smoke made him sneeze, and after repeating the operation several times I held out an unlighted match and commanded him to sneeze; the dog sneezed at once. It was then an easy step to make him sneeze at the word without the match. Monad is now very proud of this accomplishment, and when desirous of “showing off” always commences by sneezing.
In much the same manner I taught him to rub his nose by blowing in his face and repeating the words, “rub your nose.” The breath coming in contact with that sensitive organ apparently tickled it and he would rub it with his paws. After one or two trials he learned to rub his little black nose in a very comical manner whenever commanded to do so. By patting your leg with your hand and at the same time calling your dog, it will learn to come to you and place his fore paws against your leg. If you take advantage of this and pat the door the next time with your hand, the dog will stand on its hind legs and rest its fore paws against the door. Reward him with a bit of meat or a caress, and then opening the door a few inches go through with the same performance, giving the command to close the door; by degrees, as the dog learns, open the door wider, and without moving from your chair or position in the room give the command, “close the door, sir.” The dog will by this time understand your meaning, and resting his fore paws against the panels, follow the door until it closes with a b
ang. Perhaps there is no simple trick that excites more surprise than this. A friend comes in and leaves the door open; you rise, greet your friend, ask him to be seated; then, as if for the first time noticing the fact of the door being open, speak to your dog; the latter closes the door and lies down again by the fireside in a most methodical manner. The friend is thoroughly convinced that that particular dog has more sense than any other canine in the world, and ever after, when dogs are the topic of conversation, he will tell the story of the dog that shut the door.
In the same manner innumerable odd, amusing, or useful tricks may be taught, among the simplest of which are the ones which excite the most applause from spectators. If your dog is fond of carrying a stick in his mouth, it will be an easy matter to make him carry a basket. Take advantage of every peculiarity of your pet’s character, encouraging and developing the good points, but keeping the bad traits subdued, and you will soon have an amusing and reasoning canine companion.
Never throw a dog into the water; it frightens him and makes the poor animal dread a bath. Let the dog wade at first; then by throwing sticks or other objects a little further out each time, and commanding him to fetch, the dog will not only learn to swim after the object, but also learn to thoroughly enjoy the bath, and can even be taught to dive and jump off of high places. There are dogs that will jump from an elevation twelve feet above the water. Always be firm but kind; teach your dog to have confidence in you, and you may place implicit trust in your canine friend, and be sure whatever misfortune befalls you, you will have a friend who, though he be a four-footed one, will never forsake you, but live and die for the master it has learned to love and trust.
CHAPTER XXV.
PRACTICAL TAXIDERMY FOR BOYS.
TO THE practical naturalist a knowledge of taxidermy is not only an interesting accomplishment from which to derive amusement, but is almost an absolute necessity, an indispensable adjunct to his profession. Probably there is no study the pursuit of which affords such opportunities for physical exercise and real healthy enjoyment as that of natural history. It is a study that, by broadening the horizon of thought, enlarges the capacity for pleasure. To the pride of the sportsman in exhibiting the results of his skill and success, the naturalist adds the intelligent pleasure of acquiring a more complete knowledge of the life and habits, nature and anatomy of his trophies, as well as the ability to detect at a glance any unknown genus or rare variety he may capture; and here the practical knowledge of taxidermy enables him to properly preserve the other wise perishable specimen.
Captain Thomas Brown, F.L.S., says that boys ought to be instructed in the art of stuffing birds and mammals. So, boys, you have good authority for commencing young; but do not suppose that after reading the following directions you can sit down, and, without any previous experience, set up a bird as neatly and perfectly as one of those you see in the museums or show windows. On the contrary, you must expect to make one or two dismal failures, but each failure will teach you what to avoid in the next attempt.
Let us suppose an owl has been lowering around suspiciously near the pigeon house or chicken coop, and that you have shot the rascal. Do not throw him away. What a splendid ornament he will make for the library! How appropriate that wise old face of his will be peering over the top of the book-case! (Fig. 147). He must be skinned and stuffed! With a damp sponge carefully remove any bloodstains there may be upon his plumage. Plug up the mouth and nostrils with cotton; also insert cotton in all the shot holes, to prevent any more blood oozing out and soiling the feathers. You may then lay him aside in some cool place until you are ready to begin the operation of skinning and stuffing the owl.
Measure the length of the bird, following the curves of the form, from root of tail to top of head, and its girth about the body; make a note of these figures.
Skinning.
Place the bird on its back upon the table, in such a position that the head will be toward your left hand; then, with the knife in your right hand you are ready to make the incision.
With your left hand separate the feathers, left and right, from the apex of the breastbone to the tail (Fig. 148). Cut a straight slit through the skin between these points, using the utmost care to prevent the knife penetrating the flesh or the inner skin which encloses the intestines. With a bird as large as the owl, you will find that you can easily separate the skin from the flesh with your fingers, though it may be best to use a blunt instrument, such as a small ivory paper-cutter, to reach the back by passing it underneath the skin. In removing the skin you must try to shove in lieu of pulling, lest you stretch it out of shape. Press as lightly as possible upon the bird; stopping occasionally to take a view to see that all is right and that the feathers are not being soiled or broken. When you come to the head do not let the skin dangle from your hand or its own weight will stretch it. Bearing these things in mind, you can commence removing the skin in the following manner: Press the skin apart at the incision, and dust the exposed part with Indian meal to absorb any fluids that may escape; carefully lift the skin on one side and separate from muscles of the breast with the point of your knife and a small ivory paper-folder alternately, as occasion may require, until the leg is reached and you have approached as near as possible to the wings. Having accomplished this, and dusted again with the Indian meal, the thighs must be pressed inward and the skin turned back far enough to allow you to use your knife and disarticulate the hip-joint. Bend the tail toward the back; keep down the detached skin upon each side of the incision with the thumb and first finger of the left hand; then with your knife make a deep cut, exposing the backbone at a point near the oil gland, which you will find near the root of the tail; sever the backbone near this point, but be careful to leave a large enough piece of it to support the tail feathers.
Take the part of the body which is now denuded of the skin in the left hand and peel the skin upward to the wings; during this operation your knife or small scissors may be used to cut any of the tendons which are met with. Separate the wings from the body at the shoulder-joint. Next turn your attention to the head and neck. Push the skin back toward the head, after the manner of removing a kid glove from the finger, until the back part of the skull is laid bare; then with your knife detach the vertebrae (neck bone) from the head. This will sever all connection between the body and the skin. The dismembered, denuded carcass may be thrown aside and your attention turned to skinning the head, which member in an owl is so large in proportion to the neck that care must be used in drawing the skin of the neck over it, lest you stretch the skin. A great deal depends upon the delicacy of your touch, especially when you reach the eyes. Work slowly; cut the ears close to the skull; do not cut either the eyelid or the eyeball, but separate them carefully; then remove the eyes, which can be done by breaking the slender bones which separate the orbits (eye-holes) in the skull from the top of the mouth. Cut away all flesh from the neck; at the same time remove a small portion of the base of the skull. Through the opening thus made extract the brains with a small spoon or some similar instrument, after which draw the tongue through the same cavity. After removing all fleshy particles from the head and neck, and scraping out the eye-holes, paint them with arsenical soap and stuff them tightly with cotton. Be careful not to detach the skin from the bill, as the skull must be left in place. Coat the interior of the skull with arsenical soap and fill it with tow.
The wings and legs still remain intact. Push back the wings to the first joint; lay the bones bare, removing all the meat. Paint with arsenical soap and return them to their places. Go through the same process with the legs and rump; and after all flesh and fatty matter have been removed, paint the whole interior of the skin thoroughly with arsenical soap, and you are ready to begin the operation of
Stuffing.
Take a piece of straight wire (size 20) equal in length to the measurement you made from root of tail to top of head; wind about it a bunch of excelsior (straw will answer as a substitute for excelsior shavings); secure this t
o the wire by repeated wrappings of stout thread, and mould the bundle into a shape resembling the bird’s body; regulate the girth by the measurement you noted down for that purpose before you commenced the skinning process. When you have completed the artificial body there will, of course, be a portion of the wire still bare, which represents the neck. File the extremity of this wire to a sharp point, then force it diagonally up through the skull to the top, where it must be clinched; wrap the neck wire between the artificial body and the head with cotton batting (Fig. 149). Now draw the skin back so as to cover the artificial neck and body.
The eyelids must be carefully pulled in place over the cotton in the eye-holes, or orbits; pull the eyelids up nicely, to make the parts about the eye appear plump and natural. Push more cotton down the throat until it has a round, real look. For the legs use two pieces of wire, each sharpened at one end. The taxidermist must shove the wire through the ball of the foot and guide it with the other hand up along the side of the bones of the leg, the skin being turned back for that purpose (Fig. 150). This figure shows the leg with skin turned back, as it appears when the wire is pushed through.
The American Boy's Handy Book Page 18