Page:Hunting and trapping stories; a book for boys (IA huntingtrappings00pric).pdf/256

 Dogs can roughly be divided into four classes. There are the hunting dogs; the toy or pet dogs; the working dogs and the big dogs which are neither workers nor hunters, and last but not least the noble army of nondescript mongrels.

Now it is impossible to say which is the greatest of dogs, for the simple reason that one breed is thought more of in one country, while the people of the next nation prefer another kind of canine. Each has its uses and is great in its own place.

Let us first look over some of the hunting dogs. Every one who has done much shooting knows what a treasure a good dog is. The pointers and setters go entirely by nose, a proof of which is that when puppies they chase shadows of birds and never look overheard for the cause. Again, when first taken into the field to point game birds, they are likely to walk right over the crouching coveys. The spaniels and retreivers are the best water dogs, but they are not as much in vogue in the United States as in England. Otter hounds are another class of water dogs and you will find an account of them in the otter stories. We have also spoken of fox hounds in the stories upon hunting.

"GENE"

Two enormous hunting dogs are the wolf hounds and stag hounds. The former are much prized in wolf-infested Russia, on account of their great speed, endurance and strength, for it takes a powerful dog to hunt a wolf. The stag hounds are of two classes. The least known are the great shaggy fellows, sometimes found in Scotland, which closely resemble in buid their Russian cousins. The staghounds however that are mostly used in England are smooth skinned and look something like the fox hounds, only they are more heavily built.

In Germany the dachsund is a great favorite. This dog is not large, has a long body, short legs and no speed, but it seems to have its uses and is very popular. Years ago in England, when clock work machinery for turning roast meat before a fire was unknown, there was used instead a dog called a "Spitz" a close relation of the dachsund. This small dog was put inside a large wheel like a squirrel's and made to run. The wheel was connected with a running belt which turned the meat before the fire.