WORKING DOGS

(From Wood’s Natural History Mammalia volume by the Rev. J.G Woods, circa 1862.)

The Drover’s Dog

The Drover's Dog is generally produced from the sheep-dog and the mastiff or foxhound, and sometimes from the sheep-dog and the greyhound or pointer; the peculiar mixture being employed to suit the different localities in which the Dog is intended to exercise its powers. In some places the Drover's Dog is comparatively small, because the sheep are small, docile and not very active. But when the sheep are large, agile, and vigorous, and can run over a large extent of ground, a much larger and more powerful animal is needed, in order to cope with the extended powers of the sheep which are committed to its guardianship.

Although the Drover's Dog may be entrusted with the entire charge of the flock, its rightful vocation is the conveyance of the sheep from place to place. It will often learn its business os thoroughly , that it will conduct a flock of sheep or a herd of cattle to the destined point, and the deliver up its charge to the person who is appointed to receive them. Not the least extraordinary part of its performance is, that it will conduct its own flock through the midst of other sheep without permitting a single sheep under its charge to escape, or allowing a single stranger to mix with its own flock.

Such abilities as these can be applied to wrong purposes as well as good ones, and there is a well-known story of a drover who was accustomed to steal sheep through the help of his Dog. His plan was to indicate, by some expressive gesture which the Dog well understood, the particular sheep which he wished to be added to his own flock, and then to send his flock forward under the guardianship of the Dog, while he remained with his companions at the public-house bar. The clever animal would then so craftily intermingle the two flocks that it contrived to entice the coveted sheep into its own flock, and then would drive them forwards, carrying off the stolen sheep among the number. If the stratagem were not discovered, the owner of the Dog speedily changed the marks on the sheep, and thus merged them with his own legitimate property. If the fraud were detected, it was set down as an excusable mistake of the Dog, the stolen animals were restored, and the real thief escaped punishment. However, detection came at last, as it always does, sooner or later.