WORKING DOGS

© Warren Fahey 2008

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

Cur Dogs

The true Cur is produced from the sheep-dog and the terrier, and is a most useful animal to the class of persons among whom it is generally found. It is rather apt to be petulant in its temper, and is singularly suspicious of strangers; so that although it is rather an unpleasant neighbor by reason of its perpetually noisy tongue, it is of the greatest service to the person to whom it belongs. It is an admirable house-dog, and specially honest, being capable of restraining its natural instincts, and of guarding its owner's provisions, even though it may be almost perishing of hunger.

The Cur is the acknowledged pest of the passing traveller, especially if he be mounted, or is driving as it rushes out of the house at the sound of the strange footstep, and follows the supposed intruder with yelps and snaps until it flatters itself that it has completely put the enemy to flight. About the house the Cur is as useful as is the colley among the hills, for it is as ready to comprehend and execute the wishes of its master at home as is the sheep-dog on the hills. Indeed, if the two dogs were to change places for a day or two, the cur would manage better with the sheep than the sheep-dog would manage the household tasks.

One principal reason of this distinction is, that a thorough-going sheep-dog is accustomed only to one line of action, and fails to comprehend anything that has no connection with sheep, while the Cur has been constantly employed for all kinds of various tasks, and is, therefore, very quick at learning a new accomplishment. When the laborers are at their daily work they are often accustomed to take their dinners with them, in order to save themselves the trouble of returning home in the middle of the day. As, however, there are often lawless characters among the laborers, especially if many of them come from a distance, and are only hired for the work in hand, the services of the Cur Dog are brought into requisition. Mounting guard on his master's coat, and defending with the utmost honesty his master's little stock of provisions, he snarls defiance at every one who approaches the spot where he acts as sentinel, and refuses to deliver his charge into the hands of any but its owner. He then sits down, happy and proud of the caresses that await him, and perfectly contented to eat the fragments of that very meal which he might have consumed entirely had he not been restrained by his sense of honor.

Mr. Hogg, the "Ettrick Shepherd" says that he has known one of these Dogs to mount guard night and day over a dairy full of milk and cream, and never so much as break the cream with the tip of its tongue, nor permit a cat, or rat, or any creature, to touch the milk pans.

The Cur Dog has - as all animals have - its little defects. It is sadly given to poaching on its own account, and is very destructive to the young game. It is too fond of provoking a combat with any strange Dog, and if its antagonist should move away, as is generally the case with high-bred Dogs, when they feel themselves intruding upon territories not their own, takes advantage of the supposed pusillanimity of the stranger, and annoys him to the best of its power; but if the stranger should not feel inclined to brook such treatment, and should turn upon its persecutor, the Cur is rather apt to invoke discretion instead of valor, and to seek the shelter of its own home, from whence it launches its angry yelpings, as if it would tear its throat in pieces.