Page:The American Boy's Handy Book edition 1.djvu/264

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.