10/03/2017 TheDog

TheDog
byBanjoPaterson(/author/banjopaterson/biobooksstories)

Thedogisamemberofsocietywholikestohavehisday'swork,and
whodoesitmoreconscientiouslythanmosthumanbeings.Adog
alwayslooksasifheoughttohaveapipeinhismouthandablackbag
forhislunch,andthenhewouldgoquitehappilytoofficeeveryday.

Adogwithoutworkislikeamanwithoutwork,anuisancetohimselfand
everybodyelse.Peoplewholiveabouttown,andkeepadogtogivethe
childrenhydatidsandtokeeptheneighboursawakeatnight,imagine
thattheanimalisfulfillinghisdestiny.Alltowndogs,fancydogs,show
dogs,lapdogs,andotherdogswithnoworktodo,shouldbeabolished
itisonlyinthecountrythatadoghasanyjustificationforhisexistence.

Theoldtheorythatanimalshaveonlyinstinct,notreason,toguide
them,isknockedendwaysbythedog.Adogcanreasonaswellasa
humanbeingonsomesubjects,andbetteronothers,andthebest
reasoningdogofallisthesheepdog.Thesheepdogisaprofessional
artistwithaprideinhisbusiness.Watchanydrover'sdogsbringingsheepintotheyards.Howthoroughlytheyfeeltheir
responsibility,andhowveryannoyedtheygetifastraydogwithnooccupationwantsthemtostopandfoolabout!Theysnapat
himandhurryoff,asmuchastosay:"Yougoaboutyouridleness.Don'tyouseethisismybusyday?"

SheepdogsarefollowersofThomasCarlyle.Theyholdthattheonlyhappinessforadoginthislifeistofindhisworkandtodoit.
Theidle,`dilettante',nonworking,aristocraticdogtheyhavenousefor.

Thetrainingofasheepdogforhisprofessionbeginsataveryearlyage.Thefirstthingistotakehimoutwithhismotherandlet
himseeherworking.Heblunderslightheartedly,friskingalonginfrontofthehorse,andhisownertriestorideoverhim,and
generallysucceeds.Itisamusingtoseehowthatknocksallthegasoutofapuppy,andwithwhatahumbleairhefallstotherear
andglueshimselftothehorse'sheels,scarcelydaringtolooktotherightortotheleft,forfearofcommittingsomeotherbreachof
etiquette.

Hehashadhisfirstlessontokeepbehindthehorseuntilheiswanted.Thenhewatchestheoldslutwork,andisallowedtogo
withherroundthesheepandifheshowsanydispositiontogetoutofhandandfrolicabout,theoldladywillbitehimsharplyto
preventhisinterferingwithherwork.

Bydegrees,slowly,likeanyotherprofessional,helearnshisbusiness.Helearnstobringsheepafterahorsesimplyatawaveof
thehandtoforcethemobuptoagatewheretheycanbecountedordraftedtofollowthescentoflostsheep,andtodrivesheep
throughatownwithoutanymaster,onedoggoingonaheadtoblockthesheepfromturningoffintobystreetswhiletheother
drivesthemonfromtherear.

Howdotheylearnallthesethings?Dogsforshowworkaretaughtpainstakinglybymenwhoareskilledinhandlingthembut,after
all,theyteachthemselvesmorethanthementeachthem.Itlooksasiftheacquiredknowledgeofgenerationsweretransmitted
fromdogtodog.Thepuppy,descendedfromaraceofsheepdogs,startswithallhisfacultiesdirectedtowardstheworkingof
sheepheishalfeducatedassoonasheisborn.Hecannomorehelpworkingsheepthanabornmusiciancanhelpbeing
musical,oraHebrewcanhelpgatheringinshekels.Itisbredinhim.Ifhecan'tgetsheeptowork,hewillworkafowloftenand
oftenonecanseeacolliepuppainstakinglyandcarefullydrivingabewilderedoldhenintoastable,orastockyard,oranyother
enclosedspaceonwhichhehasfixedhismind.Howdoeshelearntodothat?Hedidn'tlearnitatall.Theknowledgewasborn
withhim.

https://americanliterature.com/author/banjopaterson/shortstory/thedog 1/3
10/03/2017 TheDog

Whenthedoghasbeeneducated,orhaseducatedhimself,heenjoyshisworkbutveryfewdogslikework"intheyards".Thesun
ishot,thedustrisesinclouds,andthereisnothingtodobutbark,bark,barkwhichisallverywellforlearnersandamateurs,but
isbeneaththedignityofthetrueprofessionalsheepdog.Whentheyarehoarsewithbarkingandnearlychokedwithdust,themen
losetheirtempersandswearatthem,andthrowclodsofearthatthem,andsingouttothem"Speakup,blastyou!"

Thenthedogssuddenlydecidethattheyhavedoneenoughfortheday.Watchingtheiropportunity,theysilentlystealoverthe
fence,andhideinanycoolplacetheycanfind.Afterawhilethemennoticethathardlyanyareleft,andoperationsaresuspended
whileagreathuntismadeintooutlyingpiecesofcover,wherethedogsaresuretobefoundlyinglowandlookingasguiltyasso
manythieves.Aclutchatthescruffoftheneck,akickintheribs,andtheyarehauledoutofhidingplacesandaccompanytheir
masterstotheyardfrolickingaboutandpretendingthattheyarequitedelightedtobegoingback,andonlyhidinthosebushesout
ofsheerthoughtlessness.Heisachampionhypocrite,isthedog.

Dogs,likehorses,haveverykeenintuition.Theyknowwhenthemenaroundthemarefrightened,thoughtheymaynotknowthe
cause.InagreatQueenslandstrike,whentheshearersattackedandburntDagworthshed,someriflevolleyswereexchanged.
Theairwasfullofhumanelectricity,eachmangivingoutwavesoffearandexcitement.Marknowtheeffectithadonthedogs.
Theywerenotinthefightingnobodyfiredatthem,andnobodyspoketothembuteverydoglefthismaster,leftthesheep,and
wentawaytothehomestead,aboutsixmilesoff.Therewasn'tadogabouttheshednextdayafterthefight.Thenoiseoftherifles
hadnotfrightenedthem,becausetheywerewellaccustomedtothat.*

*ThesamethinghappenedconstantlywithhorsesintheSouthAfricanWar.Aloosehorsewouldfeedcontentedlywhileourmen
werefiring,butwhenourtroopswerebeingfiredatthehorsesbecameuneasy,andthelooseoneswouldtrotaway.The
excitementofthemencommunicateditselftothem.

Dogshaveanamazingsenseofresponsibility.Sometimes,whentherearesheeptobeworked,anoldslutwhohasyoungpuppies
maybegreatlyexercisedinhermindwhethersheshouldgooutornot.Ontheonehand,shedoesnotcareaboutleavingthe
puppies,ontheother,shefeelsthatshereallyoughttogoratherthanallowthesheeptobeknockedaboutbythoselearners.
Hesitatingly,withmanyalookbehindher,shetrotsoutafterthehorsesandtheotherdogs.Animpassionedappealfromthehead
boundaryrider,"Gobackhome,willyer!"istreatedwiththecontemptitdeserves.Shegoesouttotheyards,works,perhapshalf
theday,andthenslipsquietlyunderthefencesandtrotsoffhome,contented.

ThisstoryisfeaturedinourcollectionofShortShortStories(/shortshortstories)toreadwhenyouhavefiveminutestospare.Ifyouenjoyedthisstoryyoumight
wishtoreadPaterson'stakeonTheCat(/author/banjopaterson/shortstory/thecat)orTheDogasaSportsman(/author/banjopaterson/shortstory/thedogas
asportsman).

7.9

(https://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=https%3A//americanliterature.com/author/banjopaterson/shortstory/thedog)
(https://twitter.com/share?url=https%3A//americanliterature.com/author/banjopaterson/shortstory/thedog)
(https://plus.google.com/share?url=https%3A//americanliterature.com/author/banjopaterson/shortstory/thedog)
(https://www.tumblr.com/share/link?url=https%3A//americanliterature.com/author/banjopaterson/shortstory/thedog)
(https://reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A//americanliterature.com/author/banjopaterson/shortstory/thedog) (mailto:?
Subject=American%20Literature) (https://www.pinterest.com/amlitdotcom/)

Createalibraryandaddyourfavoritestories.Getstartedbyclickingthe"Add"button.

Add(/accounts/signup/) TheDogtoyourownpersonallibrary.

ReturntotheBanjoPaterson(/author/banjopaterson/biobooksstories)HomePage,or...ReadthenextshortstoryTheDog
asaSportsman(/author/banjopaterson/shortstory/thedogasasportsman)

(/author/antonchekhov/biobooksstories)

https://americanliterature.com/author/banjopaterson/shortstory/thedog 2/3
10/03/2017 TheDog
(/author/nathanielhawthorne/biobooksstories)
(/author/susanglaspell/biobooksstories)
(/author/marktwain/biobooksstories)
(/author/edgarallanpoe/biobooksstories)
(/author/maryewilkinsfreeman/biobooksstories)
(/author/hermanmelville/biobooks
stories)
(/author/stephen
leacock/biobooksstories)
(/author/kate
chopin/bio
books
stories)

(/author/bjrnstjernebjrnson/biobooksstories)

https://americanliterature.com/author/banjopaterson/shortstory/thedog 3/3