Toots the Fox Terrier

by Floyd Bralliar 

Toots was not my dog. I wish to make that plain at the start. He belonged to my wife's father and mother; but I knew him well, and he was such an intelligent dog that his story is well worth telling.

Toots was a fox terrier. Fox terriers are small, spotted dogs, with smooth coats of short, straight hair. Toots was white and black in color. Originally fox terriers were evidently selected for small house dogs, and were trained to catch rats and mice. Possibly they were selected and bred for small size, that they might follow rats and other small animals into their hiding places, and so be able to catch many that a big dog could never get. No one knows for sure just how long this breed of dogs has been in existence. Probably not very long in its present form, but pictures found on some of the ruins of ancient Egypt show dogs that look very much like our present-day fox terriers.

Father Boynton got Toots near Spirit Lake, Iowa, when he was merely a little fat puppy, so small he could easily be carried in his new master's overcoat pocket. He carried the little fellow home, a distance of fifty miles or more, cuddled up in a piece of warm cloth in a small grape basket such as one can see full of Concord grapes, any fall, on any fruit market.

Most puppies, when taken away from their home and mother to a strange place to live with strangers, get very homesick and cry and whine a great deal, especially of a night. And I can sympa­thize with them, for one time when I was a small boy I went away from home to stay a few days, and none of my folks were with me. It was not so bad in the daytime, but the nights were terrible; so a poor little puppy must feel utterly lonesome and homesick, especially in the long, dark hours when everyone is asleep, and everything is strange, and the puppy does not know what has become of his mother or brothers and sisters. But if Toots felt lonesome or homesick, he never showed it.

He never cried but one night, and that was when he had been given an old coat for a bed. The night was cold and he crept into one of the sleeves to get warm and could not get out. He cried till Burril, one of the boys, got up and helped him out of his difficulty. As soon as he was free, he lay down contentedly and went back to sleep, but he never crept into a coat sleeve again.

Mother Boynton began to train Toots from the first, and in less than a week he was learning to do tricks. Here are some of Mrs. Boynton's rules for training dogs

Begin when the puppy is small, the younger the better, after it is weaned. Learn what food it likes best and always keep some of it on hand. Always keep the dog just a little hungry. Decide what trick you wish to teach it to do, and teach that and nothing else until it is well learned. Show the dog a bit of its favorite food and tell it what you wish it to do and help it too do it. When it does what you ask, always give it the bit of food. Never scold or whip the dog, but never let it go till it does as it is told. To let it go without obedience may mean that it will never become well trained. In this respect there is not so much difference between a dog and a child.

The first trick Toots learned was to roll over when told to do so. This is usually an easy trick to teach any dog that can be taught to do tricks at all. All dogs cannot be taught such things, for all dogs do not possess sufficient intelligence to under­stand stand what is desired of them. Some breeds of dogs are more intelligent than others, and all dogs of the same breed are not equal in intelligence. Small dogs learn such tricks as rolling over more easily than do large dogs, even though the large dog may be as intelligent as the small one, because it is physically easier for the little dog to do the trick.

It was easy to teach Toots to sit up and speak, when told to do so before he could have a bit of food. Of course, this was done by requiring him to do it. Most dogs learn this readily, for they naturally bark if they want something, and they try to reach things by standing on their hind feet. What one needs to do is to restrain their barking to one short yap and the standing on the hind legs to sitting upright. An intelligent dog can  be taught this in a short time. Toots learned each pretty well in a single lesson.

The Boyntons had a small son named Clifford. He and Toots romped and played together by the hour, but neither was old enough always to use good judgment or be careful in his play. Some­times one would hurt the other. So one day Mother Boynton made a rule that if either hurt the other the offender must sit up on a chair as punishment till told he could get down. Things ran along pretty well for several days. Clifford had to sit up on, a chair several times, but thus far Toots had escaped. Then one day, as they were romping on the floor,

Toots bit Clifford too hard, and Mother Boynton set him up in a chair and kept him there for some time. In a day or two, the men were digging potatoes, and Toots and Clifford were playing about in the potato patch. In some way Toots bit Clifford, and quick as a flash he jumped up on a sack of potatoes and sat there as shamed faced as could be till told he might get down.       

He soon came to regard the Boynton house and yard as a sacred place, and took it upon himself to guard it against all intruders. A small herd of cattle were driven past the house regularly every morning and evening: Sometimes the cows, at­tracted by the fresh grass, would get into the yard. Toots resented this, and soon learned to know when to expect the cattle. He would go out into the front yard and sit down near the road before the cattle came near, and would sit there perfectly quiet till they passed, but should one start toward the yard he dashed after it at once. The cows soon learned to make no attempt to get into that yard, and the neighbor boy who drove the cattle really appreciated the dog's help.

In fact it was no uncommon thing for Toots to take over a job without being told to do so. One day Mother Boynton was sitting in her favorite chair tatting. Toots was lying near, seemingly paying not the least attention to what was going on. Mrs. Boynton made some unusual move and her ball of thread fell off her lap and rolled across the floor. Instantly Toots jumped up, got the ball, and carried it to her without her having said a word.

And Toots was a good watchdog. His mistress used to set her newly baked pies and puddings on the cellar door in the back yard to cool, and leave him to watch them. And watch them he did Not only did he keep chickens and similar things away; he would fight the largest man or dog to a standstill to protect his pies. One day Mrs. Bralliar and our two-year-old son were visiting at her mother's home. As usual, freshly baked pies were put, out for Toots to watch. The baby was playing in the yard and spied the pies. Babylike, he made for them at once. His grandmother, as grandmothers have a fashion of doing, was watch­ing the baby through the window and saw him start, but waited to see what the dog would do.

Usually so resourceful, Toots was at his wits' end. He seemed to realize the baby was not responsible and must not be hurt. He ran in front of it, but the baby merely waddled over him and went on. He got hold of the baby's clothes and tried to hold him back but only got a lick with a stick for his trouble. Do what he might the baby kept on toward the pies. Finally the dog's face took on the most worried look imaginable, and he got in front of the baby again. Again he was brushed aside. When the baby finally got so near that Toots realized it would surely get the pies, he raced into the house barking, got his mistress by the hand, and led her to the rescue.

For a time Toots was a nuisance during family worship, so he was made to sit up in a chair during this time. He soon learned this, but added to it a program of his own. When the family would kneel in prayer he would get down from his chair, put his paws up on the front of the seat and put his head between his feet, imitating as nearly as he could what he saw the family do.

He was taught to play "sleepy dog." When asked if he were a sleepy dog, he would rub his eyes with his paws, open his mouth, and yawn in the most distressed way imaginable.

Like most dogs that have been taught to eat it, he was inordinately fond of candy, yet the children might leave candy lying indiscriminately around where he could see and reach it, and he would never bother it. It did not belong to him.

In time he was taught to go to the store and buy his own candy. All that was necessary was to put a piece of money in something he could carry, give it to him, and tell him he might go and buy some candy. Away he would go in high glee, but when the merchant gave him his bag of candy he always brought it home without touching it. He would deliver it to his mistress and wait anxiously for her to dole it out to him.

Perhaps this buying things at the store suggested to his mistress the idea of teaching him the next trick he learned. She would put something that he especially liked on the floor and tell him, "That costs money." Toots would eye it longingly till some one told him, "It's paid for," when he would gobble it in a hurry.

Naturally such a dog would make friends, especially as he was friendly to everyone. The neighbors soon learned to know him and often called him to their houses for a play. One day one of the neighbors had visitors and, seeing Toots, thought to entertain his guests by having him perform for them. So he called "Toots, come here." As usual Toots did not like to leave home, but finally, yielding to the importunity of his neighbor, whom he liked, he went and was taken into the house.

Now Mr. Comfelt, for that was the neighbor's name, wanted him to perform, but he would not do a single trick. Finally Mr. Comfelt said, "Toots, if you will perform for me, I will give you some bread." Toots pricked up his ears at once, and went through every one of his stunts as they were called, much to the delight of his audience. When he was through he stood about expectantly, but Mr. Comfelt did not give him his bread but busied himself talking with his visitors. Finally some one opened the outside door. Evidently Toots saw his opportunity and did not mean to be tricked out of his pay. He sprang on a chair, grabbed a half loaf of bread off the table and ran home with it. He never ate plain bread, so it could not have been because he was hungry. He merely wanted his rights. 

But his triumph was short. Mr. Comfelt owned a dog of his own. He was not trained, but he was several times as big as Toots, and he too felt he had a duty to perform in guarding his master's property. He saw Toots running away with the bread, and followed. Toots had just put the bread down on his own porch and was turning away when the big dog dashed around the corner, grabbed the loaf of bread, and carried it back to his master.

Toots liked to play hide and seek with the family. This is the way it was played. Some one would hide a piece of chewing gum, candy, or some other thing the dog liked very much to eat. He was then allowed to come into the room and told, "There is something laid up for you." Immediately he would; start the hunt and in a surprisingly short time he would find and eat the prize. He never failed to locate the prize, though it might be hid­den four or five feet from the floor and though he was given no idea what was hidden or which one of the family had hidden it. I have never been able to decide how he was able to do this.

Like most dogs, Toots liked very much to go along whenever his master left home with the team, and usually he was allowed to do so. But this did not always give him unmixed joy. His master often drove past a house where lived a large dog that never allowed a strange dog to pass without picking a fight if possible. The first time they passed this house, this dog ran out and began bullying Toots. Toots realized the stranger was far too big for him to fight, so he tried in every way to conciliate the bully, but only got himself bitten for his trouble. His master called to him to get under the wagon, which he did, while his master jumped off and with a club drove the big dog yelping away. After that when they came that way Toots fairly strutted past this place, but he always kept close beside - the wagon on the side where his master rode.   

One morning his master was starting away with the wagon, and as usual Toots was on hand to go. Mr. Boynton said as he might have said to a child, " Toots, you can't go today. You must stay at home and take care of mother." That was enough. The disap­pointed dog turned around and went back to the house, and he scarcely al­lowed his mistress out of his sight all day long.

Another day, when they had gone almost a quarter of a mile from home, his master saw one of his calves which was straying away. "Toots," he said, "you must drive that calf back home be­fore you can come with me. The dog's tail dropped and he showed dejection in every muscle. "I will wait for you," continued Mr. Boynton. Up went the dog's ears and tail, and away he went after s the calf. He drove it home with a rush and was back again in a jiffy.

One day Toots went visiting with his master, something like eighty miles from home. He was so busy playing with the children he did not notice when Mr. Boynton started home, and Mr. Boynton had been so busy talking that he forgot about the .dog. About a half hour afterward, the gentleman whom Mr. Boynton had been visiting noticed the dog playing with the children. He called him and said, "Toots, don't you know your master has gone home?"

A look of distress came over him, but without a moment's hesitation he darted out of the yard and was gone. This was late in the afternoon. At home everyone was much distressed when the master arrived alone. Toots had never been far from home before, and had never been even a short distance in the direction of this friend's home. But the next morning he was lying on the door step, looking very tired, but exceedingly glad to be home again.

Finally the Boyntons moved to California and left the dog with a friend. After a year the family decided to send for him. So Elder Wolfe, Mr. Boynton's son-in-law, got a box of the proper size, put a rug in it for a bed, put the dog in the box, carried him to the express office, and started him on his journey from Sioux Rapids, Iowa, to San Fernando, California.

When he arrived, the ex­press agent telephoned, the family and Clifford went to get the dog. When he asked the agent for, him, he was told he would need a muzzle and a cage, that the dog's box had been broken en route, and that he had fought everyone in sight when they had attempted to get the pieces. All he had left was his chain and his bed, and no one could get near these. Clifford paid the charges and went for the dog. As soon as Toots saw him, he was wild with joy, and could not get to him soon enough. He was no longer a savage dog defending his own property, but a lonesome, heartsore little doggie who had at last found his long-lost friends.

Some of my readers will say, "I would like to own a dog, if I could get one that was smart like Toots, or Frank, the collie, you tell, us about in 'Elo the Eagle.' But how can I get such a dog?"

In the first place, select a puppy from one of the more intelligent breeds, and from individual parents that are intelligent. Then pick the bright­est-looking puppy in the litter. A puppy that looks and acts stupid is seldom 'intelligent. An especially intelligent dog will show it in his bright, alert look and in his sprightly actions.

After such a dog is secure, make a pal of him and train him, but do not bully him. Many an intelligent dog has had his spirit broken by cruel, tyrannical treatment, just as many a bright boy's future has been ruined by a tyrannical father. Neither can be allowed to do, as they please. Both must be trained, but tyranny is not training.

The Dog (Canis familiaris)

Dogs have been domesticated from the very earliest dawn of history. There has always been much discussion as to whether they originated from taming and breeding wolves, jackals, and similar animals. Some have thought that dogs all originated from some common ancestor, while others believe they have come from several. As a matter of fact the wild species are about as apt to be domestic dogs run wild as the domestic dog is to have come from the wild species.

As long ago as 3500 b.c., pictures of dogs were placed on the old monuments and other buildings of the Egyptians. They look very much like some of our modern breeds. From that time till now dogs have been man's friends in most of the world. Even some of the American Indians had their dogs when they were discovered by the Europeans.

Dogs are divided into the following classes. 1. Wild and half-wild dogs. 2. Domestic dogs that hunt by sight. 3. Domestic dogs that hunt by nose and kill their prey when located. 4. Dogs that hunt by nose but do not kill their prey. 5. Herding dogs. 6. Watch dogs. 7. Crossed breeds, retrievers, etc. There are usually many species under each class.

The fox terrier was originally a dog bred to hunt foxes and drive them out of their holes, but not to kill them. They have become valuable in the extermination of rodents and other small pests. While the breed originated in England, pictures show dogs that resemble them in shape and color that must have been in existence hundreds of years before they were definitely originated as fox terriers.

Many of the big breeds of dogs tend to have a fifth toe, especially on the hind feet. Some think this is a throw-back to some five-toed ancestor.

Other dogs tend to have the toes united with a web. Some believe this to be proof that there were web-footed dogs at some time in the past. But at most these are mere suppositions.

There are already several hundred recognized breeds of dogs, and new ones are being produced every few years. Of course, this is done by crossing breeds already in existence; and carefully selecting them to definite size and color for a few generations till the breed becomes fixed.