A Dog That Can Count

California Conference of Seventh-day Adventists · Oakland, Cal. · Apr 8, 1875

A Dog That Can Count.

THE gentleman who witnessed the event was a short time since on a visit to Scotland, and during his visit he came across some men who were washing sheep. Close to the water where operations were being carried on was a small pen, in which a detachment of ten sheep were placed handy to the men for washing. While watching the performance, his attention was called to a sheep dog lying down close by. This animal, on the pen becoming nearly empty, without a word from any one, started off to the main body of the flock, brought back ten of the number, and drove them into the empty washing pens. The fact that the dogs brought exactly the same number of sheep as had vacated it, he looked upon at first as a strange coincidence—a mere chance. But he continued looking on, and much to his surprise, as soon as the men had reduced the number to three sheep, the dog started off again and brought back ten more. And so he continued throughout the afternoon, never bringing one more nor one less, and always going for a fresh lot when only three were left in the pen, evidently being aware that during the time the last three were washing he would be able to bring up a fresh detachment.