A CONSCIENTIOUS DOG

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Feb 1, 1877

A CONSCIENTIOUS DOG.

I had this dog for several years, and had never, even in his puppyhood, known him to steal. On the contrary, he used to make an excellent guard to protect property from other animals, servants, etc., even those who were his best friends. [Mr. Romans here adds in a note: “I have seen this dog escort a donkey which had baskets on its back filled with apples. Although the dog did not know he was being observed by anybody, he did his duty with the utmost faithfulness; for every time that the donkey turned back its head to take an apple out of the basket, the dog snapped at his nose; and such was his watchfulness that, although his companion was keenly desirous of tasting some of the fruit, he never allowed him to get a single apple during the half hour they were left together. I have also seen this terrier protecting meat from other terriers (his sons), which lived in the same house with him, and with which he was on the very best of terms. Most curious still, I have seen him seize my wristbands while they were being worn by a friend to whom I had temporarily lent them.”]

Nevertheless, on one occasion he was very hungry, and in the room where I was reading, and he was sitting, there was, within easy reach, a savory mutton-chop. I was greatly surprised to see him remove this chop and take it under the sofa. However, I pretended not to observe what had occurred, and waited to see what would happen next. For fully a quarter of an hour this terrier remained under the sofa without making a sound, but doubtless enduring an agony of contending feelings. Eventually, however, conscience came off victorious, for, emerging from his place of concealment, and carrying in his mouth the stolen chop, he came across the room and laid the tempting morsel at my feet. The moment he dropped the stolen property he bolted again under the sofa, and from this retreat no coaxing could draw him for several hours afterward. Moreover, when, during that time he was spoken to or petted, he always turned away his head in a ludicrously conscience-stricken manner. Altogether, I do not think it would be possible to imagine a more satisfactory exhibition of conscience by an animal than this, for it must be remembered that the particular animal in question was never beaten in his life.—Quarterly Journal of Science.